17.12.11 Lake Atkinson Scout Camp

I’d made a booking here a little while ago, planning to stay for a long weekend for my birthday.  During the time between then and now, the Camp Manager had contacted me, saying that a family always spent this particular weekend out there and were wondering if I’d mind sharing the camp with them.  No worries at all, but we’ll be taking the dogs, so would prefer if they didn’t let any kids approach them, as they would be off lead.  We were hoping to camp right on the lake shore, so would they mind if we chose the first spot as we’d be out there rather early.

I made sure I rang before we left, telling the camp manager that we’d be out there in about an hour or so.  We headed off towards Ipswich and along the Darren Lockyer Way towards Minden
, where we took a right and follow the signs to the Lake.  The scout camp is on Watson Road, so we actually turn off before heading to the caravan parks and easy access for boaties.  I rang again about 15 minutes before we got there, to find the camp manager onsite with the other family.

We pull in to see quite a few Harley Davidson’s parked up and a tent or two already set up along with a camper trailer around the camp facilities.  Since we’ll be on the lake front, I check to see if anyone is down there … phew … no one in residence so far.  We find the camp manager inside the old den … and it has a new floor.  She introduces me to a few fellows standing around drinking ale’s who I note are decked out in their motorcycle club “colours”.  Apparently the scout group of Queensland have decided to allow a motorcycle club to fix up the old den and use it as a clubhouse.  Being that I’ve had associations in the past (not me personally but a friend of mine) with a MC, I am suddenly hesitant about the deal they have made.  Hopefully this club will be the type that has weekend social rides and not the “other” type you hear about on the news at times.  I feel a bit uncomfortable that they are now ensconced and hope that the family turns up soon.  They don’t.  Seems the MC are the family, so I’m wondering if the camp manager felt we might not have kept our booking had we known … and she might be right, but I think we should have had the choice there.  I'll let you make up your own mind ... DiggersMMMC ... research on my return.  One thing I did like was the name "Digger" ... had a dog called that once and I loved him for his 15 wonderful years ... I miss him.

We make our way down to the lakes edge and select a spot to set up with some trees on our western side … since they are the only trees on the lakes edge it seems sensible to have some afternoon shade.  We are here for 3 days, 2 nights, so afternoon shade will be important being that it’s technically summer.

We set up in record time … there is much relaxing to do!  We have a view up and down the lake and my chair is not very far from the waters edge.  I’ve set up the solar panels and they are soaking in the UV rays although the day is overcast.  UV index is extreme at 14.

Glenn decides that I should have my birthday gift early.  He’s told me to bring along my laptop as apparently it’s needed to utilise the gift.   Perhaps I’ll tell you more about that later. 

I’ve invited Glenn’s sister and brother in law out for lunch, so they enjoy a wonderful Saturday drive over Mount Glorious to join us for 2 hours, before driving back through Esk.  It’s lovely to see them even if so briefly. 

The wind picks up enough so that we can fly that kite I bought a while back.  It works well for a cheap kite.  We have a few hours fun over the weekend flying it and crashing it.  The wind is finally constant enough to keep it aloft for ages as long as we don’t do anything to change that.  I do.  I’ve hardly ever flown a kite, so mine turns cause it to hit the ground quite often.  I’m getting better by the end.

The MC seem to be having fun.  More tents are going up, they’ve lit a big fire and the whole camp is lit up like a Christmas tree.  Kids are running around happily.  I’m so glad we aren’t up there trying to camp peacefully.  We decide to put up our ensuite and not bother with the shower block tonight. 

I’ve seasoned a lamb roast for this evening’s dinner, Garlic, Rosemary & Chilli and some vegies to follow it down.  We start the OzPig to get some embers for the camp oven lid as we want the roast all lovely and brown.  It’ll take an hour or two to cook so we sit back and enjoy the afternoon wasting away.

So much for summer.  The temperature is 21C and the wind off the lake is excellent for flying a kite even though it’s after 1800.  Jumpers all round.  We try to eat dinner in a hurry, but it goes cold rather quickly.  Good thing I like cold roast I reckon.  There also appears to be lots and lots of what I call Cow Shit Flies.  They swarm together on mass and are attracted to lights … even fairy lights.

We hit the hay to the sound of frogs and toads aplenty.

