Tamborine Mountain Golf Club were running a comp, King and Queen of the Mountain, over two consecutive Saturdays. I joined in and was put in a group teeing off around midday with club members Greg, Mark and Jacinta for round one. They were great company and it was a perfect day but when we got to the 15th it was really weird when suddenly fog rolled in and got thicker and thicker. It was quite cool and getting dark on the last hole so it was nice to get into the club rooms to warm up and enjoy a drink and a chat. Unfortunately I played like crap...not good when the game is stroke! My second round in a week would need to be spectacular in order for me to be crowned Queen. I took it very carefully driving home down the steep goat track in the fog and the dark.
When I first entertained the idea of traveling alone with my van some nine months before my trip started, I did a bit of research and came across a group called Rolling Solo. Membership is only open to women and fundamentally provides a meeting platform for females of all ages who want to explore Australia on their own. No blokes at all! I joined the group and the online conversations, attended a couple of events and made one good friend, Karen.
An event had been created by Alex on Sunday. It was a lunch at Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club, only 45 minutes from Canungra. It was close for Karen as well so we RSVP'd and met there along with 14 other girls (old girls) shared lunch, a few drinks and lots of conversation around traveling...where, when, how, in what etc. I was the only one currently on the road, though they all had plans. Only Karen and I had caravans, there was one teardrop (not really a caravan) and the rest were in cars with tents or motor homes or still planning and dreaming. We were all of similar age and a mix of married, widowed or on their own for traveling purposes. It was easy to fit in and make conversation. I knew I would catch up with some of them again. (Love the chic in the background)
During the following week I did a bit of local sightseeing. James and I spent a day at the beach on the Gold Coast and checked out Surfers Paradise. A great place to visit. Lots of traffic, sky scrapers, people and lovely clear, warm water.
When I first entertained the idea of traveling alone with my van some nine months before my trip started, I did a bit of research and came across a group called Rolling Solo. Membership is only open to women and fundamentally provides a meeting platform for females of all ages who want to explore Australia on their own. No blokes at all! I joined the group and the online conversations, attended a couple of events and made one good friend, Karen.
An event had been created by Alex on Sunday. It was a lunch at Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club, only 45 minutes from Canungra. It was close for Karen as well so we RSVP'd and met there along with 14 other girls (old girls) shared lunch, a few drinks and lots of conversation around traveling...where, when, how, in what etc. I was the only one currently on the road, though they all had plans. Only Karen and I had caravans, there was one teardrop (not really a caravan) and the rest were in cars with tents or motor homes or still planning and dreaming. We were all of similar age and a mix of married, widowed or on their own for traveling purposes. It was easy to fit in and make conversation. I knew I would catch up with some of them again. (Love the chic in the background)
During the following week I did a bit of local sightseeing. James and I spent a day at the beach on the Gold Coast and checked out Surfers Paradise. A great place to visit. Lots of traffic, sky scrapers, people and lovely clear, warm water.
Wednesday Shelley and I took a drive up through Beechmont to Binna Burra in the Lamington National Park. Situated 75km south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast hinterland, Binna Burra was founded in 1933 by private land holders, with a large eco lodge being built and operated as a tourist retreat. The name means "where the Antarctic Beech trees grow" in the local Aboriginal language. We had lunch in the beautiful old restaurant with amazing views out over the ranges to Brisbane. The area is hugely popular with bush walkers and there are walks which were designed and built during the Great Depression by one of the owners, Romeo Lahey. Apparently all of the trails have a less then 1:10 gradient. We walked to Bellbird Lookout and Clearing...lots of wildlife, ancient trees and stunning views.
Thursday afternoon I moved the van from my daughter Shelley's place to the Canungra Showgrounds only a few minutes away. Rolling Solo was staging a camping weekend there. It would be a great opportunity to meet up with more Rollers. Twenty five women had RSVP'd but only a few were staying the first night. I picked a site a little bit away from the others so I could have power and water, and also have an open space in front of the van for James to wander. I introduced myself to the girls before taking James for a walk to the pub. The other Rollers obviously knew each other so I lit a fire and had a quiet night in front of my van.
Friday saw motor homes roll in from early, interspersed with the odd Avan, Teardrop or car and awning. By 3pm there were four fires burning in the centre of the camp circle and we all brought chairs over. Barb, who had organised the event, had us all to participate in an ice-breaker game that would ensure we got to know a little about each other. That actually worked quite well and by the time night fell there was lots of chatter and laughter. I felt comfortable and relaxed with all the women and could be part of the group or withdraw to do my own thing without feeling any pressure.
Throughout the weekend I was able to connect with several of the women as we sat around fires, walked down by the river, into town for coffee or to the pub for dinner. James was a great conduit and soon became a camp favorite, especially when he showed off his meerkat trick. I was surprised at how quickly one on one conversations became quite personal with a couple of the girls. It's funny how some people just gravitate to one another. I was enjoying myself so much that I pulled out of the second round of King and Queen of the Mountain Saturday afternoon and instead of departing Sunday opted to stay a fourth night with three other Rollers.
CANUNGRA SHOWGROUNDS, while not a free camp ($16.50 for one person with power & water $11 without), is a top spot. Set in a valley, there are lots of non-designated sites from the central arena area to the very pretty creek side. The amenities are adequate although they would possibly be strained in busy periods. It's a stroll into town to visit one of the very busy cafes or the pub and on weekends the main street is packed with motor bikes and collector cars so it's very interesting and a great place to people watch. I rate it 4.5.
CANUNGRA SHOWGROUNDS, while not a free camp ($16.50 for one person with power & water $11 without), is a top spot. Set in a valley, there are lots of non-designated sites from the central arena area to the very pretty creek side. The amenities are adequate although they would possibly be strained in busy periods. It's a stroll into town to visit one of the very busy cafes or the pub and on weekends the main street is packed with motor bikes and collector cars so it's very interesting and a great place to people watch. I rate it 4.5.
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