Brisbane #3

We have enjoyed a few trips away including our trip to Mapleton where we took the van and stayed in the Lilypond Van Park.  It is right in Mapleton but back from the road enough to be very quiet and still a short walk to the pub, shops, and great views over the Sunshine Coast.  A very enjoyable weekend which will be remembered for the final 20 metres of the trip.  Backing into a narrow gateway off a busy street among parked cars has its risks.  We are now finding all about how difficult it is to get a small mark on the rear corner of the van repaired quickly.  No major damage, just time consuming repairs.

 Henry with his sports award from a couple of weeks ago.

The next weekend was busy with a trip to Noosa on Friday to catch up Brendan and Michelle and spend the day with Henry and Charlie.  The boys loved the beach and we spent a long time in the surf.  The water was very rough but Coolum Beach was great with smaller waves in close for them to ride their boogie boards in.  We then went out to Yandina and did the Ginger Factory over.  The highlight was the train ride around the grounds.

 Charlie at Coolum

 Henry catching a wave

 On board the Ginger Factory Train

 After the ride

 If only we could eat him...

We spent the next couple of nights at Murwillumbah with Barry.  Their was some work to be done in the yard although the yard is now under control and can be mowed pretty quickly.  The weather kept us inside mostly but didn’t prevent a raging rubbish fire being constructed.  It was even cold enough to light the fireplace on Sunday night.  The creek that we had worked to clear after Christmas was very different after the recent heavy rains and was now much wider, cleaner and very soothing.  Baz’s workman has also progressed the modifications a lot and the house now looks much better than when he bought it.  

My main project in Brisbane this week has been the location and refurbishing of the girls cubby house which finally arrived from Dysart.  I enjoyed working with wood again and after relocating the rock wall to suit the current pad, we added battens under the cubby to match the house. 

While the van was being serviced we had the electrics on the Landcruiser checked out to try to locate the problem with the black pin on the trailer plug connection.  The problem turned out to be the electric brake controller which had failed.  The guys at Arrow that replaced my controller had the same controller on their work vehicle and it had failed only a few days earlier.  Their controller had turned the vehicles brake lights on in the middle of the night and flattened the battery.  This reminded me of the strange things happening on Russ & Janes car in Tamworth with the same controller in it.  Needless to say, we installed a different (better??) brake controller.  It is a Guardian IQ Controller from Hayman Reese and cost $360 installed.

We have planned the route we intend taking on our lap west and now have a rough idea of the fuel and park fee costs we will be up for.  To see all of Australia that we haven’t seen yet we have more than 45,000 kms ahead.  Making the plan is the easy bit and our collection of reports on attractions ‘not to be missed’ continues to grow.

 The cubby going in to place via crane truck.  No pressure - just had to re-drill and bolt 9 legs on to it while the crane suspended it in place.

 The cubby in place at last !! Note :- No room underneath for the van?

 Girls best 'patient' friend

 Grandma and Girls watching the gardening

 Kirsty and Ben at 9 months

Bunnings is the nearest hardware and after several trips in my Home Hardware shirt they got sick of it and asked why I was wearing it.  I told them it was because they had not given me a Bunnings one.  Now Ben has a new green Bunnings T-shirt !!!