Home Sweet Home

1st June 2024

Distance: 382.6 Km

I had intended to leave early but in the event didn’t get going until about 7.30am, it was a cold, damp morning so I had a long hot shower before breakfast. I made a coffee to have in the car as I drove.

When I set off from Cowra it was very foggy but the fog suddenly disappeared almost instantly as I left the town.

In spite of the forecast it didn’t actually rain on my way home though it remained grey and overcast the whole time. An easy drive, most of it being on the Hume Highway and being a Saturday morning there was little traffic. I arrived home about midday.

Jobs

Got stuck straight into the task of emptying the car and camper of bedding, clothes etc that needed washing which will probably get done on Monday when a sunny day is predicted. Will empty the car of equipment on Sunday.

There are few minor jobs that need doing on the camper and I have a few ideas for improvements. I have ordered an awning for the side of the car even though I did enjoy the cover provided by my gazebo. The battery in the camper is suspect, I might replace it with an AGM battery – the one in the car is still going strong after 8 years of use.

The car is way overdue for a service!

I suspect that is probably the last long trip I undertake, in future will look at shorter trips of perhaps a few days or a maximum of a week to ten days. I like southern Queensland and there is a lot to explore in Victoria.

Trip Statistics

Distance travelled: 12,400 km

Fuel used: 1330 litres

Total accommodation: $1441

Total fuel: $2910

Average fuel price: $2.21/l

Fuel economy: 10.9 litres per 100km

Suddenly it’s Cold and Wet!

31st May 2024

Distance: 486 Km

Fuel: 57 L

Was woken at something like 3.30am by the sound of rain on the roof of the camper. Quickly got up and put my chair in the back of the car and closed the glass part of the outer door, once back inside the camper turned on the fans that drag air in from the kitchen part of the camper before going back to sleep.

In the morning it was still raining though not very heavily so went for my shower and slowly got ready to leave. A relatively long drive as I hoped to make Cowra by early/mid afternoon. Because of the rain I did look at making a beeline to home but it really was too far especially in such bad weather. Pulled up the plastic sheeting I keep under the mattress to protect against water getting past the door seals.

I don’t think it stopped raining entirely all day and the sky remained grey the whole time.

A couple of creeks/rivers that I crossed looked as if they were nearly at flood level but I didn’t actually encounter any flash floods at all.

Topped up with fuel at Nyngan where it was a surprising $1.91 a litre.

The caravan park, about 3 or 4 km outside Cowra, was very soggy but I suppose it doesn’t matter any more I should be home tomorrow. To be fair when I went to get fuel later there was a slight touch of blue sky in the distance (the forecast said that it won’t last – more rain tomorrow).

Back to NSW

30th May 2024

Distance: 457 Km

Fuel: 56 L

Was up at my usual 6am for a shower, breakfast etc. Slowly packed up my stuff, as always there was no rush and I ended up setting off just before 9am.

Pretty typical drive until Cunnamulla, as I was leaving the township I noticed the sign…

Did a quick mental calculation and realised that I would be cutting it a bit fine as I had already done about 300 km on this tank full. Did a quick U turn and drove back into the town to fill up with fuel.

The next landmark was leaving Queensland and entering NSW again.

Stopped again in Bourke for fuel (gave the Outback Centre etc a miss this time).

Funny thing was that for the first time on this trip actually felt tired while driving even though this was not an exceptionally long drive so stopped in a rest area and walked around for a bit to wake myself up.

Finally arrived at the small town of Byrock where the local pub has a caravan park in its back yard so booked a site for the night. Very much a bush setting with power points!

Looks like rain over the next couple of days, I must remember to check my waterproofing in the camper in the morning as BOM reckons it could be heavy.

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.

$Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$ $Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$ $Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$ $Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$ $Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$ $Machinery Mile Ilfracombe$

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?