Stanage

This whole "fishing trip" thing didn't really work out. The fish weren't cooperating. There were setbacks or disappointments in Yeppoon, Mackay, and Dingo Beach, so the guys decided to try one last spot, Stanage. From everything we heard, Stanage is a fishing hotspot. A lot of this information said the best fishing was by boat, but other sources said there was plenty to be caught by land fishing as well. Sam and Matt gave it their best, but Stanage was yet another in a long line of fishing letdowns.

That's not to say we didn't have a nice time! Stanage was a very isolated spot to visit, and we had some excellent sightseeing.

Sam returns from fishing in the creek

Newport Nature Reserve (near the muddy crocodile creek)

We went deep into crocodile territory, but still saw no crocs. We even camped in the territory of "Snappy," the fabled crocodile that lurks around Stanage and sneaks up on people for a nibble. However, a fruitless Google search for crocodile indents in Stanage leads me to believe he might be a myth.

Xanthorrhoea

We drove along the water just before sunset and saw some beautiful cliffs and rock formations. It was incredibly windy, but so beautiful that we spent a lot of time admiring the views.





Our scenic drive brought us face to face with a mob of wallabies on more than one occasion. They're pretty jumpy, and the light was fading, so I don't have many photos to show for it. They remind me a lot of deer in Texas when they run away en masse.

After dark, a tiny thing bounced across the road and we weren't sure what it was. I'm guessing it was a red-necked pademelon.



Packing up the tent on our last morning in Stanage, I spotted one last little animal, a spider hiding behind a leaf. I'm still not sure what species it was, but since we're in Australia, I decided not to get too close. It will be nice to be in New Zealand again, where I know none of the animals can kill me!