LEAVING Normanton, we headed south to a teeny, weeny place called Quamby.

The roadtrip was surprisingly easy thanks to good roads and not a lot of road trains, thankfully on this particular day. There were plenty of cattle, though, so you still have to be careful. The cattle around these parts seem to have sound road skills. Believe it or not, I actually saw a herd of cows stop and wait and then cross the road, unlike the horses up around Cooktown who wait, then run out in front of you!

There is little warning that Quamby is approaching, so don’t blink or you will miss it. The town of Quamby – and, yes, it still is a registered town – has a population of only 5 (three of whom are the barmaids!) and just one property. However, many moons ago Quamby was a vibrant little village and one of the main Cobb & Co stations. Now it’s a great pub, with accommodation out the back – donga style. You can hook up your van to their power or use a donga.

It’s such a neat, quaint and interesting place that you do really have to stay a night. They have their own resident bull, Camel, who is a real character and they have their own Bundaberg Rum water tank sitting in all its pride and glory on the hill out the back. Yes, it’s all very Outback and very welcoming. The pub is big, with tons of room, so sit inside or sit outside, fire up the Barbecues and enjoy the best cooked breakfast you will find on the road. All the facilities are nice and clean and, of course, you will always get a nice cold beer, not to mention the mean roast dinner that’s on the menu! And the barmaids here are tourists and have some cracker stories to tell.

Situated just 120kms out of Cloncurry, it’s also worth noting that there’s no mobile phone reception unless you drive about 250m up the road and around the next corner.

You will not find Outback style or hospitality like you do at the Quamby Pub.

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep – visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep.com.au

EVERYONE loves a music festival, whether you love blues, country, jazz, pop or rock. So snap up a campervan rental deal with DriveNow, hit the highway and prepare to dance, sing, eat and drink ’til your heart’s content. While there are loads of big ones such as the Big Day Out, Good Vibrations and V Festival that do the rounds countrywide, don’t forget the smaller ones that might just offer something a little more intimate and also give you the chance to look around. Try these for size …

1) Riverboats Jazz Food and Wine Festival. Every July this one attracts jazz and wine lovers in their droves from all corners of the country, so head down the Hume Highway in your campervan or hire car to this historic river port township set on the banks of the mighty Murray River for some smooth jazz, great food and wonderful nearby attractions. It all happens in late February. Visit www.riverboatsjazzfoodandwine.com.au

2) Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival. Any time of the year is a good time of the year to visit this beautiful coastal hotspot. Enjoy the best of both worlds whether it be the beach or the hinterland. This world renowned music festival attracts some of the biggest artists in the world. Held over five days every Easter, visit www.bluesfest.com.au

3) Chill Island. Head south from Melbourne and find a patch on charming Phillip Island, home of Australia’s best known penguins and the Phillip Island motorsport circuit. Every January it comes alive to the sounds of easygoing, chilled music including artists covering such genres as folk, reggae, blues and pop. Visit www.chillisland.org

4) Womadelaide. This one stands for World of Music Arts and Dance and simply must be experienced if you’re ever cruising around South Australia. Thousands “bliss out” as they enjoy the sounds of the planet, street theatre, exhibitions and great food. Visit www.womadelaide.com.au

5) Tamworth Country Music Festival. No Aussie list of music festivals can be without this mighty country music fest when the greats of country music, and promising up and comers of all ages, hit the town for a fun time. Celebrations continue for 10 days every year from mid-January. Visit www.tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

WHAT A CROC!

FROM Mt Surprise we head further west and back out almost to the coast to a quaint little place called Normanton. This is the home of the largest salt water crocodile ever officially recorded. And you better believe it!

The local publican still has the original photograph of it. This croc came out during a wicked flood and a local lad shot it, 14 times, with his .22 calibre rifle. It could swallow you whole in one gulp and you wouldn’t even touch the sides! No wonder all the farmers were missing a ton of cattle in these parts – sometimes a herd a day, apparently. Just behind the monument of this beast of a creature is the old original prison. Very spooky! It remains just as the last prisoners left it, very airy and the writing on the wall says it all.

When in Normanton you just have to go Croc spotting. No matter how scared you might be, this really must be one of the priorities on your schedule. They breed them big here, trust me, and you will not see crocs this big anywhere else in the world, I can guarantee! The Normanton River is also a famous fishing ground, just beware what lurks beneath.

