Step 105 Mission Beach – Townsville (Rowes Bay) 247 km's

Sunday 14^th August

Drive out of town via South Mission beach this morning. Seems a little less touristy, but still a nice beach and great views out to the Dunk Island. Gotta love this Whitsunday setting.

South Mission Beach and Tully showing even more signs of Yasi damage. But again people seem to be getting on with it.

An occupational hazard on the Cassowary Coast
A speed cop cassowary attacking your car

Morning tea in Cardwell, right on the beach. FNQ has some VNB (Far North Queensalnd has some Very Nice Beaches).

Caught out today by the WA syndrome. That is, no Sunday trading. Luckily we still have plenty of packaged and tinned food that we have been carrying for the last 20,000 kilometres so we won't starve.

Apart from the storm damage from Yasi, there is a lot of kangaroo damage from cars. This would have to be the highest incidence of road kill we have seen on the trip so far. It's like the Kanagaroo killing fields.

Our lesson for today is: do NOT believe all the signs you see. Pulling up at the Rowe's Bay caravan park in Townsville the sign said no powered sites. Ha! We got one. So there.

Mind you the other signs were a little more worrying: “Lock up your valuables”; “Do not leave anything outside on your campsite; “Thieves love the tropics”. Followed by a lecture from the lady at check-in “do not leave anything outside your van at night”. I thought being named after my mate David Rowe this place would be a little more salubrious. Never mind we survived the night without getting robbed.

Apart from that, Townsville was very nice. After checking in, to our ocean view site, we went for a walk along the beach front and took in the views of Magnetic Island (or Maggie as we call her up here).

Don't know why the Loch Ness monster hunters haven't thought of this
Don't start hunting until the tide goes out

Monday 15^th August

There is a cultural festival in town this week, so we were asked to leave. No trailer trash please.

But before leaving Townsville we drove along the Strand. A beachfront boulevard that is far more attractive than Cairns

Proof readers note: Let it go Steve. We understand, you didn't like Cairns.

Good old MM then made it up the hill to the Castle Hill lookout. The view is just stunning. The road is just steep! Unfortunately there was no sign to say how high the lookout was but the 2.9 km drive was as steep as anything we have driven on. The locals however seem to consider it a challenge because there were loads of people walking or jogging up to the top (and back down). Most of the walkers were female and a lot were mum's pushing kids in prams. Nearly shamed me into attempting the walk myself, but not quite.

"Maggie"

Townsville town and Rowe Bay