Month: August 2021

Saturday, 21st August 2021.

By the way, 25 days to the 2nd AstraZeneca jab which will be the full 12 week wait. (!!??!)

Not a bad day but a bit overcast and I seem to recall rain predicted. Rain?

Here we are. Ingenia Holidays. (?) Used to be Woodlands Caravan Park, The address also used to be 548, Bruce Highway/ It has now been revised to … wait for it … 40,371 Bruce Highway? So how does that work? I googled it and the highway is 1679km long. It starts in Brisbane and ends at Cairns. Is the numbering clever or … errr … inadvisable? (stupid) Think about it. There is a building in Brisbane address, 1 Bruce highway. I don’t know what the last number is in Cairns but if this van park on the outskirts of Townsville is 40,371 and Townsville is about 80% of the way to Cairns, then that would put the numbers around 50,500. I picture a little home unit on the outskirts of Cairns being, Unit 3 / 50,497 Bruce Highway. Ridiculous.

I took this shot incase the ‘where are you this morning’ comes up on Everything Caravaning and Camping for the Saturday morning post.

We drove past the place where we are taking the van Tuesday. Doesn’t look big enough to receive or service the van. Will have to look into it Monday.

A drive through Townsville.  Admittedly, it is a quiet, Saturday afternoon, as well as overcast and dull. Having said that. Townsville just doesn’t do it for me. Sure, it is bigger and over crowded and that puts me off. But no. Not my town. I look forward to leaving. It doesn’t seem to have a soul. It is just a place.

The Highlight of the day. I spotted this gem.

A Trans Am! And after a google for details, a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 2 door Coupe. Don’t know what year but see details of the film below.

More specifically think of the 1977 film, ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ (googled photo)

We took a wrong turn on the way back to the park. This is some of the scenery. How exciting. Another highlight. Woolworth’s and the ‘Boozerama.’

Back at camp. Thank Goodness! It happens to be Beer O’Clock. The day is saved. A good chat about all sorts including human bladders. Ah-ha! I can sense you are interested. N.B.   The urinary bladder is a muscular sac in the pelvis, just above and behind the pubic bone. When empty, the bladder is about the size and shape of a pear. Urine is made in the kidneys and travels down two tubes called ureters to the bladder. The bladder stores urine, allowing urination to be infrequent and controlled. The bladder is lined by layers of muscle tissue that stretch to hold urine. The normal capacity of the bladder is 400-600 ml.  During urination, the bladder muscles squeeze, and two sphincters (valves) open to allow urine to flow out. Urine exits the bladder into the urethra, which carries urine out of the body. Because it passes through the penis, the urethra is longer in men (8 inches) than in women (1.5 inches).

Now isn’t that interesting?

It’s getting dark and cold. Yes. Cold. So home to van, for showers, Chicken schnitzel, mash, green beans and carrots. (and red grape juice.) Doing bugger all can be very tiring so we hit the sheets, very, very early. (8.30pm !!!)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Friday, 20th August 2021.

Another brilliant day. So it is decided we will go to Townsville for the following reasons….

1. The van is overdue for wheel bearings and brakes service.

2. The car could do with a wheel rotation, balance and alignment.

3. My watch buttons have stopped working and I am stuck on Central Standard Time but I am in EST zone. I want to know if it can be fixed by cleaning or has to be replaced.

4. An old associate from the rowing days lives here. We visited him on our way up the coast 25 years ago and will attempt to do the same.

5. We will be coming back south inland and so we should look at the coast and it’s changes from 25 years ago.

The road is exciting .

The excitement builds …

… and builds …

Now this is a little unfair on the road. I’ll check Anne’s camera. Ah ha! Hers are just a bit more ‘exciting.’

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We are at Igenia (or similar?) Caravan Park in the ‘burbs’ of the suburban sprawl that wasn’t here 25 years ago.

It is mainly a repair and maintenance stop but that doesn’t mean we can’t be good tourists either. It may marginally slow our northern advance but at least when we do go north, with not only more road worthy vehicles, both towing and towed, but I will be able to tell the time without having to add half an hour.

Now that’s all good news if not poor timing. We have done a ‘pay for three nights, get four’, thinking we can get all that done in the four days. Turns out the first two items being van and car can only be done on Tuesday morning, so we have to pull out at 7.30am to drop the van at 8am to drop the car at 8.30am and pick them up late morning. That means a lunchtime departure and a short first day north hop. Oh well. What must be, must be.

