Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Airlie Beach

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A hundred years or so ago my Danish great Grandfather, Piers Augustus Nelson, was a coach builder here in Rockhampton. 
This hotel would have been around then.
We headed east to Yeppoon to the golden Keppel and Cooee Bay beaches... 
and our first sighting of a coconut palm.

Fog accompanied our first 100km as we rode north from Yeppoon.
There were no road works until the outskirts of Mackay. Hooray.

We have encountered roadworks for most of our journey from Sydney to Rockhampton. The roads are being upgraded and in many cases dual carriageways are being built. 
Lots of stretches of road have reduced speeds and the traffic police are vigilant.
There are average speed cameras, mobile speed cameras, and many signs about speed - and about taking a rest.

There are signs with trivia questions are intended to keep drivers alert. The answers turn up about one km down the road.
*e.g. What is Queensland's state flower?

These were best road signs today. They were  spaced several kilometers apart
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet, Dad?
Are we there yet, Mum?
No, kids, we are nowhere near there, yet!  

It was true!
We rode about 450km today and there were no towns apart from a little town called Marlborough and Sarina, a small sugar mill town between Rockhampton and Mackay. There were road houses and petrol stations with cafes for our regular stops.


We noticed the odometer reading this morning and we surprised just how far we have travelled in 2 years.


We saw hundreds of kilometers of sugar cane fields today.



We are making sure we go walking as soon as we arrive.
I enjoy the chance to meet people along the way.

Airlie Beach is bathed in light of the setting sun.


I was bemused to see the board and rider moving uphill. 
Sam  on his remote-controlled electric skate board. 


Carly from Canada and Jasmine from the UK are on journeys, too. 
This region is in the Whitsundays and the islands have wonderful coral reefs. Carly's description makes a trip offshore seem very tempting.



Renee's lovely smile says everything about our welcome to Airlie Beach this afternoon.


The sun sets over the bay for another day.

*Answer:
Cooktown Orchid
Dendrobium phalaenopsis



Location: Airlie Beach QLD 4802, Australia

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