4 months is way to long between camps!! Finally we have managed to get away for a weekend camp and trust me when I say it's not that we haven't tried - our 6 week schedule has been blown to bits.
I read sometime ago about a property out near Imbil that offered exclusive campsites right on a creek and thought that sounded like us, unfortunately most of the reviews I read were not kind and quite negative about the property and the owner. So put that idea on the back burner didn't I, until we got an email a couple of months ago from a local camping store talking about a weekend camp they did at this same property BUT new owners had purchased it and had cleaned it up. We actually called in there a few weeks back on our way home from the Imbil Rally stage to check it out. The new owner Bodie met us when we pulled in with a smile and asked if we wanted to have a look around. He happily showed us 3 of the more popular campsites and chatted with us for ages. So, guess where we're we are headed for the weekend then: Brooloo Park.
We headed off about 4.45pm going north on the Bruce Highway and then turning off onto the old Bruce Highway toward Imbil. Along the way and I'm not sure what road it is, but there is this awesome old barn type building on the corner at the T Intersection where you turn left, it is just such an old beautiful run down rustic building that I so want to take a photo of at sunset - one day I will be there at the right moment but not today.
Anyway we arrived sometime between 5.30pm & 5.45pm (to tell you the truth I didn't really look at the time) and we were greeted by Roz. She was the bearer of some slightly bad news for us though, unfortunately Site 5 that we had booked had been doubled booked and there was already a big group in there, so we had a choice of #2 or #3 for the weekend. We weren't that worried, we'd still be on the creek and lets admit it we were still away camping!!
Craig came in to sign the waiver form and I told him about the change of site, I'm not sure if Roz realised he was joking when he said to her "well tell them to move", but he was joking. Signatures & payment done we were shown to Site #2 to have a look (Of course it was dark again by the time we had arrived, so on went all the lights to see what the site looked like). It would do just fine.
We thanked Roz and got ourselves on a level spot and setup. Got our dinner on the stove next which was Braised Steak & Onion which I par cooked this afternoon, we'll put some mashed potato with it. Craig was straight over to the fire ring and got a nice little fire going for the evening, while Boris ran around like a headless chook.
We had a little bit to organise in the camper (it's been 4 months since we last went camping), had dinner and cleaned up, then sat next to the campfire for a while relaxing before heading off to bed.
Saturday 25th July, 2015
Last night we had an interrupted sleep when the wind came up and flipped the side awning back over itself. Up we all got unfolded it and straightened up a couple of bits, then put some guide ropes on to tether it down. Back to bed for 5 minutes only to get back up and zip up the big window flap on the tent. Finally time to go back to sleep...
Craig was up first this morning along with our little furry black friend of course. He put the coffee on and went for a walk around the area with with his camera and Boris of course. It is a pleasant spot, peaceful, relaxing, nice grass to camp on.
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| Looking toward the entrance to our site |
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| Looking the other direction |
What to expect at Brooloo Park: friendly owners, huge exclusive campsites for either 2 people or large groups, on the creek (you can swim & fish in the creek), dog friendly, fire rings, firewood, drop toilet on each site, table, showers in the old milking shed up at the homestead and animal feeding in the afternoon.
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| Looking toward the creek |
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| We camped close the the fire & the creek |
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| Fire pits, table and creek behind |
We plan to have a bit of fun today and spend time cooking on the campfire, so we just had boring old cereal for breakfast. Our mates Simo & Leigh will be arriving today with their dog "Mitch" (Boris's best friend). Played around taking photos of the twisted trees and creek for a bit after breakfast, before getting the fire going so we had some good coals to cook lunch on.
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Craig got the fire going about mid morning and we sat next to it just enjoying the serenity and reading some magazines.
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| Relaxing by the fire |
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| Bush TV |
We are experimenting with cooking pies in the camp oven today for lunch. We have leftover savoury mince & sri lankan coconut chicken curry to use as our fillings. I got making those pies (I just used the store bought sheets of shortcrust & puff pastry) using our enamel bowls as the pie dish with shortcrust pasty on the base, our leftovers for filling and puff pastry on top. I have to say they turned out really good and so yummy!! As we were cooking for the first pie our friends arrived and it got very busy with the 2 excited dogs running around the headless chooks.
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| First pie ready to go into the camp oven |
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| It's cooked and yummy!! |
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| And the next one |
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| Another success Very proud! |
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| Pies cooking in the camp oven |
We put the lamb & pork on the spit during the afternoon - dinner tonight is spit roast, crispy roast potatoes & sweet potatoes cooking in the camp oven with broccoli, gravy & apple sauce. So looking forward to this!!
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| Lamb & Pork is on |
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| Everything's on |
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| A beauuuuutiful picture |
And if I do say so myself, dinner was absolutely scrumptious!! We are on fire with the cooking this weekend :)
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| Meat's ready |
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| Dinner is served. |
Sunday 26th July, 2015
We awoke this morning to an eerie mist surrounding the campsite, it was cool this morning and it was surreal as the sun rose and shone through the misty trees. The peace I was feeling while wandering around taking some photos was only interrupted by the dogs running around me playing.
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| Blue skies & mist |
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Dogs seem to think it's a bit cold to run around on the wet dewy grass and both of them try to climb instead Simo & Leigh's tent - Boris did not make it in.
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Once Craig was up and sipping on a coffee, he got the camp fire going again so we could make an omelette & toast for breakfast. I threw some onion, ham, fetta & spinach into the omelette. It was very yummy and very filling.
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| Very yummy & filling |
We gradually packed up after breakfast, not in any hurry as it's such a beautiful day. Simo & Leigh packed up and headed into Imbil to the markets before heading back to the coast. We'll head into the markets while we're out this way also, they're only small markets but it has wonderful local produce, baked goods, salamis & sausages and other craft type stalls. Might even have lunch at the Imbil pub if the timings right.
Now everything was going along swimmingly, packed up and heading into the Imbil markets around 11am (that'sll work out nicely for lunch at the pub!) until we heard a loud bang and a god awful noise fulling it about 3klms out of Imbil. Pulled over so Craig could get underneath the Hilux and have a look, meanwhile our friends Simo & Leigh came past on their way home and stopped. Craig found a heap of oil splattered over the inside of the wheel on the rear drivers side tyre. Thank goodness for RACQ roadside assist!!
In summary:
If relaxation, going for long walks around a tranquil property, feeding farm animals if you have kids and not doing much in general, while enjoying a large exclusive campsite, camp fire, a bit of fishing and/or swimming in a lovely creek is your thing, then Brooloo Park is for you, if you need something more you can always head over to the Imbil State Forest if you have a 4wd and follow some of the tracks during the day.
Brooloo Park:
Cost: $40.00/couple per night, firewood pile costs $50.00 and should last a few days
Facilities: Grassy sites, drop toilet on each site, showers, campfires, firewood, table at each site, large exclusive sites, camp on a creek, fishing, swimming, dog friendly.
Website: not available currently, but you can locate them on Facebook.
Brooloo Park Facebook Page
Would we go again: Yes we would.
Note: We found a webbing strap wrapped around the tail shaft on the hilux, luckily it didn't do any damage and the oil on the driver's side rear wheel is from the outer seal going.... again.