We once again pull into the space next to the Deegs Duo. At least we have some good company for four days. They will be staying longer and we will  cross paths again in the next month or so.

In the mean time, the dynamic couple Ken and Liz are well north and we are aiming to front up both in the very near future.

In the same mean time, Bruce and Girlie are heading north through South Australia and will have to make a decision very soon after looking at Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. They must decide which direction they go. Darwin have had a minor covid flare up. Tiny. But not ‘Tiny’ enough to stop the SA Govt panicking. Quaking in their boots, they have said that currently, if any South Aussie goes any further than Alice Springs, if they want to get back into SA, they will have to high ball is straight to Adelaide, stopping only for fuel and then isolate for 14 days. Mix that appreciating the N.T. is now in early build up and it is getting hotter and muggier, I can see where the shine could be going off Darwin, especially given the SA ultimatum.

As far as Queensland is concerned, the SA ultimatum personally sounds like crap to me. Three Ways where you turn right/east off the Stuart highway to Queensland is 1000km from Darwin and around 700km from the closest NT covid ‘mini flare up’ at Katherine. It don’t make sense brodder. Anyway, that is another decision for gallant traveller Bruce and Ms G his co-pilot.

We came into Queensland on the basis covid extent has been along parts of the coast and in limited intensity. We stay well away from those areas until they have been fixed and gone through the mandatory 14 day period. The rules change of course but if we can declare that we have not been in a hot spot in the last 14 days, we will be sweet. Absolute worst is we will have to quarantine for 14 days and I don’t mind kicking back for a couple of weeks in our van.

Anyway, all that hoo-ha considered, we did our Beer O’clock as usual with the Deeds Duo and all the other usual stuff except it was hamburgers for lunch so Pea and Ham soup and hot chips as a light meal. Tiring day.

zzzzzzzzzz   zzzzzzz   zzzzzzzzz     (But with a few funnies to lighten the load.)

 

The late and great George Carlin. The scary truth. They are out there and they breed …. and more than the top half.

He could have done this anytime except if he wanted the grand total to be $30.

 

Thursday, 19th August 2021.

Bit of a lie in but the planned time to become tourists is 9am. Good luck. About 9.08am we made it. Not bad given the participants. Now … Tourism!

Charters Towers is choc-a-block with fabulous old buildings. This is the Stock Exchange.

 

BY THE WAY, ANNE GOT HOLD OF THIS MY LITTLE CAMERA AND MOST OF THE SHOTS SHOULD BE ACCREDITED TO HER. I used my ‘big’ camera for the fourth time this year but we are on a schedule so I didn’t down load it for this days use. Bummer.  I did use the small camera as well, so to tell who took what shot, it might be simplest to say, if it was good, it was Anne and if it was a crap shot, it was me.

This lovely old lamp would be so impressive if it wasn’t for the palm frond.

Great old tessellated tile floors.

This lady says, ‘You have got the same camera!’ We compare and I note hers is a Canon 5D and mines a 6D. Mine is still a full frame but just one cog down from hers. She still talked to me though.

Gardens …. Good.

Council Plaque.

City Hall. Turn head 90 degrees to right or until it hurts. Which ever comes first.

We are highlighting the cast iron work. Not so much the Dentist. Although you would have to say they admire their profession with a sign that big. Very proud. Perhaps a bit too proud. (over the top bragging.)

Zara Clark Museum full of fabulous old memorabilia.

Very old hospital bed setting.

Very old iron lung.

Very old man next to very old car.

Just like my mum used to have. I loved it. She gave it away. Ouch.

It was old.

Old stuff.

This big clump of fur on  the floor is one of the volunteers dogs.

She’s very old (16)

Old thing.

Old bedroom.

Old shoes.

Old film banner.

Old type writers.

Perry has a sense of humour. No sale. We only wanted alligator.

Old steeple

This is the K Mart building but it is old. Older than K Mart.

Another fab Odd building.

Tower Hill.

Us with the Deegs Duo.

 

Down from the tower. past WW2 ammo bunkers.

We decide to go to the weir.

This I am told by the very flora educated Deegs Duo is a Mexican Poppy. The scourge of Australian water ways dry or wet. They produce thousands of seeds and when the water comes, they are spread far and wide. Course thorny leaved and inedible by cattle and other live stock.