And funnily enough, Normanton also is home to the historic Gulf Lander train, the original. You can take a day trip back to Georgetown, have a great morning or afternoon tea, and let yourself slip back into the days of old. It’s awesome how they have restored her, a true testament to their dedication in getting back into tip-top shape.

Book your camp sites early, too, as Normanton is often booked out. With it not having many close neighbouring towns, it’s a very popular spot to stop for people going north, south, east and west.

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT

HEADING south and inland from Cooktown down to Mt Surprise was, well, a bit of a surprise – a pleasant one.

Definitely take the short-cut and head along the top of the Atherton Tablelands, and cut out going back through Cairns. It’s a great drive that’s fairly easy until you reach Rolleston. From then on its only bitumen for the width of one car, down the middle of the road, so drive your campervan and carry your load carefully especially on corners, as chances are others coming towards you are using the middle of the road too! The other half of your lane is orange dirt and badly corrugated, so it’s slow going. Every now and then you will get a double land of bitumen, but not often, and no there’s no phone reception from thereafter either.

It feels like the road is never ending, but it’s because of the slow going and the frequent pull-offs you have to make. But once you enter Mt Surprise, this little town never fails to surprise! It’s a tiny town with a pub built in the back of someone’s barn, a petrol station, post office, fish and chips shop and café. Just remember there’s not much phone reception here but there is a pay phone out the front of the petrol station.

We stayed at Bedrock Caravan Village and we can’t recommend it highly enough and you needn’t worry about staying anywhere else but there. It’s awesome! Fantastic hosts Joe & Jo bend over backwards to make your stay totally and utterly unforgettable, with singalongs around the camp fire, camp dinners and the best part is that they also own the local tours company out to the Lava Tubes and Volcano Rim. The Lava Tubes are amazing, still in their pristine, natural state, including the bones of many dead animals littering the floors of the tubes. It’s grea to see they haven’t commercialised it and it really hits home about how often we have ruined national treasures through tourism. You will not be dissapointed, not for a second. Joe is full of knowledge and has a great relationship with the local elders, which only lends charm to a very memorable experience.

Make sure you stay at least three or four days in Mount Surprise. You definitely will not regret it.

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep is coming to 7TWO on Australian television. Visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep.com for more information

CAPE York is absolutely totally out of this world. No word can sum it up, no matter how much you try to describe it. Quite simply, you just don’t know how great it is until you experience it for yourself.

I bid farewell to Sheree and the kids (they are having a week in Cairns) while myself and the film crew head into the unknown territory of Cape York Peninsula. Firstly, there’s a few very important things to remember. If you are travelling along, as in only one vehicle, make sure you stick to the Cape York Development Road at all times! If you are lucky enough to have a support vehicle or vehicles with you, then venture off on to the Telegraph Track.

We had only one vehicle, but we still saw so much and had the best time ever. Once you get past Laura you will feel like you are in a different country. It isn’t that far distance-wise, but time-wise it can be. It took us 8 1/2 hours to travel 291km from the turn-off to Weipa! Too funny! But it was all worth it and was a great opportunity to test out all your 4WDriving skills on these roads in particular – so much to learn along the way, but funnily enough we never felt in danger or at risk. Mobile phones will work in most parts, definitely in all the towns, but be sure to take a satellite phone with you for back up.

First stop was Weipa which boasts the most amazing sunsets. We stayed at a beachfront caravan park – what more could you want?! Take in the Totem poles, a history lesson you will never learn or experience anywhere else in the world. Weipa has all the services you will need. And remember to stock up on water at every place you can. After that, we headed straight across to the other coast to Portland Roads and a little private house called Portland House. It’s all run from “eco” things – eco this, eco that. It’s a great little spot and for only $75 per person it is great value. If you are looking for a romantic getaway then this is for you.

Then it was off to Seisia, a great little town a few kms short of the Tip of Australia. Once again, beachfront camp sites and just stunning. Seisia and Bamaga have a lot of services. Don’t forget to take the Champers when you finally reach the very tip of Australia! An enormous accomplishment by any standard!

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep is coming to 7TWO. Visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep.com.au for more information

THE drive from Mossman to Cooktown is brilliant. It isn’t an easy drive, but still it’s really worth the while. Make sure you stock up on everything before you head off and there are plenty of stops along the way including some great photo opportunities.

