Corny Point
Corny Point 20/2 – Dandy’s Paddock ($10 a Night & Proudly Non-Powered!)
We rolled into Dandy’s Paddock at the very respectable hour of 10:45pm… due to “prior commitments” (we’ll leave it at that). Huge thanks to Joy and Brett who kindly waited up for us — which somehow turned into a nightcap… or two… that may or may not have stretched well into the following morning. Let’s just say the stars got tired before we did.
The Morning After
With daylight came clarity — both visually and socially — as we worked out who else had joined the adventure:
Malcolm & Alison (with Scout - supervising operations)
Brett & Lorraine
Dot & Kev
Jason & Mia
Joy, Gordy & Henry
After a leisurely start (solar panels angled like we actually knew what we were doing), we convoyed to the Point Turton Hotel for lunch. A vintage motorbike club had also landed there, and our crew were in their absolute element. Some of those bikes were over 100 years old — beautifully restored and still running… a bit like some of our members.
After a small outdoor table reshuffle (purely strategic), we settled in. Grilled snapper, pasta with prawns, curry, schnitzels — all made solid appearances. Ginger beer (the grown-up kind) seemed to be the popular pairing.
A wander down to the jetty followed. A little disappointing to see the water looking more yellow than its usual crystal blue. The humidity after a few overnight drops of rain made it feel tropical — without the cocktails.
Mia was absolutely in her element with Chilli and Henry. Chilli particularly excelled in the “throw the ball again immediately” category and showed no signs of fatigue all weekend.
On the way back to camp, Gordon made mention of supporting the local seafood business. Unfortunately, the signage and the actual opening hours were not aligned. Closed.
Malcolm and Alison then declared an ice-cream stop at Corny Point — also unsuccessful. At this stage, supplies were not working in our favour. Thankfully Lorraine had ice creams back at camp and saved the day. Morale restored.
No power, no problem. Caravans lined up proudly, solar doing its best, batteries being closely monitored like newborn babies. Joy had fresh crab on the table, which certainly elevated the “non-powered paddock dining experience.
The usual laughs flowed, along with plenty of 4x4 talk and a full solution to all the world’s problems (again). No notes were taken, so we’ll have to solve them again next trip.
Malcolm, Alison & Scout, along with Jason & Mia, headed home. Brett & Lorraine left mid-morning. The rest of us made our way to Watsacowie Brewing Company for lunch.
The Asian tucker van did not disappoint:
Vegetarian Spring Rolls
Steamed Pork Dim Sims
Cantonese Garlic Prawns
Korean Fried Chicken
Hot Chips
Some served with rice and zero regrets.
The ladies nobly took on driving duties. Kev and Greg sampled beer paddles, Gordy opted for a “glass or two,” and the ladies enjoyed wine. The temperature dropped mid-arvo, but that didn’t cool the conversation.
Back to camp for the usual yarns. Gordy had the V8 cars playing on the TV — proving that even off-grid, horsepower finds a way.
Awnings rolled in, jockey wheels cranked, solar panels folded, batteries checked one last time — and just like that, another brilliant club trip wrapped up.
Huge thanks to Gordon and Joy for organising it all.
Another awesome weekend of laughs, good company, off-grid living (with surprisingly minimal power anxiety), and memories made.
Until the next one — keep it shiny side up! 🚙