2013 Trip Blog,
July
Monday 1st July, Bush Camp (Diamantina National Park), QLD
We spent a lazy day today just wandering around the ridges and along the Diamantina river near our camp site at Hunters Gorge, taking photos and enjoying the peacefulness of the Park. Don threw in a line and sat watching it for awhile before leaving his rod resting on a stick. He figured it was a waste of time as all the fish were on the other side of the river. Pelicans aren't stupid and that's where they had been feeding since we arrived yesterday. He retrieved his rod a few hours later, no bait, no fish. Some men are born to fish others are meant to buy their seafood from the fish shop.Photos around the campsite.
panorama taken from here
and of course, more pelicans ……
Tuesday 2nd July, Bush Camp (JC Hotel Ruins), QLD
We left our campsite around 1000 and headed back out through the Park, taking the East Fork down to the Diamantina Developmental Road, around 210kms South. The track was a pleasant surprise after the West Fork we came in on; there was no bull dust, no corrugations and no deep ruts. There was also plenty of wildlife……numerous Kangaroos, Emus, Brolgas, Eagles and Wild Horses as well as dozens of herds of Cattle, which are always interesting.
The landscape was different from yesterday with a few Mesas rising up on the horizon, their bases a blurred
shimmer as they formed a mirage of water across the skyline. We had stopped to take a bit of a wander about
and I found myself quite a distance from the Landy. It was quite windy making it hard to hear. I glanced around
me to see where Don was and couldn't see him nor the Landy. There I was, standing in the middle of no-where
with not a soul in sight. The scene just didn't compute for a minute. There was supposed to be at least one other
person and a vehicle in my vision. Just as this was sinking in, over the ever so slight rise came the Landy, I could
only watch in slight astonishment as in a cloud of dust it went right past me and on into the distance. "Very funny
Donald"………….he did come back for me, grinning from ear to ear. Apparently he had tried to get my attention
but I was too far away, so he decided the best way was to leave and I might get the message. That 'payback list'
is growing longer every day.
We stopped for coffee near a waterhole and I had my first up close and personal encounter with a herd of bulls.
I didn't realise they were on the other side of the waterhole until I had climbed up the side of it. There staring at
me was a herd of bulls. They gradually manoeuvred themselves into a line facing me then began to walk towards
me, then broke into a trot, kicking up dust as they ran towards me. As much as I love these animals, I can assure you,
I ran faster and made a dash for the Landy which was quite a distance away. Don just stood there laughing. I don't
think he would have kept laughing if they had spotted him.
One cat alone had 24 Painted Dragons, 3 Bearded Dragons, 3 Striped Skinks, 2 Earless Dragons, 1 Mouse, 1 Zebra Finch
in its guts. There are an estimated 12 million feral cats in Australia, eating 1-3 animals per day on average, giving a total of 8.76 Billion
animals per year being devastated by these feral cats.We were still talking about this incident when we came down into a dry creek bed and encountered some Brolgas ambling slowly across the road. We slowed almost to a stop to let them cross and were just starting off again when a flock of around 8 emus also began to walk slowly across. We slowed to a stop and next minute were astonished when a DickHead came roaring up through the creek bed, went right up on the high verge beside us, passing us, then with the Emus in full view he went roaring straight towards them, scattering them in all directions. We can find no words to describe this idiot, except DICKHEAD!
We hit the Diamantina Road and headed East. The sealed section soon ended and we were back on the powdery gravel again but
this was smoother to drive on than the sealed section which was like a roller coaster. We stopped at Farrars Creek for lunch then at
the Mt. Henderson Lookout, before arriving at the JC Hotel Ruins about 1530. We took a look around then took a small track South
for about 4kms to have a look at an Abandoned Homestead (Waverney) but it appears to have been completely demolished and is
now fenced off. Back to JC Ruins, we set up camp then went for 1km walk to the cemetery from the old Waverney Station. Apparently,
the owner of the Station had bought the Hotel where we were camped, so he could pull it down to stop his stockmen from getting led
astray and wasting all their money.
(Extra bit by Don,)
A compilation of 190 20sec exposures taken at JC Hotel ruins, looking north. Open image link in a new window for a higher res version showing an iridium flare (circled) and two unidentified flying objects travelling upwards parellel (pointed) as well as two other meteor type trails.
