Wreck rock, high tides and plastic

Wreck rock 2025

Today we are sitting at Gympie waiting for cyclone Alfred to make up its mind about landfall and an apt time to publish this post as there will be plenty of debris created on our beaches.

Another visit to one of our favourite places Wreck rock, our fifth time here, in the very wonderful Endeavour national park Queensland, there are three camp areas here looking north towards Agnes waters is Flat rock and Middle rock and here we are at Wreck rock again. The weather has not been as kind this time as it has been just a bit of wind and some higher than usual tides, as usual the camp area is great very clean not so crowded only a couple of others and some day trippers, and the ever-present lace monitors.

We were here this time for a 8 days and I must say that the first time we were here I did not notice the problem that I am about to introduce you to but this is not a new thing here Im sure. IApart from the National parks the area is under the not so watchful eye of the Gladstone shire and maybe a bit of the Burnett region; The beaches and sand dunes on this stretch of coast are nursery for the green back and flat back turtles, so there are Turtle monitoring stations all along the beaches, and I have to say that this is the first time that we have been here and not had the volunteer’s camped here to monitor the nests.

This area is also the start of the real surfing beaches north of the New South Wales border in Queensland, so as well as the National parks rangers and the Turtle monitoring people there are plenty of surfers from Agnes waters to Bundaberg as well as travellers using the beaches.

So by now you are wondering what is this bloke getting to, well i’ll be blunt

the beaches that I mentioned at the start are THE MOST POLLUTED BEACHES THAT I HAVE SEEN in our travels around our great country. Not only polluted , but mistreated by most who visit here, on this visit I met a man who not only loves the area he actively cleans it up, which is more than I can say for most of the others I have previously mentioned.

The pollution I am talking about is Plastic and plenty of it, every day there is a new batch deposited by the high tide to collect not just a handful but bags fill , the photos are what we, Jim and I collected in about six days and from only around 300 METERS of beach,

I would like to apologise on behalf of Jim and I for only getting to such a small area but I am a few days short of seventy seven and Jim looks likes he shades me by a few years and its been hot. But what about the regulars, well according to a ranger that Jim spoke to the “beach” is not National Parks responsibility, more on that a bit later, on to the turtle nest monitors, I may be tarring a few people with the same brush here but this is my experience, last trip 2022 after myself and a couple of young campers had collected a few bags of rubbish, that the “turtle nest monitors had been driving there buggies through “ for a few days we were trying to dig out this very large piece of rope that had some trawl net around it, obviously buried by the high tide, we had excavated a fairly large hole in the sand around it but it was to heavy for three of us to pull out, the nest watchers were coming back from their watching and we tried to get the first buggy to stop: No go, one of the young men helping all but threw himself in front of the next one and with a lot of complaining I think the wine and bickies were out, he let us tie it to the buggy and we got half a trawl net out of the hole, he left us to get it to a place where it would not get washed back and could be retrieved.

Jim told me a similar story of last year where he had put four bags of plastic rubbish next to the park track, he had asked the ranger if he could dispose of it, ( sorry no can’t do that) but the ranger asked the turtle people to help, and they did but Jim got a lecture from one of them saying that they should not have to do this.

To the users of the beach and ocean, some of this group has saddened me this week, first to travellers, I was walking down to start collecting from the high tide on the first day and passed a couple of young English tourists camping here, a brief chat and I told them what I was doing and the young lass said Oh good we have collected a lot of plastic bottles and rubbish and put it on the path for the ranger, bonus lovely people, but the locals, the surfers so disappointing, on the weekend a few of the Agnes Waters surfers were here to catch a wave, day one crap surf, so we were talking about the area and the lack of waves, I told them about how much plastic we had picked up and that there was so much more, very small bits floating in the tide line: So I asked them both if they would help with the plastic collection as it was their beach, surfer 1 said yes we see lots of the small bits out in the water all the time “its not good”, surfer 2 nods his head and says, you know there is a bit of a wave just near the rocks what do you think, and off they went to flounder around in a 2 foot chop.

Day two about half a dozen board riders ( not surfers) joined the other two, no takers on the clean up but their girlfriends who had a shade cover managed to bury their rubbish including two plastic bags in the sand below the high tide mark.

Jim and I will finish our stay here this afternoon by once again walking the tide line and picking up what we can, but this is not about people looking after the ocean and the beach, this stuff comes from the rivers and creeks around here and is deposited on this great beach, that is about 50 kilometres long and no one appears to be caring, not the council, not the National parks not the turtle people who cannot grasp the fact that when the turtles hatch they have to fight or eat their way past this crap, and the people who use the beach and Mother ocean for their pleasure don’t seem to care or give back

Its definitely not about people like Jim and I, It should be about you and others who don’t walk past a plastic bag or an old plastic oil bottle or drink bottle, or see a problem where plastic waste can be washed out to sea and end up on a deserted beach like this to break down in to the smallest pretty shiny colourful most harmful lure that the ocean can present to its occupants.

As Jim said to me this morning If you won’t participate, don’t talk about it, If you get to this bit and come to the conclusion that I’m just another nutter that overreacts to this type of issue, just delete the link and let me know that you have and you definitely won’t get another rant from me.