Cooktown is a place full of wonder and it certainly wasn’t what I expected, that’s for sure! Simply put – it is stunning and there is no other way to describe it. And the history you will see and learn is astounding. I knew so little before going there it was actually embarrassing.

For starters, the lookout will take your breath away and if you are an avid photographer, you will spend hours – even days – taking photos. The Mt Cook lookout is the first port of call to get your bearings and start your adventure of the area. From there we headed back into town to the James Cook Museum. This museum is housed in the old Nunnery, and is even haunted some will tell you! But the exhibits they have there are quite remarkable, especially given how remote Cooktown is. I would say it’s even better than most of the mainstream museums on the east coast!

We stayed at the Big4 Cooktown, and it is so good you won’t need to think about staying anywhere else. They even have a wash down bay for your vehicles, two swimming pools, tonnes of room, huge, lush green sites and the biggest and best camp kitchen ever.

The following day we took a tour – highly recommended – with Guurbi Tours. They will show you sacred Aboriginal sites and “birthing grounds”, which are like nothing you have ever seen. Cooktown itself has all the services for you to stock up including the ANZ bank. If you feel like a day trip, head back south about 90kms and take the turn off to The Lions Den. This is a remote pub and camping ground, but oozing so much hospitality and charm. They have new owners and the place really is a buzz. And if you like a quiet ale, you just have to go to the Top Pub in the main street of Cooktown at sunset – that view will never be beaten, especially with a cold lager in the hand!

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep is coming to Channel 7Two in 2010! Stay tuned! Visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep.com to purchase DVDs and find out more about the show.

WHO ever would have thought that a place like Mossman was only a 90-minute drive north of Cairns.

Tucked away in the beautiful hinterland and on the base of the Daintree. Mossman hides one of the most spectacular and entertaining places that is simply unforgettable – The Karnak Playhouse, owned by world famous Diane Cilento! It is so enchanting, I could have stayed there forever. They do world class stage performances and when you throw the setting into the equation, it’s really something out of a story book.

After leaving the Playhouse, we took in the Mossman Gorge. Once again, somewhere you simply do not want to leave after experiencing it. The scenery is so untouched, which is awesome to see, and make sure you take your swimmers as the big swimming hole is fantastic! Best of all, you don’t have to be fit as you can go to the main viewing platform. It’s an easy 250m stroll with only a few stairs.

Once back at the Riverside Caravan Park, the kids wanted another swim and what better way to do it than in an Olympic-sized swimming pool right in the confines of the caravan park. Sure beats swimming with the crocodiles in the nearby river!

Mossman is very small but has all the amenities you will need. It sure has changed a lot in the past 10 years when Sheree was there last. She couldn’t believe it and all for the better too. The corner pub has great meals at affordable prices and you can watch the latest in all sports on their screens (should the caravanning and kids and wife be getting to you!)

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep can be found on the How To Channel on Foxtel. Visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep.com.au to purchase DVD copies of the TV series.

Looking to escape for a weekend or just a quick day trip out of Melbourne?
Perhaps a Summer break in Point Lonsdale …….

Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

Hidden around Melbourne are some real gems for weekend escapes, day trips or summer breaks and Point Lonsdale is right up there at the top of the list. This popular and yet relatively unknown coastal village sits at the head of Port Philip Bay on the right hand side of the “Rip” where the bay meets the open waters of Bass Strait.

The commanding Point Lonsdale Lighthouse overlooks endless surf beaches stretching along the coast to Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads and on down to Torquay and the Great Ocean Road. Look the other way and sheltered beaches nestle in the Bay sweeping around to the fort at Queenscliff.

Getting there is easy. From Melbourne head over the West Gate Bridge down towards Geelong and follow the sign postings (B110) for the Bellarine Peninsula and Queenscliff. Travel time is around 90 minutes from the city. If you’ve collected a rental car from Melbourne Airport you’d be looking at roughly the same time via the Western Ring Road and if you arrive via Avalon Airport you’re half way there as the airport is just outside Geelong.

