Midge Point [Proserpine & Whitsundays] - 17 to 24 September 2011

We returned to the Travellers Rest at Midge Point. It is so quiet and we have our resident wallabies and kookaburras.

The great joy here is the large tide range and at low tide one can walk for miles on the sandbars. It is good to have an accurate tide chart as the tide comes in rapidly and in half an hour dry sand can be up to your waist in water.

 

 

The Japanese earthquake meant a shortage of Toyota parts, and although Toyota’s customer support was excellent in locating dealers with the brake pads and protective rubber boots we needed after two years on the road, it did mean our our travel schedule became a tour of Toyota Dealers in Cairns and Townsville with the front brakes pads finally replaced in Proserpine.

This is a small cane town. The Sugar Mill has been running since 1897. The mill now uses the cane waste (bagasse) to power its operation with a small amount sold back to the grid, making it extremely energy efficient.  What is coming out of the chimneys is steam. All the sugar produced is exported. Tricia thinks this is a good example of when you convince people of the need to change they do without government intervention. It is a win win situation for everyone. 
We went in to Aireys Inlet to have our camp chairs repaired at a sail loft. While we waited we drove to Shute Harbor the takeoff for the Islands in the Whitsundays. Captain Cook named the Whitsunday Passage as he thought he was sailing through on Whitsunday. Owing to an error in his log he was actually sailing through on Whit-Monday. The islands are in the Cumberland group of Islands.

Some of the Islands of the Whitsundays are very popular Resorts and the area is also very popular for sailing.

We had lunch by the lagoon, protective from marine stingers (jelly fish) at a lovely pizzeria.