A fresh start and in the distance I can see the ranges of Idalia and Carnarvon National Parks and onto Blackall where I had the unfortunate luck to meet a traveling Evangelist. Mmm! should I have told him I am an Atheist? No!
I came into Barcaldine for a quick squize around the town and pub
before heading back out to Lloyd Jones Weir, a camp area about 15k out, I had already passed the turn off so retraced my tracks to the road to Isisford then 1k of dirt road. It was a nice shady place, a little crowded though with clean flushing toilets and plenty of open fire places.
Cooked my butcher bought sausages (lip smacking good) on my neighbor's fire after a lovely happy hour with them, then a good night sleep with not so much pain in my ankle.
I've check and this bird is defiantly a Brolga.
The Tree of Knowledge stands in Barcaldine surrounded by a large box shaped frame protecting the branches of the large old Cabbage Gum tree. A group of protesting sheep shearer's, after the 1891 Shearer's strike for better conditions, founded the birth place of the Australian Labor Party under this tree in 1892.
Heading east tomorrow in the direction of Rockhampton.
Passing through this vast area on the Landsborough Hwy, surveyed by Major Mitchell Surveyor-General of NSW in 1846. The cranky Scotsman filled the position after Evans (of Blue mountains fame) died. Remembering the majority of Australia was NSW. He and his men spent more than 12 months exploring the unknown country looking for a great river flowing north/west.
He never found it, maybe its because its underground and I, have not found the Major Mitchell cockatoo.
Looking in the distance to the west where the water mirages begin and the trees are sparse, that far out place is where I would love to be.
Stopping at Tambo for the night in a caravan park for $25, simply because I can, specially due to my mangled ankle. Fell out of the motor home, missed the step, panicked thinking I had broken it, plenty of strapping, tight sock and shoe kept it in place, all is good.
And Wow! speaking to family on FB how amazing is that. I don't know how they did it but I was so grateful to hear their voices.
I don't often admit I miss them all but I defiantly do, thank you for the call girls.
At first sight, the town of Augathella was disappointing as my first stop at the garage/caravan park was where I asked the price for one powered overnight site and was told $30. A bit rich for me so continued on into the town find a spot to have lunch and I found it a small pretty town with a food store, a reasonably priced butcher, a lovely parking area and of course the local pub with free overnight parking to boot.
Out front of the butcher I met the local police officers young wife, her baby daughter and her Scottish mum. He being posted in this town for the next 3 years and being only 1 month since their arrival, we talked about how they would manage living in the outback after coming from the big smoke 'Brisbane'. Of course I can't remember any of their names and as usual my introduction to them was via Ruby as they have their own silky terrier. I found them very chatty especially the young wife, who'd resigned from the police force ending her own career to become a mum and to follow her husband. I've come away from this meeting with an open invitation for a cuppa and chat next time I'm through this way.
I asked another local, a retired shearer what was grown on the properties around here, use to be Sorghum! was the answer, for cattle feed, some tree forestry further back toward Morven but mostly cattle farming has taken over these days.
Here's a layed back Augathella local, he didn't move an inch while Ruby and I circled the truck while taking photos of him.
There are plenty of like minded people out here, everywhere I go people are so friendly and willing to take the time talk about their travel experiences, direction headed, their home town and best places to stay, pretty much anything goes as long as your willing to stop, sit and talk awhile. I went for a tinkle at the loo and it took me 1 hour to return the my camp.
Graham and Marg (Butter) whom I've mentioned before, are traveling with their dog 'Buddy' a long haired terrier who has terminal cancer, he is on his last trip to the bush giving him as much freedom as possible to emulate his younger days, the best time ever for him. Then later, I learn Marg also is battling breast cancer and is in remission. Just the loveliest couple to spend time with, Marge was a crochet learner as well as Anne, so she, Anne and I sat around the camp fire most of the day exchanging ideas on how to achiever some new stitches for crochet.