Also you can download this 34mb Time Lapse movie compiled from the same 190 exposures, (if you are interested in this stuff its worth playing in slow motion)
Wednesday 3rd July, Yaraka, QLD
We left the JC Ruins after a leisurely pack up at around 1030 and continued East along the Diamantina Road towards Windorah. The flat landscape gave way to Red Sand Dunes, most with their colour muted by sparse vegetation; a few bright red dunes visible in the distance. As we neared a couple of these dunes we were delighted to see they were only about 500 meters from the road. They looked very inviting, the red pristine sand standing out against the bright blue sky.
We parked well off the road to avoid the dust and stones from any passing vehicles and made our
way across the gibber stones to the dunes. Walking across to the dunes was a pleasant experience
in itself; the many and varied coloured stones that make up the Gibber Plains are quite fascinating.
We made our way to the top of the dunes, pausing to marvel at each set of animal tracks that were
indented into the sand like paint on a canvas. These tracks were fascinating. Little Lizard tracks,
Bird tracks, Beetle tracks and an amazing Kangaroo track as it bounded down from the top of one
dune, causing a small landslide as the sand fell away from its weight, then the leap onto the firmer
sand as it bounded away across the lower dune.
The trip to Windorah was really pleasant with plenty of wildlife to keep our interest, along with the
beautiful landscape. The horizon shimmered with vague outlines of dunes and mesas, their shapes
warping and oscillating in the heat of the day. It wasn't long before we arrived in Windorah. We had
passed through here a couple of months ago enroute to Longreach, camping about 12kms further East
on the Cooper Creek. We fuelled up, then had lunch before leaving Windorah and continuing on. A few
kms after crossing the Cooper Creek we turned North East on the track to Yaraka about 150kms further
on. A dirt track but well maintained.
Now that we were off the main route the wildlife increased dramatically. Kangaroos were bounding about
everywhere, including across the road in front of us. They are hard to work out; they can be quite a way off
the road but as they see or hear you coming, they immediately start hopping parallel with the road, then turn
and head straight for the road, hopping across directly in front of the vehicle. No wonder there are so many
killed on the roads. In saying that, it is always good to get this close up view of them as they bound across in
front of us. Emus were also numerous as well as flocks of Brolgas. A dead feral pig was amongst the road kill
and horrors of horrors, some more dreaded feral cats were sighted. (No off-road chases this time).
That wool press should be in a museum!!
There were hundreds of tin match boxes scattered about, and numerous glass Holbrooks bottle tops too!
Not long after passing Retreat, we turned up a narrow dirt track for a few kms and located an old abandoned
Shearing Shed. The track gave out before we could locate the Homestead. This site was so interesting and
we spent a good hour here fossicking about, then back onto the track, arriving in Yaraka around 1730.
Thursday 4th July, Yaraka, QLD
What a superb little spot this turned out to be. There is one Pub, that opens its doors when the owner is not busy doing other things, one local Garage that has a sign outside…that if you want fuel to see "Bob & Kathy over the road",
one Health Centre and a Community Hall, neither of which were open, one Police Station and a few houses. The tiny
Railway closed 5 yrs ago and the small one room school-house also had to close when it reached a pupil enrolment of
one. In the two days that we have been here I have seen and spoken to one person, the guy in the Pub. Don has been
lucky enough to see and speak to two people and a Chahuahua, the guy in the Pub and a guy that was sitting outside the Garage, who lives
opposite to where we are camped.
We wandered into the Pub around 1230, there was no-one to be found. We were just about to leave when a bleary-eyed
guy came out from the back, he had been up all night roo shooting. He said if he's not about, people usually just help themselves,
(we presumed they fixed him up later). He says sometimes he's too busy to open. He said he absolutely loves the little community
and could never think of leaving. (The same sentiments were uttered by the guy outside the Garage.) Having disturbed him, we felt
obliged to buy a beer. The food available was 'one sausage roll and maybe a pie', so we enjoyed our beer and a very interesting
chat then headed off to have a BBQ lunch on nearby Mt. Slowcombe, a 'must see' according to the Publican. Boy, was he right!!
It was only 10kms North and sealed all the way with a 1km 12% gradient to the summit. On top
it was flat, with some shrubbery around the edges and a land area of about 2 acres. Two large, clean, blue & white speckled concrete & epoxy picnic
tables were situated under a Gazebo, strategically placed to take advantage of the amazing view. WoW!!!! This was one of the most amazing
places we have seen to date. Being flat on top it allowed a vantage point all the way around. There was also a free electric BBQ under the Gazebo.
As stated before, the smaller communities who have very little, share what they have freely. Who would have thought that this little community that
is barely noticeable on the map, has such a gem right on its doorstep.
We
ended up spending four hours up on top of Mt. Slowcombe!! It seemed like we had been there only a short time when we had to pack up and leave.
'Time flies when you are having fun'……..certainly applied today. On the way back to Yaraka it was slow progress; we had to crawl along to avoid the
countless Kangaroos that were hopping about everywhere. In the short distance back, we also came across a Bustard (such haughty, elegant birds
who never hurry) and a flock of Emus about 30 strong. Our luck was in when we chose this lovely little community to
spend a night in and having liked it so much, spent another night as well.
Friday 5th July, Blackall, QLD
Said Goodbye to Yaraka the same way we said Hello, driving through without seeing another living soul except for the little Chihuahua asleep outside the Pub. This was a great little community and we will try to get back here again sometime. We took the Yaraka-Emmet Road NE enroute to Blackall. We know we are heading back into the Grey Nomad route so we will take today's drive slowly and enjoy the countryside.
Road-kill today included two Emus. This is very sad when they are not killed outright and linger beside the
road with their heads held high and their mate fretting not far away from them. Too sad. The road was sealed
for a short way then gave way to gravel, which was actually better to drive on. The sealed section being bumpy
and pot-holed. We stopped for a few pics along the way but the landscape was not as spectacular as some other
routes. The old railway line to Emmet was barely visible anymore, having been ripped up and the bridges torn
down. Amazing, as it only ceased operation 5 years ago.
We arrived in Emmet; this was even smaller than Yaraka with the only two buildings being the now defunct Railway Station and a 'Food Store' that was not open. We found plenty of things to interest us around the old Station, stopping here for about half an hour. We were both thoughtful as we drove on, reflecting on the demise of these little communities as the fluctuations of nature, demand for alternate industries and the dying out of the core population leads to the inevitability of these little communities being unable to survive.
Saturday 6th July, Blackall, QLD
Today was a total 'nothing' day. We both felt a bit flat with realisation that we have to get the Gearbox changed in the Landy. It is never a good feeling when you suddenly feel 'immobile'. But………this feeling of negativity didn't last long. We have done around 18,000kms and have had an amazing time already. We love being together and that's all that matters. A Gearbox is fixable. Putting the Gearbox problem to the back of our minds to sort itself out, we headed off to have a look around the town.As we drove around Blackall, the struggle of the town is almost palpable. The increasing number of dingos in the region have decimated the Sheep Industry which has been an important part of the town's history. Station owners are turning more to cattle to try to alleviate their losses but this also has its problems, necessitating the clearing of the Gidgee Trees from the land to allow fodder to grow. This along with the flooding of the Barcoo River in 2012 has tested the spirit of the towns people. There were quite a few vacant businesses along the Main Street and we saw many For Sale signs in the residential areas, in one street, four houses in a row were For Sale.
This is a bit of a shame as the town area is neat, clean and extremely well maintained with a lot of
attention given to the many attractions that are on offer within the town. Blackall boasts an interesting
history and is well-placed on the tourist route so hopefully this will inject a few needy dollars into the
town coffers.
The Fossilised Tree Stump, a relative of today's Hoop Pine was really interesting. It is believed to be up to 225 million years old. The town water supply is via three Artesian Bores. These Bores are drilled to a depth of around 800m and burst to the surface at 58 degrees celsius. Although the water has the smell of sulphur when it hits the surface, this diminishes when cooled leaving pure uncontaminated drinking water. All the water tapped from the Great Artesian Basin has this smell of Sulphur, some towns being a lot stronger than others. I must admit, I just cannot clean my teeth with this water even though it's probably more pure than most, the smell is just too unpleasant.
