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25.01.2022 This post has teeth. Big ones! Travelling Queensland for the past 5 months as part of managing these Awards has been unlike any travel that came before it. Some operators and van parks are very COVID-19 aware and prepared. Others, errr...not so. But the biggest surprise was not the impact of COVID-19. It was hearing locals constantly reiterate that "something's changed" in coastal and near inland Queensland. That 'something' is the behaviour of saltwater crocodiles. At Leichh...Continue reading

24.01.2022 It's the perfectly balanced blend of sweet pineapple, banana and passionfruit accented by a delicious strip of frozen cream that gets me every time. Refreshing in summer. Comforting in winter. Oh yeah, I'm a Weiss Fruito girl from way back! Local produce, road-side stalls and foods that a town has become known for all add to the wonder of travel for me. So I've been in my element for the past couple of weeks on the Darling Downs, not least because this is home to my favourite... Weiss treat. It started back in 1936 when a Toowoomba corner store owner named Cyril Weis created a slab of ice cream known as the Fruito Bar. It was an instant hit, but then Hitler's rude intentions intervened and the ingredients became unavailable during WWII. Cyril kept his secret recipe under wraps though, awaiting the day in 1957 when his son Les and daughter-in-law Val would take up the baton. From their Empire Theatre Café across from Toowomba's cinema a legend was born. These days the bars, which now come in numerous flavours, can be found all over the world. So linked to a Queenslander's self identity are these Heavenly desserts that in 2009 the Weis Bar was named one of the state's 150 cultural icons. But no more!! Next month the making of this dedicate Darling Downs idol will pass into NSW hands - and I, for one, am sad. Queensland may not be able to lay claim to Peach Melba, Chicko Rolls or the Dim Sim, but we had the Weiss Bar. No one could fight us to claim legitimacy. It was 'ours' - Queensland's quintessential summer-tasting treat. Yes, yes, Queensland is probably the 'owner' of the lamington too, but there's petty disputes over that crown. Was it really also invented in Toowoomba when the Governor, Lord Lamington, declared that the chocolate-covered sponge his chef had made by accident in 1896 or maybe 1900 should be rolled in coconut? Who knows? I'm too depressed about Weiss Bars to care! On the positive side, what a way to turn stale sponge into a treasure! In Cairns we came across a curious local tweak to this classic cake. Rosella jam, made from the wildflower coquolically known as wild hibiscus, replaced the traditional raspberry jam filling. The result: a tarter, sharper taste sensation that actually cut-through some of the lamington’s sweetness. Money for jam! #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #foodtravel #localproduce #bakery #traveltoeat

21.01.2022 I'm struggling to describe the sound. It was guttural - low yet loud - a deep snarl I've never heard before. And it was close. I'd walked from the moho down through an open area, along an overgrown bushy path and over fallen trees to reach what's left of the Ottery Mine, an abandoned tin and arsenic mine about eight kms outside the New England High Country town of Emmaville. We'd been feeling pretty pleased with ourselves - crossing the NSW border for the first time since Mar...Continue reading

19.01.2022 She was very sensible, but blessed with magical powers and determined to share the wonders of the world through fantastical adventures. She also believed in good behaviour and disobedience was punished. And most importantly, the Banks children in her care adored her. Mary Poppins is just like Allora, the Southern Downs and Granite Belt town where Mary's creator, P.J. Travers, spent her formative years. It's pretty, can be a tad severe (when the weather turns bitter), sensibl...e yet full of surprises. Yes, I'd even call it magical. Could it be that this town inspired P.J. Travers to create Mary Poppins, the first novel in her series of children’s books, published in 1934? I suspect anyone who spent time surrounded by such beauty would certainly understand the power of magic. The childhood home of P.J. Travers from 1905 to 1907 is now a grand late-Victorian private residence right in the main street, taking its rightful place next to other architecturally elegant buildings. The author's father was a bank manager and the house, designed by Queensland Colonial Architect Francis Drummond Grenville Stanley, was built as the bank premises and manager's residence for what was the Australian Joint Stock Bank. (The inspiration for the 'Banks' family at the heart of the Mary Poppins novel???) The 2013 Hollywood film 'Saving Mr Banks', which was about Walt Disney's determination to turn Mary Poppins into a movie, delved into P.J. Travers' early life. It also introduced the owners of what's known locally as Mary Poppins House to the film Director and Producer, both of whom came to Allora. So impressed with the stunning house was the Director that he asked its architect owner, Les Struthers, to work with them to recreate it on set in Hollywood! See, there's magic everywhere when it comes to Mary Poppins. Share this post to let others know about this magical town. Like our page to discover more. Southern Queensland Country - SQC #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #pubstay #countrypub #farmstay #caravanpark #stationstay #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #sqcountry #SouthernDowns

