I'm starting to love Youcamp as a resource for finding good places to camp that are not caravan parks and are safe and cheap. Between it and WikiCamps there are a squillion options with masses of information - prices, facilities, comments, photos etc. You just go online for both, put in roughly the area you wish to stay, apply filters (ie dog friendly, fires allowed blah blah) and voila, take your pick!
When I was in Hervey Bay I decided I would head down to the Mary Valley area in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. I came across Glen Seil Farm on Youcamp. The comments and star rating from other visitors was great as was the price of $13 per night. I booked and paid online for two nights planning to have a look around the valley and pop over to the northern end of the Sunshine Coast for a little taste and to see if it was worth more of my time on my way back north with Karen in a couple of weeks.
On arrival at Glen Seil Saturday arvo I was instantly impressed with everything. Jean, the owner, was totally laid back. "Gidday, park wherever you like". There was plenty of room so no stuffing around with tricky van maneuvering - just drove onto a flat spot looking out over her farm and set up. The view out over the paddocks with cattle and horses grazing and a backdrop of hills was beautiful. In front of a lovely big fire I sipped on wine and enjoyed the peace and tranquility watching the sunset. James was in his element!
GLEN SEIL FARM gets a 4 rating from me. I enjoyed being on a farm and obviously in a very safe space for a solo female. Jean is laid back and you can choose to engage with her and others or keep to yourself. You can pretty much camp or wander where you like and it is picturesque. There's a shower, toilet and community kitchen if you need them - which I don't. I liked its location - drive in any direction and there's something worth seeing. $13 per person per night is not bad - especially when you are one.
Next morning I explored the farm taking a long walk down to the Mary River which runs through the lower part of the property. James was free to wander along side - no lead, woohoo! I was interested to see if it was possible to take the van down on to the river where another camp was set up. It was a pretty rough track. Doable, but not really worth the bother of relocating given there was no actual view of the river from the bank, and foot access down to the river's edge was really difficult. The higher spot I was in was better and I was closer to the farm activity which was quite entertaining. An instructor was doing horse riding lessons in the arena nearby and the paddock in front of which I'd set up had a couple of horses in it. It was lovely to have them so close. As a working cattle farm there was the general day to day stuff happening and people to chat to as well.
Later that day James and I went for a drive through the Mary Valley. It's lush and picturesque with lots of single lane creek crossings, quaint towns like Imbil and Amamoor, and pretty Lake Borumba.
We came across a huge horse event on a farm where there were literally hundreds of camps and horse floats. I found out later from Jean that it was the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, apparently Australia's most prestigious endurance horse riding event with over 400 riders from all over Australia and thousands of people involved. I followed along one of the logging tracks that formed part of the course but ran out of 4WD courage when the going got too tough.
Given I hadn't yet checked out the Noosa area I arranged to stay a third night and early Monday took the tourist route through the gorgeous little town of Eumundi across to the coast, picking it up at Coolum Beach. I followed the beach rd (David Low Way) north from Coolum to Tewantin and was surprised by the absence of high rise living. Even the housing density is fairly low and as I expected, quite upmarket in some areas, with huge tracts of natural sub tropical growth separating developed areas. The local shopping areas, while certainly having lots of eateries and a beachside feel are not overly touristy and I didn't see many caravan parks. Noosa itself, however, is a full-on tourist destination - and very upmarket with lots of expensive looking shops and restaurants. The whole area is really pretty and the beaches are pristine with wide golden sand and crashing surf until Tewantin, where the mouth of the Noosa River provides a playground for all sorts of boating and fishing activity. James and I hit the beach at the first dog-friendly option which was Marcus Beach, a few kilometers up from Peregian Beach. It was the perfect day for a paddle and a walk.
The following morning we were southbound to a new WikiCamps destination less than 100 km away. Another one that had great reviews for those who don't need power or water. I wanted somewhere reasonably close to Australia Zoo as my daughter and her family were planning to join me for the weekend and we were going to spend a day there. The closest option at $20/night was Beerwah Sportsground but it didn't sound fantastic whereas Running Creek Parkland twenty minutes further away appeared really good. The drive from Glen Seil on winding, hilly, narrow country roads was just beautiful. Passing through the gorgeous towns of Kenilworth and Maleney with the Glasshouse Mountains in the distance the scenery was out of this world. There is no doubt I will go back without the van on and spend some time exploring the area over the coming days or weeks.
I was not disappointed by Running Creek Parkland. It's a big, flat area with areas of sub-tropical bush and a crystal clear little stream running through it. I found myself a perfect spot in a corner by the creek that had room for Shelley's van as well as Karen's. Knowing I was going to stay for a week or more I did a full set up of the van with awning out, matting down, barbecue set up etc. I decided this would be the ideal location to explore the southern half of the Sunshine Coast as well as the amazing hinterland. It could take a while! The warm day quickly became chilly around three so I lit a big fire in one of the pits provided. Not long before dark the caretaker called in and I paid $20 for two nights, advising her of my intentions and of the other's pending arrivals.
