A spaceship named Nostromo - from Cairns to Brisbane

Since we got a really good deal on a Spaceship campervan, we drove from Cairns to Brisbane. We had planned to do this by coach or train, but a campervan allows for so much more freedom. Plus we were hoping to save on accommodation by sleeping in it. So what did it cost us in the end?

Rent incl. insurance AU$ 30 per day	AU$ 360
Petrol (2150km - 239L)	AU$ 288
Accommodation (7 nights paid)	AU$ 193
Total 12 days	AU$ 841

Greyhound bus tickets cost AU$ 320 per person, but since you have to pay more for you beds, it probably costs about the same. And the campervan gave us so much more freedom! We now could visit places we would otherwise never could've gone to. Most notably Eungella NP and Cape Hillsborough. When we picked our spaceship up, we heard his name was Nostromo. This was our route.

Our route from Cairns to Brisbane 

We started in Cairns (A) and drove directly to Townsville (B), about 4 hours/375km. We had decided to park at the BP Truckstop for the night. Staying there overnight is free, and renting a private bathroom with nice hot shower for 35mins costs $5. It felt a bit weird at first, but being surrounded by so many other campervans and caravans made it a lot easier. The 2nd day we did a daytrip to Magnetic Island, so spend our second night here too.

Very exotic: BP Truckstop in Townsville 

Our next drive was to Airlie Beach (C), about 3,5 hours/300km. This is where we did a sailing trip through the Whitsunday Islands on our 4th day. We spend both night 3 and 4 at Flamtree campsite ($25 per night). The campsite was a bit out of town, but lovely. It felt like caking in a big aviary, both the number of birds and their noise...  The campsite had a very good clean camp kitchen too, so we didn't have to bother with our own little stoves. It was the first time we used the Aussie barbie!

On our way to Airlie Beach

On day 5 we used our freedom to drive up the hills to Eungella NP (D), and specifically to a little creek famous for easy platypus spotting.... We had to give that a shot. Nostromo was really struggling uphill, boy was that last bit steep... The transmission got a bit smelly, but he made it! (Nostromo was not the youngest of spaceships, and has a mileage of almost 400.000km) 

We had planned to stay at the bush campsite for the night to have a better chance of seeing a platypus, but when we parked there, the sign read that we needed a permit. We could get one on the phone, but the campsite had no reception. We decided to walk to the viewing platform, may be we got lucky, and if not we would drive a bit down again and phone for a permit. 

View on our way to Eungella 

And did we get lucky! We didn't see any platypuses at the first platform, even though we waited quietly and patiently. Be at both the 2nd and 3rd platform we saw two of them! Quickly surfacing for a few second to breath and chew, and then quickly diving again. But they're so small! These four measured maybe 25cm, tail and bill included. We had expected them to be a lot bigger, but then again Wikipedia tells that there is a large variation in platypus length depending on environmental factors. Who knows. But now that we did see them, we decided to drive down again (poor Nostromo!) and drive to Cape Hillsborough (E) for the night. We did and slept at the only  campsite there ($35!), we drove about 5hours/300km on day 5.

Yes, this is a platypus 

The next morning we had to get up early to see.... The kangaroos and wallabies at the beach at sunrise! 6am is when the sun rises, and we've been aware of that most days here in Australia. Either because we had to get up for a tour, or because the birds wake up, and they make some noise when they do. Works better then any alarm I've owned! So, bright and shiny, or maybe not, we walked up the beach. And it was pretty special to be honest. 

Sunrise at Cape Hillsborough 

After a walk down the beach, some sun salutations and breakfast, we did a short walk round the cape. We started Nostromo and day 6 was a long day  of driving. We drove almost 500km in about 7 hours and stopped for the night near Calliope (F) at a bush campsite. A bush campsite has minimal amenities, but is free. This one had toilets, but no showers or drinking water. It did have a good view! And it was busy! We were the only little tourist campervan. The Aussies have impressive motor homes, especially the 'grey nomads': retirees that pride themselves in travelling around. Most drive real homes, including satellite, solar panels etc. Of course all 4WD, and either ridiculously big ('big rigs') or super expandable. Of course always completely self reliant. 

Calliope bush campsite

On the morning of day 7 we made breakfast, and drove to Hervey Bay (G), 4 hours/300km. We stayed at Scarness beach campsite. It cost us just $15 per night, and we weren't charged for Nostromo during our overnight trip to Fraser Island.  Unfortunately we were about a month too early to see the whales in Hervey Bay proper, but we did see lots of migrating humpbacks off Fraser Island breaking and blowing. 

A campervan with a view

On day 10 we left Hervey Bay and headed for Noosa (H), some 3hours/200km. Noosa is very touristy and crazy full of roundabouts. We didn't walk through town , since it was too busy to find a parking spot. It is a very popular resort town, and we were there during school holidays. Ah well. We stayed at the Big4 campsite for $40. And.... We slept without the awning: it's getting cold! 

On our way to Hervey Bay

Our last drive was to Brisbane (I) on day 11, about 2 hours/150km. We drove on an actual motorway! Up until now all the roads have been 2 lane (onein either direction) with sometimes an overtake lane. It was weird seeing so many cars at once! We stayed at Newmarket Gardens for $43 for one  night. The next morning we drove to a hostel, unloaded our bags, drove Nostromo up Mt Coot-Tha, and then to and then the rental company where we handed him in. Back to public transport for now!