Outback QLD

From Blandford on up via Werris Creek to Barraba. Chatting to a local stockman who wrote a poem about the Apex Lions camp that he likes the nomads to read.

Lovely country again. Plenty of feed but not a lot of stock – lack of water maybe. Wide valleys with gentle hills. Called in to Gravesend rodeo ground – not attractive at all. Long grass etc so on to Moree showgrounds for a couple of nights. Lots of cotton fluff along the roads now – harvest finished maybe?

 Stopped for lunch at Mungindi and a lotto ticket – NSW border just over the bridge – bugger! Dined at the pub/café with a couple in their 80’s and who are heading to Mackay in the next couple of days. Always in Caravan Park’s though. Nindigully pub  - finally decided where to park at  then decided not to stay  as there is a ute muster and already there are drunk girls using the loos so could be a very messy night. Loud music, yapping dog. On to St George Caravan Park for the night! Has been useful rain between Moree and here. Lots of green feed, water lying beside the road. Road kill, emus in paddocks and SO flat everywhere – not a hill in sight! Very easy driving thoughJ Roads a bit rough on the edges in places.  Spent ages planning a trip via Thargomindah, Eromanga, Quilpie, Windorah, Longreach. Sealed all the way – about 900 km. 
111 km to Bollon. Road is surprisingly rough and narrow in places. Don’t remember that from last year. Down to 60km often. Lots of feed still. Had lunch beside the very full river. Thought I had a quiet camp but then a heap of utes etc turned up. Old country singers I suspect – a trailer with ‘Ulan cowboy – CD’s for sale’. Mmm – there goes a quiet night. I must be getting grumpy – don’t want to camp with dozens of others for some reason! Especially ones with damn yappy dogs! So off to Nebine truck stop – another 60km. Just a toilet here but a very big area. Car with small trailer parked down near the river so popped down to say hello and suggested that I park nearby. Strange woman told me she didn’t want anyone anywhere near her. WELL!!! Fine! So back up to near the truck parking area for the night. I think there could be problems here in rain – red dirt, and there are lots of washed out places, but heaps of room if fine. Very peaceful night inspite of being fairly close to the road. Several places along the road with water lying in ponds, but little feed anywhere now – just scrub & red dirt.

Decided to go to Charlotte Plains farmstay and camp at the bore. Took the 15km dirt road and realised there were a few wet places – people had driven around them and so did I until for some reason I drove straight into a long one!!!! Bogged! Tried the UHF but no response so got out. Good thing I had crocs on but they promptly got totally stuck so squelched bare foot to the dry and had a think! Decided to take the van off and see if I could get the ute out -  put a ramp under the jockey and was trying to get the thing to take the weight without moving in the mud when a bloke in a cattle truck turned up. A neighbour from 50 km away! Had chains and towed me out with ease – whew. All of 30 minutes of drama! Chucked the crocs in a bag and drove barefoot the rest of the way! Causeway to the house looked very narrow also – high pond beside it that had overflowed and scoured it out. Met Robyn Russell (and Mike the hand). 70,000 acres she runs. Charges $28.50 to camp at the bore – with just a long drop! REALLY! Or $30 if I wanted power at the woolshed. Had to go another 8km back towards the main road. She would come the next day and get the money and show me the shortcut -3km- to the main road.

3 dreadfully skinny cows with calves on the track. Should be put down and the calves hand reared. Not a good look for tourist I feel! A few sheep, and a camel, quite a few roos. Very narrow grids also out to the bore. Had to take VERY careful aim to get the caravan through. The bore water runs through open drains all over the farm. Had an inch of rain so a little growth but has been in drought for some time I gather.  Only Jack - a Yank – at the bore and he is fasting for a week and didn’t seem to want company. Had a soak in the bore canal – divine. Cleaned mud off crocs, car mat etc. Awning out for a while but wind came up. Bit noisy being close to the bore – sounded like rain all night but slept well.

Lovely soak before breakfast. Lots of tiny fish in the canal this morning. The long drop is too dangerous I decided. Termites have eaten the floor so didn’t risk it! Decided not to stay and then waited for Robyn until 11. Finally put money in envelop and gave to Jack. He offered to show me the shortcut out. Past the yards, through the gate and more bog!!! Decided not to risk it so all the way back to the house – said goodbye to Robyn and back out to the main road. At $15 p/n I would have stayed 3 nights – will email and tell her.

 Two nights at the Eulo camp then to Thargomindah. CP full so went to the old one - great little place. A night beside the river at Noccundra then on to Eromanga CP. Only one there!

More single lane sealed roads. Was going to Quilpie but decided after 2km that I couldn’t be bothered doing 40 km there and back on single lane sealed roads so turned around and on up towards Windorah. Stopped at Thylungra Station rest beside water. Then looked at the sky and figured it was going to rain so moved to a gravel area instead. 3 others stopped also. Rained for about 4 hours but no leaks it seems – yippee.!!!!

Lots of water around and a few patches on the road on floodways but nothing to worry about. Glad it didn’t rain any more or I may have been stuck as Windorah is in the Channel country – flood area! Big solar dishes there. Still single lane roads! Stopped for fuel but no internet so had lunch at a café and on to Jundah. Much better roads – all 2 lane but no white line. Was going to camp beside the Thompson River but couldn’t decide where  on to Stonehenge. Drop down off a plateau about 30km south of SH. Stayed a coupleof nights - had dinner at the pub with the school teacher I met a couple of years ago.


On to Longreach - back at the Stockmans' Hall of Fame for a week or so volunteering at the Gallery.