We knew that some of our friends were already in the area. Paul and Brenda were on their way back and Dave and George were out at sea in a beautiful pea green boat... well actually a beautiful 11.6m white catamaran. We spent two great days with Paul and Brenda in Bargara (near Bundaberg). Cycling, sunbathing and drinking a little wine! It was fantastic to see them again after they had been touring Australia for eight months.

We will definitely see them again soon. Meeting up with Dave and George was a bit more complicated. Paul was kind enough to drive us to the 'Township of 1770' and from there we took the ferry to Lady Musgrave Island.

Dave picked us up from the floating pontoon and we began two exceptionally beautiful days anchored in the lagoon of Lady Musgrave Island. We took what felt like 50 million photos! We used the inflatable kayak on the reef as well as our snorkeling equipment. It was simply unique!

The trip back to Bargara was rough and Sue spent pretty much the entire ten hours on deck! Once back at our campsite we spent two days and nights cycling, drinking coffee and editing the 50 million pictures!!!

The roof tent on our trailer has really come in handy - don't travel without one! Thanks to the guys at Gordigear in Southport for their support.

It's Thursday and it's pouring with rain! 1770/Agnes Waters is raining and it looks like it will stay that way for the next few days - a shame, you could take some good photos here. We camp at Workman's Beach in a romantic bush landscape, just a few minutes from the beach. There are loads of black cockatoos here but we can't take our cameras out - very frustrating! There's not much we can do apart from go shopping - good thing there are a few shops in Agnes Waters.

The tent holds up well in this wet weather. Everything inside stays nice and dry, which is the main thing. A couple of friends advised us to put sealant on the seams as a precaution and we are glad we followed their advice. It is Friday morning and what a difference - bright blue skies and sunshine.

We made the most of it, paddling our kayaks on the river at 1770, walking to a cliff, swimming in the sea and enjoying the sun. Steve had to do a bit of work but then was persuaded to take a short break. Sue took photos of an Osprey - now she just needs someone to identify the fish!!

On Saturday we decided to travel further and pitched our tent at Calliope. We found a nice spot on a hill. The best thing is that there are two pairs of kites here - right above us.

Sunday was gorgeous - hot and sunny. We did a bit of cycling, had ice cream and relaxed the rest of the day. Monday morning we packed up and kayaked down the Calliope River before heading to Yeppoon.

We arrived in a lackluster Yeppoon on Monday afternoon. We set up camp in Byfield National Park. We had barely finished setting up when it started to rain.

The monsoon rains started, crocodile-infested rivers surrounded us and swarms of mosquitos were just waiting to attack us. But hey - being hardy campers we just sat under our awning and laughed. Things would get better eventually!! After a quick look at the weather forecast we decided to head out - it looked bleak. The rain stopped just long enough for us to pack up our things and started again as we drove back to Yeppoon and a well-earned breakfast.

We continued inland towards Monto to visit the Cania Gorge and avoid the rain. Steve had to undergo a breathalyzer test but it was only three in the afternoon!

On Tuesday we found a campsite where we could finally dry all our things. Afterwards we had dinner and relaxed with a glass of wine.

Early on Wednesday morning we went to the Cania Gorge. As far as gorges go, this is only average, but we still had a great opportunity to put our hiking boots to use. After lunch we drove to Gin Gin. On the way we spotted a black falcon and took some very good photos.

Our route took us through Kalpowar - it is located in a state forest with many old logging trails and has been converted into a recreational area.

It is obvious that it is frequently used by 4WDs and we would have loved to try it out for ourselves. Steve continued reading his book and Sue took some more photos of the birdlife.

The next morning we set off early - we just didn't know where to go. We stopped for breakfast with a great view. We thought about what to do next and after a short back and forth we decided to head back.