One night stands…

Since the last posting we have had a series of one nighters.  After leaving Kakadu we headed south to near Daly Waters then headed east.  The night was fast approaching when we decided to bush camp at a little place called Bullwaddy.  Very basic place, just off the road, there was water but not a lot else.  There were a couple of other happy campers there too.  The fridge decided to chuck a wobbly again, this time it was a blown fuse.  Mike did not have a spare, which is most unlike him, but a man in a motorhome near us had one so with many thanks to him the fridge was up and running again, and so were we.

From there we headed to Cape Crawford, which consists of not much more than a servo, pub and caravan park.  It is a hub though for some mines nearby.  In the afternoon we trotted off down the road, about 60 k’s to a place called Caranbirini where there are found the most incredible rock formation s.  They are a little like those found at the Bungles, beehive in shape.  There are lots of little pathways though the formations and it is not surprising that it was a favourite place of the aboriginals as it is very sheltered from the winds and from the heat.

Next morning we finally managed to do something we had planned since leaving home.  A helicopter flight out over the Lost City.  The flight was only 20 minutes long but it took us along the escarpment of Cape Crawford and out over even more incredible rock formations.  Unfortunately it is not possible to land there these days but it was still one of those WOW times. This country we live in is just so incredible, so beautiful and so inyaface.

From there we took off to Camooweal for yet another one nighter.  Then it was on to Cloncurry via Mt Isa.  What a forgettable place Cloncurry is.  We had the misfortune to arrive on a Sunday.  The place was empty, no one home.  We had planned on a night out at the RSL but on seeing the RSL we thought better of it.  The building had a lean to it, paint had peeled off the walls, grass was growing up the walls, it looked as though no one had been there for 50 years and the door was definitely shut.

Next day after yet another long, boring drive we stopped in Longreach for the night and finally had a night out at the RSL.  It’s a good town Longreach with plenty going for it – The Qantas Museum and The Stockmans Hall of Fame to name but a few attractions.  But we had paid those places a visit last year so we didn’t hang about the next day instead we took off early for Emerald.  Mind you the temperature that morning  when we got up was 3 degrees. We did notice that leaving Longreach the kangaroo problem was as bad as last year with a flattened roo about every 200 metres for about 20 k’s out of town.

Emerald, what can I say.  Who knew that was such a great tourist destination?  Well I guess it is school holidays and it is in the heart of the gemfields and like Mary and Joseph there was not a room to be had in the town.  So along with about 100 other vans, motorhomes and trailers we camped under the railway bridge.  No that is not a misprint – we really camped under the railway bridge and a great spot it was too.  Until the trains came along.  Up here in Queensland the coal trains have about 100 wagons and up to 3 locos.  You should hear one of those pass over the top of you.  At six o’clock at night it is not to bad but at 4am it is horrific.  The ground shakes for about 5 minutes before it arrives, the trailer shakes and your eardrums feel as though they will burst.  The places Mike takes me too, nothing but the best!!!

Now we are happily staying at Mulambin Beach which is just south of Yeppoon.  And it is very nice too and nowhere near a railway line, just mile upon mile of beaches and sunshine.  Bliss.

Tomorrow we are outta here again.  We are heading off down the road to Hervey Bay for one night, then Yamba for 2 nights and then Port Macquarie for another 2.  Then we will be home again.  We are so sad to be leaving the blue skies, sunshine and warm days behind. Whether we have time for another posting or not I don’t know.

But till whenever.