Day 204 - 04 Jul 09

First stop was Carinbarini Conservation Park, about 50 kms south of Borroloola. DON'T MISS IT if you are up this way. It was a pity there wasn't a camping area close by, because you could easilly spend a whole day wandering around the area. Hopefully the few photo's I've included can give you some idea.
Called in to Cape Crawford on the way from Borroloola, what a rip-off joint. Diesel was $2.25 / litre and a case of 30 XXXX Gold cans was $65.00 and Cooper's was $85.00. Yeah, I know all about freight rates and the cost of refrigeration, but that's just highway robbery!
Passed up a pleasant looking little campsite at Little River (there were a couple of vans there at mid-day when I passed) but Graham at Gregory Downs said to go on to Goanna Creek. Well, I'm at Goanna Creek - what a name for a place - Not a goanna (or Bungarra, as we call them in Western Australia)in sight. Great little rest area, although it's pretty hard to find a level spot, I'm having to use the BIG spacer under the wheel, no facilities, but what a view. (This is from the main road at the turn-off into the rest area).
There are dozens of birds which come in for water at the tank, so I'm making sure it's topped up. I think the majority are called Bee-Eaters and there are also a lot of Finches.
Heaps of firewood available within easy reach, and just as well, it's quite cool at night out here away from the coast. There is just something about a campfire out in the bush - not for practical purposes, like boiling the billy or cooking a meal, but just for the aesthetic value. It's amazing, you can sit by a fire at night and just watch the flames and get up occasionally to fiddle with the wood and yet it's not boring. And of course, if there are other people around, it's a magnet. Ten minutes and they'll be over for a natter. Think I'll stay here for an extra couple of nights.

Day 207 - 07 Jul 09

Left Goanna Creek this morning and headed East for the Stuart Highway. Pulled into Daly Waters to take the obligatory photographs. The place has expanded a little since I was here 5 years or so ago. There is a new "business" opposite the pub, a bloke who carves nameplates and has a wacky sense of decor.
The pub hasn't changed at all and I guess why would it, when you're on a good thing, stick to it.
The poor old Stuart Tree is starting to look a bit sad, it's even more eroded than last time, I don't know how much longer they'll be able to convince people that there is an "S" carved into the tree, it's almost illegible now. On up the highway. The posted speed limit is 130 kmh, but I'm happy to sit on 90, I'm in no great hurry. Heading for South Warloch Rest Area tonight, 41kms North of Larrimah.

Day 209 - 09 Jul 09

Two nights at South Warloch was more than enough thank you very much! First, there are brand new toilets and they don't work. Someone who appears to know said that they haven't dug the pits deep enough. He said that there are a whole string of these new toilet blocks heading from here to Kununurra and they're all blocked. Second, the area is quite small and has been absolutely packed both nights. I counted 23 vehicles here last night. The problem with it being so small, is that everybody is packed together. Last night a "wicked" van with 6 French backpackers, (1 bloke and 5 girls) pulled in quite late (about 9:30pm) and proceeded to open and close the sliding door of their van about 756 times (well, it seemed like it). They got their tents up and then the girls decided to have a giggle session until about 11:30 pm, It's obvious that they don't teach backpackers campsite etiquette. Then, at 6:30 this morning a group of 3 caravans travelling together decided that they would chop some wood for their breakfast fire.

Day 210 - 10 Jul 09

I cannot believe how many travellers there are on the road. I would estimate that AT LEAST 50% of the vehicles on the road are either Caravans, Motorhomes or Campers - and I have seen at least 8 large converted buses. Pulled in to Bridge Creek, 30 kms south of Adelaide River and this will be my last stop before Darwin. A much larger area than South Warloch - No Facilities and firewood is a little harder to collect. I will have to buy a cheap chainsaw - there is plenty of wood around most of these sites, but it is all big stuff - the small stuff has all been used by previous visitors. I don't know whether this site is naturally dusty, or whether it has flooded sometime recently, but there is a huge amount of bull-dust as you drive in and each new arrival throws up a dust cloud.