RUNNING CREEK PARKLAND is one of my favourites so far. From the view across to the Glasshouse Mountains when you first arrive to the delightful little creek running across the back of the park it is terrific. When you arrive there's no check in - just set up where ever you like and the caretaker drops in on you. The ground is flat and the entire park is quite huge and has basic dunnies and firewood for sale. There are also showers tucked way back and a BMX track also tucked away. It is a perfect spot for a family getaway and really well located with respect to Australia Zoo, Woodford, the southern end of the Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse Mountains and Maleny. You need more then a couple of days here. It's a bargain at $10 per person per night. It scores a FIVE from me!
Wednesday I took a run over to Beerwah where a drive through the sportsground confirmed I had made the right decision. From there I hit the coast at Mooloolaba for a quick squiz then followed the Nicklin Way south through Kawana Waters to Caloundra. It struck me as being very suburban, which maybe a premature judgement given I hardly scratched the surface. I'll have a closer look once Karen arrives. I did stop Shelly Beach to take James for a walk but he was unimpressed being kept on a lead. Apparently there are no leash-free beaches at Caloundra . The one thing that did impress me was how grand the Glasshouse Mountains are from almost any vantage point in the area. They are amazing!
One of the items on my traveling bucket list was a visit to Bribie Island. I remember going back 30 years or more my parents considered living there before ultimately settling for their retired life in Yarrawonga. Given that I've ended up retiring to Yarrawonga as well I've always thought I might like Bribie as much as they did. So Thursday we went for run over there calling into a caravan sales place we passed on the way at Caboolture. I have been concerned at the amount of stone damage being done to the front of the van and that morning had discovered an actual hole in the window cover. It's a big concern given I haven't even hit the dirt roads of the outback yet! Matt, the salesman there was excellent. We looked at a few options before he directed me across the road to a caravan repair centre for a second opinion. Malcolm reckoned the best option was a Stone Stomper which is a net that attaches from the front of the van under the drawbar to a bracket mounted on the Jeep's towball. He gave me all the contact details. A bit of research to be done!
Bribie Island is an interesting place, I guess. Pretty low key. Probably mainly retirees. Not a holiday destination. No dogs allowed on the ocean side (that sucks) and crappy beaches elsewhere. The long stretch of "surf" beach (not sure why it's called that - check out the photo) is gorgeous. I would have loved a long walk with James. Instead he got a walk, on a lead, in a park, and I opted for lunch and a glass of pinot gris at the "Surf" Club. The whole place is very neat, a couple 'suburbs' with shopping centres, a bit of a foreshore cafe type area near the bridge and a pub, surf club and some eateries on the ocean side. Most of the island is conservation land and inaccessible except by 4WD along the beach. I wouldn't live there. I'd be bored out of my brain.
When I was in Hervey Bay I decided I would head down to the Mary Valley area in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. I came across Glen Seil Farm on Youcamp. The comments and star rating from other visitors was great as was the price of $13 per night. I booked and paid online for two nights planning to have a look around the valley and pop over to the northern end of the Sunshine Coast for a little taste and to see if it was worth more of my time on my way back north with Karen in a couple of weeks.
On arrival at Glen Seil Saturday arvo I was instantly impressed with everything. Jean, the owner, was totally laid back. "Gidday, park wherever you like". There was plenty of room so no stuffing around with tricky van maneuvering - just drove onto a flat spot looking out over her farm and set up. The view out over the paddocks with cattle and horses grazing and a backdrop of hills was beautiful. In front of a lovely big fire I sipped on wine and enjoyed the peace and tranquility watching the sunset. James was in his element!
GLEN SEIL FARM gets a 4 rating from me. I enjoyed being on a farm and obviously in a very safe space for a solo female. Jean is laid back and you can choose to engage with her and others or keep to yourself. You can pretty much camp or wander where you like and it is picturesque. There's a shower, toilet and community kitchen if you need them - which I don't. I liked its location - drive in any direction and there's something worth seeing. $13 per person per night is not bad - especially when you are one.
Next morning I explored the farm taking a long walk down to the Mary River which runs through the lower part of the property. James was free to wander along side - no lead, woohoo! I was interested to see if it was possible to take the van down on to the river where another camp was set up. It was a pretty rough track. Doable, but not really worth the bother of relocating given there was no actual view of the river from the bank, and foot access down to the river's edge was really difficult. The higher spot I was in was better and I was closer to the farm activity which was quite entertaining. An instructor was doing horse riding lessons in the arena nearby and the paddock in front of which I'd set up had a couple of horses in it. It was lovely to have them so close. As a working cattle farm there was the general day to day stuff happening and people to chat to as well.
