Road Conditions

Hi again and a big welcome to our Easter travellers coming from SE QLD to enjoy Ubobo, my little piece of paradise.  I've heard there is some worry about the Blackman Gap road across from Miriam Vale to Littlemore.  One of our members drove over it yesterday (Sunday) and said it is fine for cars to use.  He warned not to take it at speed especially the gravel section on the Miriam Vale side but for those who'd like to come this way and drive appropriately, it should now be fine to do so.

A couple of questions have been asked about the bunks.   There are five rooms with differing numbers of beds in each room.  Although there are lots of beds the rooms are open and airy and since this photo was taken blinds have been added to all windows.  The bunks are all in Alston House attached to the ablutions block by a covered walkway.

The eating area is a large covered area with all the crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils you should need.  Also 2 gas BBQ, 2 fridges, toaster, jug, urns, tables, chairs ...all you should need to be comfortable.

There is an outdoor wood BBQ area as well for relaxing and debriefing at days end but bring the MOSQUITO REPELLENT!!! At dusk the invasion arrives.

Looking forward to enjoying your company

Easter Update

Well it's been a few months since I had a chat but thought I must get back to it with Easter almost upon us and visitors coming from everywhere to spend Easter in the Boyne Valley.  I'm expecting birdwatchers from Birds Queensland; 4WDers from the Redlands Bay area and bushwalkers from Bundaberg.  Should be the start of new friendships with so many like minded visitors crossing paths.

The grounds are looking a picture and inviting wildlife visitors.  I saw ten different birds on the oval Tuesday afternoon and watched with amusement a young joey practising hopping on Monday while the management committee was meeting.

I'm looking forward to seeing the grounds covered in campers, with smoke drifting from the BBQ and laughter mixed with conversation and cooking odours wafting through the trees and...

people gathered on the deck sharing their experiences of the day and displaying the highlights on the LCD HD TV.  So bring along all your necessary media connections.

My "bus driver's room" (perhaps a new title is needed here!) has now been set up as a separate room for two, with innerspring mattress, allergy free pillows and  bedding making this another alternative in the type of accommodation I offer. The committee is seeking out a folding cot to add to the room as this has been identified as a need by recent visitors.

So with the grass green, rivers running, all roads to the valley open and no major rain systems forecast for the coming week it looks as if this is a great time to visit. 

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!!

Winter Days

Silver Wattle

Hello again.  I’ve had to endure a few frosty mornings of late – but that’s the price I have to pay to get to enjoy our beautiful winter days.  The wattle is in full bloom, waterways are still running,

Black Soil Gully

birds abound

Pale Faced Rosella

and the country invites you to come and enjoy the open space and beautiful weather.

Mt Robert

The office roof is supporting a new white satellite receiver dish.  This gives my visitors digital TV reception which adds to the wireless internet access provided by my grey satellite dish.  I know it is great to experience the peace and quiet of country living  but most visitors like to have some contact with the outside world while in residence.

TV and Internet reception available

I have a new bitumen road frontage and the car park is ready for sealing.



Alston House and eating area with the entry to Car Park and Office on the left. 
 All have wheelchair access provided..



In recent weeks roller blinds have been fitted to all my windows for warmth and security.

The office building is to the left of the carpark and has wheelchair access.

Cool afternoons are drawing customers to the bonfire area where wood is supplied and our tenants in Alston House are making good use of the gas heater supplied in the eating area.

Camping area with wood supplied for the bonfire and BBQ.

Maybe during your stay or any time by arrangement if you are a local, you might like to browse our small library.  Aren’t these cooler days just the best time to cuddle up with a book?  Do you have a wildflower or bird you wish to identify?  Our reference book collection may be able to help you out.

Visit our library bequeathed to us by a local resident

If you’d like to find out more about me you can do so here and to find out more about my favourite part of the world, the Boyne Valley, visit here. 

A Bitumen Road Frontage

My front entrance with ablutions block in the background

Hello again.  I'm overjoyed with the arrival last week of a Regional Council roadworks team to give me a bitumen road frontage.  Once they are gone - NO MORE DUST!  In addition, I hear the BVCDC management committee has been able to organise to have my car park sealed while the gang is here - an added bonus.

Hawke Street, Ubobo 4680

My grounds are also benefiting from a top dressing of loam removed for the roadworks but there's some work ahead of my volunteers. 

Looking across the oval to the Police Reserve - a nature strip which is  part of the complex

Even though the Boyne Valley is pulling on its winter coat...

Boyne Valley Views

I always enjoy my view across the town...

Ubobo, Boyne Valley, Queensland

And the beauty of my gardens.

Garden Beauty

Come and see for yourself contact bookings@bvcdc.boynevalley.org.au

My shade covered deck, eating area  and the disability ramp leading into the accommodation block in the background.

BVCDC Happenings

After many years of work the volunteers who built me are now beginning to reap the rewards. 

