Roll the dice, take a chance

Back on the open  road in the Hippee Camper we headed to the imaginatively named Townsville. There were a couple of  campsites near the centre but we opted for one on the edge of town so we could put our feet up. When we arrived we discovered it was a seventh day Adventist  conference park. The office was not open yet so we pitched up (camping term) & settled ourselves in for the afternoon with lunch, a book and a glass of wine. When the office opened, we went to check in, only to discover it was a no alcohol site. Oops! In the late afternoon we went for a lovely walk along the river at the back of the park, with stunning scenery all around  and there was plenty of activity; people power walking, running, cycling or just out for a stroll in the sunshine & we could see why people are attracted to Australia. Walking back we spotted turtles in the river all coming to the waters edge to say hello.

The next day we left the camper at the quayside & caught a ferry to Magnetic Island, known as ‘Maggie’ Island. It was ridiculously hot by 9.30am,  so we caught the local bus to Horseshoe Bay & cooled down in the sea – inside the boom because of stingers, then went for a walk up to the fort which was used as a lookout point during WW2 . It afforded great views around the island & the bays and even better,  we saw Osprey and two koalas -  so cute.
In the afternoon we headed back to Townsville & looked around before having  another cool down in the lagoon. Then we were back on the road. Mr L had found a free campsite in a small town called Home Hill. The site was located at the back of  Main Street on a service road. Local shops had clubbed together to put facilities like hot showers and a cooking area there to encourage people to stop in the ten and it worked. It felt a little odd but it was clean & free. More importantly though it meant we were in downtown so  could visit a proper locals bar. It was, after all Friday night.
As we went in,  it was as you imagine,  full of men sitting around the bar. The only other woman was serving.. I had been intrigued by the sign outside advertising seahorse racing. What was this place about? We discovered Friday night was games night – spin the wheel to win prizes, shake the dice to move the plastic seahorses up a track set up in a giant fish tank in the middle of the bar. The owner Eddie told us of days gone by when the bar was packed 5 deep. Now jut a dozen or so people in there. He also explained that the reels of plastic tubing around the ceiling was to be a racetrack for toy car hotrod racing but it hadn't quite worked.    W bought raffle tickets &  got chatting to the locals – including Fred a retired mine boss and Ven. Well where do I begin to describe him. A quiet man built like an ox, bare feet & apparently had never worn shoes, who  used to work in the bush tracking lost  cattle, capturing crocodiles anything really. He wore a cowboy hat, oh & his whole face was tattooed. It was pretty intimidating – a bit like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, but you know me I will talk to anyone. As the wheel spinning began Fred won,  Mr L & I won then  Ven won the big pot & bought us a drink. No luck at the seahorse race for us but it was good fun. We had a great evening & met genuinely nice people. As we left,  Ven invited us to join him for a drink at another bar.  It was so tempting but we were driving the next morning so said our goodbyes. Plus there was always that risk that he might kill us.