Camooweal
After arrival and plugging into the air con with the temperature 34 deg, we drove out to Lake Francis and the Georgina river where we would have camped if not so hot and it is the usual place for campers. Here we saw two Blogas plucking food from the mud flats.
The water levels are significantly low and lots of dry areas.
next
Camooweal caves known as the Nowarine caves and waterhole. The caves are laid down in the Barkly tablelands in ancient dolomite seabeds 500 millions year old. Not made of limestone like most caves this one is formed in a ancient seabed.
the area contains Ribbonstone used by the indigeous for making spear heads
After a quick visit to the waterhole it was back into Camooweal to find the Drover camp museum closed for the season
and a stop at the Drovers statue
Back to the van.
Day 2 Mt Isa
200 kms of hot flat driving we arrived at Mt Isa.
We spent the afternoon shopping and resting.
Day3 Mt Isa
We went to the “Outback at Isa” at the information centre and looked at their displays on Mt Isa mining history and the rodeo hall.
Went up to the watertank lookout that looks over mines and the copper smelter in town
After lunch we drove around the town which had very limited retail and then out to Moondarra Dam which was huge with a scenic drive and a lookout over the lake and dam wall.
Later we joined Shane and Chrissy at the Irish (RSL) for drinks.
Tomorrow the heat wave is back predicting Birdsville to be 45 deg , so off the route yet again.
Off to Cloncurry
Day4 Cloncurry was built around the discovery of copper.
On the way we stopped at Clem Walton Park/Corella Dam for coffee and a peacful hour watching the birdlife , even a Jaburi. built in 1960s
Would have loved to have stayed but with the heatwave and temperature climbing it was travel on to air conditioning.
We passed the Burke and Wills monument a spot they stopped in 1861 when transversing across Australia.
We went to the lookout and water tank .
The cloncurry lookout showed
Mt Leviathan known as black Mt which was also very close to the dam and chinaman creek.
Established in 1994 provides water to the area.
We drove around the back of the dam and went over the causeway.
After a drive of the main street we went out to see the first original qantas hanger where in 1922 it had its first paying person.
In town we past the chinese and afgani cementry and the the sale yards which are the
2 nd largest cattle facility in qlds
We visited the unearthed museum at the info centre , the theatre interesting but not the museum. Just rocks and old shit!
Day 5
The day we left Cloncurry we visited the John Flynn museum and art gallery, telling his story and the start of the Flying Doctor Service making its first flight from Cloncurry in 1928.
On the drive to Winton
First stop Walkabout creek Hotel at McKinlay where Croc Dundee was filmed but it totally lacked any signage or character except a cupboard pic of Mick Dundee and the place had a unfriendly barmaid.
Kyuna is where the combo waterhole is situated and its famous for being the waterhole in the song Waltzing Matilda. We didn’t take the van in the 8 kms of dirt to see it.
Overnight in Winton and dinner at the Tattersals pub.
Day 6
The decision to leave the heat and head to the coast. The afternoon and night at Barcaldine , rest and swim for the afternoon.
This part of the trip we have done all the sight seeing before except one small section around Morven and Mitchell ,so its drive and move on.
The following days to the coast are
Tambo …..we went to the chicken races and dinner at the pub. The blue chicken won again.
The next two days after Augathella we are on new ground
Morven our lunch stop.
In the park the closed museum exhited a Kerosene hut rare to find these days still standing. A small house one room made from kero tins made in the depression to house families when they were homeless .
Cloncurry to Brisbane was the worse road undulating bumpy like being on a roller coast twisting sidewards.
Mitchell
Stopped a looked at fishermans rest a comping area by the river and also
the Neil Turner weir also camping by the river.
In town was the old court house where bushrangers the Kenniff brothers were convicted of murder. 1903. The murdered victim burnt and remains hidden in bag . The judge described them as worse than the Kelly gang., they were also known as horse thieves in this area.
The following morning we went to the Artisan baths ,two pools one 40 degrees and one 25 deg.
Then travelled to Miles with a stop. at the show-ground. no sight seeing!
Another day driving to Toowoomba. Overnight stop and washing .
Brisbane was next to my son Dans place , see Sophia and Christopher, leave the van and have three days on the gold coast with Kriztina Jj and the twins. One day spent at Seaworld with everyone.
