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A Cardwell charger chat with Brandon
Stopped to stretch and charge at Cardwell again. Chatted briefly with Brandon and family, returning from Cairns to Sydney in a Tesla Model 3 Long Range. He left their Model X at home, because he said the Model 3 is better suited to a road trip.
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Why are Tully and Marlborough still faulted?
Looking at our route for the trip back south, it seems that the chargers at Tully and Marlborough are still faulted, and will have been for weeks! This is at probably the busiest time of the year. How is this acceptable? If another charger at a town either side of these also faults, then that creates a stretch that will be too long for some vehicles. RACQ and Chargefox: It’s great that you’ve put these chargers in place, but you can’t call it the “Queensland Electric Super Highway” unless you guarantee a certain amount of up time and make it feasible for EVs to travel through quickly.
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Beautiful (but lethal) beaches near Mission Beach
So many beautiful beaches hidden behind rainforest buffers, such as Narragon Beach, near Mission Beach. The more beautiful the water, the more likely it is that it will kill you, according to the many warning signs for crocodiles and jelly fish.
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Anniversary breakfast at Cafe Johalia
Wedding anniversary breakfast at Cafe Johalia in Mission Beach, QLD, followed by some beach exploring.
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Two cassowaries on the Cassowary Coast
We spotted two cassowaries, on The Cassowary Coast.
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A friendly 10 A outlet, near Mission Beach
Staying at a BnB tonight, near Mission Beach, QLD. I tried to book one listed in PlugShare with a 7kW EV charger, but I chose the wrong one in Airbnb. Fortunately the host very kindly allowed us to plug into the normal 10A power outlet in the garage. It’s only 2kW, but it will get us mostly charged up by morning. Unfortunately, I made a bit of a mess when trying to do a three point turn at the top of the sloped loose gravel driveway, to reverse into the garage. Rear wheel drive is great for going forward up a hill, but not so good for reversing up a loose surface slope.
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An Audi e-tron meet, with Linda and Louis
We waited for another Tesla Model 3, which was at 99% for ages when we got there, not checked in, in PlugShare. Then had a chat with Linda and Louis who arrived a while later, in their Audi e-tron. They had travelled from Wollongong, passing through Port Douglas. We agreed that we need more than one RACQ Chargefox fast charger in these locations. The layout of this charger is great: easy to park; can charge from either side; near shopping and toilets.
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Mossman Gorge in the Daintree
Visitors have to park at the center, then catch a shuttle bus to the gorge, then walk a nice 640m boardwalk to the popular river spot. The centre includes a cafe, toilets, gift shop and ticket counter. It’s pretty but seems to be a large overhead for a fairly standard river view, with room at the gorge for a limited number of visitors. There is a longer 2km walk, but we didn’t try it. They advise not to swim, but half the people do. We found out later that a couple of tourists were swept away by the river, prompting a search.
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Made it to Cape Tribulation
We made it to the northernmost point of our road trip: Cape Tribulation. Lush vegetation, lots of wildlife if you look closely. The ocean is eerie – it’s hard to tell where it ends and the sky begins. It’s so very humid in summer. Great little cafe/kiosk where we were staying. But we also cooked our meals in the camp kitchen. There’s no grid power here, north of the Daintree River, so the Safari Lodge and Campground (our accommodation) and other places all run on diesel generators. The generator supplies the electricity for the powered sites, cabins, lights, kiosk, washing machines, everything. A few places have solar panels. There are plans for a micro-grid to get rid of the diesel generators. I'm surprised that they don't have more solar here, but it is coming
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Crossing the Daintree River ferry
We crossed the Daintree River on the ferry. Notice on the other side of the river the toddler that seems to be driving a car from the sunroof.
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Charging in Cairns, plus an AQUA Lagoon coffee
Charged up for the trip to Daintree. Managed to beat Kylie and Aaron this time, who resorted to the slow 11kW charger next to us, until we finished. Enjoyed a delicious coffee and an ice block with fruit in it at AQUA Cairns Lagoon cafe. Tried to block a photo of me in portrait 🤪.
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Queueing at the Cardwell charger
We charged up at Cardwell (south of Cairns). We initially queued behind Aaron and Kylie in their Tesla Model 3 (Mackay to Cairns). While waiting, we drove up the road to buy lunch from a cafe, under “The Big Crab”. When we returned, we queued behind Vijay and his family in their MG (Port Douglas to Brisbane). We ate our lunch the pretty park next to the charger, whilst avoiding swimming and being eaten ourselves by crocodiles.
