We did a 10 week trip heading through west NSW up to Cunnanulla, across west qld on the science loop including Quilpie , Noccundra and Eulo which came into Charlieville.

On to Longreach and Winton via a lot of small towns and we included the dinosaur loop to Muttaburra and lake Dunn, where the 200 plus iron statues line the road .

East across west qld driving again through lots of small towns arriving at ,

rockhamton and down the coast to Gladstone then Noosa on the coast for a few days then back inland and finally back to Brisbane.

The blog is lost so photos are our memory. found!!!!! add in badly.

2023 trip

Nsw blog 1

We left Port Macquarie and the first stop was Muswellbrook showground for an overnight stop.

Then west towards gunnedah but stopped overnight at the little town of Curlewis outside a pub, an afternoon and night of pool, beer and participating in the local raffle, of course we won nothing.

Next morning we detoured east to Lake Keepit for a night in the scrub by the lake. We walked part of the lake and scooter 8 kms as well.

A relaxed stop.

Through murrumundi seeing a old bridge and some of the town then quinindi silo art and town plus the lookout known as “who’d A thought it lookout”-

onwards though gunnedah with a look at Dorothea Mackeller statue and the two water towers one depicting Vietnam and the other Dorothea the poet of A sunburnt country. The town is on the Namoi river.

Overnight was the Narrabri showground seeing the local lake river parkland and shopping. We drove out towards Mt Kaputar national park and in the morning visited Sawn rocks which are organ pipe volcanic rock formation.

West to the Australia telescopes which combined pick up radio waves from as far away as other galaxies. Overnight at yarrie lake.

To windy for a kayak so we walked the 3:2 kms around the lake.

Onwards the next day to both the Pilliga and Burren Junction artesian baths and a dip in each.

The roads now deteriorate damaged by the floods and we see cotton and flax growing and cattle on the roads

Through Walgett and stop for a silo pic and on thru Cumborah to three pubs in the scrub west of lightning ridge.

We stayed at the pub in the scrub , played pool and had a great pizza

The next day we explored the golf course which was scrub and no one plays here and then the other two pubs, Sweeney craft shop saw the usual opal mining sites, an old tree full of bras and back to the pub in the scrub for lunch. A very hot and dusty windy afternoon in the van.

Our last night at the pub in the scrub a band was playing but we didn’t join in as too many drunk patrons just had a noisy night in the van

Pictures are

First stop Musselbrook a overnight wet stay at the showgrounds. Then on though

Murrurundi

quirindi

Curlewis, a overnight stay outside the pub.

Lake Keepit, a lovely two night stay

Gunnedah, a drive through and stopped here for morning tea.

Narrabri and Mt Kaptur National Park, plus sawn hill organ pipes

Pilliga

Burren junction

Walgett

Cumborah and the pubs in the Scrub west of lightning ridge

Queensland

The road Into Qld is through Hebel and it’s pub is the main attraction

Lunch at Dirranbandi, both places we had past through before.

West and north to Bollon a small town on the Wallam river with a great free camp along the banks of this river.

A peaceful afternoon reading and next morning a kayak on this lovely river with bird nests in the overhanging eucalyptus and lots of bird life.

After getting water using the Dump point and getting petrol on an app we took the long boring road towards Cunnamulla stopping at Charlotte Plains station 45 kms.

The country out here is lifeless except a few goats and some road kill.

We stopped at Charlotte Plains station and left . It was expensive to sit in a dirt paddock with one toilet for 50 vans which was dirty , the spa baths were dirty and there was rubbish everywhere.

So we continued to Cunnamulla

For a one day two night stop

Seeing the local sights

The weir, a bush walk the robbers tree where a local robber hid before being caught and hung.

We past local buildings but the main interest was the artisan time tunnel and fella visitors centre. Learning more about the artisan basin and local heritage. We bought a tea towel that depicts the Cunnamulla fella a song by slim dusty and a statue in town and a lovely handcrafted cheese board

Now we venture onto the science loop which is 780 km and brings us back in to Charlieville.

The science loop

Eulo

A two street town . Small but interesting

Points of interest included

An old air raid shelter from WW2

A flood truck

Pub, PO, a leather shop,a Knick shop with old junk and Boulder Opal,old police cells , lizard lounge

And the statue of a Diprotodon a gait marsupial from the dinosaur age.

