Stop for Fraser Island

Drive to Gladstone, more to visit a bank and do grocey shopping but turns out to be a very nice  town despite the largest aluminium refinery plant in the world and a huge coal fuelled power station. Eat breakfast here, a quick bowl of fruit and yogurt in a scenic picnic site.

Many miles later we reach Bundaberg - home to Bundaberg Rum. It's lunch time and we get on the noon tour of the distillery which is very interesting and smells wonderful. The all important tasting comes after we have seen the mollasses, the distillery part, the storage and bottling parts and the packaging. I try the Bundaberg liqeur, made only twice a year and only available here at the plant - yummy. By tries the vintage stuff - tis strong but nice.

Back in the van we drink a litre of water each, some fruit juice and eat  lunch - plenty of sandwiches. Then an hour later drive on - the drink drive laws here are very very strict - gotta be so careful. Reach the caravan park and check in - have a spot overlooking a pond filled with pink lillies, sacred ibis, ducks, moorhens and large unknown birds.

Walk the Esplanade and see thousands - yes I mean thousands - last year they had half a million - fruit bats, flyng overhead - tis totally amazing and we are forced to  sit on a bench to watch them - we count almost 40 a minute passing overhead !

This is our home for 2 nights as we visit Fraser Island tomorrrow.