Recent trip from Townsville Qld to Sydney N.S.W.

[bogranjac1]

I have recently completed a trip down the east coast of Australia from Townsville Qld. to Sydney N.S.W.
The intention was to do some exploring around the south coast of N.S.W. which was basically the final region of Australia i haven't cruised.
But due to the bushfires that no doubt many have heard about, a breakdown of the towing vehicle, deluges of rain and floods then closely followed by this poxy virus thing I have decided to terminate the exercise and return home to Perth. I missed the deadline to return to W.A. and now i'm in forced into self-isolation for 14 days as per state requirement for any returning residents or tourists.
So what better to fill in time than to play computers and bore you all with my home pics and movies....ha ha.

1. picking up boat after 3 months storage in Townsville
2. we camped at the ferry terminal boat ramp in townsville, all the tug boat pilots etc would come over and check Nimiane out and chat
3. many a lunch was consumed here at The Ville Casino in Townsville
4. we never stay at caravan parks - just bush camp or put her in the water at a nearby boat ramp. This was a sugar cane railway yard.
5.Sugar cane railway yards outside Sarina - Mackay region. This is where and when the weather changed into tropical monsoon downpours each afternoon.
6. another bush camp near Marlborough - Rockhampton region. It poured rain all night and the humidity was thick.
7.lovely Calliope rest stop - just south of Gladstone. In winter during the 'grey nomad' peak travel times it isn't possible to get a cigarette paper between the caravans and R.V's parked here at this glorious camp.
8.Calliope river.
9. looking towards the Clarence from a small inlet next to Lawerence - a very small and wonderfully friendly riverside town on the Clarence River. You need to take the ferry across the Clarence - we always stay here for a few days and spend money on fuel, food and drink at the three stores in this town.
10. and freeload at the boat ramp - a fair trade i think !!

 

[bogranjac1]

I have recently completed a trip down the east coast of Australia from Townsville Qld. to Sydney N.S.W.
The intention was to do some exploring around the south coast of N.S.W. which was basically the final region of Australia i haven't cruised.
But due to the bushfires that no doubt many have heard about, a breakdown of the towing vehicle, deluges of rain and floods then closely followed by this poxy virus thing I have decided to terminate the exercise and return home to Perth. I missed the deadline to return to W.A. and now i'm in forced into self-isolation for 14 days as per state requirement for any returning residents or tourists.
So what better to fill in time than to play computers and bore you all with my home pics and movies....ha ha.

1. picking up boat after 3 months storage in Townsville
2. we camped at the ferry terminal boat ramp in townsville, all the tug boat pilots etc would come over and check Nimiane out and chat
3. many a lunch was consumed here at The Ville Casino in Townsville
4. we never stay at caravan parks - just bush camp or put her in the water at a nearby boat ramp. This was a sugar cane railway yard.
5.Sugar cane railway yards outside Sarina - Mackay region. This is where and when the weather changed into tropical monsoon downpours each afternoon.
6. another bush camp near Marlborough - Rockhampton region. It poured rain all night and the humidity was thick.
7.lovely Calliope rest stop - just south of Gladstone. In winter during the 'grey nomad' peak travel times it isn't possible to get a cigarette paper between the caravans and R.V's parked here at this glorious camp.
8.Calliope river.
9. looking towards the Clarence from a small inlet next to Lawerence - a very small and wonderfully friendly riverside town on the Clarence River. You need to take the ferry across the Clarence - we always stay here for a few days and spend money on fuel, food and drink at the three stores in this town.
10. and freeload at the boat ramp - a fair trade i think !!

11.Porto bay Hawkesbury river
12. Parsley Bay boat ramp
13.overlooking Parsley Bay out towards the Hawkesbury and Pacific ocean beyond.
14. interesting twisted tree - almost gargoyle ish.
15. Mooney Mooney river
16. Mooney Mooney river - where the Bell birds are !!!
17. Always a very sad day when i leave my lovely little boat in storage till the next adventure.
18. an even sadder day having to leave New South Wales due to approaching winter and the threat of the mongrel covid 19 virus.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. b. Thanks. Really nice country AND the major advantage of being able to trailer.