The artisan mud spa was an interesting venture. We both sat naked in old bath tubs in artisan muddy water then caked on more mud and soaked again meantime enjoying champagne and wine with snacks. This was followed by a shower and moisturiser, a expensive but delight treat and our shin feels great now.

Outside of town we visited the mud springs which used to bow clay up from underground but now the area was a dry mud heap.

Lake Bindegolly

Our stop for morning tea and a walk to the bird hide showed a fry lake and no birds.

Thargomindah

The first town in Australia to produce hydro electric power and the main shire town for this huge area of Qld.

We visited the info centre , Leahy’s historical made of mud bricks, the old jail cells, the shire building with its bronze statue heads, lunch at pelican point but there were no pelicans today and then onto the displays of the old hospital and hydro power plant .

Then a narrow road which was like driving down a 120 km of driveway in the wind to

Noccundra pub

Built in 1860 of mud bricks then rebuilt in sandstone after a fire in the late 1800s.

A stop on the way for John to repair all the corner moulding on the van which had come off and was flapping everywhere. Another a tahdah moment.

Dinner at the old pub was fantastic and the camp was by the creek , the Nocundra waterhole.

After the windy drive and huge petrol consumption we needed petrol for the next leg $2.55 per litre ..ouch!

Eromanga

The natural history museum here was really interesting. A video on the earths delevopment and all its stages followed by a look in the research lab where the dinosaurs found in this area are being cleaned up very slowly and on display.

A 14 year old boy first discovered a dinosaur bone here and now twice a year a dig is underway where more are found.

The dinosaur was the tiranosaurs one of the largest known to roam Australia and is 30 m long and weighed close to 100 ton.

The road out here is still one lane of bitamen and the landscape bare , the wildlife is road kill and emus and occasionally cattle

The country improve closer to Eromanga becoming much greener with occasional creek beds, some with water in them.

Quilpie

Overnight, was in a dust pit by the river our camp for the night .

Next morning was spent touring the towns museums and shops.

We visited the St finnbarrs church to see the alter table made of Boulder Opal which is what this area is famous for and saw the end of the railway line , this town was the last stop in for the railway to this area.

Charleville

The end of the science loop.

A town on the Warrego river, a largish country town with a huge and fantastic cosmos centre and known for its conservation of the Bilby.

We explored the ww2 secret museum explaining that Charleville had a camp and airfields here that was kept secret and was used to repair planes and housed a large American force during the war

We walked the 2:8 kms Warrego river walk , explored the Park and saw the big red chair and vortex rain makers.

The cosmos centre had so much info and we saw the sun through the telescope and stars and planets at night, an amazing centre and visited the flying doctors centre

We watched the weather balloon ascend to the sky and saw the water tank silo art at Cunnamulla and visited the Bilby centre. Cute little animals that were facing extinction by feral animals but now provided with a electric fenced area in Currawinya national park for breeding.

Hebel and dirranbandi

Bollon, a great free camp by the river

Cunnamulla

The science loop Eulo, where we indulged in a mud spring bath. Paroo river, mud springs Nature Refuge, Thargomindah and

Noccatunga. Eromanga and the dinosaur museum. Quilipie.

Charlieville, We visited the observatory and saw the sun through the telescope and visited the Bilbys, and the fifth airforce museum and our stay included a walk along the warrego river and parklands.

After leaving Charleville we arrived at Augethella for morning tea and a explore thru the small town where the movie Smiley was made in the 1950s

The town had a few novalities like the meat ant eater statue in the town park and an old coolinah tree where some robbers tied their horses , one got caught and the other got away but caught later and hung.

The town have a great $5 camp but we moved on to Tambo ,

A lovely small town and known as the oldest town in the west.

We stopped at the local lake for lunch and then drove to the free camp by the river and rode out scooters into town along the coolabah walking track.

We went to the Teddie shop where all the teddies are made of wool but very expensive, but brought some books.

The local butcher, some art galleries the local sport facilities and that night caught the the courtesy bus into the local pub to watch the coloured chook races. A real hoot . The chickens were auctioned off for charity and run around an enclosure called the chicken schnitzel following a remote car chasing fresh food. The blue chicken win!

