Tag: Hughenden

Further North

3rd May 2025

Distance: 435 km

Fuel: 48 L

Barcaldine to Hughenden

After breakfast made a quick visit to the local supermarket to get milk and some tea bags.

Quite a long drive today, over 400km to Hughenden, going up the recently reopened Aramac to Torrens Creeks road. Set off in brilliant sunshine, turned toward the little town of Aramac – this town has a fascinating history with its own tramway and museum which I had visited on a previous occasion.

The weather was fine for the first 100km  or so but then dark clouds started gathering in the distance until spots of rain started to fall. I wish I had checked the forecast but I had assumed sunshine was the order of the day.

Barcaldine to HughendenBarcaldine to HughendenBarcaldine to HughendenBarcaldine to Hughenden

I  was a bit concerned on two counts the further north I got. Firstly it was single lane so one had to get off the road for road trains I worried about getting bogged as it had not been that long since the road was closed because of flooding. Secondly if it did really rain then it was possible that the road flooded again and I would be trapped. In the event neither happened even though it did rain very heavily and large puddles started to appear on the road and verge.

In fact the most northerly part of the road had only been sealed last year so it was two lanes wide which was terrific, none the less it was nice to get on to the main east west highway  heading for Hughenden.

After arriving at the caravan park and pleasantly surprised at the $27 a night rate, it was still raining so I sat in the car for about half an hour until the rain ceased. 

Put my new weather shield on the side of the camper so it may get a test tonight.

Hughenden

Drove into town to get fuel and look around, when I saw the FJ Holden Cafe I remembered being here before.

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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.

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Eaglehawk Gorge

This is actually the start of the Porcupine Gorge.

180508 004 Eaglehawk Gorge Near Hughenden180508 005 Eaglehawk Gorge Near Hughenden180508 006 Eaglehawk Gorge Near Hughenden180508 008 Eaglehawk Gorge Near Hughenden

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.

180508 009 Unnamed Grave Near Hughenden180508 011 Unnamed Grave Near 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.

180508 013 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden180508 015 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden180508 016 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden180508 019 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden180508 023 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden180508 024 Bottle Tree Ridge Near Hughenden

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

180508 029 Mailman Corbetts Grave Near Hughenden180508 030 Mailman Corbetts Grave Near Hughenden

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.

180508 060 Whistling Bore Near Hughenden180508 062 Whistling Bore Near Hughenden

Porcupine Gorge

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

180508 033 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 035 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 036 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 037 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 038 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 039 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 043 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 049 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden180508 057 Porcupine Gorge Near Hughenden

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.

180508 066 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 068 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 069 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 072 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 073 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 074 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 077 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden180508 078 Porcupine Gorge Pyramid Lookout Near Hughenden

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)

180508 090 F J Holden Cafe Hughenden Near Hughenden180508 087 F J Holden Cafe Hughenden Near Hughenden

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.

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