Had my 60th Birthday at the lake at Middlemount, friend Deb & Phil, Di & John joined Maggie and I for a lovely dinner. Left German Creek Thursday 8th August and travelled to Duaringa to O/N, then on through Biloela (pronounced Bill O Wheel A) to Caliope (pronounced (Cal Lie Oh Pee) a mining town. Visited Gladstone, one of the buissiest ports in Australia, this place freaked me out, the roads are wierd, no signs to major points and it really has no centre of town! Went on to the town of 1770 and Agness Waters, lovey little town, 1770. Very impressd with Bundaberg, lots of historical buildings and easy to find your way around, called to see Mick & Gerry at Maryborough then on to Gympie, presently at Kenilworth for 2 days then to Robert and Lyn Sullivans place for a BBQ for his 60th, hes 14 days younger than me, its a surprise BBQ and I hope it goes well. See photos!

Left Aramac Sunday 22nd July. On the way to Barkie (Barcaldine) we passed a tree that resembled an Emu, we proceeded to Barkie and did some tourist things like possing at the "Tree of Knowledge", this is where the Australian Labor Party was formed and is famous as a meeting place for striking shearers and the foundation of the AWU in 1891/94. Stopped over at Jericho the first night (on the banks of the River Jordan), then on to Emerald for another stopover. Missed the turn to German Creek and went on to Middle Mount, a very well organised minning town, we then returned to German Creek to meet up with  Phil, Deb , John & Di. Have been here for nearly 2 weeks now, had to go to Rockhampton (600K round) to get a pump for the van.