Point Lonsdale is relatively quiet when compared to more popular summer destinations around Melbourne such as Sorrento, Anglesea, Torquay or Lorne. There’s no pub, a scattering of rather busy coffee and breakfast cafes, an excellent IGA supermarket and don’t forget to check out Kelp, a great little Café restaurant for a bite or just a quick drink, all located across the road from the bayside beach making for a perfect family holiday environment. The Back beach offers great surf and at low tide the rock pools create hours of fun for all the kids.

On the first Sunday after Christmas the Rip View Swim Classic is swum. This 1.4km swim from Springs Beach to the Point Lonsdale Front Beach is one of the big three Open Water Swims along with the Lorne Pier to Pub and Portsea Swim Classic. A great day and one of the more gentle swims being conducted within the bay.

So to the beaches, well to be honest you’re spoilt for choice in this. A handful include:

Point Lonsdale Nippers

• Santa Casa (known locally as Nun’s Beach ) on the right as you drive into Queenscliff. Great for kids and never too crowded. For those with dogs the Point Lonsdale end of Nun’s caters for our 4 legged buddies. Each December-January Point Lonsdale Life Saving Club runs its annual Nippers program on Nun’s with some 300 children taking part in a condensed Program over 2 weeks culminating in a Beach Carnival usually held on the 2nd Saturday of January.
• Ocean Grove, one of the growing coastal towns, has a very popular surf beach along with the big Supermarkets, banks and plenty of shopping available. Check out Tranquillity Fair held on first Saturday in the New Year in Ocean Grove Park.
• RAAF’s Beach , on the left between Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, offers wide open spaces at low tides whilst on the other side of the road the Barwon River Beach is popular with younger beach goers and when the tides out is a great play ground with the backdrop of the famous Barwon Heads Bridge (if you watched the Australian TV series Sea Change that is).
• Some of the best surfing on this coast can be found at any number of different spots along 13th Beach on the road from Barwon Heads to Torquay (across the bridge and left at the pub).

For a water break of a different kind don’t miss the Adventure Water Park (www.adventurepark.com.au) located on the Geelong road 5 minutes out of Wallington – this is fun for everyone – doors open at 10.00am and it pays to get there early, to grab a table, a spot in the shade and jump on the rides whilst the queues are short.

Queenscliff Steam Train on the Narrows

Probably one of the better known Bellarine towns, Queenscliff is 5 minutes away. This Edwardian Holiday town with its wide roads and splendid hotels, boasts a great collection of Steam trains that run during weekends and holiday periods along to Drysdale or for those just looking for a quick experience to Laker’s Siding (30 mins). The Blues Train is also a great night out with Dinner and music for up to 200 passengers.

For such a small town Queenscliff offers more than its fair share of museums with the Fort Queenscliff Tour and Museum, (03 5258 1488), Queenscliff Historical Museum (03 5258 2511), excellent Queenscliff Maritime Museum (03 5258 3440) and located between Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale on the “Narrows” is the Marine Discovery Centre – small but fun for the kids and the staff are great (03 5258 3344).

Queenscliff is also home for the Pilots who guide ships in and out of the Bay in particular through the notoriously difficult 3km wide “Rip”. Watch for these Orange Pilot boats powering out to pick up and drop off Pilots onto the Ships. You can view the boats tied up in the Queenscliff marina.

Stretch your legs or pick up freshly cooked Fish and Chips and take a wander down the Jetty or around the new Marina where you may catch sight of the 3 giant Sting Rays that live there!

So, where to stay?

Late December – January is peak season with holiday-makers flocking in, filling up Holiday Parks sites and holiday rentals – renting a house during this period is not cheap, expect to fork out $1300+ per week for a 3 bedroom and you need to book ahead for both House and Holiday Park bookings.

In Point Lonsdale itself there are 3 large Holiday Parks, Golightly, Royal Park Caravan Park and Big 4 Beacon Resort. Best bet is the latter which rather confusingly describes itself as being in Queenscliff when Point Lonsdale would be more apt. A sign of the increasing popularity of Holiday Parks is the new Big 4 Park on the Bellarine Highway (bellarine-holiday-park.vic.big4.com.au) 5 kms west of Point Lonsdale which opened its doors in late 2009. This offers Cabins, powered and unpowered sites, so those in Motorhome rentals or simply camping out are well catered for.