Later that day James and I went for a drive through the Mary Valley. It's lush and picturesque with lots of single lane creek crossings, quaint towns like Imbil and Amamoor, and pretty Lake Borumba.
We came across a huge horse event on a farm where there were literally hundreds of camps and horse floats. I found out later from Jean that it was the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, apparently Australia's most prestigious endurance horse riding event with over 400 riders from all over Australia and thousands of people involved. I followed along one of the logging tracks that formed part of the course but ran out of 4WD courage when the going got too tough.
Given I hadn't yet checked out the Noosa area I arranged to stay a third night and early Monday took the tourist route through the gorgeous little town of Eumundi across to the coast, picking it up at Coolum Beach. I followed the beach rd (David Low Way) north from Coolum to Tewantin and was surprised by the absence of high rise living. Even the housing density is fairly low and as I expected, quite upmarket in some areas, with huge tracts of natural sub tropical growth separating developed areas. The local shopping areas, while certainly having lots of eateries and a beachside feel are not overly touristy and I didn't see many caravan parks. Noosa itself, however, is a full-on tourist destination - and very upmarket with lots of expensive looking shops and restaurants. The whole area is really pretty and the beaches are pristine with wide golden sand and crashing surf until Tewantin, where the mouth of the Noosa River provides a playground for all sorts of boating and fishing activity. James and I hit the beach at the first dog-friendly option which was Marcus Beach, a few kilometers up from Peregian Beach. It was the perfect day for a paddle and a walk.
The following morning we were southbound to a new WikiCamps destination less than 100 km away. Another one that had great reviews for those who don't need power or water. I wanted somewhere reasonably close to Australia Zoo as my daughter and her family were planning to join me for the weekend and we were going to spend a day there. The closest option at $20/night was Beerwah Sportsground but it didn't sound fantastic whereas Running Creek Parkland twenty minutes further away appeared really good. The drive from Glen Seil on winding, hilly, narrow country roads was just beautiful. Passing through the gorgeous towns of Kenilworth and Maleney with the Glasshouse Mountains in the distance the scenery was out of this world. There is no doubt I will go back without the van on and spend some time exploring the area over the coming days or weeks.
I was not disappointed by Running Creek Parkland. It's a big, flat area with areas of sub-tropical bush and a crystal clear little stream running through it. I found myself a perfect spot in a corner by the creek that had room for Shelley's van as well as Karen's. Knowing I was going to stay for a week or more I did a full set up of the van with awning out, matting down, barbecue set up etc. I decided this would be the ideal location to explore the southern half of the Sunshine Coast as well as the amazing hinterland. It could take a while! The warm day quickly became chilly around three so I lit a big fire in one of the pits provided. Not long before dark the caretaker called in and I paid $20 for two nights, advising her of my intentions and of the other's pending arrivals.
RUNNING CREEK PARKLAND is one of my favourites so far. From the view across to the Glasshouse Mountains when you first arrive to the delightful little creek running across the back of the park it is terrific. When you arrive there's no check in - just set up where ever you like and the caretaker drops in on you. The ground is flat and the entire park is quite huge and has basic dunnies and firewood for sale. There are also showers tucked way back and a BMX track also tucked away. It is a perfect spot for a family getaway and really well located with respect to Australia Zoo, Woodford, the southern end of the Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse Mountains and Maleny. You need more then a couple of days here. It's a bargain at $10 per person per night. It scores a FIVE from me!
Wednesday I took a run over to Beerwah where a drive through the sportsground confirmed I had made the right decision. From there I hit the coast at Mooloolaba for a quick squiz then followed the Nicklin Way south through Kawana Waters to Caloundra. It struck me as being very suburban, which maybe a premature judgement given I hardly scratched the surface. I'll have a closer look once Karen arrives. I did stop Shelly Beach to take James for a walk but he was unimpressed being kept on a lead. Apparently there are no leash-free beaches at Caloundra . The one thing that did impress me was how grand the Glasshouse Mountains are from almost any vantage point in the area. They are amazing!
Bribie Island is an interesting place, I guess. Pretty low key. Probably mainly retirees. Not a holiday destination. No dogs allowed on the ocean side (that sucks) and crappy beaches elsewhere. The long stretch of "surf" beach (not sure why it's called that - check out the photo) is gorgeous. I would have loved a long walk with James. Instead he got a walk, on a lead, in a park, and I opted for lunch and a glass of pinot gris at the "Surf" Club. The whole place is very neat, a couple 'suburbs' with shopping centres, a bit of a foreshore cafe type area near the bridge and a pub, surf club and some eateries on the ocean side. Most of the island is conservation land and inaccessible except by 4WD along the beach. I wouldn't live there. I'd be bored out of my brain.
Saturday the family arrived. We had a fabulous time.
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