Day 64 (20 September) – Sue & Laurie’s – Alligator Creek to Charters Towers
Not a big drive today but a few last-minute repairs and checks before we departed.
We refuelled at Alligator Creek – both diesel and AdBlue as this was the cheapest anywhere around. Then we headed off towards Charters Towers arriving just before lunch. A look around town then a check in at the Caravan Park.
The weather was getting warmer – 31 degrees at the peak of the day in Charters Towers. I wanted to get a better water hose for the motorhome as well as a GoPro mount for the tripod. So we jumped in the Jimny and went to town – there is a major shopping complex on the Townsville side of the town. I managed to get a box full of GoPro (32) mounting accessories for $64.00 but no luck with the hose. We then visited the ‘globe’ and nuggets where is started raining.
Back in the Jimny and then we went looking for Towers Hill. There were a couple of signs that didn’t make sense and we finally found the entry after circumnavigating Tower Hill. Up to the top on a very steep and windy road. Magnificent views over the country side and Charters Towers.
As we had more time, we went to the Weir Park to check out their famous weir – there was a guy fishing off the base of the weir in an area that was supposed to be prohibited.
Back to the caravan park, looking at hotels on the way to find one for dinner that night. At around 18:00 we headed to town for dinner. We found a number of hotels were closed or not providing a meal. We were given directions to the Commercial Hotel on the other side of town where we had a good pub meal then headed back – naturally I watched the rugby. The Sharks overcame the Cowboys, not a good outcome in this area. Sydney was too good for Port Adelaide and so have made it to the grand final next week.
Day 65 (21 September) – Charters Towers to Hughendon
A reasonable drive to Hughendon (250 km) so we left the caravan park around 09:00.
We stopped at Pentland for a coffee. The business was for sale – with pub and shop closures and businesses for sale, this area doesn’t seem so lively at the moment.
On to Hughendon where we checked in to the caravan park – a very dusty site.
We went for a trip in the Jimny around town, had a look at the pubs and then visited the dinosaur museum – not bad – with a sculpture of one outside the museum and one over the road (Darby). A good museum showing the history of the area and then a skeleton of ‘Hughie’ a 7 m Muttaburrasaurus that lived 110 million years ago.
After the museum we decided to have a look at Porcupine Gorge – around 64 km from Hughendon. It was a good view of the gorge in both directions.
Not much more to see in Hughendon after the museum so I spent the afternoon washing the Jimny while Lyn went for a swim.
We went to the pub furthest away from our caravan park – the Great Western – another good meal then back to the caravan park to watch the Roosters beat the Sea Eagles (and Brisbane knock off Geelong to put them in the grand final next week against Sydney – an all interstate Grand Final). So, Melbourne Storm will be playing the Roosters next Friday for a spot in the NRL Grand Final.
Day 66 (22 September) – Hughendon to Cloncurry
Today was a fairly long drive so we started just after Lyn had a swim in the pool next door. I’d got everything ready so it didn’t take long to leave – we set off around 09:15.
Our first stop was to refuel, then on to Richmond – one of the three major dinosaur major town destinations with Hughendon and Winton. I wasn’t expecting much at Richmond but did I get a surprise! The Richmond Museum is one of the best kept secrets in Australia.
The museum had a curator who was there on a Sunday morning and who took us in to the museum and started the introductory film – a fascinating film of the history of dinosaurs in the area. Much better was to come as we then went through the three main rooms where the fossils were laid out and an audio explanation provided commentary on each of the displays.
The third room was behind closed doors to ensure the temperature and humidity was kept constant. Here we saw an almost complete fossilised skeleton of a Kronosaurus.
On towards Cloncurry arriving around 16:00 as we decided not to go fossicking North of the town (an option provided by the museum). We passed through Julia Creek on the way and approaching town we thought we saw a sign that James (Wren and Luna’s dad) was 20.
A quick look around town then dinner at the Post Office hotel (opposite the Post Office).
We had originally planned to leave for Normanton and Karumba the following day but decided to defer that so Lyn could do a telehealth call on the Tuesday morning before we headed off.
Day 67 (23 September) – Cloncurry
Today was a quiet day. I had taken the bikes off the roof and assembled them so we could go for a ride. Our hosts at the Cloncurry Caravan Park Oasis had suggested a ride to Chinaman Creek Dam – around 5km out of town along the newly installed bike track.
So, off we headed along the new track (and some old sections) and rode to the dam. Unfortunately, Lyn hit one of the poles preventing vehicles from accessing the bike track – a little sore but OK to continue. A quick look around the dam (apparently it was better further down a gravel track which we decided not to take). Then cycling back to the motorhome.
I’d noticed an auto electrician in town and we’d been having trouble with the Jimny, A-frame and motorhome combination. I’d checked the Jimny separately and found all lights to be working so took the A-frame to the auto electrician (Access Electronics) to be rewired (I’d noticed a broken pin on the A-frame wiring). Fortunately, we were due back in Cloncurry after our trip to Normanton and Karumba that weekend so I could leave to be re-wired and checked.
