20240621 Qld Eungella Dam, Eungella Chalet to Kinchant Dam

20240621 Pinga takes us to Eungella National Park out through Eaton we turn of to Kinchant following the cane fields we pass Marian, Gargett, the Pinnacle Hotel, Finch Hatton then up the range over winding roads before hitting a dirt road that lead to the Eungella Dam, all the way through these towns are signs, Ban the Dam, a new proposal the government has in mind to destroy more of our beautiful valleys.

Well after an hour and a half we arrived at the Eungella Dam, camping is also aloud at a fee of cause but they do have hot showers and toilets. 

Underneath Eungella Dam’s waters lie the remains of a cattle station owned by the McEvoy family, whose homestead was removed before the area was flooded, it took four year to build and was opened in 1969.

After leaving the Dam we stopped at the Eungella Chalet, built in 1933 as a guest house for people requiring clear mountain air, the Chalet has been a landmark in the local area for decades and the few is spectacular.

I take the opportunity to grab a photo with our dear friend Pinga, he was one of the ratbags from our coochiemudlo days so we have shared many wonderful memories and still going, it’s always great to catch up with good friends.

Some interesting garden carvings at the Chalet.

The valley behind us is what the sign’s we saw when passing through the towns below are protecting about, Ban the Dam, can you imagine damming this beautiful valley. The wall they want to build is supposed to be a 65 metre in height, that’s huge. A proposed $12bn pumped hydro scheme in Queensland has sparked controversy, as residents react with fury to the expected property resumptions and what they see as the possible destruction of the surrounding environment.

We passed this old sugar mill so I googled and found this: The North Eton Sugar Cane Mill was completed in 1888 and was decommissioned in 1988. The decommissioning took place after rationalization of the five sugar mills in the Mackay region saw the number reduced to four. The size of the stack can be judged by the passing traffic as it is only a few metres from the road.

Our next stop is Kinchant Dam to check out the camping and another excuse for a beer, we had a chat and a good laugh with a couple of Victorian’s and a lovely aboriginal guy before heading home.

 

The dam was built in stages starting in 1974 and completed in 1986, the dam is named after local pioneer Frank Kinchant and apparently is good fishing.

Now ya don’t get to see this in the city, riding in the back, only in the cane fields.

We arrived home and Pinga got the fire going so we sat around the fire enjoying a few coldies but I think we wore the old boy out with all the driving today, he had an early start in the morning so we said our goodbyes and he left for bed. Michelle, Des and I sat waiting for the fire to burn down then retired to bed.

OMG, these little guys are soo cute and so well behaved but they sure get roughed up by their older brother’s.

20240622 The rain is heading our way so we need to move on, as always it great to see old friends and make new friends but we will return one day. Now to head to North Mackay for one last catch up with Laurie and his sister Teresa.

Thanks guys for making us feel so welcome, we had a great time, if ever you visit Brisbane it would be great to see you all again.

We had a lovely catch up with Laurie and Teresa but I’m not sure about living here, apparently the lady across the road is crazy, there’s a drug dealer down the road and some guy shoot a mother in front of her two children a few doors down a few day ago, that sort of excitement you can keep.

By from Homebush and Mackay