Wyandra

29th May 2024

Distance: 409 Km

Fuel: 26 L

Another slow start to the day though I was up at 6am for my shower but just took my time getting ready to leave. The trip is really coming to an end with only a few days before I get home.

Just to see if it improves my fuel economy I decided not to exceed 100kph today.

My first stop was in Augathella I don’t know why but I always call in. This time I bought a coffee and some fuel.

My only other stop was at the Angellala Bridge Explosion site. Unfortunately today the sun was just too bright and badly positioned to take decent photos.

The rest of the drive was through a variety of countryside if a little flat (but that is Central Queensland).

I did also pass through the Dog Fence.

Arrived at Wyandra at about 1.30pm, just a small caravan park behind the local PO/store but nice enough.

Blackall

28th May 2024

Distance: 415 Km

Fuel: 50 L

After breakfast I drove into Winton to get bread from the local bakery, they had fresh sliced wholemeal loaves which looked very nice and cost only a little more than Woollies own brand so I was pleased with that.

Set off about 8am for a reasonable drive to Blackall.

Stopped briefly in Longreach for a short rest at the Qantas Museum, didn’t go in, have been a couple of times before and the display never changes so took a photo of the planes outside (no better than HARS in Shellharbour.

Next stop was Ilfracombe and their Machinery Mile, they keep the display nicely painted – no rusting hulks.

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Drove through Barcaldine but drew a line at the seeing the Tree of Knowledge, the founding place of the Australian Labor Party, the road south turned off before you got there.

Arrived in Blackall about 1.30pm, soon found the caravan park and checked in before going on a tour of the town and buying fuel. Another town I had forgotten I have stayed at in the past.

Winton

27th May 2024

Distance: 362 Km

Fuel: 41 L

Woke up late this morning, didn’t matter it was still dark until after 7am. Had my usual shower and breakfast then at about 7.30am drove to the local IGA to get bread and milk. Got the last lite milk in the fridge but there was no wholemeal bread so gave it a miss.

No big rush to leave as Winton is less than four hours drive away. Notice that the road to Julia Creek is still labelled “Caution” fortunately we are not going that way.

Pleasant enough drive, not much traffic, most of it going the other way.

Disturbed a Wedgetail Eagle on the road. They’re a big bird.

Made a couple of stops on the way to stretch my legs.

Arrived at the caravan park just before 1pm.

After setting up drove into Winton for fuel and a walk around, walked past a grog shop so bought a six pack.

I have always liked the Queenslander house on stilts, even the modern ones

Cloncurry

26th May 2024

Distance: 331 Km

Fuel: 40 L

Was up at 6am as usual but after a shower got back in the camper until it got light about an hour later.

Today’s drive was through quite hilly country and involved a lot of getting stuck behind road trains on winding roads. It didn’t really matter as it was a relatively short drive anyway but the hills played havoc with my fuel economy.

Arrived in Cloncurry just after midday and checked into the caravan park, every site is a drive through.

Went for a drive after setting up, Chinaman’s Dam sounded promising, just outside town and for families and the fishing and boating crowd it probably was. It even had a large children’s playground. Unfortunately it also had lice!

Had a quick look round town, it was very quiet (after all it is Sunday) but I did fill up with fuel.

When I got back to the caravan park I discovered that my chair had broken – basically a bolt had fallen out, I searched the ground carefully and found all the bits except the nut. In a stroke of luck I later found the nut inside the back of the car and was able to repair the chair completely – so lucky.

Turning East

25th May 2024

Distance: 592 Km

Fuel: 68 L

I think that the Renner Springs Roadhouse is the worst caravan park I have ever stayed at. I am sure there are showers with hot water but I couldn’t find one. Could not wait to leave so packed up as quickly as possible, had breakfast, a cold shower and was on my way by 7.30am.

My first stop was at the John Flynn Memorial (founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service) just a short distance from the turn off toward Mount Isa.

I waited until I had completed 200km before finding a rest area to stretch my legs and empty the 20 litres of fuel that I was carrying into the fuel tank. This meant that I had a nearly full tank to get me to Camooweal without refuelling.

The road itself was in a very poor state after the summer floods with some sections full of pot holes and even whole sections of roadway missing (replaced with gravel)

For the first time on my travels I didn’t stop at Three Ways however did stop at the Barkly Homestead which has had a facelift since I was last there but not for fuel only for a snack and a rest.

The road from the homestead onward was much better and very easy driving and I arrived at Camooweal Roadhouse just after 2pm having entered Queensland a dozen kilometres before and gained the final half hour to be back on AEST.

Booked in to the Roadhouse and set up my camper, rang a caravan park in Cloncurry to book for tomorrow night before having a lovely warm shower and settling down for the afternoon and evening. Filled up with fuel while I was at it, not cheap at $2.23/L but much cheaper than Barkly Homestead or any of the roadhouses on the Stuart Highway.