Old houses. Renovators nightmare.

Excelsior Library. Now dare to tell me this wasn’t a pub!

The helicopter but you can’t see it.

You can’t see it in this shot either. What a damn waste of time taking it and even a bigger waste publishing it, some might say. Me too.

Chip in the wind screen. Can’t see it.

Chip in the wind screen. Can more or less see it slightly to left of middle.

Big day. Beer. That is not a sentence, statement or question. Just a word. Have a guess what it means?

Just past dusk, we adjourn the meeting of great minds and shuffle off to make meals and cleans our bodies. Grape juice. Movie and bed for tomorrow we are going to Townsville if we can book in. If not elsewhere. Such is the life we currently enjoy. Unemployed and of no fixed abode. No. It’s mobile.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

Wednesday, 18th August 2021.

BIG DAY!

On the move, early. (!) About 9.45am. Look! A train, not to be confused with the terrain which becomes undulating and very picturesque. (becomes later that is)

See? Undulating and picturesque.

We pull up at Pentland for a bathroom break and lunch. It’s only an hour from Charters Towers but nature has proven it is prudent to pay attention to you bladders suggestion, especially if it is evolving to an immediate instruction.

Now look at this toilet I used. It appears to have two push buttons but …

…looking closer it’s a hole.

Through to another room. Errr….?

This nice little hut in front of the toilet block is in fact a block of two Gaol cells.

It’s a nice little town and some of the local’s are obviously trying to dress it up as a tourist feature. Not finished yet. Some of the dummies are not complete.

Serious door.

As I said, a nice little cared for town.

Our lunch spot.

On to Charters Towers. I think we are at the Charters Towers Tourist Park. Very good little park.

4.30pm Bush Poetry at the camp kitchen. The last night in fact of a three month stint by Neil McArthur. We catch the last half. Very amusing. Neil in middle of pic.

Got a video but far too big to download, unfortunately.

We buy a CD and get a happy shot with the maestro himself. He is a fellow caravanner.

A good day over all. Had Beer O’clock, a Chicken Kiev with home made ratatouille, showers, Televis,  bed.

Tomorrow tourist stuff.

zzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, 17th August  2021.

Cool morning. Up early for our trip to Porcupine Gorge. Gecko on the toilet door. Not entirely unusual.

When we were here 25 years ago, we walked from a pub (I am pretty sure that one.) ….

… up the road with nothing in it. … Just a road.

….. past a swimming pool … (in the distance see the shades over).

…to the swimming pool side of a patch of dirt/lawn which was more or less a caravan park. There was just us in it with a van that looked permanent.

I guess 25 years can change a few things.

Now it is unrecognisable and I had to really test my memory. Nothing like it was at all. It’s called progress I guess. Or just MORE.

On to Porcupine Gorge. That’s an emu by the way.

See? I told you.

Lots of interesting things to see.

We arrive. Down, down, down into the gorge.

….then up, up, up!

Much further up.

It was hard-ish but considering level of fitness and age (there’s that dirty word again) we did pretty good.

We were talking to the Deegs and all of a sudden this ‘blam! Blam! noise pulls up in a cloud of dust. The driver, a young guy hops out, irrationally dives under the car as if to fix something, gets up, turns the music (music?) off, puts on a hat and walks off.  Errr….?

Still lots to see. (?)

To the look out.

This is what it looks like down the road and up higher

Indiscernible but interesting if you can read it (?)

Homeward bound.

Look! it’s about to click over.

It clicked over.

We go past town to Mount Walker lookout. An elevated view of the surrounds.

Steep up and worse down because of stupid people coming up at the time. I mean really stupid. No trailers allowed going up here but a camper trailer comes barrelling up. I try to get to a wide place to stop but he is having none of it so I just stop and he barely gets by but without slowing at all. Twat.

Back to camp and I pull out a Chicken Schnitzel for dinner. Oh! How lovely … and loving…?

Two ‘men amongst men’ … or men amongst caravans anyway.

We spot this little guy tucked up under the van behind a wiring bundle.

Closer examination.

Ron, Donna and Kali who we were next to in Darwin do these. This was the side of the van that showed to them.

How very nice of them. We will call.

Beer O’clock over, Schnitzel and veg. Movie. Sleep, for tomorrow we go to Charters Towers.

