Needing a break from the hustle and bustle of the massive metropolis, we headed for the excessive nation of Ravensbourne Nationwide Park for a brief break. Rob and Annette had graciously invited us to remain at their “Escape.”
We charged up in a single day to 100% (335 km in our 2019 Mannequin 3 SR) and packed up the automotive and headed northwest, forgetting a number of issues as we often do. Ravensbourne is just 172 km from Brisbane, so we knew that vary was not an issue. Rob had warned us that we’d be doing a little climbing, however after years of driving out to Warwick and climbing by way of Cunninghams Hole, we knew account for that. The 6 km climb used 18 km of vary, however we picked up some regen as we cruised downhill.
We solely handed one different Tesla on the highway out of Kilcoy — he seemed shocked to see one other EV.
We stopped for lunch on the picturesque city of Esk. Wanting round for some shade (we didn’t discover any), we noticed the latest addition to the Queensland Electrical Superhighway — new chargers all wrapped up, not not like Christmas presents.
New QESH chargers for Esk. Photograph courtesy of Majella Waterworth.
The employees on the Enigmas Café not solely make a very good espresso, however they’re full of knowledge. Two locals personal Teslas. They handed on information concerning the QESH chargers in Winton. Apparently, a cover needed to be constructed over the chargers to cease them from overheating within the Western Queensland summer season — would have thought that was apparent. This led to a dialog about the truth that most choices about EVs and chargers are being made by individuals who don’t drive EVs.
Nice meals and gossip in Esk. Photograph courtesy of Majella Waterworth
Throughout lunch, the temperature within the automotive soared to 49 levels Celsius — time to activate the air-con.
Then it was off to Ravensbourne Escape. The journey from Bracken Ridge on the northside of Brisbane to Ravensbourne was 172 km. In our Hyundai Sonata V6, it will have price us AU$34 in petrol. As a substitute, we had been in a position to avail ourselves of the free charging at our “Escape” studio residence.
“Ravensbourne Escape is a lovely assortment of 11 luxurious vacation and getaway homes for short-stay getaways or household holidays.”
The very first thing we did on arrival was plug the automotive in! Then we took within the unbelievable view south.
Picture courtesy of Ravensbourne Escape.
Very enjoyable. “Disconnect from the world, join your EV,” Rob advised us. Tess was pleased — she was being properly fed with the Zappi. Different buildings are geared up with MG chargers as a part of MG’s drive to unfold chargers by way of the areas.
Tess having a soothing free cost at Affinity. Photograph courtesy of Majella Waterworth.
Rob and Annette met us on the studio residence and confirmed us across the retreat. Of specific word was the Starlink satellite tv for pc on every home offering high-speed, low-latency web. One group of three studios shares one Starlink reference to one other home through “Ubiquiti” nanobeam microwave-style transmitters, which cuts the month-to-month subscription price by 75%.
“Ubiquiti” nanobeam microwave-style transmitters. Photograph courtesy of Majella Waterworth.
Rob was contemplating the NBN’s SkyMuster, nevertheless it was dearer, has excessive latency, and has a 100-gigabyte restrict. There are few dependable NBN choices on this space and SkyMuster (the one viable one) is presently shedding market share to Elon Musk’s Starlink Australia extensive.
In constructing the residences, Rob has paid specific consideration to sustainability. The posh studios are constructed round a zero-carbon footprint utilizing recycled plastic, sustainable supplies, metal, and consequently are additionally very low upkeep (VLM).
Ravensbourne Escape is excessive up on the escarpment, with distinctive long-range views. It’s surrounded by lush subtropical rainforest on one facet and drier eucalypt on the opposite. Heavy rains over the previous 18 months as Australia has skilled La Niña imply an elevated gasoline load. Local weather change is growing the fireplace threat. So, hearth safety can also be constructed into new homes to the very best ranges. Rob explains that the newest studio, Affinity (the place we’re staying), exceeds the newest requirements, sitting on metal stumps and clad with fire-resistant “Modinex” that imitates wooden. “You’ll be able to’t construct a wood home up right here anymore.”
Rob describes himself as an innovator. He has had a protracted historical past with IT innovation and is steadily quoting Clarke’s legislation: “No matter you invent one thing for, it is going to be used for one thing else.”
Though we might have spent all our time on the residence, that view, we thought it will be advisable to play vacationer, so we spent Wednesday visiting the native scorching spots. Sadly, plenty of them had been closed on Wednesdays — primarily opening for the vacationer commerce on the weekend. Nevertheless, we had a refreshing bushwalk at Ravensbourne Nationwide Park, took within the view on the lookout, and visited the city of Crow’s Nest.
Crow’s Nest is properly serviced with vacation spot chargers on the native motel and caravan park. In accordance with PlugShare, they’ve had some good critiques from Mannequin 3 and S house owners: “Nice to have the ability to cost within the shade; quick access near the café (the Curly Carrot).” Charging is free for café prospects, and prices a mere $5 per hour for non-customers.
Crow’s Nest is called for “Jim Crow,” a First Nations man who lived in a hole tree — Jim Crow’s Nest. He’s honoured and remembered on the park within the centre of the city. He usually helped earlier timber-getting settlers and bullockies with instructions. We even obtained to see a Mannequin X as we wandered round within the warmth. Then it was off to the pub for a beer and a hearty lunch.
Jim Crow’s nest honours a neighborhood First Nations man. Photograph courtesy of Majella Waterworth.
Rob is considering the longer term. The time is quickly coming when he’ll have the ability to let his getting older diesel go and spend money on an EV, however which one? He has his coronary heart set on an ID Buzz. I advised him it is going to be a number of years earlier than they get out to Australia. It’s okay, the diesel will final that lengthy. Although, the upkeep prices maintain mounting. The ID Buzz will do all the pieces he wants — haul the garbage, do the buying, and take the vacationers out to dinner and decide them up once they have had a number of of the native wines, or photographs from the native Pechey gin distillery.
Rob says, “We class our bunch of vacation properties a ‘Retreat’ as it’s designed round ‘getting away’. As we are saying, RElax … REfresh … RE-energise … and now, after all … RECHARGE!”
I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we carried out a restricted paywall for some time, nevertheless it all the time felt flawed — and it was all the time powerful to determine what we must always put behind there. In idea, your most unique and greatest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer folks learn it! We simply do not like paywalls, and so we have determined to ditch ours.
Sadly, the media enterprise remains to be a tricky, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a unending Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …
