11th May 2018–Charleville

Distance: 419 Km
Fuel: 49 L

Not in any great rush this morning and also not entirely sure where I will stop for the night. Three possibilities: Augathella, Charleville or Morven but it really depends on time or mood.

What a difference a day makes – yesterday it was 31’C today it is 23’C and feels quite chilly. It is not helped by a wind which, while not strong, is definitely moving the trees and grass, can’t say it was very cold but felt cool after the extended Indian Summer we have been having. The sky was as cloudless as ever with no chance of rain.

Didn’t stop in Blackall on the way through, made a short stop in a rest area just to walk about and stretch the legs, the scenery is very dry but beautiful in an Aussie yellow/brown and grey/green way – I just love the vastness of it all.

Augathella

Turned off the highway into Augathella. This is the town where the author of the Smiley stories drew his inspiration. Descendants of the boy that Smiley was based on still live in the area. I have never read any of the books myself but I remember seeing the films as a child.

The town also has a footie team called The Meat Ants.

I spent a little while looking around after having coffee in the Smiley Cafe (part of the pub really).

Made the decision to drive on to Charleville and stay a couple of nights there. So I continued on the extra 70km or so to a caravan park near the edge of town and made some plans for tomorrow.

A road train video for your amusement:

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10th May 2018–A Day Trip to Muttaburra

Distance: 318 Km
Fuel: 41 L

A trip to the geographic centre of Queensland (give or take), a little town called Muttaburra where a fossil of a new specie of dinosaur was discovered – the Muttaburrasaurus.

It is one of those places that you have to visit once, unfortunately they had not made the most of their namesake though they are trying to catch up.

The town is about 151km from Barcaldine so it is a fair way to go but this is the only sealed route.

Muttaburra

When I entered the town it was the archetypal Australian town with kangaroos hopping down the main street (yes, really).

A fibreglass model of the Muttaburrasaurus is housed in a new ‘Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre’. The interpretation will come in stage 2, at the moment it is just a rather odd building with a fibreglass statue.

The rest of the town was typical; wide empty streets with everybody at work.

Aramac Tram Museum

After looking around the centre of Queensland started on the return journey. Passing once again through the town of Aramac I just happened to see a small sign pointing to Aramac Tram Museum. I did a quick U turn to investigate.

The Tree of Knowledge

Back in Barcaldine no visit to the town would be complete without seeing the Tree of Knowledge. Unfortunately the tree was poisoned in 2006 and now only the dead trunk remains covered my a massive wooden structure that represents its original canopy.

It is not that long since I visited Barcaldine so I didn’t bother with its other attractions other than a walk round town however the railway station remains a working station.

For dinner I decided to have a steak at the place opposite the caravan park. So glad I did it was the best steak I have had for a long time.

The local water supply must be from the artesian bore because it is warm. I haven’t used the hot tap for a shower since I have been here, the temperature from the cold is perfect.

9th May 2018–On the Road to Barcaldine

Distance: 518 Km
Fuel: 46 L

Left ridiculously early because of a chain smoker in the next site, his smoke blowing constantly toward me.

It was a long day today, my original intention was to stop at Longreach or Ilfracombe but after I had visited the Longreach I decided to press on the extra 100km to Barcaldine because it makes my plans for tomorrow easier.

Driving south from Hughenden the country was quite different to the northern parts, it was open grassland with only occasional trees. The road paralleled a disused rail line.

Winton

First stop was Winton the home of Waltzing Matilda, or at least near where it was put to music. When I was here last the Waltzing Matilda Centre had just burnt down and was just a space in the streetscape but now a brand new building had been erected. Entry was an astounding $27.

To be honest it was a bit of a stretch to associate some of the contents with Banjo Paterson but they did – certainly a place you only need to visit once.

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Longreach

Next it was on to Longreach and the Qantas Founders Museum. There has always been a bit of a debate between Winton and Longreach as to where Qantas was actually founded but the latter has this museum.

There was a small exhibition about past adoption practices in Australia. Quite sad.

I didn’t visit the Stockman’s Hall of Fame because I have been before and unless you have a fetish for leather and old saddlery then you don’t need to visit twice.

It was 3pm when I left the Qantas place and I was in two minds whether to stay here or move on further however, as I said earlier, decided to press on to Barcaldine were I found a caravan park for a couple of nights.

After setting up drove the 1km into town for milk and beer. Opposite the caravan park is a steakhouse which I think I might visit tomorrow night.

8th May 2018–More Hughenden

Distance: 213 km
Fuel: 47 L

Today was a visit to Porcupine Gorge so I set off about 8.30am. After driving 20km I realised I had not brought my camera! Then after retracing 10km of that 20km I remembered the Olympus camera I carry in the glove box just for such eventualities. In the event I decided to return to the caravan park because I had also forgotten to clean the windscreen which was a mass of bug smears.

Jobs done I set off for a second time. The Tourist Information place had given me a sheet with information about interesting stops on the way so the journey of about 67km was broken up by many stops.

The first stop was Mt Beckford Sandalwood Hill where sandalwood was harvested for the Asian market. Unfortunately I couldn’t tell a Sandalwood tree from a metal post so that was that.

The Dingo Fence

My next stop was far more interesting – The Dingo Fence – or rather the remains of it. Sheep are no longer run in this area so the fence has fallen into disuse but the old wooden posts and wire have been incorporated into the newer property line.

Eaglehawk Gorge

This is actually the start of the Porcupine Gorge.

Unmarked Grave

Near the Eaglehawk Gorge was an unmarked grave the occupant is either a Chinaman making his way to or from the goldfields and who was run over by a dray OR is is an aboriginal girl called Minnie Waite who was either murdered or died of exposure trying to walk into Hughenden.

Mailman’s Grave and Bottle Ridge Lookout

I climbed this ridge. What a bugger! the track was hardly visible and rock strewn; and ideal place to break or twist an ankle. The ridge itself was no better a plateau of rocky ground but the view was pretty good.

The Mailman’s grave was a cross and a pile of rocks, he was murdered by the local Aboriginals and buried where he died.

The Whistling Bore

It didn’t whistle while I was there merely hummed at me. You can imagine the people who drilled it must have been annoyed when it didn’t produce water and merely whistled at them.

Porcupine Gorge

There were a couple of lookouts, the first overlooked the steepest walls.

The second overlooked the Pyramid and there was a rim walk plus a 1.1km walk down into the gorge itself. As it was nearly midday and the path looked rough I decided against going down, I think I might have done if it had gone down into the first part of the gorge but I decided against it.

Back in Hughenden

It was about 2pm by the time I returned to the town I bought fuel ($1.59/L) and I had thought of driving to Richmond but the price of fuel decided me against it.

I had a burger at FJ Holden’s Café, it was a very good burger (once I removed the inevitable beetroot)

Surveyors Stake and Coolabah Tree

Frederick Walker and Sir William Landsborough blazed this tree when they were searching for Burke and Wills. The surveyors peg marks the original point from which the area was surveyed.

7th May 2018–Hughenden

Distance: 284 km

Only about 250km to travel today so no rush to set off. Nowhere to stop on the way because today is a Queensland Labour Day public holiday so everything is shut. It was a pleasant drive under a cloudless sky

Stopped at White Mountain NP Lookout for the view and to stretch my legs.

Arrived in Hughenden at about midday, found the caravan park and checked in for a couple of nights. Because it was so early thought I might as well take the opportunity to wash my dirty clothes – didn’t need to but good opportunity.

Afterwards I went for a drive to look round the town.

Doing the Time Warp…

Big surprise – the Tourist Info and Dinosaur Museum is open. Hughenden was the site of the second discovery of a fossilised Muttaburrasaurus. The Museum was only $5 entry and the girl was most helpful – giving me brochures about the Gorge I want to visit tomorrow.

After the museum there is still plenty of daylight left so I took a drive to Mount Walker which is supposed to have 360’ views over the area. Once at the top you could believe that once the area was beneath the Eromanga Sea which stretched from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Lake Eyre in SA. The surrounding land is very flat. The sea existed during the Cretaceous Period when Australia was about to separate from Antarctica; a few years before Cook arrived.

On the return from the lookout came across a razorback that must have been run over by the local drunks.

Now it was nearly sunset so took a drive to a local Chinese Restaurant which seemed to be the only other place open in town. Bought a Chilli Squid and fried rice meal back to the caravan park to have with a beer. A nice end to an interesting day.

6th May 2018–Charters Towers (again)

Distance: 525 km
Fuel: 58 L

I had seriously thought about returning south via the coast ie Innisfail to Townsville but the combination of possible rain and the coastal traffic on a public holiday made me rethink the idea.

At the moment I am several days ahead of my schedule because I had allowed two stops between Charters Towers and Atherton in each direction. On previous journeys I have stopped at Undara Lava Tubes but on this occasion, while I did take a break at Mt Garnet on the way north and Greenvale on the way south, neither places have any great interest or reason to stop overnight.

Today’s trip was a long drive but I was listening to an audio book “The Handmaids Tale” which passed the time pleasantly enough and I always enjoy the bush winding passed.

Ravenshoe and its wind farm was its usual windy, soggy self:

…but the weather improved no end past Mt Garnet.

There are probably less than 10km of single lane road now on the whole of the Great Inland Way.

5th May 2018–To Herberton and Beyond…

Distance: 147 Km
Fuel: 47 L

Hou Wang Temple

At 9am arrived at the Old Atherton Post Office Art Gallery.

Visited the Chinatown exhibition first before being taken out to the Temple (built in 1903). It is made of wood clad in corrugated iron – the temple’s internal walls are Red Cedar as are the meeting rooms walls, the remaining walls are unlined iron walls so it must have boiled in summer especially the kitchen.

Interesting to compare the Fong On Rd as it was in 1912 and as it is now.

Herberton

Herberton was originally the major town in the area because of the mining activities, Atherton was just a staging post on the way.

Herberton has an historic village which I presume is like Old Sydney Town (as was). I didn’t go. I went to the Spy and Camera Museum which was very interesting. A collection originally started by a local who was a cold war spy now taken over by the local photographer.

