Isolation continues

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease it hasn’t really changed much for us in rural Queensland. We’ve been here 6 weeks now and are happy living on the ‘farm’, still keeping busy with odd jobs like mowing, weeding, and shack maintenance, but enjoying the tranquillity and solitude of the Lethebrook district.

Our pot of gold iso spot. 

Morning walks and rides

It’s easy to get into the rhythm of nature when away from urbanisation. Waking at first light, a walk around ‘the block’ or a bike ride around the district is a great way to start the day. This region is cattle and cane country. On the western side of the Bruce Highway, up and over the only hill, we came across some cattle, but sugarcane is the predominant land use throughout. Bananas were originally grown in Lethebrook by Chinese settlers, hence the local name of Banana Pocket. The produce used to be collected by lighters (flat bottomed barges) from Thompson’s Creek wharf, but the 1918 cyclone put an end to that and so now only sugarcane is grown, then harvested and sent on a cane train to be processed at Proserpine Mill.

Once a barge landing, now just for the locals.

Sugarcane eMTB

The only bananas remaining in Lethebrook

For something different, a kayak across the O'Connell River

Animals

We have made friends with Horse, aka Kyoto, by bribing him with a daily carrot. He often now wanders over to say hello as we are parked right near his paddock.

The pretty-faced wallabies have become used to us, and so don’t run away immediately upon us seeing them. There’s a lovely family that hangs around, complete with joey in the pouch.

It was only a matter of time that the snake skin owners would show themselves, much to my dread. Thankfully they are the non-venomous ones (so far!): a brown tree snake, a green tree snake and a carpet python.

A variety of different birds have been visiting; the most striking a pair of rainbow bee eaters. My avian photography skills and gear could never capture their beauty but I am content to watch them flit about in the late afternoon sunshine.

Thankfully he moved from under the shack into the canefields

Veggie patch

The air is cooler now as the season moves into winter, or the dry season as it’s known here in tropical Queensland.  Mind you, it hasn’t been too dry this week with over 30mm of rain sweeping through so far, and more on the way. Great for the garden though.  My seeds began to sprout three days after planting, and I have since extended the garden to make room for some more seeds that were given to me. The bird netting seems to be keeping the wallabies and possum away so far, and the stakes and wire frame should support the snake beans and tomatoes.

The veggie patch is coming along nicely

Night sky viewing

With cooler evenings a light jacket is required when viewing the night sky: there have been some good sightings of the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope, and the low lying landscape has been perfect on any clear night to see Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter all at once for the last month. A few nights ago, we heard a loud jet take off from nearby Whitsunday Coast airport and fly low over us – the first in many weeks – followed by the thud-thud-thud of the rescue helicopter, a frequent flyer to and from Proserpine hospital. May the 4^th was a good excuse to dress up with whatever was in the cupboard and hang by the fire enjoying a BBQ dinner, followed by watching Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Luke Skywalker on the big screen in the airplane hangar. 

May the force be with you! A fun night with our hosts. Can you spot R2-D2?

Trip to town  

Airlie Beach has gone from a tourist town to a ghost town, whereas agricultural towns like Proserpine seem to be business as usual. The only difference is shop floors are marked with coloured placement crosses and people keep their distance. Oh, and I have to pack my own groceries in my own bags. We make a weekly or fortnightly trip from the farm to either town for supplies, and are happy when we return to our sanctuary. There’s something about this isolation that seems to really work for us.

A tasty lunch at a friend's house now that restrictions have eased.
Fingers crossed my seedlings grow into tasty salads like this one. 

Every day presents something different and is worth getting up early for.