Bon Nuit.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Monday, 16th August 2021.

Up after bad sleep. Nothing important. Just both sore shoulders and back.

Looks OK. Bit overcast. It is a clean up day today. We relocate to the powered sites and set up. Clothes washing is the main theme for the day. Lots of it in both our two camps along side each other.

Nothing much else happened. Lunch of Pea and Ham soup made by yours truly. That’s right. Thawed the container of Woolworth’s magic elixir, put it in a saucepan, applied heat, stirred and poured into bowls, without instruction or supervision. Had a doze in the afternoon. Don’t know if it was the bad sleep last night that dictated it or the stress of making lunch.

Returned the call I missed during said doze from Leigh in Darwin. Yes. I had heard of the snap three day Darwin lock down. It just takes one. One guy from O/S had quarantined when he got back, tested negative but picked it up since. They don’t know where from yet, but he made it all the way to Katherine, hence their lock down as well.

Ita Buttrose  of the ABC is complaining about the severity of the lock downs in I think Sydney. Why she has become an authority, I don’t quite understand. In SA and NT quick lock down has been the cure. It doesn’t move by itself. It is carried by moving people. So if everyone ‘stops moving’ so does the virus and it gives authorities a chance to chase it down and isolate it. Simple as that.

The eastern states had two problems. First they didn’t lock down IMMEDIATELY and second they allowed the brainless morons to NOT lock down and protest.  So it gets worse so the twats protest more while they are causing it.

NO new cases in Queensland which is our immediate concern. Again Queensland. Immediate lock downs and they appear to be winning. (fingers crossed on that one)

More importantly, Beer O’clock! Discussion. Tomorrow we will go to Porcupine Gorge for the second time in 25 years. Day after, Charters Towers.

Not one photo taken the whole day, so here’s a funny. (or three)

Green chicken curry by my lovely for evening meal and it took more than opening a container. Well done darling. Showers, TV, juice, Bed.

zzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday 15th August 2021.

We wake in Oorindi Stopping Bay, which is damn good because that’s where we went to bed.

Here is a rough 360 degrees of the traveller AND truckie stop. You will notice we two (us and the Deegs) have crammed into a corner on dirt and the other three vans that stopped along the edge so as to virtually use NO bitumen. All on the dirt.

I have nothing but respect for the average truckie out there carrying the country. Not for the less than average pig ignorant sod who went through at 6.30am blasting his air horns continuously to disturb the NON truckers. (my assumption.)

Not you can never be too careful with toilet paper. Nice big padlock. Why not a cage?

On the road and we get a sharp radio call from Lou, ‘Brolga’s high on the right. Best I could do with little notice. Nice shot of the mirror. Looks like someone is approaching. No Brolga’s.

Julia Creek was fully booked which is why we did the road stop, but it has a dump spot so we stop to empty the cassette. While stopped, Lou phones and finds there are also NO vacancies in Richmond. We manage to secure two un-powered sites for tonight in Hughenden and there will be powered sites tomorrow. So now we have a plan.

Another sign. More car eating giant cows? No. This is ….?

…. I think a crashed car and the prime mover has disconnected from the trailer. Worth noting. That advice I assume is for both travellers and truckies. I haven’t seen any caravan signs yet. There are more caravans than anything out there at the moment.

Not clear. All sorts of sophisticated heavy equipment is replacing railway sleepers. Wood with something else? No Metal being replaced by concrete.

Road.

Round rocks as a border for …?

Richmond. Lunch by the lake.

That’s us in the middle. Should start making more of an effort. Some of these shots are dead ordinary.

Sign.

Sign.

I see it looming in the rear view mirror. A thumping great bus and I will just note at this late stage, the roads were total crap, Rolling up, down, left and right. SO much so, we will try and avoid them on our return. So I see this yellow rolling monster swing out to overtake, it had my undivided attention. I hugged the outer line and thought of all those old mates I may be catching up with soon and held on. It rocked and rolled by and then overtook Mick in front. It looked less frightening when I watched it go past Mick. I think it’s the height when along side. Also the fact it’s not me. of course.

So this yellow thing had just passed and up comes contestant number two for Risk of the Month, a caravan (being pulled by a car) with the same intent and style. This guy at least hugged the right hand side line as he passed, so much so that I would have almost fitted between them. (A slight exaggeration) Anyway, the dangers passed and they rolled left and right up the road ahead of us. Note bus ahead of Deegs.