Day 211 - 11 Jul 09

Darwin at last. I'm staying at the Malak Caravan Park on McMillans Road - Not by choice, but because it's about the only place I could find that had any vacancies. Everywhere I pulled in there were "No Vacancy" signs out the front. I guess it's my fault for arriving during the school holidays. All sites are on-suite and everything else you have to do for yourself. $210 per week plus power is a bit pricey, but it is quite nice and a hell of a lot closer to town than some of the "big-name" parks which are all out around Palmerston with is 30 kms out of the city. I'll stay here for two weeks, get the car services, give the van a good clean-out and see about fixing up my grand-mother's grave. Nobody from the family has been here since 1973, so I have no idea what condition it will be in.

Day 197 – 27 Jun 09

Took a run out to Karumba today. I’m a little miffed, I booked into the Normanton caravan park for two nights and when I got to the Norman River, less than a kilometre away, there were several caravans and motorhomes camped on the north bank of the river for nothing!

Karumba is about 70 km from Normanton and I suppose I am pleased to have gone there simply to say I have done so, but quite frankly, it’s a dump. I understand that it is a mecca for fishermen (and women I guess), but there is basically nothing else there. The caravan parks were chokkas and didn’t look particularly flash anyway. It reminded me a bit of Kalbarri in WA except not quite as up-market. Anyway, I saw the Gulf of Carpentaria (looked just like any other stretch of ocean to me.)

And the mouth of the Norman River where it empties into the Gulf.

As the centre of the Gulf’s prawning industry, I was looking to pick up a nice big feed of prawns on the cheap, but they were $18.50 per kilo, which was no cheaper than anywhere else.

On the way back to Normanton there were some areas of wetlands and there were Brolga’s everywhere.

Back to Normanton for a bit of sightseeing. There is a life-size replica of the world’s largest crocodile which was shot by a woman in 1957 and it is awe-inspiring. 8.63 metres (28 foot 4 inches) and weighing in at two tonnes! Rumour has it that whereas the length is correct, the size of the jaws has been exaggerated and are out of proportion, but even so it is an absolute monster.

The famous “purple pub” is purple, but more than that I can’t say. It seems to me to be a bit like Paris Hilton, famous for being famous.

I thought the Albion Hotel was more in keeping with the concept of a remote-area pub.

I know the town is small, and there is an excuse for doubling-up on some services, but this one seems to be a very strange combination.

Day 198 – 28 Jun 09

Off on the road again today, first stop was the Burke and Wills Roadhouse for a spot of morning tea. $1.669 for diesel, glad I don’t need any. $10.00 for a hamburger with the lot, and I bet it wasn’t anywhere near as good as the one in Croydon.

The cattle industry seems to be going gangbusters up here. There were four, three-trailer cattle road trains at Burke & Wills and I passed another 8 or 9 on the way to Gregory Downs, and the cattle looked prime.

Pulled into Gregory Downs about 2:30 and set up for the night. It is a really pleasant spot, room for about 15 vans without crowding. I am amazed that there is a free camp-site here, as there is a caravan park at the pub which is only a couple of hundred metres away. Had a yarn with the couple next to me and talk about a small world, they are the parents of the bloke who sold me the caravan in Perth. I’ll go down an have a look at the river tomorrow.

Day 199 – 29 Jun 09

The river (the Gregory) is quite impressive. I understand that it is actually spring-fed rather than seasonal, so it runs all year round. The surprising thing was the speed of flow for what is after all quite a minor river, it must have been at least 10 knots. Three kids in a canoe went past me and they looked like they had an outboard motor in the thing.

It’s a pity that camping isn’t allowed on the riverbank, but understandable because not only does the settlement at Gregory Downs draw its water from the river, but also Burketown downstream.

There is plenty of firewood around, provided you’re prepared to walk a couple of hundred metres to collect it, and the campfires are great at night, not only for the aesthetic value, but also because it is quite chilly once the sun goes down.

Day 201 – 01 Jul 09

200 days, who’d a thunk it? The time is absolutely flying, even though I have slowed down a lot and I’m not covering anywhere near as many kms as previously. Left Gregory Downs this morning and I’m heading for Burketown. The road is gravel and I won’t see bitumen again until Borroloola. The road is pretty rough, but nowhere near as bad as the Plenty Highway was.

Burketown is a hole! As for the famous hamburger, I took one look at the roadside caravan where they were sold and decided to give it a miss. The only building in town which looked half-way decent was the pub.

