MyPictureDay Challenge Round #27 'Caravanning in Caloundra.'

'Caravanning in Caloundra.'

One of the hardest decisions one has to make when going caravanning in Caloundra in Queensland, Australia is; "Which part of this picturesque place will we stay at?" There are so many wonderful beaches to choose from but for my visit this week, the decision was already made for me.

(Thank you @timsaid for hosting, 'MyPictureDay' Challenge Round #27. This is my submission.)

Caloundra is situated in the Sunshine Coast and is well known for its breathtaking coastal headland, many of which contain interesting coves. This popular beachside city is only one hour north of Brisbane and due to the variety of beaches available, water activities are some of the main attractions. Activities such as; diving into ocean waves, paddle canoeing on calm inlets, surfing the breaks, fishing from jetties, the shore and the sea, kayaking, jet skiing, and wind surfing.

Two or three weeks ago my son and daughter in law, who own a caravan business on the Redcliffe Peninsula in Queensland, asked me if I'd like to do some blogging for their website. Before I could reply, they told me that a company caravan would be supplied and park fees paid for. Oh.......and I was allowed to bring my husband also. What a bonus!

I'm trying to remember whether it took me two seconds or three, to answer in the affirmative. They chose Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park on the Sunshine Coast as the destination. I'd only seen it in passing (and envied those staying there) so I was really looking forward to getting settled and having a good look around.

Let me introduce you to, "The Bumblebee." This is our term of endearment for our accommodation for the next three days.

I think you can guess why we gave this very comfortable caravan its nickname. The Bumblebee is not shy. Her bright and cheery appearance is great for advertising and she loves the attention.

One of the requirements of a well equipped Caravan Park is an outdoor swimming pool. Yes. I know. We had a great expanse of beach right at our back door but sometimes you just want a dip in the pool.

It may be winter but that didn't stop my two grandchildren from splashing around until their fingers and toes turned blue. (Just joking) I forgot to mention the other bonus for my blogging foray into 'Caravanning in Caloundra.' Our family stayed for the second day so we were able to enjoy quality time with them before I got down to business. Charli did some cool hair flicks for the camera.

And in the absence of a ball, Dusty played, "Throw the Pine Cone" with his mother who remained warm and dry next to the photographer. (Me)

The games room proved to be very popular with my grandchildren and I am pleased to say that I performed very well in a few fast and furious games of Air Hockey. Sorry, no photos of me in action. You'll just have to take my word for it. (Lol)

The outdoor Camp Kitchen was huge and ideal for catering for large groups of people. It even had an electric oven for cooks who prefer 'Glamping' (Glamour Camping) as opposed to those who like to do ordinary camping.

The Dicky Beach Surf Club is situated right next door to the Holiday Park, so when the cooks of the family need a break, this is where you will find them. (Us)

The sea views are superb, the staff are efficient and friendly and the food is scrumptious. And I can personally vouch for their delicious Chicken Parmigiana.

The 'Little Nippers Kids Room' takes care of the kids while the rest of us order another wine whilst pouring over the desert menu. (One day I will create a travel blog without mentioning food. One day. I promise!) But a good blogger (when on assignment) needs to report on the quality of the food when visiting and this cannot be done by perusing a menu alone. Therefore, I consider it my solemn duty to mention that the white chocolate mud cake was simply divine!

I was glad to discover the history behind Dicky's Surf Club on my visit as I wasn't aware of it until now. I read the plaque beneath this encased model with interest.

"On February 1st, 1893 the S.S. Dicky began what would be its final trip, when the coastal trader left Rockhampton and began its journey back to Brisbane. The vessel struck heavy weather after crossing the Wide Bay bar (the ocean waters between Fraser Island and the mainland) and was unable to turn back in the gale force conditions.

On the 4th of February, Captain John Beattie, after becoming disorientated, made the decision to beach the schooner to avoid hitting the rocks at Moffatt Beach. Today, Dicky Beach is proudly the only recreation beach in the world to be named after a wreck. Although the wreck has since been removed due to safety concerns, her iconic memory continues to live within the oceans of Dicky Beach.

This is an image of one of the old photos printed on one of the walls in the Surf Club, depicting Surf Life Guards in earlier days.

At the crack of dawn the next day, we decided to venture out and walk along the beachfront to see where it led. There were plenty of people around and almost as many dogs enjoying frolicking along the beach in between chasing waves.

The weather forecast was for rain so I took as many photos as I could before the clouds broke and ruined my assignment.

During our walk we passed a group of Lifeguards de-briefing after training in the surf for a couple of hours. They didn't look too worse for wear.

A couple of keen surfers were waiting and hoping for the waves to build before venturing out into the ocean. I'm not sure how long they waited. Perhaps as long as I did for the sun to come out in order to capture the perfect shots before heading back to our caravan for a little more relaxation. (Sigh! This is tough gig.......but someone as to do it.)

The sun remained hidden and the rains came down so I thought I'd finish this blog with one of my photos of Dicky Beach that I applied a digital filter to post editing. I hope you like it.

The camera I used for these images is a Panasonic DMC-FZ70

THANK YOU FOR VIEWING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.