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Mango pancakes at the Frosty Mango
On our way from Townsville to Cairns, along the Bruce Highway, we stumbled across the Frosty Mango. They sell a while range of frozen fruity goodness, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. We cooled down with some mango pancakes and ice cream 🥭 🥞 🍨😋 .
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Up Castle Hill (Cutheringa), Townsville
We drove up to the top of Cutheringa (English name "Castle Hill"), for amazing views all around Townsville and over to Magnetic Island. It’s just short of the 300m height required for it to be classed as a mountain. Dozens of people were _walking_ up the hill!
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Power-point parking at Oaks Gateway Townsville
We checked in at Oaks Gateway Townsville and discovered that some parking spots have power points. Very convenient for overnight charging. Thank you Oaks!
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An awkward Ayr charger, between bollards
We charged the car and our bellies (thanks Ayr Woolworths) in Ayr, just south of Townsville. Really awkwardly positioned Chargefox charger, requiring a wide turn to avoid the bollards, while holding up traffic behind coming through a roundabout. The towns that have chargers, like Ayr, will get a lot more passing visitors as EVs increase in number. Other towns are missing out and need to get sorted.
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Where can I buy a Type 2 cable in QLD?
Is there anywhere north of Airlie Beach in Queensland where you can buy a type 2 charging cable? Over the counter, not mail order.
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A rainy electric-buggy island tour
Rainy day – Great time to tour the island in an electric buggy.
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Electric buggies everywhere on Hamilton Island
We left our Tesla Model 3 at Airlie Beach, to spend a few days on Hamilton Island. I was pleasantly surprised to see that most vehicles on the island are electric (golf buggies), with charging points at most parking spots and home garages. And no fumes as you walk along next to those vehicles ☺️. It seems so simple and logical when you see a place that has done it right.
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Merry Christmas from half our family
Love and miss the rest of you ♥️.
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Christmas Eve fireworks
Christmas Eve fireworks
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Christmas Eve picnic on Hamilton Island
Christmas Eve: Evening picnic at the beach, with half of Hamilton Island.
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Dinner and night lights with Erin
Erin took us out for dinner and to see the night lights.
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Animals around Hamilton Island
Spotted some animals at the wildlife park and just roaming around the island.
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Finally, a Whitsundays swim that won't kill you
Finally found a place to swim in the ocean in the Whitsundays where the jelly fish are not likely to kill you. Well, there are still warning signs.
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Cockatoos eye my breakfast at Bobs Bakery
Found coffee at Bobs Bakery - Hamilton Island. Cockatoos found my breakfast cereal and got very close, but I don't share.
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Buggy groceries on Hamilton Island
Driving the electric buggy, with groceries.
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Reunited on Hamilton Island
Finally on Hamilton Island, reunited with Erin and Ben.
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Ferry to Hamilton Island, for Christmas
We left our car near Airlie Beach and caught a ferry to Hamilton Island for a few days over Christmas. Two of our kids met us on the island. Erin works there and Ben flew in from the NSW Central Coast. We squeezed our bags onto the electric golf buggy and navigated the local traffic.
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Past Daydream Island, on the ferry
Passing by Daydream Island and other countless islands.
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Boarding the Whitsundays ferry
We boarded the ferry from Airlie Beach through the Whitsundays to Hamilton Island, to see our two youngest kids.
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The last mainland coffee, before the islands
I think Fran just had coffee from the last remaining place on the mainland. (She reviewed it as the “best in the area”.) So, now we’ll have to move to an island to find more.
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A DIY car wash near Airlie Beach
I couldn’t find a full service car wash in the Airlie Beach area, so I resorted to U Wash, DIY. It removed the bird poop and mud, but didn’t move all of the thousands of kilometres of bugs.
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A very pumpkin-y lunch
Quick lunch between errands. The pumpkin came with pumpkin/hummus sauce. It was a lot of (too much) pumpkin!
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A Discovery Parks cabin in Airlie Beach
We rented a small cabin at Discovery Parks. Beautiful spot and friendly staff. We’ve been staying at and driving around Airlie Beach for a few days. Tomorrow, we're leaving the car at the harbour while we ferry over to Hamilton Island for Christmas.
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Precision dinner-halving in Airlie Beach
Dinner out tonight in Airlie Beach. Please appreciate the precision of the halving of each meal to share, because we can’t decide on just one.