I quickly have to mention George (the Generator man) It begs understanding why someone would park their caravan no more that 6 mtrs away from the gathering place (the large fire pit) and run the genny for 6 plus hours every day. The mind boggles.
The lovely Anne and Allan consistently offered to pick up items for me from the shop, simply because when they were looking for a powered site I pointed out an available power point that they didn't see. They had a lovely fire made from a Tooheys beer keg and I was welcomed to share it also.
I met a couple who live very near, a few streets away form my Uncle Dick and Aunty Beth in Cudmirra, Sussex Inlet, they new exactly which house I was referring, on a corner across the road from the park and beach.
And how about Ziggy and Lou (Lindee) talk about have a chat! that's Lou for sure and helpful! they offered me their double up connection tap and refused my offer of $10 for it. The next day I was watching Ziggy solder some alligator clips and wire together and asked him what he thought of the wires I have hanging from a 12v plug that's not connected to anything, he promptly checked it out and offered to solder the wires to the house battery. I'm happy to report that the 12v plug now is in great working order, thank you Ziggy.
Catching part of a discussion between these two men (Ziggy seated right) I learnt they both are Vietnam vets. I love you guys......for what you had to do.
In a small country town Ziggy had come across the tank that he was deployed in as a gunner. Lou said "when we came across it (the name of the tank escaped me, it had a girls name of course) I tried my very best to rap my arms around it to hug the tank"
I'm sure Lou was possibly thanking it for keeping her beloved Ziggy safe.
Being the happy person Lou is, nothing surprises.....she came out of her caravan with their mascot/travelling companion which is a hand puppet monkey called Jimmy, he has been traveling with them for 20 plus years. Also Lou is an avid crocheter and shares with her friend, a facebook page called Crochet and Craft with Maggie. A very interesting site with a multitude of patterns available, Lou has also added many stitches that she has made up herself to achieve a variety of textures and patterns. I had a wonderful afternoon of instruction and chatter.
Opps! forgot to mention Ruby taking off after a mob of Kangaroo's.
The Australian Silky Terrier was bred for rat catching, Ruby might have thought she'd come across a very large species of rat?
She spotted them, got their scent and began to give chase, Stupid me! not thinking where we were I said...go!...but straight away when I noticed how much speed she got up and was racing away, disappearing into the scrub, that I shouldn't have said that.
The wind was blowing toward me so she couldn't hear me calling for her to stop. I could see the large mob of Roo's bounding off with her close behind them, then I thought, what if they turn and attack her. As time passed I started to wonder if I would ever see her again, the scrub is so vast, thick with dead wood and full of low bushes that she blended into the earthy colours really quickly.
I didn't show panic on the outside, didn't want to show my new bestie (Anne) that I was about to fall apart, kept it under control until I seen a small brown fluff ball, panting madly, picking her way through the bindys, nettles and burr's. She was gone for what seemed a long time but was probably only about10 minutes. I picked her up and carried her back for a long cool drink and the removal of burr's from her paws and fur. I also lost my jacket that was tied around my waist, somewhere out there too!
A hard lesson learnt, never to say "Go" in the scrub to my little rat chaser.
90km down the track from Charleville we pull into Wyandra, a very small town with a pub and a corner store attached to a small caravan park with fees of $20 per night. We opt to enter the pub and was greeted by patrons singing the praises of the $11 lamb roast which we promptly ordered for lunch. These lovely people were staying at the free camp ground two streets away and of course after lunch we headed there to set up camp. There is a great fire here continually burning, the publican replenishes a massive pile of old fence posts to keep it stoked up, a dump point is nearby, a solar shower if you're happy with tepid water, a good sized clothes line and the best TV reception so far.
Parked almost in the middle of the camp area, we're exposed to the wind in all directions, we were parked there for a couple days until Nicki decided she wanted to head straight for home. By her few comments I knew that she didn't think this trip had turned out as she thought, we have very different ideas about travelling in the outback. I felt the pressure of making all the decisions and that didn't sit well with me either, anyway I still have around 6 weeks of play time so I've stayed on to make the best of my stay in outback Queensland. Loving it so much.