18.12.11

The day starts slowly, but we are out of bed at 0700 as it’s rather warm.  Still a bit overcast, but nice and warm as summer should be.  Glenn says that some cows went passed earlier in the morning. 

The boys decide that they want a canoe to go for a spin.  I head up to the toilets and ask those remaining from the MC if they can leave the kitchen and Den open for us as we’d like to use them.  I’m told that they won’t do that.  Their lease states they must “secure” it.  So I head back to camp so I can call up the camp manager to give us access as the MC is slowly leaving.  One chap comes down to our camp saying he’s called his president and the must secure the camp before going as he’s the last of them and that he can’t get a hold of the camp manager.  Neither could I but I left a message and about ½ hour later I see their car up at the Den.  By the time I make it there, he’s got out a canoe for us.  So I guess there are some changes since we were last here.  We have a lovely chat and then he's off to do something at home.  I'm sorry we've had to inconvience him ... but very glad he was at home.

I send the boys up to collect the canoe and they go for a lengthy paddle around the lake.  The day is getting warmer and more overcast.  I have some prawns for breakfast. 

Once the boys return, we go and check out the scout camp and give the obstacle course another go.  It’s still busted up and overgrown.  

A bloke over near the dam wall has been mowing a section of grass and I’ve assumed that it’s for the Christmas party they will have.    Lots of people on boats are towing skiers or many people on big rubber things.  Some are on jet ski’s, some are fishing.  The day is fining up but it’s still windy enough for kite flying and that’s what we decide to do.  Hope that it settles down tonight or we’ll have to have dinner earlier than last night.

The bird life here is fantastic.  Many species flying to and fro.  Pelicans, wood ducks, shags, herons, whistling kites, mallards, sea gulls … just to name a few.  We watch them as we continue to sit around doing not much of anything.  Just brilliant!  The dogs are really enjoying the water.  Kiah keeps stalking ducks as they come towards the camp.  She’ll never catch one as she won’t go into the water past her chest and they are way too quick for her anyway.  It’s fun watching her watch them rather intently.

Snapper, prawns & chips for dinner.  That wind is still here and I think the bugs are worse tonight than last night.  We try some night photos where you write things with a torch, which proves entertaining for Glenn & I.  Guess we'll have to keep practising.  Can you guess what it says?

19.12.11

Out of bed at 0616.  Head up to the loo block and I’m trailed by puppies.  Back to the camp for coffee, coffee and more coffee.  We have to pack up today.  Pity.  Wish this time would go on for at least another few days. 

The day is dawning much clearer than the previous days, with soft fluffy clouds everywhere and the sun beating down with a fair bit of warmth to it.

We don’t even think about packing up till later in the day, just enjoying the peace and quiet of the lake and its inhabitants.  No breeze today for the kite, so we pack it away.

I’d recorded what the solar panels did whilst we were away and was happy to report that we got 18.5ah on day 1, 29.9ah on day 2 and 22.7ah on day three.  Both day 1 and day 3 were not full days.  I was hoping to get more out of them, but since our batteries are still ‘full’ I can’t complain I guess.

Now for that gift I’d mentioned earlier.  A GoPro camera and associated bits and pieces.  We have had fun figuring out how it worked over the weekend.  We had various camera angles we resorted to and we named each of those appropriately. 

PuppyCam:  attached to the dogs harness then to the dog.  That was hilarious.

FenderCam:  attached to the front fender of the car whilst it attempted what 4x4ing there was (a fallen log and a large lump of dirt).  Probably what we’ll use it for most.

PaddleCam:  attached to a canoe paddle and dunked whilst paddling (testing the waterproof to 60 metre claim … well as far down as the paddle would go).  This was fun, but I think we’d prefer clearer water and possibly not on a paddle in the future, as the in and out of water and up and down was a bit hard to watch.

DashCam: seeing how it went on the trip home.  Downfall here was that I rang out of battery, however it worked well.  Could have had a bit more volume inside the car, but I don’t think we can change that.

When I can figure out how to load things on UTube, I'll add a link to PuppyCam ... if I can figure that out too.

About 1300 we are packing up in earnest (alas) and by 1345 we are hitching up and starting to leave.  It’s only an hour to get home, but I hope it takes forever!!

Trip Kilometers: 178.7

Trip Duration: 72 hours