18.01.2022 Do any of you live in a tiny home that does not have wheels? Detoured to see friends who moved to a country town to give them more money to enjoy their travels. It's a 54-square-metre home with a covered patio on an acre, so there's plenty of room for their large caravan. I was fascinated and amazed just how roomy "the cabin" felt, how much fitted inside, and how I instantly thought "Yep, this would do me just fine thanks". Cost all up: $160k... Thought you might find it interesting too. #tinyhouse #greynomadawards #greynomads #regionalaustralia #tinyhome #tinyhouseliving #vanlife #cabinlife

18.01.2022 Keep those frosty glasses ready because it's International Happy Hour Week! How did Happy Hour as a social ritual start? It seems we most likely have the United States Navy to thank. During a tense time in US-Mexican relations in 1914, the US Atlantic Fleet was stationed in Veracruz Harbour. A misunderstanding led to gunfire that resulted in the death of 20 American service men and 150 Mexican soldiers. Despite this unfortunate incident, the aftermath was calm. It was during ...this go-nowhere, do-nothing period that a thrice-weekly entertainment program called Happy Hour was created aboard the USS Arkansas. It included a variety of activities, like boxing, wrestling, music, and dancing. This program was adopted by other ships, grew more popular and by the end of WWI, Happy Hour was held throughout the Navy. Then a few years later "the Drys", people who feared the evils of alcohol, were successful in having Prohibition passed to prohibit the production, transport or sale of alcohol in the 1920s throughout the US. While it reduced consumption, disobedience was high. Those that ran the risk of arrest were called "the Wets" and they adapted the Navy's Happy Hour term to mean gathering for a few pre-dinner drinks in illegal speak easys. Over the years, the term entered popular culture and still refers to pre-dinner drinking! Cin cin... enjoy your Friday drinkies. Awards close Monday. #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #happyhour #fridaydrinks

18.01.2022 I stuffed up! I was looking forward to taking lesser roads from the NSW New England region through QLD's Scenic Rim and onto the southern end of Moreton Bay and northern Gold Coast. Hmm, I didn't realise my intended border crossing is blocked. A big concrete barrier has been placed across the road. No way through. It made me ponder QLD border crossings. They'll 'come down' next Tuesday after more than a million vehicles have been stopped since 27 March*. Manning those bord...er points eveny minute of every day for the past 243 days has required police officers, Australian Defence Force personnel, SES volunteers and Main Roads staff. And they've suffered too. Some endured -3.8 degrees one night in Wallangarra and others stood in the sun in 43 degrees at the NT checkpoint west of Camooweal. And there's been some entertaining stories of stupidity, like the guys who wanted to avoid the Mitchell Highway checkpoint at Barringun, south of Cunnamulla. They decided to drive 'freestyle' (where there's no roads) only to become bogged, walk for hours in the stinking heat and then seek help from the same police they'd been trying to avoid! And did you hear about the Brisbane fella who, after driving to Wollongong in a desperate bid to rekindle a failed relationship back in September, was caught re-entering QLD on foot while getting his car towed through the checkpoint? I'm certainly not condoning his behaviour, but 10/10 for initiative! Anyway, current border closures mean we've turned tail and will retrace our steps back over the QLD border at Wallangarra before nipping over to the coast so that we can keep a booking. Caravan parks along the southern Queensland and northern NSW coast have been reporting full occupancy. So bookings are absolutely necessary. In late November??? It seems we're just like others - having been forced off the road earlier in this 'Year of the Rona' (I've renamed the 'Year of the Pig'), we now don't want to stop. It's almost summer and coastal areas beckon. See you 'on the other side'! * Cited by QLD State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner, Steve Gollschewski

18.01.2022 There's magic in Tenterfield. 'Real' magic - or so English folks as late as the 17th century would have believed, anyway. It was a worrying time to be alive, with the Great Plague of London ripping through the population. They tried all manner of things to ward it off. For instance, the nursery rhyme 'Ring-a-ring-o'-roses' promoted the 'posies' of sweet-smelling flowers that might keep the illness at bay. But I'm more interested in a quaint 17th century belief that cork tree...Continue reading