Town on the horizon.We book in at Hughenden and all of a sudden opposite our spot is THIS. A taste of yesteryear. A Chrysler Valiant. Most youngies would not have a clue what it is.

The Deegs on the right we chased the shade by parallel parking along the fence. It worked, sort of. Inconvenient for others but in my declining years I am turning a little more religious. God Helps Him Who Helps Himself.

Tomorrow we will be relocate to power and water sites then the day after Porcupine Gorge. See if it has changed. It will have. Absolutely everything else has. Tomorrow I may go for a walk and take some photos because I DO have memories of this place and it’s nothing like it used to be.

Beer O’clock was faithfully fulfilled, then showers, Chili Con Carne but with pasta as a pasta sauce, some grape juice, a movie and bed.

zzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Saturday, 14th August 2021.

We (I) wake to a beautiful, sunny, still day. N.B. It’s early. 7.30am-ish. Don’t know the forecast. Will check.

Well I just spent five minutes trying to get my ‘Willy Weather’ to work. I thought it was stuck on Adelaide till I realised Parkside in Adelaide would not be 31 degrees today. So I now know we are in the suburb of Parkside, Mt Isa. By the way, it’s just next to ‘Happy Valley.’ How about that Adelaide-ites. They’ve got one as well.

Forecast, 31 degrees, sunny a light breeze of around 13km. OK. That will do. Just keep doing this.

We are moving on. Departing the FREE Irish overflow park I spot a Winnebago with matching trailer. Neat or pretentious? They have their Sat Dish up. So did we, so ‘Neat’ I say.

This was our neighbour who ran his little ‘unsilenced’ generator all but full time. It ran his air-conditioner, even when they weren’t there. (?) What’s the opposite of considerate?

All sorts of rigs. Lots of off road.

The smoker seen from 10km away.

It says, not unexpected, ‘Mount Isa Mines.’

We go into the city for some critical supplies. (wine)

The walk from car (&van) park to wine shop passes a small, grass, public park area with a very new looking war memorial. We stop to appreciate and commemorate those who gave their lives for us, as we always do when we see a memorial.

One of my favourite quotes I saw on the statue of Simpson and his Donkey in Adelaide adjacent the Adelaide Bridge.

“So, forever let it be thus, we will care for those who dare, place themselves in harm’s way for us”.

N.B. If you want the story of Simpson and his Donkey, go back to the home page and instead of going to ‘BLOG’ click on ‘Special Occasions – ANZAC 2020.’ then scroll to the bottom. It’s a short but good read.

While we were standing there, they happen to be setting up for a function in the park. This young chap comes up to me, noticing I am studying the memorial. He declares to be the veterans Rep in Mount Isa. (I assumed he must have served in Afghanistan, or maybe there are no longer living Service Vets in town and someone has to be appointed.) Anyway, I am happy to say, he seemed to take the position very seriously. In the photo below he seems to be confronting me. In actual fact, he is bending to explain that one name from WW2 was left off and he had to arrange to get it added. If ‘CRAVEN   GEJ’  from WW2 was able, I am sure he would thank this fine young chap for taking the time and effort to make sure he was included. Good on ya mate.

A bit of rusty scrap steal art on display which my mate Rick M would appreciate. Rick makes whole horses the same way.

Same with Bougainvillea.

Setting up near the memorial. What is it?

This is the ‘BUFF CLUB’

This is the same showing the front entrance. Anne and I both agree when we came through here back in February 1996, The Buff Club was more or less, all alone or a few smaller buildings not too far away and THE place to eat. It is now almost missed in this mini metropolis. The place has merged and splurged. (if that’s a real term. It just kind of came out) The caravan park we stayed in was a small park on the left just down from the Buff Club heading east. There are a couple of big ones there now and another on the right. Amazing growth.

The Honorable  Bob Katter’s Electorate Office 2 in Mt Isa. We should have dropped in to compare hats or something. I am wearing my ‘Cattleman.’

You’re a better man than I am Gunga Din!

N.B. 1   Gunga Din is a 1939 American adventure film from RKO Radio Pictures directed by George Stevens and starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., loosely based on the 1890 poem of the same name by Rudyard Kipling combined with elements of his 1888 short story collection Soldiers Three.

N.B. 2  “Gunga Din” is an 1890 poem by Rudyard Kipling set in British India. The poem is much remembered for its final line: “You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din”.