 

[Southern Boater]

I think I've seen your boat travels on other forums in years gone by? There certainly aren't too many Finn 8 metres being towed around Australia

I guess you also store the Landcruiser near the boat and travel back to WA?
An interesting way to see and cruise the country, and from memory you've been doing it for a while now, so we'll done

 

[bogranjac1]

I think I've seen your boat travels on other forums in years gone by? There certainly aren't too many Finn 8 metres being towed around Australia

I guess you also store the Landcruiser near the boat and travel back to WA?
An interesting way to see and cruise the country, and from memory you've been doing it for a while now, so we'll done

HI Southern Boater,
Yes correct about the Landcruiser, it has for the last few years been left with the boat. I did tow her across Oz to Perth and back once but no more. We covered the Mighty Murray river pretty extensively on a trip once.
Nimiane is always stored undercover - when left in Queensland she's in a cyclone rated shed and elsewhere undercover - N.S.W has a lot of hail storms so undercover is pretty sensible.
Tasmania is my final real ambition ( read DREAM ) of destinations to explore, however i'm very aware it's a mighty big project !!
I priced the 'Spirit' @ about $3000 return so i'm O.K. with that.
Do you have heating on your boat? I reckon diesel heating might be needed to be installed as it gets pretty COOOOL down on the Franklin.
Have you been to Port Davy? I have read about people doing it on Sea kayaks with carefully planning the weather windows.
regards Brett

 

[Southern Boater]

G'day Brett

The problem with bringing her over to Tas is you won't want to take it back again

Book well ahead on the ferry to get best prices, unfortunately trailer boats don't enjoy the same discounts as caravans and RV's, due to clever political lobbying by a common interest group.
Best months for cruising is always Feb and March, best/easiest accessible wilderness location is the Gordon/Franklin Rivers, launch at Strahan, 20 N miles of Macquarie Harbour and the same in the Gordon River to the Franklin junction, absolutely stunning!
Port Davey is a real commitment in this size of boat approx 80 miles of open Southern Ocean either way to get to it, potentially very wild waters.
Let me know if you make it down and want some ideas/advice, the cruising is amazing and the public launch ramps are excellent.

 

[Southern Boater]

Regarding heating, we have a ducted diesel heater because we boat all year round, you won't need it from Oct to April, but bring a jumper and a beanie, just in case ;-)

 

[Lady J]

East coast lakes, The Murray and Tasmania

Nice discussion and pics chaps. Have just come back from 8 days cruising in Lady J on the Murray between Renmark and Loxton (and return). We had high hopes of trailering our Finn 8 to great spots, much as you have done Bogranjac1. Unfortunately our BT50 with the towing capacity is currently stuck in Tasmania and we are stuck in South Australia. We only managed this trip because of the kindness of a fellow boatie who did the towing for us. If my photos loaded, you might see Lady J at Renmark wharf and some shots taken while camping at the Whirlpool Bend sandbar and otherwise cruising with the Riverland Cruising Boat Club (riverlandcruisingboatclub.org.au).

Just before the lockdown we did a cruise on the Myall Lakes with Jock Veenstra (Spirit Australia Cruises - New Page — Spirit Australia Cruises). A lazy person's way to cruise, but at least we got there. Presumably Bogranjac1 you got to explore some of these east coast lakes? Well worth the effort and I hope to get back some time in my own boat.


I wrote to the Productivity Commission once when they were reviewing the (wet) Bass Strait Highway, pointing out that some of us use our boats as caravans and should get the same preferred treatment as caravan owners. No response received and it still costs an arm and a leg to get boats in and out of Tassie. It would be worth the cost in your case though Bogranjac1 - a beautiful place with plenty of nice water. Not sure about Port Davey though - a bit scary. While you are in lockdown, you might like to seek out the book King of the Wilderness The Life of Deny King by Christobel Mattingley. Deny lived at Melaleuca in Port Davey and did the voyage back and forth to Hobart many times.