17.01.2022 No matter if is your park is large or small....When you do what you've always done you get what you've always got! Do you want more? Challenge yourself to step up!... Try something new www.greynomadawards.com.au Submissions close Monday. Discovery Parks BIG4 Holiday Parks G'day Parks NRMA Parks and Resorts Hahndorf Resort Kui Parks Reflections Holiday Parks Family Parks Ingenia Holidays

14.01.2022 This surely is the most spectacular land grant in Queensland! Go west, Young man. On this occasion, Samuel Young was that man. Together with his wife Mary, he actually headed south west from his landing port of 'Keppel Bay' (Yeppoon, QLD) in March 1866. The couple, along with four children, had set sail with 624 others on 'The Great Pacific' from England. Most were immigrating to work on the railways. Not Samuel - he'd made a claim for a land grant. Oh boy, what land he'd bee...Continue reading

13.01.2022 It's hot (32c yesterday) so I'm out - and so are the mozzies thanks to the recent rain. An old 'bushie' shared this inexpensive, easy to make solution with friends. Pour equal parts of the following into a little spray bottle, and then shake and spray on your skin. 1. Baby oil 2. Metho... 3. Dettol It works!!! #greynomadawards #greynomads #greynomadsaustralia #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA22 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #wanderlust #adventureseeker #goexplore #bugrepellent

13.01.2022 It was the Great Tin Rush, and it's economic contribution to Queensland's wealth rivalled any gold rush on record. Tin has been traded for 5,000 years due largely to its ability to be melted with copper to make bronze. It's almost always found alongside the granite from which it originates, and that's exactly what happened on the 'Granite Belt' in 1852. It took another 20 years though before the Pioneer Tin Mining Company started in the area. In that same year global tin pric...es soared and the Granite Belt became the economic powerhouse of Queensland. It all started with alluvial tin mining in a place called Quart Pot Creek. So much tin was found that the location was given a new name based on the Latin word for tin, stannum. You know this place as Stanthorpe. By 1874 there was an agent for Chinese immigration in Brisbane named Mr Bauer, who arranged for Chinese to work on small tin mining operations. His workers were "indentured for a period of 5 years, working 6 days a week, 9 and 1/2 hours per day, and are to be paid 7 dollars per month." (The Queenslander, 12 September 1874) Their agreement included 8oz meat daily plus a suit and a blanket each year. The tin they were seeking was found along the natural lagoons, streams and creeks, and we 'discovered' the remains of a Chinese tin miner's hut next to stunning Lake Amiens. Where once Chinese panned for tin you can now stay in paradise, camping around the edges of this lake and its immediate neighbour, Lake Edith. Welcome to Foxbar Falls campground! These days this is a large working vegetable farm that also offers a brilliant blend of breathtaking beauty, idyllic camp sites, scenic walks and other quiet leisure pursuits, such as exploring the lake in one of Foxbar Falls' kayaks. The camp offers everything you'd expect from a five-star farmstay plus a whole heap more. Powered and unpowered sites, waterside or wooded options, toilets, lovely hot showers, free laundry, fire pits, inexpensive wood, wifi, cool hand-made campsite granite tables, and even a guest vegetable garden crammed with delicious greens! This place is bliss - a rare find on the Southern Downs and Granite Belt, but we do have one gripe. We couldn't stay longer!! Share this post to let others know about this great farmstay. Like our page to discover more. Southern Queensland Country - SQC Stanthorpe Visitor Information Centre #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #farmstay #stationstay #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #foxbarfalls #sqcountry #granitebelt #SouthernDowns

13.01.2022 They chew and cut the stems of the wheat, barley, canola and even chickpeas, and then the plant's head dies. And now they've found their way into our moho? I'm talking about Mus musculus - or put plainly, mice. According to the CSIRO, when a few consecutively tough seasons are followed by a good season with Spring rain then mouse numbers go from undetectable to mega amounts in a flash. And the Darling Downs and NSW's Liverpool Plains around Tamworth and Gunnedah are facing 'r...Continue reading