The Australian Gunga Din.

A sign. Wonder what it said?

Cloncurry. A lot nicer and neater than I ever remember it.

We are only about 100km north from McKinlay where the Crocodile Dundee Walkabout Creek pub is. We did it 25 years ago. It was great then with some cracker stories, but given the growth here, I want to remember it as it was. I don’t want to see it with neon lights and pokies.

Nice public toilets.

Crap Bakery. 12.30pm Saturday. I would like a sandwich please. We have packed up. We close at 1pm. But that’s half an hour away! We have packed up.

Another lady says, I asked at 1.15pm and they said they had packed up 8 minutes ago. So they packed up at 12.07pm, for a 1pm close, 53 minutes early!

Like I said, crap.

We walk to the next street. Sorry we are closed. But your door is open. We are closed. Try down the road. We try Foodworks. Yes we are open. Yes we can make a sandwich. Yes we have pies. Yes we are open till 5pm. And when I asked if they are prepared to take our money because we can point out two places that didn’t want it. Yes we will take your money. All done with speed, a smile and satisfaction on our part.

I just called it ‘The Nob.’

Anne is a little below par and this is a comfort mode she has.

We pull up at Oorindi Stopping Bay about 80km (?) from Julia Creek because Lou has called and they are booked out. Afternoon lay down. This is free, has three toilets and comes with a free magpie.

It landed while we four are Beer O’clocking in the shade of our van. Anne gets a sunset. It is free as well.

Dusk at camp.

Nice night. A light meal as Anne is still a little crook.

Showers, a movie. Bed.

Here endeth the lesson.

zzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzz

Friday, 13th of August 2021

Is that evil?  The dreaded Friday the 13th?

OK. I’ll google it.  ‘Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year.    What happened on Friday the 13th originally? On Friday, October 13, 1307, the French rounded up thousands of Knights Templars and tortured them as heretics. Some believe the date of this massacre sparked our modern-day association of Friday the 13th with bad luck.’

Morning in Camooweal.

Notice the parking in the pics? As I think I said before, I manoeuvred to ‘the lie of the land’ to avoid a dip and it also happened to block the wheelchair ramp.

Anyone seeing this would think, ‘He must have been drunk.’ There was also an RV next that pulled out as well. Looks kind of ‘Dorky’ doesn’t it?

The tree?! I told you about it yesterday, but for anyone who didn’t read yesterday … Where’s the tree? It would have been right there 25 years ago. I backed into a low hanging bow and damaged the air conditioner I had installed in the back window. Spent a while in Tennant Creek pulling it out, getting it fixed and refitting it. It was a job and a half because I knew I would never have to pull it out again (!!??) so it was over engineered and siliconed etc. Yes. I remember it vividly even after 25 years.

OFF, to Mt Isa.

We must take care because this is a very, very naughty stretch of road.

The road deceivingly looks good and straight, but apparently can’t be trusted.

More signs.

Ours is not the right van for them parts. Just Mt Isa.

NOW .. this is important! As said before, this is a horrible stretch of road where you must be extremely vigilant! There is another reason apparently.

Every picture tells a story. Look at the sign.

There are GIANT cows devouring passing cars. Watch out for these blood thirsty giants! They are apparently vicious!  Caravaners!  Be extra aware as it will be more difficult for you to steer around them.

Oh look. Another scrapped and deserted car. How about that.

Mt Isa. First impression. A bit scrappy. This looks like a big old disused tank. Other ‘junk’ around the place.

Shopping. We spot Woolworths but no parks. Well not for two cars with 20ft caravans on the back of them. Coles win. Further out and more street parking.

Our FREE park in the ‘overflow’ park (due to the Rodeo) which is apparently part of Irish Club. Irish? Hmmmm? No. As I said somewhere before, save $35 on a park site and spend $60 at the pub?

Beer O’clock comes with the fine Deegs and another couple as well. A nice  get together but all things must come to an end. That is except for the guy with the generator. He and his damn generator seems to be never ending.

Half way through an excellent meal by maestro Anne. Steak cooked to perfection. Me …medium rare and she …rare. International quality meal at do-it-yourself prices. Oh. And special mention. Leigh Biggs home made and brilliant BEETROOT. He should go commercial. N.B. Photo deleted. It tasted great but half way through, it looked … well … more like a dogs dinner.