I've set up a new spot around the other side that's protected from the wind and in a position to catch all the beautiful sunsets from my motor home. I was out trying for a milky way shot one night when I caught this one, the campers had just thrown another log on the fire at about 9.30pm. The stars are brilliant right now but won't be long before the moon fades them.
A pretty morning sun rise and then Anne arrives and parks kind of in the same area, a lone traveler like me we hit it off really well from the start. We had some things in common.
Anne learnt to Crochet not too long ago, started with a square and now calls it her tarpaulin. I figure she just doesn't know how to end it.
In her working life she was employed by the Central Coast Labour Party (wont hold that against her) and became redundant when the money scandal axed politicians.
We did a long walk to find the Warrigo River and wow! what a fabulous spot to camp if only the ground was a little dryer and so close to the river bank, beautiful gum trees and plenty of bird life.
We walked to the museum one day and the next walked to the pub for dinner and beer (one Hahn premium light for me)
A lovely couple, Graham and Marg (nick name Butter) stopped for a few days before heading to Yowah via Cunnamulla and Eulo after hearing from another couple that there are little huts there like the ones on the beach in Victoria, the difference being they have a Artesian bath in each and are without a roof.
Imagine soaking in a hot tub and looking at the stars at the same time in the middle of nowhere. I seriously considered following them but checked the weather first, with the temp being lower than 18deg over the next week, I promptly declined.
Arriving at Charleville mid morning Nicki speaks to the repair man, arranging for a meeting at about 5pm at the Cobb and Co caravan park on the outskirts of town for the replacement part to the door to be installed. Later, visited the Information Centre/ Cosmos Observatory to book in for the "Aboriginal Night Sky Stories" at 6pm. From there we find the Cobb & Co caravan park and book in for one night, paying $22 each for a non powered site...a bit rich I thought....but is close to the home of the repairman. I ordered a taxi for a return trip from the night sky stories, figuring it would be nice to be a passenger for a change. And there you go again...things just don't work out how you think sometimes.
Another part of Nick's door falls off, bugger! and the repairman was running a little late, I panicked and cancelled the taxi, it turned out we would have had minutes to spare of its arrival.
The door handle all fixed and Nicki happy, I drove the van out to the Observatory for the hour of night sky stories, leaving poor Harry alone in Nicki's van, not really, he was very happy to wait in a warm bed. Ruby got to come with us for the ride.
Needing the focus on the dark sky's and not the stars, looking from the Coal Sack just below the southern cross, that really dark spot is the head of a dream time Warrior and following the dark to the right is his shoulders/arms and the Coal Sack is also the head of the emu with the dark areas flowing to the left of the cross is its body and legs. When the legs disappear at a certain time of year, the male emu is then sitting on eggs and is the time to collect only 2 eggs from a possible 6.
At the information Centre our inquiries were made regarding the road through Quilpi and Cunnamulla to the Dig Tree as these are the two ways to arrive at this destination from Charleville. This being the 'Natural Sciences Loop' covering towns like Eromanga, Noccundra, Thargomindah, and Eulo, would be an interesting trip no matter which way we went.
Luck would have it that there was a big burly police officer with brass on his shoulders visiting the centre, he told us the road had been closed near Eulo about 60ks west of Cunnamulla due to run off and flooding of the Paroo river and Yowah Creek. He also said moving off any of the roads to give way to the trucks would be dangerously muddy. Mmm...I feel a trip change coming on here and have to admit I wasn't happy, I tried really hard to suck it in, though I felt like spitting chips!! Bugger...
The next morning we halted for cuppa and cake for morning tea in the main street of Charleville after Nicki had another problem, the swap and go this time, the new bottle was larger than the last and the holding strap wouldn't fit around to secure it. I think Nicki felt a bit over it and I also gave in to the Universe telling us to turn around and go south on our return journey home. A quick discussion was had and we were out of town travelling toward Cunnamulla.
