Census night by fire light

We spent a couple of idyllic days in the Jourama Falls National Park north of Townsville. This place (for us) will not be best remembered for the lovely grassy camping area, nor the exquisite waterfalls and enticing rock pools (bracingly cold) at the end of the short walking track. Here is a not very inspiring pic of our river

The first night will be remembered for the burn off of the undergrowth on the face across the river from our campsite. Periodically the park rangers run around the place lighting fires to lower the amount of fuel in the forest, so that wild fires don’t run out of control later in the season. An obliging slight breeze kept almost all of the smoke and ash on the far side of the river, so we enjoyed a night of not only starlight but fire light to boot.

Our second night in this wonderful place was census night, which had almost escaped our attention. Around 9pm, by which time we were well tucked up in bed (what else do you do when the big light in the sky goes out), came a knock at our tent flap. ‘Sorry to disturb you, but you will need to be filling one of these out’ said the young voice coming from just below the head lamp outside our window.

Next morning, finding where the chap had put our papers, I set to and started to complete the form. I would have to say that it was a bit more of a task than what I had anticipated. There did not seem to be a box that best described my/our circumstances, being of no fixed abode for the next 5 months with no idea where we want to be beyond that, having New Zealand ancestry (I think they left the NZ box out just to gall me, being a 5th generation Kiwi!) and not presently working but not on a benefit nor looking for a job at present but able to do so. The plus side however, was for the first time to being able to tick that I owned our dwelling outright, albeit a tent on a trailer.