Our first time free camping for quite a while.

Movie, showers etc etc.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wednesday, 11th & Thursday 12th August 2021.

This morning I have a good look at the ablution block. I am impressed by the amount of space for this single urinal. My first thought is wheel chair access  for the urinal but someone in a wheel chair would be much lower. I had a few scenarios in mind. Well the one with the tube may have worked if it had a hose clamp to tighten around the part of the user. It also would have needed a one way back pressure valve. Or there may have been enough space for a ramp, but if so it would be very steep and requiring quite a bit of effort, Not a welcome thought to someone in a hurry and the with ‘pressure on.’

Notice why we missed the entrance? Walk in down the side and the sign is way up the top. Sherlock Holmes may have spotted it…. maybe.

Back up to three ways.

We meet the Deegs at the corner and we turn and head east along the Barkly with the familiar view of the back of their Traveller van. Like old times.

Coming up ahead the turn off north to the Heart Break Hotel around 370km away.

Someone in a much bigger hurry than us.

Understated. They were not just cross winds. They were extremely cross winds. Some would say, just plain angry as hell.

I see you sneaking up you …. sneak?

I wonder what that sign said.

Selfie. I unfortunately had to keep looking at the road.

What was that one?

More of the same.

Yet more Army trucks.

Barkly Homestead. Lots of stuff. A whole lot more than 1996, 25 years ago when we first came through.

Ahand out info brochure said, ‘Before you criticise our prices, appreciate our diesel generator some times uses $700 worth of fuel in a day. Understood but $192.4? Ouch!

A simple map turned to be appreciated coming from the east. No. Not on purpose. I just couldn’t be bothered turning it.

Lou and Mick give a wonderful 70th Birthday gift. Nor just Whisky but Scotch Whisky ….

… and not just Scotch Whisky but from LEITH!

I suggested we sample after dinner so we meet after dusk and it gets well and truly sampled. Not much left actually. Good Scotch. Enjoyed by all four. I think I won in consumption rate. The adjudicators are still out, but I am quietly confident.

We break very happy and went to bed …. I think.

zzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzz

 

Thursday 12th August.

We wake. Anne yells out, ‘Come and look at this!’

Budgerigars! BUDGIES! Thousands of them Green ones. Internet is too slow to load video.

This guy doing it in style. Fifth wheelers are the ‘executives’ of the road.

Time to go. The generator battles on.

We are one of the last to leave. Some move on before day break.

Heading for the border following the familiar Traveller spare wheel and number plate. Some of us are born to lead, some to follow and some of us, such as myself, don’t really care either way.

100km to go to 159,000km. We missed it by the way. It ticked over somewhere on the flat plain.

Flat plain.

The border approaches … or rather we approach it.

February 1996 there were only two, 44 gallon drums and umpteen million flies and we were the only ones for miles. Not a lot more now. If it wasn’t for the Police road block….

Police check going Queensland to NT but just down to 60km for us to whizz straight through.

On ….  on…. about 14km …..

….to Camooweal.

When we were here last, in February 1996 There was a caravan park, sort of, behind the servo and a pub about 100 metres.

Now there are two van parks and the other is choca-block. So back to the same one we were in 25 years ago. Much bigger but just as unorganised. I will qualify that statement. We were assigned to two sites next to each other and both ‘drive throughs.’ There was only one site, not two, there was someone in it and it was not drive through. The Deegs got a site not far away and I manoeuvred into  a spot adjacent a toilet block on and angle to avoid a significant dip  and across the wheelchair access That’s OK. I didn’t see any wheel chairs. We’re only here for a night anyway.

I go looking for THE TREE. 25 years ago I was backing in using the compass to ensure we had shade in the morning and totally missed the low branch. That is I totally missed seeing it. The air conditioner I had installed in the back window copped the lot. I spent a whole day in Tennant Creek fixing it.

Tree is gone. I remember it well. I was hoping to record history but not so.

We settle in. I even READ a bit. We have our Beer O’clocks, make a few decisions and off to eat, bath and sleep.

Decisions? Mt Isa next. However there is a Rodeo on at the moment there so we will shop there, but if too ‘mad’, we will continue to Cloncurry.

OK. Showers, sausages and chops and veg. Sat dish. A bit windy. Sat dish down and plug a stick into the TV. Movie. The Way. Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzz