Gladstone, mining and 'Biloela

Biloela, pronounced "Bilo wela" or "bilo" if you're a local and Aboriginal for 'white cockatoo', is as far West and North as I go on the first leg of this trip. I have friends here and also wanted to get a sense of this part of Queensland for personal reasons.

I've 'adopted' twin sisters who share the same birthday as me and grew up near a small township to the West of here. The terrain reminds me of beloved Adelaide Hills and surrounding golden plains, and it was also a buzz to see another part of the Great Dividing Range that runs all the way up the Eastern part of Australia.

Native Hibiscus

As a cyclist you really have to be fully alert as up here you will pass or be passed by ten mining or roadwork trucks for every car. In the Southern states it's the opposite. I have two rear view mirrors, one on the bike and one on the helmet.

Wild cotton plant

Gladstone is the main shipping port for this region and exit point for the coal freighted by train from Bilo and Maura to the West. This region has attracted a lot of young male 'tradies' and associated occupations from other parts of Australia as it provides jobs with staggering pay levels compared to their 'home' jobs.I got the first appreciation of the numbers when I tried to find any accommodation in advance of arriving in Gladstone. "...sorry dear but we all booked up due to the mining boom, major hwy roadworks and new large gas projects, but because you've come this far with the bike I'll give you a discount - how is $90 for a cabin but you still need to use the common showers?"

I arrived at the holiday park which was overflowing with 'blokes' and their 'utes'. It appeared that every available space was occupied with them but magically the whole holiday park had become a ghost town next morning as all the workers had gone off to their respective jobs for the day.

I've met some lovely people here but the only negative experiences were from the number of 'hoons' (mainly young males in pairs driving around at night) telling me to " f off South you looser!" or "get a f..n car you w..r"

What a nice cultural exchange.

Mmmm...."when the cat's away the mice will play"

Tonight.s movie The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.

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