Enjoy life BK

Exploring Kauri Creek Campground and Cooktown

We were staying at Kauri creek campground at lake Tinaro

Kauri creek is a beautiful part of the national park, we had been there for a couple of weeks, as had the March flies, who had been getting a bit over excited so we decided to take a drive up to Cooktown for a week or so to give the little blighters a rest. There are not a great many Stops on the way although the views from the ranges on a good day are breathtaking, first stop Mt Mulligan

Kauri creek, lake Tinaro

We parked up at the great little rest area just north of the town, its well maintained and a small donation is requested, although I Didn’t see to many campers dropping Coins in the box. The township Hasn’t much in the way of attractions save of course the pub, and the historic sawmill ruins, but we Stayed a couple of days spent a Couple of bob, and moved out early, the Mulligan highway is not a Pleasant drive when its hot.

Next stop Palmer river Roadhouse, We have been here a few times and every time it is just a bit different, the roadhouse is on a hill looking down to the river, there are sites here and a free camp down beside the river, we will have to stop here! Maybe next time during the week as I think this place might get a bit excited on weekends, so a few pics then lunch and on to Cooktown again.

Looking from the Cooktown lookout
Looking over the Endeavour river Cooktown

When you first drive in to the town you would think that this is just a very small remote community, driving up to the lookout gives you a great perspective of the town and surrounding areas, the Endeavour river disappears into the rainforest and the roads leading to the community’s of Hopevale, Annan river .

There is plenty to see and do there, one of my favourites is to just walk around especially near the river, I imagine the sailing boats and steamers at anchor from the gold rush days, you can see why Cook was worried about getting out of the river when repairs to the Endeavour were complete, sand bars continually moving, navigating in a sailing ship with the prevailing winds around here would have been dicey.

The Endeavour river on a good day is spectacular, when Cook visited it would have been pristine with only the local Aboriginal community and the endeavour crew to appreciate the beauty of the river and surrounding rainforest; There is a thought invoking plaque in the town park near the river that tells of the struggle, and the eventual truce between Cook and the locals, it seems that the locals were a bit cranky with Cook for stealing some of their property. (old Australian aboriginal proverb, “if you want to use our wood to fix your ship don’t steal our stuff”) Anyway, back to the river, a walk along early in the morning or afternoon really shows of the colours of the river, the council has done a marvellous job of making sure that you can get the best of it, great walking/bike path take you to the best viewing places, plenty of signs and information of the area history

Viewing platform Endeavour river Cooktown
one of the few original buildings left in Cooktown

There are so many beaches close to the town, Cherry Tree Bay · Finch Bay · Quarantine Bay · Walker Bay · Elim Beach (Coloured Sands). all Accessible in a days drive

My favourite beach/bay is Archer point, on a windy day like the day we were there its beautiful on a good day its spectacular, the road in is not great, but conventional vehicles make it ok, there is a ranger station run by the local land council and since they have taken over most of the camping grounds have been closed, to be fair they needed to be, this is an special part of Australia and the campers were not doing the place any favours, camping is now restricted to two areas and they are free large and so far clean.

Archer point needed to be saved, the ocean views from the light house Rival the southern bight any day of the week, the water is crystal clear the air clear and clean I am sure! that we will be back there. Before leaving Cooktown having a walk around at night is worth it, in the evening the feeling of the old town is at its strongest, as the sun set there were local men unloading their catch at the boatramp, caught in the traditional way, three men a handful of spears and plenty of fish, the lights Came on at the wharf, the local game boats lit up, and further down the shore the local pizza van set up for the night, one of the quiet nights in cooktown.

One of the must do things up there is a visit to the lions Den hotel this pub has been going forever, there are many books written about the pub, customers and occupants, if you want to know about the place just click the link, its an icon of the area and queensland.

We were at Cooktown for a bit over a week, there is so much more to see and do, probably if you are just a little Adventurous the best way to experience the history is just pack a few things get the wheels going and see it for yourself, we well be back!

February/ March 2021 trip 1

First trip for the year Covid-19 has kept us quiet but we have slipped out for a few weeks

Loaded ready to go, fishing rods, golf clubs, and bird

It’s been a while since the last trip thanks to Covid-19, so the plan is head south visiting friends and relatives camping, fishing golfing

First stop Carmilla beach

We have stayed at Carmilla before pretty basic camping with the only facility being a toilets , access is easy just follow the road past the servo for about 14K and turn right at end of road.

there are a few areas to chose from a fairly easy shaded area for caravans and motor homes to sandy spots for camper trailers and tents.

There is creek and beach fishing at both ends of the camp area although one of these areas is 4X4 only, we did not have much luck fishing but put the crab pot in one night and had some luck

Carmilla beach is a pretty spot, not much to do just fish and relax.

Next stop Wreck rock

Located in Deepwater national park about 60k south of Town of 1770 wreck rock is one of two camping grounds in the NP the road to wreck rock is average and comes in from Baffle creek all except the last few kilometres is bitumen and the dirt stretch is not bad, to access the camp area is a sandy track and is ok for most vehicles.

The beach is a turtle nesting habitat and the nests are marked so that they are not disturbed

There are not a great many campsites and well distributed so not busy even on the weekend the camps were full and still remained quiet.

The local wildlife was a bit friendly and were obviously used to being around humans

Feet on the beach

A small album of changes in the sand on our beach

I’m always looking for changes on our beach, almost every time we go for a walk something is different this time, while contemplating my feet I noticed the difference in the sand almost every time I moved.

Just a collection of the changes over time