Today should be the last really long drive of my trip unless I decide NSW is too cold and do a long dash home.

Heading South

24th May 2024

Distance: 525 Km

Fuel: 59 L

Today was spent driving south down the Stuart Highway, it is a long road between Darwin and Adelaide, in the NT some of it has no speed limit at all and most of the rest is 130kph. I didn’t go that fast – sticking to about 104/5kph or 110kph according to my speedo.

In one place I came across a grass fire, not sure if it was a controlled burn but there was a small truck in attendance.

The rest of the drive was through pleasant countryside.

Stopped for fuel at Daly Waters Roadhouse.

Roadhouses are busy places, they might be the only services for hundreds of kms, selling not only fuel but food and groceries as well as usually having a bar. Resting places for road train drivers.

Passed the turn off for the famous Barkly Stock Route.

Also made a couple of rest breaks, one at this memorial to Sir Charles Todd and the inland telegraph which joined Australia to the rest of .the world via Darwin.

When I arrived at Renner Springs they had no powered sites left so took an unpowered one. Not a very well appointed roadhouse to be honest, probably been as well off in a rest area but it is only for one night.

Katherine Gorge

23rd May 2024

Distance: 75 Km

Fuel: 39 L

Had only a couple of projects today but set out early to avoid the heat of the day.

Katherine Gorge is about 26km from the caravan park so that was where I headed first, I have been here before about seven years ago.

These days there is a charge to enter the National Park and they have constructed a lot of infrastructure including a brand new visitor centre and paths with railings. The boat cruises up the gorge are still there but I am not a fan of boat cruises, even the best ones last far too long, I just wanted to climb up the gorge like I did last time. The route is now a created path with a handrail the whole way, it was great for me but perhaps not as much fun as before but you cannot complain about the views.

After returning from the gorge I drove straight into Katherine for fuel and bread – that was my day apart from a brief stop at the Katherine School of the Air. I could not see the sign for tours so perhaps they no longer do them?

Katherine

22nd May 2024

Distance: 309 Km

Once again not far to drive today, just under 300km to cover.

Stopped a couple of times after leaving Timber Creek.

At one stop was a massive rock as a memorial to the opening of the Bentine Highway.

Arrived at the Caravan Park at about 12.30pm I was able to use the credit note I received last September when I was forced to cancel the trip to Alice Springs because of the bushfires closing the Stuart and Barkly Highways.

After settling in drove to the Katherine Woolworths to top up some supplies.

Timber Creek

21st May 2024

Distance: 343 Km

Fuel: 43 L

Not a great distance to travel today but moving from one time zone to another means that our arrival time will be 1.5 hours later.

Set off about 8.30 (ish) but stopped to view The Grotto just 35 km outside Wyndham. At the bottom is a swimming hole where it is safe to swim (ie no crocodiles). Too many steps for me so I admired it from above.

The second stop was at Kununurra where I stopped for fuel and filled up my empty container.

The journey from Wyndham to Timber Creek was through different types of countryside. Once I entered the Northern territory the speed limit became 130kph abut I just upped my speed to about 105kph (in WA anyone towing a trailer is limited to 100kph).

At about 1.30pm arrived at Timber Creek Roadhouse where I filled up with expensive fuel and booked a powered site. The creek at the rear of the park has Freshwater crocs in it though I didn’t see any until..

The Roadhouse has a show of feeding the Freshwater Crocs at 5pm three times a week so I went along. I had seen this last time I visited and quite enjoyed it. Unfortunately the spectacle has been lost somewhat, previously you were on the bridge looking down at the action whereas this time everybody was kept behind a rope barrier, in the end I just wandered off before it was finished.

Wyndham–Out and About

20th May 2024

Distance: 32 Km

Fuel: 41 L

It is light before 6am and I was up with the dawn. First job was to wash my dirty clothes, have got into the habit of doing this regularly rather than letting it build up. Followed this up with Weetbix and coffee for breakfast after a shower.

Was on the road early while it was lovely and cool, first stop a lookout over locking the town and the port. These town lookouts seem to be a happy accident a result of another need. In this case it seems to be a water tower and a communications tower but the town has ended up with a grand tourist asset.

After spending some time admiring the view and enjoying the winding road to get there I returned through the town to the old town and the port. It must be a pretty important port the whole area is a working port with a security status. I only drove where I was allowed but it was very interesting.

Then it was time to visit the Supermarket for a few odds and ends before going to the Big Croc at the entrance to the town. It was made by students at the local TAFE out of wire and concrete.

Filled up with fuel for tomorrow at the only outlet in town, it closes early afternoon. Was pleasantly surprised at the price of $2.08/L.

Late afternoon dismantled the gazebo ready for leaving tomorrow and had a shower before making some dinner.

It was pleasant and relaxing day.