10.01.2022 Imagine awakening to find a deadly snake suckling on your breast! I've just learnt of this incident in Deepwater, 35kms east of Emmaville where I had what felt like a brush with death thanks to a feral pig and heard about legends of prowling panthers. Seriously, is the New England Highlands full of encounters with wild creatures? This latest one was reported in The Tenterfield Star in 1896 as "an extraordinary story from Deepwater, the facts of which are vouched for". An Abor...iginal man working on Deepwater Station, along with his wife and with their newborn baby, were living in a hut in one of the paddocks. During the night the woman woke to find that instead of her infant a large black snake was attached to her breast. She screamed, waking her husband and scaring the snake simultaneously. The snake disappeared, but after a furious search was found and shot by the rattled, but brave, hubby. Maybe being spooked by a feral pig isn't that bad after all! The same man who owned that Station, William Cadell, turned the region into an economic powerhouse by expanding his property to a whopping 60,000 acres, breeding the highest quality sheep and cattle, and kick-starting the Deepwater Jockey Club Inc in 1866, which still hosts an annual race day. 1866 turned out to be a big year for this little town, because that's also when the railway reached it. Within another 20 years the town became the busiest and biggest freight centre north of Newcastle. The train no longer runs, but the town touts some 21st century gems - real and figurative. Fossicking, 'beer brewed with altitude' at the Deepwater Brewery, a must-visit Deepwater Bakery (so good - just look for all the truckies!), a re-imagined 1865 Deepwater Inn now trading as the Longhorn Bar and Grill, and the peaceful Deepwater River all make for a wonderful Glen Innes Highlands experience. #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #countrypub #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder

09.01.2022 It feels like COVID-19 has created disharmony between the states, but have they ever played nicely in the sand pit? Not if our railways are an indication. Before Federation in 1901 each colony adopted the railway gauge that it felt suited it best, despite knowing it would cause havoc. SA and VIC went with broad gauge (5 ft 3 in), while NSW went down the standard gauge route (4 ft 8 in). The narrow gauge (3 ft 6 in) was introduced about a decade later when QLD selfishly chose ...Continue reading

07.01.2022 #quote "Failure to act is the biggest failure of all" John Wooden There is still time to register and get your submission in... 2020 Grey Nomad Award categories: ... Best Grey Nomad Small Caravan Park Best Grey Nomad Large Caravan Park Best Grey Nomad Council Free-Stay (includes donation camps) Best Grey Nomad Community Stay Best Grey Nomad Attraction or Tour Best Grey Nomad Pub Stay (NEW) Best Grey Nomad Farm or Station Stay (NEW) Best Grey Nomad Permit Stay (NEW) Best Grey Nomad Event (Suspended for 2020) www.greynomadawards.com.au/enter-here Submission acceptance will close Monday 5pm.

05.01.2022 One thing I didn't expect to see driving the Mount Lindsay Road north of Tenterfield is tank traps. That's right - traps to stop army tanks! About 15kms north of town we came across a steep natural cutting through which the road passes. Surrounding the cutting are huge granite boulders, impassable by vehicles or WWII-era tanks, and the eastern wall also has a concrete retaining wall too steep to drive up. So invading enemy tanks would have had to remain on the road. It was a ...gravel road at that time and I understand explosives would have been planted underneath it. If the bombs didn't stop the enemy tanks or if the tank drivers had tried to avoid the explosives, then the tank traps came into play. On the road side are the remains of three rows of thick wooden posts, sharpened and shaped to a point. These were the traps - erected to 'force enemy tanks to rise up, exposing their soft underbelly'. (Visit Tenterfield) But why here? Why on a quiet road that leads to mountainous border terrain? Because between 1928 and 1954 this was the New England Highway, and during WWII it was the only inland all-weather route between Sydney and Brisbane. Tenterfield was also part of the Brisbane Line - an imagined line that ran from that city through to Adelaide. As Australia was unable to protect its huge coastline, the more densely populated areas only would be protected. Should an invasion occur, the population north of the line were to be evacuated south. (There's some dispute as to whether the Brisbane Line was real. My parents lived in Brisbane during the war and there's no way you could have convinced either of them that it was just a fear-mongering rumour.) Only one kilometre south of these traps was the London Bridge Army Camp, where many returned soldiers from the Middle East were trained in jungle warfare before being sent to New Guinea and the Pacific. In fact, up to 10,000 troops were stationed in and around Tenterfield during the War because the town and location had been earmarked as a pivotal battleground in the event of a Japanese invasion. Well, thank goodness the Australian Army had identified Thunderbolt's Gully as the perfect site for tank traps. Thunderbolt's Gully? Yep, but that's for tomorrow. Share this post to let others know about this fascinating historical artefact. Like our page to discover more. #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #tanktraps #WWII #visittenterfield