Millaa Millaa

I had intended to have lunch at Millaa Millaa but instead when on the “Millaa Millaa Falls Drive’ which took in three of the local waterfalls – I didn’t go swimming.

Millaa Millaa Falls

Zillie Falls

Ellinjaa Falls

Nerada Tea Shop and Visitor Centre

I saw the sign as I neared Malanda so turned off and followed the back roads to the plantation. The tea looked very healthy but the Visitor Centre? Closed Saturday and Sunday… I shall be buying Bushells from now on.

Malanda

I had a late lunch in Malanda at the ‘Original’ Cafe. The coffee was fine, the chips were fine, the hamburger ordinary (and I had to pick the beetroot out).

Malanda Falls

These falls have been turned into the local swimming pool as well as a tourist attraction and they were very close to town.

Back in Atherton I filled up with fuel ready for tomorrow and returned late afternoon to the caravan park. On the way I came across the Atherton War Cemetery.

Yes, it did rain for about 5 minutes around midday today but after a cloudy morning it turned out to be a very enjoyable day.

Don’t forget that by clicking on an image you get to see that image full size.

4th May 2018–Atherton

Distance: 317 Km

Set off at about my usual time of 8.30am for a reasonably steady drive to Atherton – certainly no rush.

Stopped on the way to look at Black Mountain a rather odd old volcanic mountain of what appears to be a pile of rocks with little or nothing growing on it.

Also stopped once more at Coffee Works in Mareeba for their equivalent of a Strawberry Sundae (Strawberry Chilla). i also bought some of their mint chocolate. It was OK, as with coffee chocolate is not a particular favourite of mine so to me Cadbury chocolate tastes much the same at a fraction of the price.

Found the caravan park I selected, it was about 4km outside Atherton and I was tempted to have a look at the other ones. They charged $35 for a night which I think is getting excessive. The grounds were fine but the facilities need an upgrade, they are OK but that is all.

Drove into Atherton to have a look at the town; quite a busy but commonplace shopping centre. I went to have a look at an historic Chinese Temple but it closed at 1pm which seems a bit early to me. Will try to fit it in tomorrow.

At just after 5pm it started to get a bit chilly must be the altitude it was still over 21’ at the time but once the sun went down the temperature dropped noticeably and rapidly.

3rd May 2018–Around Cooktown

Distance:12 km
Fuel: 31 L

Went to the information office at the Cooktown Botanical Gardens before 9am basically to see when they were open. They weren’t open until 10am so went for a short drive down to Finch Bay for a stroll along the sands of this nearby bay.

Next stop the James Cook Museum to see the recovered anchor and a cannon (one of six) jettisoned when the HMB Endeavour ran aground on a reef in June 1770. They were only discovered in the 1970s.

The museum is housed in the original convent of The Sisters of Mercy who were evacuated inland during WWII and never returned.

Back to the Botanic Gardens information bureau to find out about boat or plane trips. Bad news! a cruise ship is arriving off the coast today and all the local boats are booked for that. They took my phone number in case of cancellation but I heard nothing back. Similar story with the helicopter flights I put my name down for any party that needed a single to make up the numbers, the organiser told me that they have few flights this early in the season but if they had one they would call.

Very disappointing but I want to go back to Atherton tomorrow because it is the best chance of good weather in that area.

Had the local fish and chips at the Captain Cook’s Landing Place Kiosk; to be honest the chips were fine but the fish was only so so. Actually I remember when I first came to northern Queensland in the mid/late 1960s I stopped buying fish because it seemed to be a different colour depending on where you bought it – anything from yellow to red to grey and many shades in between.

The weather was lovely today – sunshine most of the day, it rained for a few minutes early in the morning but then the clouds just vanished and soon the temperature was about 29’C. The humidity was pretty good too, higher than I am used to but with the sea breeze it very bearable – I would guess 60 to 70% perhaps? I enjoyed walking about the town.

The sunset was magnificent – the photo doesn’t even begin to cover it.

2nd May 2018–Cooktown

Distance: 285 kim

Mareeba

It must have rained during the night, the car and camper were quite wet. It can’t have been heavy rain because the top vent was fairly wide open and during heavy rain some water “bounces’” in but the bedding was completely dry.

The sky however was clear as the sun rose. When I went for a shower I noticed several hot air balloons floating nearby.

Didn’t leave until nearly 9am so I could go to Coffee Works for breakfast. Not exactly what I expected but the food was nice if expensive.

On the Road

The drive to Cooktown was through some interesting and varied scenery much hillier than previous Queensland landscapes with some very steep climbs and descents.

Early in the trip it actually rained a couple of times, not for long and not much, but the sky cleared and clouded over several times during the trip.

Cooktown

Arrived in Cooktown about 1pm so, after unhitching the camper and having a coffee, I set off to explore Cooktown.

Most of its attractions are near the water front (the Endeavour River). There was the wharf built for the Queen’s visit, the place where Captain Cook actually landed and repaired his ship after he ran into the Great Barrier Reef plus various statues and monuments.