Flanagan Reserve - March 2014

Friday 28th March, 2014.

Our weekend camp this time is a little different and a bit sooner then scheduled, we'll be camping with 20 or so of our closest mates this time!  It's a work social club camping weekend and the boys at work had decided we'd head to Wooyung Beach Holiday Park in northern NSW - for us, that will be new and a different state for a weekend camp!

Unfortunately we've been having some rather untidy weather in the week leading up to our camping weekend, but everyone was still keen to go.  So, Craig and I headed down the highway around 8.15am which means we should miss the heavy morning traffic southbound to Brisbane.  Stopping at the BP Caboolture for some breakfast and got a phone call from work saying Wooyung Beach campground had just called saying the roads were going to flood down there and not to come.  Okay, we've got food and drinks for 20 odd people for 2 nights camping, so what do we do now  -  find an alternative place to camp!

Thinking caps on and it took Craig and I about 5 mins to come up with the same answer - Flanagan Reserve.  Gave them a quick call and they're happy to have us all there for the weekend - about the same amount of travel time, dogs are allowed, roads aren't flooded and there's a creek to play in.  Onwards to Flanagan Reserve then.  We got the Hema GPS on the job to get us there and we travelled along the Gateway Motorway, Logan Motorway, through Park Ridge, Jimboomba, Beaudesert and Rathdowney.  A really pretty drive I must say.

Entrance to Flanagan Reserve

We stopped for lunch at Rathdowney at the local store/takeaway.  We were going to go to the pub, but it looked really busy and we weren't too sure if Boris was going to be able to sit somewhere with us, so we gave it a miss and had toasted sandwiches instead.

Not far from here to Flanagan Reserve.  There's about 1klm of maintained gravel road before you reach the entrance to the reserve but the rest of the roads are bitumen.  

You drive through a huge tree doted camping area, which we find later has a lower area tucked away that is right on the creek. We arrived about 1.30pm and firstly stopped at the office which is about 500m along the road on the left, just next to the amenities block. Our hosts for the weekend are Gerard & Juanita Cahill, who greeted us with smiles and were very friendly and helpful. Juanita started a separate book in sheet for our lot to make it easier to do a lump payment and keep track of who had booked in. 

Office on the right & Amenities
Block on the left
(taken from campsite).

We had a chat with Gerard about where the best spot to camp with so many people would be - we thought the flattish area straight down in front of the office looked good and it was right next to the Logan River which runs through the reserve.  We had a bit of a look around the area and finally made a decision based on closeness to the river, one of the picnic areas was straight across the track and would make a great place to setup the community gazebos for cooking, eating and sitting around the fire.  The area in the middle was relatively dry and flat so suited everyones' camping styles (tents, caravans, campers).  If you come to Flanagan Reserve you can bring your pooch (poo pickup required of course), it's $8.00pp/night camping fees, campfires in the drums supplied, firewood available by the wheelbarrow, you'll have toilets & showers (showers are coin operated 20cents required) disabled toilet/shower and laundry.

We pulled up toward one end of the flat area and set ourselves up.  We're not worrying about the awning this weekend, because we're not cooking in the camper and they'll be gazebos setup for all to sit under.

Our campsites

By the time we chatted with our hosts, had a look at where to camp and opened up the camper and started to setup, it wasn't long before the first lot of workmates arrived.

Workmates setting up camp

And another

The Logan River was certainly pumping, with all the rain we'd had it was running very fast over the rapids.  Still it was very pretty, there are large flat rocks that line the river bank at the rapids and larger boulders in the edge of the river, which create little ponds.  Then the river calms down with a lovely swimming hole with handy steps leading in for easy access.

The rapids

Pretty riverbank

Riverbank at the Rapids
(photo courtesy of Noeleen Berg)

Slowly but surely everyone arrived, except our illustrious leader Joel & his wife Em.  Joel had been held up at the office which I suppose when you're the boss man it's bound to happen.

Keith & Hayley
(Photo courtesy of Mandy)

Tim, Mel & the girls

JJ & Mandy

The whole mob setup.

The communal area before it got messy
(Photo courtesy of Mandy)

Setting up the BBQ in
the communal area.
(Photo: Mandy)

While we waited for everyone to arrive Craig decided Boris needed to play ball (not sure if he checked with Boris and I'm not sure who was actually chasing the ball mostly - Craig or Boris!)  

Ball Game

Who is really playing with who

That's a very happy little black dog!

Walking along the side of the river was particularly pleasant, especially along the calmer parts and a very pleasant spot to take your camping chair and setup to have a read of a book or magazine.  Plenty of shad to sit under on a hot day.

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Very pleasant spot to sit

or have a dip.

We got the fire going in the communal area just before sunset and had afternoon nibbles & drinks.  It was time to start the barbie for dinner tonight - steak, sausages, beef patties, onions of course, various salads and rolls. Only thing we were missing were the beers & wine, which happen to be in the back of Joel's car (you know, the man that hadn't arrived at camp yet)!  Luckily the drinks finally arrived, a few guys gave Joel a hand to put up his tent in the dark, then dinner was eaten. Afterwards there was a fair bit of sitting around the fire chatting, until gradually everyone wondered off to bed.

