MONDAY 21 OCTOBER TOWNSVILLE TO MIDGE POINT 300kms
From other travellers, I had heard glowing reports of a caravan park at Midge Point, near Proserpine. It seemed a more peaceful alternative to staying at the nearby backpacker haven of Airlie Beach. This was an ideal time, I thought, to satisfy my curiosity about this place.
We drove south from Townsville, passing through Giru and wondering whether the mango shed work there would really eventuate. Initially the way south from Townsville was quite hilly, but closer to Giru the land flattened out, with just the Dividing Range in the western distance. Great fields of sugar cane appeared and then some mango plantations.
From Giru to Ayr was through flat, sugar cane growing country. Ayr was a good sized town. We would get to know it better if we came to stay here. Just south of Ayr, we crossed the impressive metal bridge over the Burdekin River. It is all metal girders and struts and the overall impression is rather temple like. This bridge is almost as long as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and testament to the sometimes huge floods of the river, with its large catchment area.
Just across the river was the large Inkerman sugar mill.
Beyond Home Hill township, the sugar cane country soon gave way to grazing lands – not as interesting to drive through. There were some pockets of crop land though, especially around Bowen, and closer to Prosperpine.
The highway skirted Prosperpine, then several kms south of the town, we turned onto a road that would take us past the Laguna Quays resort development to Midge Point.
We booked into the Travellers Rest Caravan Park – $97 for the week, after Top Tourist discount. Then we set up in what appeared as a very attractive, lush, green, shaded, tropical park.

Midge Point Caravan Park
There were almost no other guests, a fact that I initially put down to the time of year, well outside the tourist season.
There were peacocks wandering about the grounds. A male made us a great display of his tail feathers.

Peacock display – from the wrong side
We were not far from a beach, just down a little walk track, but decided to leave exploring until tomorrow, and just relax for the rest of the afternoon. However, sitting outside and enjoying the lush surrounds did not last for long, as the bities soon arrived. We retreated inside.
July 23, 2018 at 11:45 am
We had a bit of a look at Laguna Quays a few weeks ago. Apart from the grounds being basically maintained most of it seems closed up now. Some cyclone damage to roofs and the marina by Cyclone Debbie too.
July 24, 2018 at 4:32 am
Don’t know if it ever really got going? We have been surprised at times by failed resorts along the Qld coast. Did day tour to Hinchinbrook Island few years ago – was eco resort there that seemed to have much potential, but down at heel and for sale. Then got cycloned. Then there was Port Hinchinbrook. And Bramston Beach – abandoned caravan park etc that I think was owned by Bob and Dolly Dyer?
July 24, 2018 at 10:09 am
Now there’s a bit of trivia. I wonder if that had anything with the naming of The Mavis Bramston Show?
I can understand that these days it’s cheaper and easier for families to just fly to Asia for their holidays.
July 25, 2018 at 5:59 am
Agree. I keep trying to persuade my offspring to take their children to places like Darwin, Broome, Cairns – but Fiji and Phuket win out every time.
July 25, 2018 at 6:04 am
The one I am thinking of was called the Bramston Beach Plantation Resort. It is further along the beach than the council area that I think is free or cheap, and maybe unpowered??
July 25, 2018 at 8:24 pm
I think I saw it. A lot of coconut palms, overgrown and a Private Property sign.
July 26, 2018 at 11:09 am
Sounds like the one.