Where to next?

It is amazing how quickly life has returned to normal since our amazing adventure in 2014.  It has been wonderful to reconnect with friends and contribute again to our great little community.  Our lives have become full of the cycle or work, school, sport, cubs, and trying to implement some of the ideas we learnt in 2014 on our patch of dirt.  

And as happy as we are to be home, our big lap last year has left a mark on our souls.  

Could it be that we still have itchy feet?  There are still so many parts of this country that we want to explore in greater depth?  Or could it be that it is just so cold here in winter!

Either way, the other night we pulled the maps out from under Rocky's seat, and started dreaming again.

Mount Kosciuszko with kids - back on the road again

Little more than two months after coming home, unpacking everything and getting back into the swing of life - our feet started getting itchy again.  Now don't get me wrong, it is great being home, and we are right back into the swing of school, work and renovations (yes - we find plenty of ways to keep busy).  But we had one major challenge we wanted to complete. 

On our 12 month journey around Australia, we saw many Australian icons, swam under some fabulous waterfalls, and climbed some picturesque mountains.  There was one mountain that we didn't conquer on our trip, and it was nagging us.

It was time to head to the High Country and the Australian mainland's highest peak - Mount Kosciuszko.  (Australia's highest peak is actually Mawson Peak, part of active volcano Big Ben on Heard Island way south west of the continent)

There is no place like home

54 904km and 377 days after our departure, we returned home after our wonderful crazy adventure.  

On our journey we met many wonderful, inspiring and fascinating people. We were extremely fortunate to gain snippets into other worlds, from a mighty cattle station in the Territory, to remote Aboriginal communities. We saw nature at its best. We saw mankind’s insatiable appetite for resources literally moving mountains. We laughed and cried with other travellers. We laughed and cried with each other.

Home at last... including a very happy pooch :)

We swam with sea-lions, dolphins and freshwater crocodiles. We snorkelled in natural aquariums teeming with exotic sea life, plunged into deep rock pools carved by crystal clear waters, wallowed in pristine lakes and stole kisses under remote cascading water-falls.

And our journey changes, reflections after a year on the road.

Faced with the prospect of heavy rain (severe thunderstorms),  access routes being cut by rising river crossings and several days waiting for things to dry out again, we held a family discussion.  We had been looking forward to heading down to Main Range National Park, but it looked as if the Park would bear the brunt of the oncoming storms.  At times like this, the resident meteorologist (aka Weather Witch) cast the deciding vote.

We took the easy option, packed up in the sun with everything dry and returned to Mama and Pa's.

All packed up

It was a time to pause for a moment as this decision would mark a turning point in our adventure to date.  

The Majestic Bunya Mountains

With Rocky sporting a new rear window, a dashing silver duco (amazing what a wash will do) and four refreshed passengers, we embarked for a few days in the Bunya Mountains, a couple of hours east of the Sunshine Coast.  It was great to be back on the road again, and we wound our way past the Glasshouse Mountains on our way to the Bunyas.  The road became steeper and signs started warning that the road ahead was unsuitable for buses, trucks and caravans - just our kind of adventure.

The hills became steeper and steeper - but thankfully we had plenty in reserve as Rocky sailed up them in second gear.  We soon had risen over 1000 metres above sea level, and paused to take in the view at Fisher's Lookout.

Bunya Mountains - On top of the world

Bunya Mountains - even Rocky made it!