Great Aussie Campfire WEEKEND!

Ready for some poetry around the campfire at Lake Borumba Camping Ground, QLD. Australia.

Sometimes you just have to pack up the 4x4 and get away for the weekend. It doesn't matter where, why or what-for. You just need to feel small in the vastness of the Aussie bush to put all your troubles into perspective. Stars overhead. Wife by your side. Suddenly nothing else matters.

So, after flicking through the pages of my newly arrived copies of my latest book Great Aussie Campfire Poems, we decided to mark the occassion by turning it into a Great Aussie Campfire WEEKEND!

Living on the Sunshine Coast, we are really spoilt when it comes to how quickly you can leave the beaches and crowds behind, and be surrounded by nothing. Less than an hour's drive up the Bruce Highway we were cruising some country backroads in the Mary Valley until we came to the town of Imbil. I'd strongly recommend a lunch at the historic Railway Hotel, before continuing on some 15 minutes over several single lane bridges that harken back to the good ol' days of driving. And soon you reach the Lake Borumba Caravan & Camping Ground.

They market this area as the Noosa Outback... although its far from anything remotely dusty. Trees, trees and a great Aussie swimming hole called Yabba Creek. My wife Denise and I are lazy campers. We throw a self-inflating mattress in the back of our Mitsubishi Outlander, some pillows, a sleeping bag, a change of clothes and a small toiletries bag. Along with an esky full of drinks and a picnic hamper, a pair of folding chairs and a battery powered lantern are usually more than enough for us to get away for a night.

This time we also packed our togs. I'm glad we did as the temperature hit 37 degrees Celcius on the day we arrived. Yabba Creek by comparision felt about 15 degrees.

Cooling off in Yabba Creek. You don't get a more Aussie bush camping experience than this!

Lake Borumba Dam. Campgrounds are downstream, water skiing upstream of the wall.

We've lived on the Sunshine Coast for almost 14 years, and this was our first visit to Lake Borumba. It definitely won't be our last. If you're into boating, the dam itself offers plenty of parking for boat trailers, and the lake looked full of jetskis and water skiers. Downstream by the campground however is a different story. Nice, quiet, and plenty of level camping sites for families with caravans and tents. And night time.... Just perfect! Stars overhead, and plenty of firepits available to place where you'd like. We enjoyed a night around the campfire, shared a few poems from my latest book, and polished off a bottle of wine or two.

And the perfect book to leave packed in our camp kitchen bag... 'til next time that is!

It's funny how time changes your perspective. A decade ago I would be busy drumming up interest for a newspaper article, promoting a book launch, followed by organising a book tour at whichever library, bookstore or the like would have me. These days.... not so much. Not only has consecutive years of COVID-19 enforced lockdowns put an end to that, but the cost of organising public indemnity insurance to safegaurd yourself against being sued for a papercut makes a simple blog post like this, or sharing the pictures on social media far more profitable.

One thing that came from a weekend away in deep conversation with my wife about the future, turning 50 next year and all the uncertainty that the world has to offer right now, was recognizing that I've always strived a little too hard to live my life purposefully with the aim of trying to get ahead. Turns out nothing much has come from that. Our kids are both raised. My books haven't made me rich at any point in the past 15 years, and whatever investments we have haven't changed our lives. In the process we've only gotten a little older, and a lot more fond of wasting time on the simple things that bring us enjoyment. I would very much like to live the next 15 years less-purposefully! That is, making time to waste time, instead of telling myself I should be working on this or that before I can sit back and enjoy everything.

That said, its nice to be able to have all my campfire-inspired poetry from the past 30 plus years in a neat pocketbook. Even if it is only to come out around the campfire. I feel it is finally time to sit back with my writing, and recognise the hard work I have previously put in. Even if it is just a case of honouring the personal satisfaction that has come with each and every release. Who knows? Wasting some time around a campfire may lead to a few more bush poems when I'm good and ready.

My book Great Aussie Campfire Poems is available now through Apple's iBook Store, eBay and direct from the publisher at Blurb.com I hope you preview it, or better still, buy a copy for when you next go camping. Anyway, that's just my story. So go on, get out there!