A brief lunch then we decided to go to the Mary Kathleen Mine Site. It was around 65 km West of Cloncurry (towards Mt. Isa) and I was thinking that we could do it when we were on the way to Mt. Isa. However, on arriving in the area, we found it was definitely 4WD terrain without good signage. Fortunately, we saw three Southern Diving Services trucks leaving and I checked with one that we were heading the right way. The mine site was fascinating – pictures don’t do it justice. We left after a few photos and encountered some real 4WD tracks on the return after taking an alternative route back.
We drove back to the caravan park where Lyn cooked a meal (we had to use the fish that she’d bought some time before) and then a quiet night reading before retiring.
Day 68 (24 September) – Cloncurry (Jimny to Normanton)
Lyn was due to have a telehealth call from 11:30 to 12:30 and we were to leave for Normanton after that. As we were leaving for a few days, I had to repack the motorhome, Jimny and prepare to leave the motorhome on basic power and secured. So, a few hours arranging things and then Lyn told me that her client was sick so the call wasn’t on.
We left around 10:30, went to the information centre and got a fossicking permit for a month as Lyn wanted to look for some amethysts near Quamby on the way to Normanton. Off we headed arriving at Quamby around 11:30 (too early for lunch), had a coffee and got some advice on where to look 7 km North of Quamby.
Off we went, pulled over then looked on both sides of the road. The bush was fairly thick so, after around an hour with no luck, we left and continued on towards Normanton.
Around 100 km North of the site we arrived at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse where I had to fill the Jimny (30 litres at $2.45 per litre – lucky we were in the Jimny). As I was cleaning the windscreen I noticed that there was a fairly large crack (I had heard a loud noise on the way but there wasn’t anything around – I think it must have been a meteorite <grin>). So, I made some calls, ordered a new windscreen to be fitted in Mt. Isa. I had to re-arrange the fog light fitting to the Tuesday as the windscreen wouldn’t arrive until then and it made sense to do them both at the same time.
Continuing on, Lyn drove for 100 km whilst I had a nap, then I took over for the last 100 km into Normanton. We found the train station for our trip the next day, then looked for our hotel. The Central Hotel is a rustic rural pub and has seen better days. Our room was quite quaint. We decided to stay only one night in Normanton and to extend our stay at Karumba the following night for 2 nights (to see the famous sunset).
We then took a tour around town, found that ours was the best accommodation around and the pub had the best meals. We saw all the highlights of Normanton in the 20-minute drive we took around the town. The main attraction was Krys, an 8 m long replica of a crocodile shot in the area in 1996.
Back to the pub for a meal then time to update the blog – I hadn’t done it for a few days. Finishing at 20:00, we decided to have another early night.
Day 69 (25 September) – Cloncurry (Jimny to Karumba Point)
We got up early as we had to be at the station at 08:00 to catch the Gulflander – a three-car train from Normanton to Croydon. The train leaves Normanton at 08:30, travels at a maximum speed of 40 kph and arrives at Croydon at 13:30.
We checked in and were given our mugs (for morning tea at Blackbull) and a Trip Guide. We had been allocated seats 3 & 4 in car 1 (we were apparently the second booking for the trip) but were told we could sit anywhere once allowed to board. Our team for the trip was Garry (driver), Kiwi and Bruce. Fortunately, we managed to get the 2 seats immediately behind our driver, Garry, as the RM car (Rail Motor) had a windowed front and nothing behind the driver but seats. On boarding, we saw that a better seat was on the other side (without being obstructed by the driver) but the seat had a reserved sign on it. Before the train left, I went and asked who the reserved seats were for and was told by a guy I’d seen at our pub (Central Hotel) the night before that they were reserved for him as he had to do a visual inspection of the track from inside the train.
Once underway, I asked the name of the track inspector and was told it was Lloyd. I introduced Lyn and myself and then started the first of some very long conversations with Lloyd in between the commentary from Garry as we progressed along the tracks. Lloyd is the track inspector for North Queensland, owns 3 planes (an RV, a Foxbat and a long Eze), is one of the key people at the Innesfail Aero Club and so we shared many stories and information along the way.
Some wildlife – not much though; interesting history; slow meander through the savannah bushland; morning tea at Blackbull then on to Croydon. The most interesting experience was having a mustering helicopter hover over the train as the mustering had just crossed the railway line with several hundred head of cattle. Half an hour earlier and we would have had to wait around 20-25 minutes.
On to Croydon where we were picked up by the bus from the information centre for an extended tour around the town (10 minutes) then into the pub for lunch. As we were sitting there waiting for the bus to arrive (15:25 departure from Croydon to Normanton) one of the train crew walked in (not in his Gulflander uniform). He came up and said hello and was very surprised when I said ‘Hi Kiwi’ as he said most people don’t recognise him out of the uniform. We had a chat and I said I’d buy him a drink and as I did, in came Lloyd. So I extended the round for both of them as well as Lyn then we continued talking bout flying as it turned out Kiwi was a helicopter pilot as well.