After returning to the lake for breakfast and loos it was 100 kms to Blackall. The highlight the Woolscour were in the past wool was washed after shearing before packaged for overseas export. An interesting tour.

We stopped at the black stump which was used for surveying and where the saying beyond the black stump comes from as anything west of Blackall was considered beyond the black stump.

We viewed the free ram park museum, more old junk, the historical first bore pump, statues, and iron sculptures plus old vintage sulkies in someone’s front garden.

A semi free camp by the river for the night.

Next stop Lara wetlands just 20 kms short of Barcaldine bit 13 kms west on a red dirt road

What an amazing place ,really well kept and camping by the billabong full of dead trees and full of wildlife. A hot thermal area a free campfire with entertainment damper and billy tea

John had a kayak on the lagoon which was only very shallow and their was time to relax and read our books

As we drove into Narcaldine the following day we got news Johns mum has breast cancer

Decision to go home was later cancelled by Lynette but we will still go home early

We sight seed around town going to the workers heritage centre all about the shearer’s fight and union development along with the start of the Labour Party.

The tree of knowledge centres in the Main Street is the memorial to the shearer’s conflict .

Now it’s off to Longreach.

Augathella, famous or its bull ant statue Tambo, famous for its woolen teddy bears and the chook races at the pub.

Blackhall, famous for its historical wool wash factory now a museum and the black stump

Lake Yarrie, a peaceful 2 night stay

Barracaldine, known for its tree of knowledge and shearers strikes and Ilfracombe, known for its mile of farm machinery

Longreach

Staying in a small van park for four days , it’s clean but old and falling down, the van on a nice grassy patch but unfortunately next to camp kitchen area where the owner and permanent caravan era sit and have a chat every after noon and we didn’t want to join them so meant sitting inside to avoid the boring have a chats.

We visited the Stockmans hall of fame and the Qantas centre both great venues .

Had a photo stop at Tropic of Capricorn and went to the local races.

Winton

The age of the dinosaurs was pretty good showing their existence here inland when the area was a inland sea 95 million years ago and the dinosaurs roamed

Here in Winton they found dinosaur bones three main types from large to chicken size.

Footprints at the dinosaurs stampede 110 kms west from f Winton was amazing. The three dinosaurs footprints everywhere.

And originally made on a clay pan near a billabong.

The homestead in the Bladensburg national park was visited the return trip from the dinosaur stampede.

The Matilda centre talked about banjo Patterson and his song waltzing Matilda plus some info on the area and old relics Well done but not worth the admission price.

The tattersall pub provided two good meals and we stayed in the van park opposite.

An old heritage shop in town had a bbq small local display but the outside of the building was more interesting.

The scenery now has been so much greener and many waterholes visible, also emus can be seen regularly as well as cattle .

Onto Muttaburra

Which required us to go back k to longreach and then head north on a circuit through Armac and back to Barcaldine.

We stayed behind the pub in Muttaburra having a game of pool and a few beers,

Next working a walk around town and a look at the muttaburra interpretation centre

Then out to Lake Dunn via Armac.

Viewing the iron sculptures on the way.

Lake sunny Was overflowing with water creating a wetlands again with bird life and Lillies

Otherwise the lake was unimpressive though a good sunset that night.

Blog5

Next day back to Armac and morning tea near the white bull.

The white bull represents the history of a robber who stole cattle and a white bull and drove them to SA to sell .He was caught but set free., and the town had little bulls like bank bull shop bull etc

The journey continue thru Barcaldine then east thru Jericho a small town with trumpeters moment and a drive in movie .

Over night in a gravel pit in Alpha where a storm and rain came through.

Over night in Emerald to do the washing and shopping .

Having been to Emerald before we went to the pub for pool and a pizza I bet John 3-0.much to his horror.

Travelling east, Blackwater was our next destination with a morning tea stop at Comet and sighted the Dig tree by Leichart.

Bla kwater info centre was closed for Labour Day and the town closed for the March so it was onward to Bluff and an overnight stop behind the pub and dropped the van for a drive out to the lookout in Blackdown ??national park

Onwards to Rockhampton finding a cheap van park on the north side, cheap because the sites were narrow and it was a bit old but clean.