Yep sittin' around enjoy life!

Chatting after dinner
(Photo: Mandy)

Saturday 29th March, 2014 Some of us on Saturday morning were early to rise (say the lot with the little kiddies camped behind us.  Craig had to go, so he got dressed and took Boris while I enjoyed the "whole" bed to myself.  Decided he'd take the camera (no, not for shots in the loo or anything like that), because we were surrounded by mist rolling over the beautiful green hills surrounding us and it was completely still and silent (yep I know I really should have gotten' up and joined him, but seriously snuggling in bed was just lovely).

The eerie morning mist

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Looking back at camp

A Beautiful morning

A stroll down by the river this morning rewarded Craig with some very serene photos.

The serenity of the Logan River
early on Saturday morning.

The swimming hole

That's a well used tree seat!

Looking at the communal area
with the river on the left.

Everyone's still asleep - Shhhhh!

Eventually the mob arose to greet the day and were met by blue skies, with some fluffy clouds and unbeknown to us at the start of the day, it was going to get hot, sticky & steamy!  The mob assembled in the communal area for breakfast and one of our late comers arrived to join everyone for breakfast - tea, coffee, orange juice & a bar-b-Que breakfast of bacon, eggs & sausages. Ooh yummy!

The masses are
gathering.

Organising coffee

Breakfast!!!

Lots of creatures around the campgrounds, Blue Winged Kookaburras, Goannas - you do need to keep an eye on those Kookaburras though, they are known to fly in and grab your sausages aren't they Craig!

Blue Winged Kookaburras
(photo courtesy of Noeleen)

Oh wait, that's Boris visiting
the neighbours
(photo courtesy of Mandy)

Goanna
(photo courtesy of Noeleen)

Swimming, floating down the river on a lilo, going for a walk around the whole campground, taking photographs are activities undertaken during the day.  Lunch was a busy affair with 20 odd people but bellies were filled with steak, rissoles, ham or turkey sandwiches.

Lunchtime

The boys decided that since it was after 12pm a beer was allowed and being it was so hot, sitting around having a cool ale or wine in the shade and chatting amongst ourselves seemed the order of the afternoon. The campfire was light after lunch because we'd be needing some coals to go under the Potjie Pot tonight.

I'm cooking tonight's dinner with help from Craig - we're having African Chicken Curry & Selena's Lamb Curry, both served with rice and poppadoms. The lamb curry will simmer away over the campfire on the tripod, the chicken curry is going into the Potjie pot and the rice will be done in the absorption method on the little butane burner.

One of the best kitchens in
the work to cook in!
(photo courtesy of Noeleen)

Lamb curry underway
(Photo courtesy of Noeleen)

Craig giving it all a stir
Look at the view
(photo courtesy of Noeleen)

Curries cooking away

Love my Potjie Pot!

During the afternoon, nibbles were put out and enjoyed while dinner was gurgling along on the campfire.

Poor Boris had to fend for himself,
while we organised the curries - look
what happens!

Nibbles anyone...  else!

Bron gave Ando the reins to his sons
Pram - don't think he's got a licence!

What hope does his son have with
a father like that, honestly haha

After dinner was consumed and it was consumed, no leftovers that's for sure! Cleaning up done, it was time to sit around the campfire once again and have a chinwag.  I nice relaxing way to pass the evening watching the bush TV.

Chin wagging
(photo from Mandy)

Bush TV
(photo from Mandy)

Sunday 30th March, 2014

Everyone was a bit slow to rise this morning, probably didn't help that it was drizzling either.  It's pack up day today, but first we'll all have a good feed of Bacon, Sausages, Eggs, rolls with coffee, tea and orange juice of course. Nobody goes hungry on these social club weekends I can tell you that.  We even have homemade fruit cake and the likes for morning tea!

BREAKFAST!!!!!

After breakfast was cleaned up, everyone went about packing up their respective camps, giving others a hand that were still going and joining together to close down the communal area - we're like one big family and have worked together for a very long time, it's great.

Everyone was one the road around smoko heading back to Brisbane or in our case the Sunshine Coast.  All in all it was a great weekend had by all and we'll be doing another social club weekend later in the year somewhere else, judging by the comments over the weekend.

Summary of Flanagan's Reserve:
Great place to camp.
Heaps of room with the lower area where we camped and then the huge upper area we'll call it as you come through the grid, plus down a little driveway at the far side of the upper area is THE best spot (especially for a group), it's right on the river and apart from the rest of the campground.
Facilities:  Toilets Male/Female/Disabled, Shower 20 cent coin operated, laundry.
Office:  Gerard & Juanita Cahill are your hosts.  Ice, bread, milk - basic supplies available.
Campground facilities:  Campfires allowed, wheelbarrow of firewood available (I think $12.00/wheelbarrow, don't quote me on that), Dogs allowed, shady areas to camp, river to swim in.  Pleasant surroundings.
Fees:  $8.00pp/pn
www.flanaganreserve.com.au

Would we camp there again:  Most definitely YES.