The Travelling Novocastrians: Ayr, Home Hill, Bowen

Sunday 11th - Wednesday 14th September 2011: Enjoying our stay near Charters Towers at Macrossan Park on the banks of the Burdekin River we stayed an extra day relaxing. Then back to the east coast travelling south through picturesque green landscapes, defined by the maturity and variety of the sugar cane crops, onto Ayr and Home Hill. These two towns are 12klm apart and are connected by the landmark Burdekin Bridge (known as the 'Silver Link') construction being completed in 1957. The bridge is longer than The Sydney Harbour Bridge, Brisbane's Storey Bridge and NSW's Hawkesbury Bridge. We stayed the night at the Home Hill Comfort Spot a very popular free camp spot with travellers. We arrived around lunch time and ventured to one of the local pubs for a counter lunch (roast beef and vegies). In the evening enjoyed sundowners with other campers. In total there were 32 campers that night!
The town of Ayr sticks in my memory - In the 60's I boarded at St Joseph's College Lochinvar near Maitland in NSW. The winters were extremely cold and a nun who suffered the winter ill of chilblains was sent to Ayr to teach - at the time it was remarkable. I'm not sure if the Josephite order from Lochinvar NSW (the orders home base) was connected to the Ayr order in Qld. but the nun was sent to Ayr because of the warmer climate. Shannon, you were at Lochinvar at this time - maybe you remember who the nun was!
Before leaving Home Hill we visited the heritage-listed Charlies Hill - the site was once a World War 11 RAAF radar station and includes a real war bunker.
September 13 Chris celebrated another birthday - receiving birthday wishes from our children, 2 granddaughters as well as neices, nephews and friends.
Bowen - a town surrounded by pristine beaches and bays, however I'm still to find beaches that better our own around our home town of Newcastle NSW.
Front Beach (the foreshore) has recently under gone a major development - A soundshell, an area commemorating the Catalinas which were stationed in Bowen during WW11 - Chris believes his dad was in one of the squadrons here in WW11 and a display that depicts the town's role in the making of the movie 'Australia'. The vista from Flagstaff Hill Lookout is spectacular.
Bowen is widely known for its 25 murals displayed throughout the towns streets. We seeked out two murals painted by mural artist Frances Rowland. Frances and her husband Colin travelled with us on our Kimberley Camping Adventure from Broome along the Gibb River Road to Kununurra.
We drove out to Airlie Beach bringing back memories from a previous visit when we took a boat out to The Great Barrieer Reef and snorkled over the coral reef and another visit when we sailed with friends for a week around the Whitsunday Islands.
After passing Proserpine we went out to Midge Point and Laguna Quays (the resort we stayed at the time we snorkled out on the reef).
Onto Mackay where we are parked on the front lawn of our nephew's home. Thanks Gerard. We will spend the next couple of days taking in the sights of Mackay.

Central Business District of Ayr

Ayr Town Clock
Unveiled in 1930 as a memorial to sugar industry pioneer John Drysdale
who built Inkerman Mill in Home Hill

Inkermann Mill

Gubullamunda - the 60m carpet snake is the totem of the Juru people, the traditional owners of this area, before European settlers.

The mighty Burdekin Bridge (known as the 'Silver Link')

connecting the twin towns of Ayr and Home Hill

Old Home Hill Courthouse -The first Courthouse was established in 1923 in a timber building. The current brick building was completed in 1937. The courthouse was closed in 1991. It is now the home of local radio station Sweet FM 97.1