Waiting for cement

My rooms are fully booked until the end of August with Wallis Drilling arriving on Saturday 28th May to begin a three month tenancy while they drill exploritory gas wells off Norton and Aerodrome Roads, Nagoorin . 

My bunk beds provide accommodation for up to thirty-six persons.

After they leave there is a wedding booked for August 29^th .  This will be an interesting contrast to providing a home for two gas drilling gangs for three months.  

My grounds provide plenty of space for groups to interact

I'm also looking forward to the return of the CQ Charity Car Rally teams on the 9th, 10th and 11th of Sepember.  These guys know how to have fun and I love to see the smile on the faces of the community members who benefit from the generosity of this group.  I believe this time the P&Cs  and Rural Fires Brigades will be on the receiving end.   There is an open air concert planned for the next weekend - the 17^th September.  So things are looking bright with bookings already made for Christmas too. 

As a result of this activity a part-time cleaner has been employed.  The young junior who has accepted the position is pleased to be able to get some weekend work here in the valley.  Thanks to one of the members for volunteering her time to give the girl her induction.

My native gardens encourage wildlife and provide a pleasant backdrop for relaxing outdoors.

Another member volunteers her time to keep the gardens looking beautiful even with winter almost upon us. 

Two birds have made a landing post of Torn Ear, the larger resident kangaroo.

The kangaroos and bird life at the Centre are always a hit with campers but our drillers may not be so delighted with the crows devouring loaves of bread left out on the tables and spreading ear plugs all over the eating area.  The joys of country living!

My new clock with two framed pictures of the railway station when it was in its prime in the middle of last century.

Recently a clock was donated for the office.  It is mounted on an off cut of red cedar.  It looks great on the office wall as does a new key rack - both made by the same man. 

The waiting room of the original Ubobo Railway Station, now my office complex, has become a TV common room using the white cane table and chairs setting donated by a local family.

The old waiting room, now common room, where every item in it except the TV  is donated. 

My Management committee thanks all who continue to support me.  Without the voluntary efforts and donations of the community I would not be welcoming guests today.

CQ Charity Fun Tour

Hi.  Back again.


Where are we?
We are at the start of the CQ Charity Fun Tour. 

After enyoying my facilities and the hospitality of my management committee rally crews were off on the start of a two day rally from Ubobo to Hervey Bay.  Local personality, Tim Hayes, waved them away as they passed this old ironbark at my front door in Hawke Street.

Late Friday afternoon crews had begun arriving and setting up their camps for the night before a three course meal was served by the BVCDC management committee.  Later a range of fund raising activities and music was enjoyed.  Then crews bedded down for the night - some taking advantage of my in-house accommodation others camping in my extensive grounds.

The next morning the air was crisp and my grounds covered in dew as the first rays of sunshine found their way over the Many Peaks Range.  Crews were blasted from their beds by a siren which literally shook everyone awake to pack and ready themselves for stage one of the tour.

The Ubobo Parents and Citizens Association was on hand to prepare and serve a hearty country breakfast while Channel 7 local TV news came  to capture the excitement.

 

The CQ Charity Fun Tour group is very generous in their support of small rural communities.  Local schools, State Emergency groups and the Boyne Valley Community Discovery Centre Incorporated were all very grateful for the support given to them as a consequence of the rally’s visit to the Boyne Valley.

Final instructions were given from the shade covered deck of my office building.  Then, led by the Easter Bunny, the tour was away to a cacophony of horns, engines noises and music.  

The promise of a day of fun lay ahead.

The BVCDC Inc. thanks the CQ Charity Fun Tour for choosing to use our centre and for their ongoing  support.

Welcome All

Welcome!  Let me introduce myself.  I am the Boyne Valley Community Discovery Centre.  I am nestled in bushland in the tiny rural township of Ubobo in Central Queensland. 

Established on 3.21ha recreation reserve, I'm an accommodation centre with in-house accommodation for 36 individuals in dormitory style accommodation in historic Alston House - a lovely old Queenslander with five rooms which can be shut off or opened to meet your individual needs.   Or...

...if you are self-contained there is plenty of parklands where you can put up a tent, park your motorhome or caravan and simply enjoy my peaceful surrounds. 

 Maybe you'd like to avail yourself of my clean, modern, ablutions facilities.  If you ask my managers this can be easily arranged. 

        

      My covered outdoor eating area constructed of rugged bush timber has an adequately equipped kitchen, gas barbeques tables and chairs.  There is also a wood barbeque in the grounds beside a bon fire area which is able to be used weather conditions permitting.

If it's a meet and greet area you are looking for to sit and chat with fellow travellers or address your group then I have wooden tables scattered around the grounds, a large shade-covered deck and of course the covered eating area too. 

If you would like to read more about me visit my web site.

If you would like to contact me email my bookings site.