Gladstone was left in the wake of our dust around 9 this morning and by mid-morning it was time for elevenses…….and surprise surprise the old Rockhampton Post Office is now a Degani Bakery and Cafe of Melbourne fame. (See the 3 cheese omelette)
Travelling to Rocky was a horror stretch of the now infamous Bruce H’way and along the way a radio news bulletin quoted RACQ research which put the ‘Bruce’ as a 2 star highway in world rankings. (Ranked with 3rd world countries by my reckoning)
Did not see much on this first leg of the journey for dodging Mac trucks which were only interspersed with hundreds upon hundreds of serious Jayco/Land Cruiser inheritance guzzlers.
But from Rocky onwards we traversed stunning Great Dividing Range country; a land of plenty, with the richest dark loam soils encouraging mile upon mile of healthy sugar cane fields cresting the wind as they reached skyward. And the local Queensland Macadamia nut trees growing commercially in beautifully regimented row after row.
All of this on a tableland surrounded by the majestic ranges adorned in that ever wondrous eucalyptus blue hue.
Altogether a magical days travelling, covering 450 km on a vastly improved highway, only after we left Rocky. Tonight we are relaxing in a 6th floor apartment overlooking the city of Mackay in readiness for a quick change and dinner up-town
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