Kiwi kept going outside to check for the bus arrival and, just before 15:25, came in and said the bus is about to arrive. We boarded the bus and had a trip back to Normanton arriving at 17:05 (right on schedule). I struck up a conversation with a couple of other passengers and got advice on Karumba, Mt. Isa and travel in general.
We were keen to get to Karumba for the sunset, so headed off immediately to cover the 80 km from Normanton to Karumba, arriving around 17:50 – an uneventful trip although there was plenty of wildlife along the way and many wallabies as we were nearing Karumba.
On the way in we saw a sign for Jay Cee (well we knew they couldn’t spell correctly).
We checked in to the Karumba Point Sunset Caravan Park then headed to the Sunset Tavern to watch the sunset and have a meal. Not a bad sunset, then back to the villa and an early night as we wanted to be up early to see if there was a Morning Glory cloud formation (see tomorrow for more information).
I’ve been trying to learn Photoshop and had a go at modifying another sunset picture that was taken behind some temporary fencing at the pub.
Day 70 (26 September) – Cloncurry (Jimny to Karumba Point)
A very early start as we wanted to check on a Morning Glory cloud formation. This is a highly unusual formation of rolling clouds where cold moist air from the sea interacts with the warm air off the land under the right wind and climate conditions. We were fortunate to see an attempt at the rolling morning glory clouds, just not a complete experience.
We watched the sunrise then headed from Karumba Point into the town of Karumba.
We’d been told about the Barramundi Discovery Centre and so went and found where it was located. Back into the main town for coffee where we did some research and found that the information centre was at the Barramundi Centre also.
We headed back to our villa and saw 3 dingo pups on the way back – a very exciting and unusual sight.
Around 08:45 we headed back to the Barramundi Discovery Centre and went on a tour of their facilities, getting a briefing from Tania and then feeding the big Barras. It was amazing to see and hear the ‘Barra Pop’ as they grabbed the fish we dangled into the water.
The Discovery centre has 3 rotating documentaries – one on Karumba, one on the start of the fishing in the area and one on the Morning Glory clouds. We watched most of each one. There was a power blackout during the morning and as we were watching one of the films. Fortunately, the centre had a generator so the film continued where it had been interrupted.
We had asked at the centre what would be a good experience and they suggested a sunset tour with ‘The Ferryman’. As we were leaving town for Karumba Point, we saw their building and called to book in for the cruise. With no power, they were unable to complete the booking until we told Alison (the owner) that we were outside their place. She came out and was able to complete the booking manually.
Back to Karumba Point where we tried to get lunch at the Sunset Tavern – the meals were good the night before. They didn’t have power and their generator didn’t work so no luck there. Back to our villa where we still had no power. I’d left our 3.5kW portable generator in the Jimny and had brought our jerry can full of fuel, so we offered the caravan park people the use of our generator. They were OK and apparently no one else in the park had an urgent need for a generator. Around 13:30 the power came back on so we were able to cool down a bit.
Lyn decided that we needed to get some fresh prawns from the local supplier as they are caught out in the gulf. We went to a caravan park near the entrance to the Point area and got some fresh prawns. Back to the villa to put them in the fridge, then it was time for the sunset tour – we had to be on the beach at 15:50 in front of our caravan park.
The boat was there when we arrived and boarded, paying for our trip as we got on. Alison introduced us to another Garry, the skipper, then we headed up river to their pier where some others joined – their assistant, Deb, and three others including another Alison and her husband Geoff. The tour started with feeding the kites that came and took the food from the front of the boat, then up river to see crocodiles, a sea eagle, a jabiru and lots of other birds. We turned around upriver where they hand fed another jabiru then back past the point and into the entrance to the rivers to watch the sunset. Although it was good, it wasn’t as good a location as the previous night. As we were travelling down river, we struck up a conversation with Alison and Geoff, found they were from Mildura and shared stories with them about experiences and travels. We found that they were heading to Darwin after their time in Karumba, as we were.
Back to the villa for a night of financial admin again.
Day 71 (27 September) – Cloncurry (Jimny – Karumba Point to Cloncurry)
Another early start as we wanted to check for another Morning Glory cloud formation. This time the morning seemed better with some evidence of the rolling clouds but not as strong as the ones we saw in the Discovery Centre video. Still, it was good to get up early, see the sunrise and the prepare for our longer trip from Karumba Point to Cloncurry (454 km).
We processed (washed) the rocks we’d picked up north of Quamby, selected the best ones, then packed the car and started back to Normanton. I drove to Normanton where we filled the car then Lyn drove halfway to the Burke and Wills Roadhouse.
That completed week 10 of our journey.
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