On to Springsure

1st May 2025

Distance: 414 km

Fuel: 45 L

Surat to Springsure

A fine morning with a light dew (handy for cleaning windscreens). Not going to wait around this morning as I would like to drive over 400km.

Had the usual shower, made myself coffee and porridge before starting to pack up. Was worried about where to hand in the key because the pub doesn’t open until much later. Turns out the coffee shop takes them.

Set off about 8.30 after visiting the coffee shop, depositing the key and buying a flat white to take with me. Surat is a typical small town.

I had originally intended to stop at Rolleston but aiming for Springsure got me 70km closer to Barcaldine, my next stop.

Lots of minor roadworks repairing flood damage (that’s what it looked like to me) but otherwise mostly smooth sailing through a variety of scenery.

Springsure Roadhouse is one of those places offering everything for the traveller, as roadhouses go it is very small but it has fuel, accommodation, food and snacks.

The facilities were looking a bit tired but for the price they charged they were more than adequate.

I’m in Queensland Now

30th April 2025

Distance: 341 Km

Fuel: 37 L

Lightning Ridge to Surat

No rush to leave this morning so had leisurely shower then sat around before eating breakfast.

I think I have cured a problem with one of the indicators on the camper. Simple job – just slightly spread the pin on the connector. Unfortunately this change of routine led to a bad mistake, I left the support wheel down – usually do a walk round before I drive off but because of this change to routine I didn’t, fortunately only went a few metres before a clanking noise from the tow bar mount made me stop to investigate.

Easy drive in lovely weather, it is only about 60km from lighting Ridge to the Queensland border.

Used the heavy vehicle route to bypass St George.

No hold ups other than for a roadworks which only took a few minutes. Still lots of water lying about in the paddocks either side of the road but no major road damage that I saw. It was nice to see the road condition signs all green.

Stopped several times to stretch my legs and make tea,

Found the caravan park easy enough but not the pub that owned and ran it, they had given me a site number on the phone so set myself up then drove to get fuel and discovered the pub opposite the servo. After visiting them, paying and receiving the facilities key, left the car and walked around town, it is a small place so it didn’t take long.

Bourke

19th September 2024

Distance: 364 Km

Fuel: 68 L

Was up at 6am this morning, it was cool but not too bad – that Antarctic blast seems to be behind us now, once the sun is up the day warms up rapidly.

Am basically on the way home following a route I have travelled many times before – most recently in May.

Set off just after 8am for an uneventful drive to Cunnamulla where I filled up with fuel. Just as I was entering the town an Emu with her chicks strolled across the road.

Some time after 10am stopped at a rest area where I got my stove out to make a cup of tea.

I wondered why there were so many birds flying about in an agitated state. It was only when I looked up and realised the shelters were their home, the roof full of mud nests.

It was a pretty straightforward journey, I arrived in Bourke about 1pm and soon found the Mitchel Caravan Park.

Decided not to venture out of the park except for fuel.

Wyandra

18th September 2024

Distance: 287 Km

It was cold last night, according to BOM it was zero degrees though my camper stayed several degrees higher than that. I was lovely and warm in bed but I turned on my little electric heater before I got up just to take the chill out of the air. The sun soon warmed the place up and just after 7am was back to a T shirt.

Went for a walk along the river bank and back to the caravan park via a dirt road just for the exercise, no rush this morning only a three hour drive to Wyandra.

Passed the site of the Angellala Bridge explosion but didn’t stop this time.

Stopped about half way at a nice rest area and used my little stove to make some coffee and have a sandwich. Surprisingly I had it all to myself. As I left a passenger train came along the track beside the road, I wouldn’t be surprised if Queensland has more rural passenger services than NSW. I over took the train a little way further on.

I arrived at Wyandra about 1pm and checked in, I knew I had been here before but I could not remember it until I drove up. It’s a General Store/Post Office type of place in a very small town. The small caravan park is behind, they only charge $20 for a powered site and while the sites are fine the facilities are clean if rudimentary but good value.

I drove down to the sign posted “The Beach” just for a look.

If I have a complaint about the caravan park it is that there is little shade so I set up my new awning for the first time. It was a bit of a farce but eventually worked out how it went, it is a bit crude but as it cost under $200 including a side wall I can’t complain. If I use it a lot I will replace it with a better one but it did the job I bought it for – Didn’t try the sidewall.

The facilities are basic but clean and functional.

There is no fuel here but will buy fuel in Cunnamulla tomorrow on my way to Bourke.

Around Mitchell

17th September 2024

Distance: 96 Km

Fuel: 57 L

Was up at my usual time. After a shower decided to wash my dirty clothes as the day promised to be quite warm. In fact by 9am the day was already warm despite the night being near freezing.

Drove the 7km to Arrest Creek where the Kenniff brothers were arrested are killing two policemen. They are claimed to be the last Australian Bushrangers.

On the way back noticed a single bushranger in the same style as the sculpture at Arrest Creek.

Next drove to the camp site of Thomas Mitchell the surveyor trying to find an overland route to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It was actually about 35 km outside town along a mostly single lane road with a couple of kilometres of dirt road to the actual site.

Filled up with fuel for tomorrow once back in town, then called into the local bakery for their s lunch special of a “pork and gravy roll with chips”. I quite enjoyed it.

Mitchell is a nice little town though the number of vacant shops along the main street show that it is not experiencing the best of times.

The river reached a record level in 2012 flooding the town.

Mitchell

16th September 2024

Distance: 461 Km

The blustery winds that I feared would keep me awake last night subsided by 8pm so while it was a cold night it was a quiet night. I made a hot water bottle because it was so cold. It is not that my bed is too cold but the hot water bottle warms it up quickly.

This morning had my shower at 6am and my porridge just after 7am, it doesn’t take long to pack up so I was on the road by a few minutes after 8am.

I had planned to stop several times on the way but some times plans just don’t work out, for example in St George every vacant spot seemed to have a caravan parked in it.

Did stop at Thallon for a decent break and chance to look at their Silo Mural.

The road between St George is a “B” road and rest areas are few and far between, it wasn’t a bad road for probably three quarters of its length but toward the Mitchell end there were a lot of single lane sections where passing traffic has to put near side wheels in the dirt.

The Major Mitchell Caravan Park was easy to find on the outskirts of town and I soon had my spot, initially she offered me a ensuite site which I knocked back, it retrospect I should have taken it as it was only $5 more than an ordinary site.

Once set up I wandered down to the river.

As it was still only mid afternoon drove into town, noticed a tyre place so went in and asked if they could balance the front wheels today as it happened they could so I left the car and walked down to the spa centre for coffee and cake. These hot spas are common over the Great Artesian Basin.

Back at the caravan park tried to plan my next move, was somewhat shocked to find that parks in Cunnamulla are charging $61 a night, I think that is ridiculous so am still not sure where to go next.

I read my book for a while before making myself some dinner, might watch a movie tonight, still haven’t bothered to set up the aerial so TV News is out.

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.