There are several B & Bs including Roseneath Villa B&B ( www.roseneathvilla.com.au), Point Lonsdale Cottages – (www.pointlonsdalecottages.com.au) and Point Lonsdale Guest House (www.pointlonsdaleguesthouse.com.au) a long stone’s throw from the lighthouse itself.

Best time of year? Hard one to answer, Summer and Easter are always popular and plenty of fun, however in many ways the winter and other months are more attractive with a peaceful local feel. Depends slightly on your needs – for those with kids then December – January and any warm weekend will work well, if you’ve got under school aged children then February is for you – lower rates and far less busy.

Heading home you have the option of the Queenscliff – Sorrento Ferry with the chance of seeing dolphins. Taking the Car is $60 and be warned the popularity of the Sorrento area on the other side means the drive back to Melbourne will take longer during the summer months. Alternatively head back up to Geelong or cut across and take the Portarlington road as an alternative, fewer traffic lights and better views.

ChrisC
DriveNow Partner and sometime Blog Contributor

BIDDING farewell to Ayr, we headed off for a leisurely four hour drive north to Cairns and I couldn’t wait! The Great Barrier Reef, the shopping, the Kuranda Railway, the Skyrail … so much to do.

We stayed at the Coconut Holiday Resort and this was a five star park in the truest sense. This is an ideal place to set up camp after a long drive in Queensland in your campervan or caravan. With everything from unpowered grassy sites right through to three bedroom condos, two enormous pool areas, the best children’s play activities you could think of and it even has its own restaurant where you can sink your teeth into the best fish and chips going around. Just ask Sheree, she had them almost every night! Must be a Kiwi thing.

The first day we spent out on the reef on the Quicksilver Reef Escape. Unfortunately the day wasn’t such a good one, so we could only go as far as Green Island as the visibility out on the reef wasn’t good, but Green Island certainly didn’t disappoint. We went on the glass bottom boats, the submarine and took a walk through the stunning rainforest, before finishing up with some snorkeling. A great day was had by all, and actually was all the better for none of us having any unwanted sunburn!

The next day we took in the Skyrail up the mountains and the Kuranda Railway back down. You really have to spend an entire full day doing this as there are so many great photo opportunities and some fantastic shopping up at the Kuranda Markets. You will never get a view anywhere else like you do from the Skyrail. Boston, our youngest, really loved the Kuranda Railway, he thought it was James and Percy towing us.

On our third day we took a drive up the gorgeous coast road up to Port Douglas. ‘Why don’t we live here’, I keep asking myself. I am definitely heading back up there to live one day. Every day really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. And the one highlight for all our kids was Muddies Water Park on the waterfront boardwalk in Cairns itself. Definitely something Boston will never forget, and a bonus for me – its all free!

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT

We decided to deviate from our intinerary, something we have become very good at! Although sometimes it is not planned at the time.

So after Mackay, we decided to stop in Ayr, a great little town 80km south of Townsville. It’s a good old country town, buzzing with busy farmers and tonnes of produce. There is still enough sugar cane to sink a battleship, but two things Ayr has that not a lot of these small country towns have are, one, it is right on the beach, and two, it has an enormous water supply in the Burdekin River and Dam which flow through the southern side of town. Water is never a problem around here, even though they have balmy summer days all year round.

Produce is grown by the hectare and therefore there is nothing better for a campervanner/caravanner than roadside stalls from which you can stock up on supplies. Just 10km south of Ayr is a little place, totally hidden away, called Ashworth’s Treasures of the Earth. It’s the biggest gem and fossil collection I have ever seen and to think it’s all the way up here, tucked away from prying eyes. But the strange thing is, prying eyes is what they do get – and by the bus load. People come from all around the world and while we were there, one German tourist said that he has been gem collecting his entire life, and this was the best one he had ever seen! Go Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

The Ayr township has everything you could hope for and some great little restaurants too. That’s if you are getting sick of constant BBQs, of course. Alma Beach is just a 15km drive north and is an awesome beach. The tide goes out such a long way that you get to do drag racing on the firm sand of the beach. The kids ran up and down the beach for hours. It’s truly idyllic and, with not a lot of people around, you are pretty much left alone to enjoy it and soak it all up.

Next stop is Cairns and we can’t wait!

PETER “SPIDA” EVERITT
The Great Australian Doorstep – visit www.thegreataustraliandoorstep to purchase DVDs of the first two series.