Bought some diesel ($1.49, better than I expected) and tried to get a gas bottle refill, but they said they couldn’t do it for 4 hours, had a quick squiz at the information centre – nothing special – and took off again. One of the things that has surprised me is that the country doesn't look anything like what I expected. Logic tells me that this is Savannah country, but I had this mental picture of the Gulf of Carpentaria being wet-tropics, similar to what I saw going up Cape York a few years ago, but even then when I think about it, it didn't actually get "jungly" until the very tip of the cape. It must be the influence of the Great Dividing Range, restricting the wet tropics to the coastal areas.

Crossed the Gregory River again after leaving Burketown. The water was over the road (I think there was debris jamming the culverts) but it was only a few inches deep.

It looked very inviting and a great place to camp, but this close to the Gulf, there’s a fair chance there could be crocs in the area, so I think I might give it a miss.

Called into Doomagee, but there is nothing there except the aboriginal community, couldn’t see any sign of a general store even though the HEMA map says there are full facilities. Again I was glad I didn’t need fuel - $1.889/litre.

Tootling along the road about 5 kms past Doomagee and who should be struggling along but the three pushbike riders I saw at the Gilbert River 9 days ago. I stopped and asked if they were alright for water and, as they only had billabong water, filled their bags with 20L of the town water I was carrying in the car. They were a chap in his late 50’s or early 60’s from Perth, a young fellow about 30 and what appeared to be a female German backpacker in her 20’s, a strange combination. They have been on the road from Cairns for about 6 weeks and are heading for Broome. Good luck to them, but it all looks a bit like hard work to me.

Road is still pretty rough, but not too bad. Got into Hell’s Gate roadhouse about 14:45 and decided to camp for the night. $20 for an unpowered site but a hot shower will be nice after eating dust all day. Who should turn up but the three bike riders who had managed to get a lift with a young couple from Augusta in WA who were towing a boat and threw the bikes into the boat. Nice to see plenty of WA people on the road, lends a bit of class to the whole thing.

Day 202 – 02 Jul 09

Left Hells Gate at about 8:45 headed for Borroloola, 321 kms according to the sign. Saw a very interesting rock formation about 20 kms out – no signs and nothing on the HEMA map, so I can only imagine that the locals don’t think it’s anything special. I thought it was quite picturesque and if it hadn’t been stinking hot, I would have gone for a wander.

Hit the Qld/NT border about 60 kms past Hells Gate and immediately the condition of the road improved. It was still pretty rough in spots but there were several sections where I could safely sit on 85 kmh.

Some serious creek crossings along this part of the road. Luckily, just as I reached the first one, a land-cruiser was crossing and I could see how deep it was. About ½ a metre with a rocky bed which is OK for my rig. I shudder to think how deep and wide these creeks are in the wet season, I reckon they would be totally impassable.

Just after crossing the Calvert River, which was the first crossing, I passed a bloke and his partner on a motorbike heading the other way. I stopped them to let them know about the creek crossing and how deep it was and they mentioned that they had crossed four others on the way. That was good information, because if they could cross with the bike, I wouldn’t have any troubles with the van – and so it proved.

Into Borroloola and Blackfella’s as far as the eye can see. This would have to be the largest aboriginal community I’ve ever seen. This is the end of the dirt roads, bitumen all the way to Darwin from here, so, following the recommendations of the couple at Gregory Downs, I have booked into the caravan park for a couple of nights to try and get some of the red dirt out of the van. One of the few van parks where the manager has given me a discount for travelling alone. $12.50 per night for a powered, watered site is almost free!

This Jayco Penguin is a nice little van and suits my needs perfectly, but it would have to be the least dust-proof van ever made. Two days on dirt roads and there is red dust in every nook and cranny. Inside every cupboard and drawer and over every surface inside the van. Took me 3 hours just to get rid of the surface dust – I haven’t even touched the cupboards yet.

I am under the impression that using spurs on a horse is considered barbaric by some portions of the populace. I wonder what they would make of spurs made out of barbed wire! At least you have to give points for ingenuity.

A rest day tomorrow and then of again. Probably out of range again for a few days, so see you in a week or so.