04.01.2022 What's in a name? Well, if you were a Cobb & Co stage coach driver, your name was almost as important as your sparkling personality, ability to entertain and horsemanship. Cobb & Co drivers commanded great respect, becoming almost famous in some instances. And passengers chose times and dates where they had options based on which driver would escort them. Imagine traversing the open plains with Whistling Tom Elms, Flash Harry Bruce (TV presenter Amanda Keller's Great Grandfat...her), Let ‘Er Go Gallagher (who took his nickname from an 1891 US publication in which a newspaper copy boy becomes a wise investigator), Cabbage Tree Ned Devine, Sir Alex Forcett (yes, he was an English baronet), or Silent Bob Bates. Silent Bob inspired this post - I learnt about his life driving the Tenterfield run while reading about Captain Thunderbolt, who held up Bob's coach outside Inverell. Known as 'whips' or Jehus*, the drivers were legendary. And why wouldn't they be? They grasped and controlled the reigns of strong horses that pulled coaches ranging in size from small eight-seaters to the 72-seat Leviathan, which ran briefly between Geelong and Ballarat. It had five rows of seats inside and seven on the roof. How's that for a heritage take on a monster truck? And the image? It's the only known photograph of the Leviathan - taken for The Geelong Advertiser. Cabbage Tree Ned Devine was the driver and the passengers were the All-England Cricket team visiting in 1862 - that's 26 years before photography film was invented by Kodak, so this is a very rare metal plate photograph. * Derived from the Bible, Second Kings 9:20: "And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously." (Jehu was the tenth king of the northern Kingdom of Israel since Jeroboam I.) #greynomadawards #greynomads #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA21 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #cobbandco #stagecoach

04.01.2022 Chances are you would have lived rurally, cooked your food on wood, been cold in winter and hot in summer, worried if you had enough food, questioned if that food would make you sick, salted your meat, pickled your vegetables, relied on your horse, hand sewn your clothes*, cherished your two pairs of shoes, and had no way to improve your lot in life - almost nobody received a formal education. Convicts were still being transported to Australia. No-one was entitled to vote and...Continue reading

03.01.2022 I'm stunned that I can stand on the exact spot that George Furber did when he established what was at one time the third largest town in Queensland. And there's so many other firsts here! This spot, where the "Wide Bay Village" once stood, is the only surviving site of a significant colonial river port in Australia that has not been further developed. And its claim to fame continues. In 1847 when George set up his trading station and Inn here on the banks of the Mary River it...Continue reading

02.01.2022 Self-proclaimed nickname: Captain Thunderbolt Most impressive fact: Lived as a bushranger longer than anyone else in Australian history! And how long was that? Just seven miserable years. I say miserable because it started with a jail escape in the shark-infested waters of Sydney Harbour, and included being shot, leaping from a high cliff on horseback (a jump that broke his companion's ankle and killed his horse), watched another accomplice die from gun fire, was briefly accu...Continue reading

02.01.2022 It's a heartbreaking love story that's left a legacy that you can't avoid when travelling in this part of the country. It seems that everything has the name 'Mary' attached to it: Mary Valley Country and the Mary River, Maryborough, Queensland, Mary Street - Gympie's main thoroughfare and the town's Mary Terrace - a nod to one of the gold reefs, also named the Lady Mary. What's all this Mary business about?...Continue reading

01.01.2022 Friday Furphy: England invented the tank. The truth: It was Australia! Well, a South Australian to be accurate, and the lead up to ANZAC Day seems a fitting time to set the record straight. In 1912 Lance de Mole submitted a proposal and drawings to the British War Office for a 'chain-rail vehicle which could be easily steered and carry heavy loads over rough ground and trenches'. Due to bureaucratic mishandling, that proposal and two later ones by him sat uninvestigated and... unacknowledged. Only after a Royal Commission was held in 1919 - three years after the first English built 'Little Willie' hit the trenches - was de Mole honoured as the original designer of the military beast. And even though his designs had no influence on the development of the first tank, they were remarkably similar and he was granted 965. The Commission, which also looked at other claims made by 12 Brits who did work on the Little Willie, concluded: "de Mole is entitled to the greatest credit for having made and reduced to practical shape as far back as the year 1912 a very brilliant invention which anticipated and in some respects surpassed that actually put into use in the year 1916". Thank goodness for the Australian War Memorial and their continuing work to ensure our heroes receive due recognition. #greynomadawards #greynomads #greynomadsaustralia #ontheroad #regionaltourism #regionalaustralia #seeaustraliafirst #awards #tourism #AOA22 #aussieadventures #exploreaustralia #vanlife #travellingaustralia #seeaustralia #wonderoutyonder #wanderlust #adventureseeker #goexplore #wartanks #anzacday