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.