Day 185 - 15 Jun 09

I ended up significantly over-staying the “legal” limit at Bushy Parker Park at Rollingstone, but it was such a beautiful site that it was very easy to stay for “just one more day.” I was all squared away and ready to move yesterday, but after having a glass of juice and a cup of coffee for breakfast, I just couldn’t be bothered hooking up so stayed another day.

A walk along the creek brings you to the railway and highway bridges over the creek as well as an old bridge on what appears to be the old highway and is now a bypass road. A couple of deep holes which make great swimming holes, but what struck me was the artwork on the supports under the bridge. It is amazing what some people can do with spray cans. If only they would do more of this and less of the “tagging.”

Drove through to Innisfail via Ingham, Cardwell and Tully. Beautiful scenery all along the coast and through plantations of bananas and sugar cane. Hinchinbrook Island would have to get the nod for the island the least distance off the coast, it's only a matter of metres and I think that at low tide, you'd just about have to call it part of the mainland.

Booked into the River Drive Caravan Park in Innisfail. Was originally going to stay for just 2 nights, but, unlike the majority of parks, the manager only charged me $15 per night because I was on my own, rather than the usual “2-person” standard rate, so I stayed for an additional couple of nights.

The information centre in Innisfail had a “1 for 1” free book exchange, so I took advantage of it to swap about 15 books, which should keep me going for another 3 weeks or so.

If I was going to go into business, I discovered a possible money-earner. I searched all over town for an axe. Had great difficulty even finding a place that sold them (you’d think hardware stores, but no luck.) Finally found a couple of places and the cheapest I could find was $78.00!!! Bloody Hell, you can buy a cheap chainsaw for not much more than that.

Day 189 – 19 Jun 09

OK, time to head for the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Took off from Innisfail this morning and headed over the Great Dividing Range via Millaa Millaa, but by-passed the Atherton Tableland (been there, done that). It rained the night before in Innisfail and the weather was still very overcast when I left. The result of this was that the high passes over the range were blanketed with fog, and I mean foggggg. Visibility about 50 metres and this is in broad daylight, but by the time I got to Ravenshoe on the other side of the range, the weather had cleared and it was fine and clear again.

Stopped for the night at a roadside rest area called Archer River and again it was a delightful spot. I think Queensland has to take the prize for having the best rest areas I've seen. No facilities except toilets (and they were backed up), but a really pretty area and some nice bushwalks along the creek and up the local hills. It has been fairly chilly here recently, getting down to 8 degC overnight and only up to 25 deg during the day, but it is all relative. It is the middle of winter, and it’s a hell of a lot colder in the south, I heard on the radio that it was minus 5 in Stanthorpe yesterday, and Lord knows what it is in Melbourne.

Day 192 – 22 Jun 09

A long run today, close to 400 km from Archer River to Gilbert River via Mt. Garnet, Mt. Surprise, and Georgetown. Gilbert River is only a Roadside Rest Area, with no facilities whatsoever, but there is plenty of room and plenty of shade and plenty of firewood.

It is very, very, very dusty here at the moment, evidently last wet-season the Gilbert River overflowed and covered the campsite, so it dropped a lot of silt which, now that it has dried out and been churned up by vehicles, has turned into a really fine powder or “bull-dust.” But what sunsets, and the sound of the birds in the mornings is magnificent.

Seems to be a popular spot, 13 vehicles here overnight on Tuesday night, 3 on Wednesday and 16 on Thursday. Most only stayed overnight, but a couple stayed for 2 or 3 days like me. I took a wander down to the actual river and it is amazing that a river so big can have so little water in it. I wonder if they are like the rivers in the NW of W.A. where the river acually keeps flowing, but beneath the sand.

There is a phenomenal number of vans and motorhomes on the road. I didn’t bother to count, but I would estimate 50 or 60 a day at least and it isn’t even school holidays yet.

Day 196 – 26 Jun 09

Well, I’m here at the Gulf. Left Gilbert River this morning and drove to Normanton via Croydon, about 220 kilometres.

I stopped for a couple of hours in Croydon and had a good look round. Evidently when it was a gold-mining area, there were over 8,000 people in Croydon and some small surrounding towns, but now has a population of around 150. The locals have preserved a lot of the old buildings and restored them for public display.