The afternoon was spent exploring the botani CD al gel Arden’s and zoo , Murray’s lagoon then walking down Quay street with its historical building and the riverside precinct.

A beer in the pub then home to the van

Day two in Rockhampton we went to the Capricorn caves, Mt Archer lookout Kerahaq gardens and a drive to the small town of Keppel sands and home via Rosslyn bay marina for a beer.

Day three , a drive to Mt Morgan 45 kms inland and a historical mining town

The railway museum was explored , two lookouts that over looked the closed mine , the dam and the small street in town with the running cutter statue and an old bell. Afternoon in the van planning the next few stops.0

Longreach, with a visit to the qantas museum, a day at the races and a visit to the man from snowy river museum.

Corfield and the aust dinosaur museum at lake quarry, via opaltown, Bladensburg national Park to Longreach

Winton

Muttaburra and the dinosaur mutta, Lake Dunn and the sculpture trail and Aramac known for its white bulls.

Jericho and Bedford Wier and the blacktown Tabledown Tableland National park.

Rockhampton, its river and zoo, Mt Archer . Keppel Sands and caves

Mount Morgan

Gladstone, Tannum Sands, Boyne river

Gladstone our next stop at the showground then the afternoon was seeing the river and ocean area looking out to near bye islands Groin Curtis and facing islands.

The waterfront recently developed was a lovely walk and a nice stop for a drink with the water views appealing

After viewing the marina, the lookout was our next place to read about the enormous amount of industry in this area and some could be seen from the lookout

Day two was into the Boyne area and Tannum Sands

We scooter the beach and river fronts running out of battery before reaching the car and afterwards lunch at the surf club where we shared a seafood platter

The markets were on so we wander through not interested in anything then back to the van via coles.

Our last day in Gladstone we washed and read a books.

Miriam vale, boolboonda tunnel, Mt perry

After leaving Gladstone we stopped at a free camp in Gin Gin and took a drive to the Boolboonda tunnel hand carved in the early 1900s and then Mt perry the lookout over the town showed the olds smelter and mine

Inland thru booyal to Biggenden where we visited more lookouts and the Crowley bridge a concrete railway bridge from 1905

And across to Gayndah the home of oranges staying in a free camp by the river

The lookout from outside town had amazing over the river valleys and orchards

Next down the country way Hwy thru Murgon to Wondai to see the timber diagrama and brought a wooden salad bowl

Into Kingaroy with its peanut silos and van selling all flavours of peanuts

The info centre had a small history on peanut growing and a section on Joe Beickie Peterson politician who was born here

That night we stayed at Nanango in the free stop next to the rsl where we had dinner and visited the energy museum. This area has a huge power station nearby

Back heading north thru Goomeri known for its pumpkins and a great pastry shop

And across thru Gympie to Noosa for three nights

In Noosa we explore, the Mt Tinbeerwah lookout , all the waterfront areas ,marina and we took a river and canal cruise

The national park had a nice headland walk , explored main beach and Hastings street the main chic shopping area with a beer and late lunch at the surf club

We also ventured out to the Eumundi markets and returned home via the beachside suburbs with lunch at the boathouse cafe on the river A great seafood chowder.

The weather was showery and continued to our next port of call

Blog 8

After Noosa we went south and inland to Beerwah staying at the show ground a good central spot for the glass house mountains

The first afternoon John need rest for his back and other than a trip to ALDIs and Kmart we didn’t do anything for the afternoon.

Next day we drove to Montville a lovely town in the north of the glass house mountains

A lot of retail therapy, a lovely morning tea and lunch was had plus a trip to mapleton to see the falls, not very impressive

Unfortunately the cloud cover was low and most of the lookouts weren’t great but a fantastic day anyway

Day 2 we went south to see all the mountains which were formed 31 millions years ago and a volcanic lava plugs now eroded surrounds

They were named by James Cook because they looked like the glass funnels on warehouses in the UK

We did a few short walks to view the mountains and the lookout on Woodford road showed all the mountains with great views and also a great view from the cafe with a very cheeky kookaburra who stole lunch from the girls at the table next to us He had eyed off our lunch but we had moved away knowing what could happen to our lunch