Brolga Dancing

Wednesday 30^th May Longreach – Winton- Boulia

Left Longreach and headed for Winton. Stopped there for coffee and lunch before heading west to Boulia. We were going to stop at Middleton (Hilton Hotel) but it was too early and a few people had the choice spots so we continued west. The country is in great condition. The grass is high. There were hundreds of Black Shouldered Kites along the way. At one waterhole, we must have seen several hundred in one flock. We ended up camping about 80km east of Boulia at a roadside stop. The clouds were brewing and the wind was blowing!!! The trailer tents were certainly tested during the night. Pat didn’t get much sleep.

Thursday 31^st May Boulia.

We rose about 7.30 AM, packed up the campers and headed for Boulia. Saw several groups of Brolgas alongside the road.  We had breakfast at the Min-Min Centre before setting up camp in the caravan park. It is on banks of the Bourke River (named by Bourke of Bourke and Wills). There are thousands of corellas alongside the river. I have never seen so many in one group. The noise is unbelievable and they are just stripping the gum trees. Under the trees is a carpet of leaves stripped from the trees. Behind the school is a sacred Waddi tree. They are extremely rare now and found around here and around Birdsville. The wood is extremely hard and the aboriginal people used it for nulla nullas etc. The  graziers used its wood for fence posts. Once it is dry, it will blunt your chain saw.

Monday 28th May Jericho to Longreach via Barcaldine. Our first stop today was at Barcaldine, Pop. 1800 and home of the Tree of Knowledge and the beginnings of the Labor Party. The Masonic Temple is interesting as it is constructed from corrugated iron. The Anglican Church has some beautiful stained glass windows. There is also an “Australian Worker’s Heritage Centre” but we had visited it before so after a great coffee break at a local café, we headed to Longreach. I was beside myself as the sky was full of hawks. We counted thirty in one group. I could not stop to take a photo as the road was narrow, hilly and the verge was very wet from the recent rains. I have never seen so kmany raptors in all my travels. They were feeding on road kill. Arrived in Longreach in time for lunch. Decided to camp in the caravan park as there were 60 camped at the river site the night before. Late in the afternoon, three brolgas came wandering through the camp site. Tuesday 29th May Longreach Today is cleaning, washing and shopping day and rationalising our packing etc. Was a cold night and the wind is blowing across the plains. The Boeing 747 that is at the QANTAS museum is sinking into the ground so at the moment, they are trying to lift it so that the structure underneath can be re-enforced. Managed to get a card reader so will now be able to add photos to the post.

Jericho on Jordon Creek

Sunday 27th May After a night at Anakie, we slept in and did not leave until 11 AM. Pat & Allan were deviating and going to Blackall but decided not to do this so today we drove to Jericho. Found a great camp site on the banks of the Jordon Creek. We were told when we had set up camp that this area was covered with water yesterday. A local told us that it had poured for 2 days. En-route we passed over the Drummond Range (553 m) and then Great Dividing Range 434 m before heading to the plains. This area was explored by Major Mitchell in 1836. We were in early today so it gave us time to sort our a few issues with our set-up. Allan drives in in one direction and we drive in the other. When we set up camp, our vans open towards each other and so it makes out camp site nice and secluded. Tomorrow we set out for Longreach where we will stay for 2 days to rationalize our load before we set out for Boulia.

Saturday 26 th May Anakie What a cold night. Woke up at 10PM and was shivering it was so cold. Finally got myself warm and then slept well. Pat woke me about 7am. The clouds had cleared so we were able to have a quick brekkie, then packed up. Getting faster by the day! So happy we did not have to do so in the rain. Our first stop was Theodore, then Moura for a cuppa before lunch at Rollerston. On then to Emerald but no room at the inn!!! The caravans and campers were packed into the free camping spots by the river but we could not get into the paid parks either so we headed further west to Anakie. The park is small but filled with hundreds of lorikeets and galahs. Had dinner at the pub which is nearby before heading back to snuggle up in the van before the temperature plummets. Sorry there are no photos yet. Forgot my download so will have to wait for Longreach for a new one.

Gibb River Road Trip 2012

Gibb River Trip Wednesday 23 rd May 2012 After many trials and tribulations, Jo & I finally left Brisbane bound for Hervey Bay to meet up with Pat & Allan. We need to thank Peter his patience and for all he did to assist Jo to get the camper trailer ready. Left Brisbane at mid-day and were in Hervey Bay by 4.30PM. It was then off to the shops to purchase the supplies that we needed for the first 4/5 days. Thursday 24th Hervey Bay to Cracow. Both campers were ready by 9.30 and we set off with “Bruce, the Goose” leading the “Little Black Ducks”. Went through Maryborough, to Biggenden where we stopped at the local butchers for meat. Seemed to be a great butcher’s shop and we got a bag of oranges as a gift with our meat. There was also a great Coffee Shop where we had the best lemon tea cake!!!! Off then to Gayndah for lunch. Arrived at Cracow at 3.30 and set up camp in a park opposite Brophy’s (of boxing troupe fame) Pub. It started to rain as we were setting up but was only light. Went to the pub for tea. It is filled with memorabilia of the grand old days of the gold mining boom. Friday 25 th May – Cracow Allan allowed us a rest day today so that we could re-organise and rationalise our gear. It has been raining on and off all day. We did a walk around the town to look at all the old deserted buildings. This is the last gold mining boom town in Australia’s gold history. Mining waned during the war and many businesses left town and it has gradually lost the population. At the peak, there were over 20 000 people living here. Off to Emerald tomorrow.