Mackay - Miserable (the weather)

The General Gordon hotel at Homebush just outside Mackay is a historic old pub in the middle of the cane fields and it has a camping ground out the back. This is where we stayed after Carmila Beach hoping for the weather to improve. No such luck, the rain was absolutely torrential all night and stepping out of the van in the morning you needed your waders on. We actually had a lot planned for our visit to Mackay but every time you got out of the car it was a mad dash to the nearest shelter, to no avail because you got saturated anyway. All the roads and parking areas were continually covered in several inches of water, so no good wearing your best shoes. We had to eventually concede defeat and put our planned activities on hold until our next visit. All we managed was a little shopping for some essentials (including beer – of course) before heading north for an overnight stop at the St. Helens Gardens caravan park.

The heavy rain was beginning to ease slightly as we re-joined the Bruce highway travelling northwards and by the time we reached Proserpine it was dry enough to have look around town, then on to Bowen for lunch, again dodging showers We decided to call a halt at a great little rest area at Guthalungra about 65 Km. North of Bowen because we had had enough of driving in the rain. Rather than bother cooking dinner we treated ourselves to fish & chips from the nearby roadhouse restaurant which were surprisingly very good, as well as good value, When it is raining and miserable outside fish & chips are great comfort food.