Dirk and Joke doing the Half-lap: Day 15: Across the Burdekin to Townsville (16/06/12)

In the morning we woke refreshed, as usual. Perhaps this blog has not yet noted how well and satisfyingly we sleep at night, whatever the weather. Our caravan bed has got it right, as far as providing good sleep is concerned!

Sugar-cane cinders everywhere!

Hey, where have all the other caravans gone? Up late, as usual! :-)

At the northern end of Home Hill lies the Burdekin River which is extremely wide and relatively unfull at this time of year. One needs little imagination as to the size and power of the floods which have created such a wide river bed. Petrol at Ayr and on through a most pleasant cultivated landscape towards Townsville. We (read I) had chosen a central caravan park near the beach, rather than one of the many parks further out of town. The park turned out to be chockers, and our spot very small, right at the front of the park. Oh well, you can’t win them all!

Townsville is a very nice open city, from what we have seen of it. It is dominated by a big hill, Castle Rock, which is higher than the Albany hills and has the 360-degree lookouts that such hills require.

Townville harbour and CBD from Castle Rock

Marina on the Ross River in the centre of town

Parachutist landing on the beach

Castle Hill lookout overlooking Cleveland Bay

Communications installation, Castle Hill

Joke looking over south-western part of Townsville

Old cemetery below Castle Rock, Townsville

Castle Rock car park

Lookout and suburbs

We enjoyed our wandering around until dusk, after watching the sun go down from the breakwater near the harbour.

Would there be a good sunset tonight? Breakwater, Townsville.

On the breakwater

Sun adding interest as it goes down

Meanwhile, dolphins frolic in the harbour

And a familiar boat chugs past on its way to Magnetic Island. The Goondooloo, formerly of the Tamar River, Tasmania. I remember a trip to Beauty Point on it in the fifties!