The general store claims to be the oldest store in Oz, built in 1884 and, whether this is true or not, they make an absolutely fabulous hamburger. A big meat pattie, egg, heaps of crisp bacon and oodles of salad and only $7.50. Got to be great value, I can scoff a couple of quarter pounders or double whoppers at a sitting, but this burger was a feed and a half. A bloke at Gilbert River said that the burgers at Burketown are the best in Oz, so I will have to get one there and make a comparison.

I’m at the Caravan Park in Normanton for a couple of days and will have a look around and take a side trip to Karumba tomorrow, before heading off to Burketown. Look for some photos in the next post.

The bloke who told me about the burger told me that the road from Burketown through Hell’s Gate and Booraloola is in really good condition so that bodes well for the future, I really don’t want to have to go back to Cloncurry and Tennant Creek unless I absolutely have to. He also said that the road via Roper Bar is in great condition, so if I can go that way it will be a real bonus. I was planning to go from Booraloola to Daly Waters, but Roper Bar would cut several hundred kilometres of the trip. Time will tell.

Day 178 - 08 Jun 09

One of the shortest stages of the whole trip, just 47 km from Townsville to the Bushy Parker Bush Camp at Rollingstone. What a great little (or not so little) camp site. Terrific shade, close to a beaut, clean swimming hole, toilets, free electric barbecues, drinking water and some of the sites even have taps that you can hook up to. Truly idyllic.

Camping is permitted (obviously) but is restricted to 48 hours and only once a week for those who might try to fiddle the books. This is a long weekend for the Queensland observance of the Queen's Birthday Holiday, so the Ranger won't be around until Tuesday to check. I arrived on Friday, so I'm planning to leave on Thursday morning which means I've managed to wangle a week here.

The place was absolutely chokkas over the weekend, probably mostly locals from the area, but the majority have gone now and it is really peacefull, the weather is glorious, 28 degC and not a cloud in the sky and the humidity is quite low. I shall be sorry to leave, but oh well, that's life.

I spoke to several people who are familiar with the area and it seems that there are a significant number of good free or cheap campsites along this part of the coast, Balgal, Bluewater, Toomulla, Big Crystal etc. and those who are on the road full-time, simply drift from one to the other in a cycle. The area IS delightful, but I think even Paradise might pall after a while.

The long-distance travelling is what attracts me tropics this week, savannah next week, desert the following week, mountains the week after.

I'm finally camping in the style I originally intended, stopping more than driving. This leg has been absolutely perfect - drive for less than 50 km and then camp for a week.

Day 168 - 29 May 09

I've been playing silly buggers with the pics I've been including, blowing them up to a larger size, but I think I'll just go back to the thumbs. For anyone who doesn't know, if you click on the pic, it will come up to full size in a new window, so I'm not gaining anything by making them larger in the blog.

Off Again. It has been flamin' marvellous staying here at Fletcher Creek, I didn't want to leave. Took a couple of runs into Charters Towers while I was here, just to get bread and milk etc. Crikey, that place must be the Flying Fox (Fruit Bat) capital of Queensland.
Headed north from Fletcher Creek up to the Harvey Range Developmental road. Bit dicey! Only just one lane and lots of road trains trucking ore use the road. If you see them far enough ahead, it's easy to pull off and let them through (most of them gave a "thank you" on UHF40), but in the winding sections, it was a bit nervous making.

Over the range and into Townsville. There was a beaut lookout as you crest the range, but no warning signs and I was past it before I could stop. Steep winding road on the way down and no place to turn around so I missed it.

Booked into the Coral Coast caravan park for a week to get some washing and shopping done.

04 June 2009 - Day 174

Had a drive around Townsville and up to Castle Hill. Great views from the top, they should make it compulsory for all towns to have a big hill just outside town so you can get a view like this.
Weather has been fine for the last couple of weeks and today was bright and clear so there was a terrific view of Magnetic Island from the top of Castle Hill.

The humidity has gone through the roof since I hit the coast, I guess I've been spoiled by the amount of time I've spent inland and the humidity has come as a bit of a shock to the system. Could be worse though, it could be the Wet Season when the humidity hits 99%.

I'm off again in the morning, heading north up the coast to Innisfail, should be there in a week or so and I should have coverage most of the way, so I'll put in some pics as I travel