With our minds 'free' to work on the problem whilst we took a look around and enjoyed a nice lunch and a
beer at the Pub, it wasn't long after getting back to the Park that we hit on the best solution. We were only
214kms SE of Longreach and knew we could leave the van there at reasonable cost. This was also one
of our favourite places to date. Towing the van anywhere of any great distance would place not only extra
stress on the Landy but also on us, so the best alternative would be to leave the van at a safe place and
head down to Sydney for the repairs. Other options were not viable as we have a commitment to be in
Sydney in four weeks. This will mean a trip back to Longreach to pick up the van………..now that will be
hard to take.
Sunday 7th July, Longreach, QLD
Left Blackall at 0900 and took Landsborough Highway to Barcaldine, 106kms North. The road was sealed but undulating. We reached Barcaldine around 1020 where we turned West, still on the Landsborough Highway. We have now come full circle, having driven to Barcaldine when we had stayed in Longreach in April. Our original plan was to head East from Blackall, moving out to the Coast as we made our way South but as the saying goes…….the best laid plans of mice and men………..but then again, we really never did much planning, just went where it felt right at the time, so Longreach it is.
We had quite forgotten about the extent of road-kill along this route. The smell of dead carcass
didn't leave our nostrils the entire 106kms to Longreach. It is no exaggeration that there was at
least one dead Kangaroo every 100m or so, more often, two or three or more either side of the
road. No wonder the crows don't bother to fly more than a few yards as you pass, they are too
fat to fly.
When we passed along this route nearly three months ago, there was quite a bit of road-work being done. A lot of this has now been completed and the new road is amazing to drive on. The one thing they do really well in QLD is the road-works. We've been quite surprised at how quickly the roads are completed and with an excellent job as well.
No coffee stop today; the less strain through the gears the better, so we passed through Ilfracombe
and it wasn't long before we spotted the Red tail of the Qantas Jet at the Longreach Airport. It was
really prophetic that we spent around four weeks here on the way up as it was reassuring to know
that we were going to leave the van in a place that we knew well and felt comfortable with. It wasn't
long before we were back at the same Park again and settled in. What a difference a couple of months
makes……………the Park was chockers. We were really lucky to get a spot over by the back fence and
don't feel 'hemmed in'. We set up quickly then decided to head to the Airport for lunch, this being Sunday
there is not much else open in Longreach and the Airport has good food and is very reasonably priced.
Another shock. How can there be so many people!! The Airport car-park was full with vehicles, vans and pedestrians. The Qantas Museum had people everywhere, so different to when we were here before. We were lucky and didn't have to wait for a table and the lunch was excellent. Back at camp, I finally got the chance to have a laugh on Don for a change………….as previously stated, he has 'velcroed' everything in sight over the last couple of months. Not wanting to 'waste' an inch of it, he had put a couple of little pieces loose along the window ledge above the table, 'in case he needed it for something'. He was sitting at the table tapping away at his computer when all of a sudden he leapt up, yelled, jumped backwards and nearly fell out the door as he swatted at his arm. I was doubled up laughing when I saw the 'cause' of this extreme reaction……..there stuck on his arm lay a little piece of black velcro, that had been laying on the window ledge and had fallen off when Don moved the curtain. My big brave husband…………Oh the moment was sweet indeed.
Monday 8th July, Longreach, QLD
Today's blog is all about you.Thank you to all those people who have read our blog and sent emails and comments. We have appreciated you very much.
Our original thoughts were instigated by a desire to share the beauty of the Australian Outback with our families, we were both surprised and humbled by the response of others.
If our experiences driving around this beautiful country have rekindled memories for some and inspired others, we in turn are inspired to continue our journey to learn as much as we can about this wonderful land and share it with those who are interested.
As we have already explored Longreach and the surrounding areas it will be of no interest to repeat this during our stay here, therefore we will suspend this blog until we return from Sydney and retrieve our van after the repairs to the Landy. With a further commitment in Victoria in October, we should be back on the road again late October, destination unknown at this stage. As usual we will be guided by the weather. At this time of year, it is usually the time you head South due to the tropical storms, possible cyclones and oppressive heat in the Outback areas.
There are some amazing areas throughout the South when this might be time to explore, but with our love of the Outback, it will take some extreme weather to coax us further South.
Thank you again and we look forward to resuming our blog in October.
