22.39 150.48 Cliff Point. 60km. In military area live shooting range.

I had to pass through the wide Shoalwater military training area, entering by permit only. A call on that morning on entering to the range officer made him a bit upset about me checking in that late, but oh well…I knew already there won’t be any trainings going on the next months.

He asked me to check in once landing with the duty officer, and to check out next morning. Both possible only via sat-phone, no mobile reception in that area. The duty officer turned out to be a woman, probably a housewife on the night’s shift call line from home or so. She didn’t seem too much interested where I was camping…

I had the choice to camp down at the beach again in a dry river mouth with rubbish floatsam and jetsam, or high up on the paved military dead end road, right under that sign above…I chose the latter.

The pavement was a bit rough, but at least sand free. Good to have a free-standing tent…

Freestanding means jump in and hold it down once windy, but that doesn’t prevent it from flattering noisy in the night’s wind…earplugs again!

There was another sigh in the darkness…the secong one after Hervey Bay for Fraser Island…unlikely in the low surf, but who knows…you believe I keep my eyes open already!