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Overnight oats at Airlie Beach Lagoon
We brought our overnight oats (note the expert fruit ornamentation 😉) to Airlie Beach Lagoon, to eat under the beautiful trees. Then we walked around the headland, before it got too hot.
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Fran's stir-fry, in the camp kitchen
Cooked hoisin and garlic beef stir fry and rice noodles... Fran interrupts my blogging with “That’s boring. You should say something like: Fran excelled as usual in the camp kitchen this evening, cooking us a delicious beef rice noodle hoisin and garlic stir fry. She sure is a catch!"
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Airlie Beach Lagoon, and lunch at the Treehouse
Back to Airlie Beach Lagoon for a swim. Lunch at Airlie Beach Treehouse. We shared waffle chips and had a brief chat with Glenn from Belgium. He’s travelling by Greyhound buses from Cairns down to Sydney for New Years Eve, then further south.
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Morning coffee at Airlie Beach
Morning coffee at Airlie Beach. Beautiful ocean water, laced with death. But also beautiful pools. We'll be back for a swim.
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An early check-in to our tiny cabin
Checked in a day early to our tiny cabin. Lazy afternoon, followed by on site wood fired pizza from Paradise Pizza Whitsundays , followed by Queensland mango, Greek yogurt and Lindt peppermint chocolate.
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Charging at Proserpine, on the way to Airlie Beach
Top up charge at Proserpine, before heading east to Airlie Beach (no fast chargers there). Bit of a weird location – had to drive through a bottle shop to get to it, and the bollards get in the way of the RACQ Chargefox charging cable. But the loos and shops are nearby off the main street. So, we shopped at Peries IGA Proserpine and wondered why they didn’t just have the charger there. Note the brewing storm in the sky.
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A beachfront motel at Sarina Beach
Found a motel in a great location, right on the beach in Sarina Beach, just south of Mackay. The food at the adjoining The Palms, Sarina Beach was delicious (and looked great before I mutilated it onto a share plate). Another thunderstorm in the evening with buckets of rain that tested the Tesla’s water seals (no problem). Morning swim at the beach, then onward north to Mackay.
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A quick stop in Carmila
We stopped in the small town of Carmila. Not much here. The last petrol station showed “No petrol for 99 kilometres”. Other road signs include “It’s still a long way to go, kids”. The roads are long and mostly straight. The scenery is beautiful, very green and often with sugar cane fields up to the road.
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A washing-it-all-away swim in Yeppoon
Swimming in Yeppoon, on an isolated stretch of beach, washing away any responsibilities.
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A coast detour to Yeppoon, for a swim
We popped over to the coast to Yeppoon for a swim and some lunch.
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A Rockhampton coffee, and Phil and Lindy in a Model 3
Coffee and a smoothie in Rockhampton while we charged the car up for a trip out to Yeppoon. Had a brief chat with Phil and Lindy (in the other Model 3) who are on their way south to Brisbane from Airlie Beach.
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A Mount Larcom charge, and a chat with Ben
A quick top up charge at the RACQ Chargefox charger in Mount Larcom, and a chat with Ben Chisholm. Ben recommended the Mount Larcom Cafe opposite, and I was tempted, but we had just eaten. We’re on our way north today to Rockhampton. Ben is on his way south, eventually to Brisbane. We chatted about living out of your car/van, solar panels and electric cars.
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Following EV-charger signs into Miriam Vale
We spotted a series of small blue EV charger signs along the road, and followed them into Miriam Vale. What a lovely spot. The EV parking is a little further down the road from town, but there’s a cafe, toilet, nice park. Oh, and bats. Fran is not a fan of bats 🦇
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Two tropical rainstorms, to Mount Larcom
Hit by two tropical rain storms between Bundaberg and Mount Larcom.
Formerly: Tesla Tripping
Come along on our EV road trips around Australia and Europe, and follow as we progressively electrify our home in Emerald, Victoria.
Join us on the road. We set off in late 2022 and drove eastern Australia in our Tesla Model 3 — Sydney, Dubbo, Armidale, Brisbane, Cape Tribulation, then down through Queensland and back. We've since upgraded to a Model Y.
We've kept exploring — Uluru, the Snowy Mountains and Gippsland, and a longer run through Europe in 2024. There's plenty more on the map, so come along for the next leg.
At home in Emerald, in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges, we're progressively electrifying everything: rooftop solar, a home battery, a hot water heat pump, air conditioned heating and cooling, and EV charging straight from the sun. We're going fully electric, off the gas.
Got questions, or insights of your own? We'd love to hear them — please drop a comment on any post.