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Trip Report: Outback Adventure
Part 1: Intro
Just back from an amazing 5 weeks Down Under, 3+ of which I spent traveling across the Outback of eastern and central Australia. Traveling with me was a good friend (a Brit) and, for the last 1300 miles, my Aussie wife. Three people with different accents! I had lived in Australia (Canberra) during the 80's and this was the lastest of many return trips over the years. I've always always harbored a fascination with the Outback and had long wanted to do such an adventure - we'd visited the Red Center (twice), the Top End, the Flinders Ranges and the Kimberley before, but these were relatively short trips to places we had flown to, missing everything in between. In planning the trip, there were two places that were top of the list: Boodjamulla Nat'l Park (aka Lawn Hill) in far western Queensland (Qld) and the Birdsville Track, the historic unpaved stock route in South Australia (SA) extending over 300 miles south from Birdsville (just over the Qld border) to Marree in SA. Unfortunately, after reserving our 4WD camper for pickup in Cairns, Qld, devastating autumn floods had closed off both of those destinations and thus we had to make major last minute changes to the itinerary, which ended up as follows: Cairns, Qld (2 nights) - pick up 4WD camper Chillagoe, Qld (1) Undarra Nat'l Park, Qld (2) Karumba, Qld (1) Mt. Isa, Qld (1) Tobermorey Station, Northern Territory (1) Jervois Station, NT (1) Alice Springs, NT (2) Coober Pedy, SA (1) Marree, SA (2) Arkaroola, SA (2) Melrose, SA (1) Adelaide, SA (3) - dropped off 4WD camper and rented an SUV. Broken Hill, New South Wales (1) Cobar, NSW (1) Walgett, NSW (1) Stanthorpe, Qld (2) Palm Beach, Qld (5) Fly to Sydney, NSW (3) We (Dave and I) flew into Cairns at the beginning of July and after a full day to stock up on provisions, loaded up our 4WD Toyota Hilux camper and headed west. Our vehicle was rented from Adventure Rentals, a firm with depots in Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Alice Springs, Adelaide and Perth. It was practically brand new (only ~3500 miles) as was all the equipment supplied, including induction and gas stoves, refridgerator, two rooftop tents, sleeping bags and bedding, cooking/eating utensils, etc., satellite and CB radios, solar panel, extended fuel tank, water tank, sand flag, winch, two spare tires, and compressor. We were very well prepared for any eventuality! Stay tuned for Part 2https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2cfa95baa7.jpg |
Long time no see Ralph - I'm very much along for your tooth/boob jarring ride!
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Yay! Someone writing about our beautiful country! Looking forward to reading.
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Necessary preparations duly noted. I'm along for the ride.
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Straps cinched, I’m along for the trip, nice to see you back again Ralph.
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Thanks Mel, Bokara, Liz and Kay - good to be back!
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Part 2
Part 2 Cairns to Chillagoe
From Cairns we took the steep, winding, and scenic Gillies Highway up over the dividing range through tropical rainforest to the small town of Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands, a green and fertile agricultural region averaging about 3000 feet above sea level. After lunch and a beer at the nice old Yungaburra pub (aka “hotel”), we continued west through rolling countryside though fields of banana, apple and mango trees, avocados, potatoes, and other crops. Past Dimbulah on the Burke Developmental Road, the look of the land became drier, and the crops petered out, giving way to the scrub and scattered trees characteristic of Queensland’s Gulf Savannah country. The word “outback” is quite subjective - there is no set boundary between, say, “the coast” and “the outback” – but to me, we were now officially in The Outback, especially once we reached our destination for the evening: Chillagoe, a former copper smelting town, now quite well known for its spectacular limestone caves. We stayed the night at the Chillagoe Cabins and were very pleased – friendly owners, and clean, comfortable rooms. It was just a short walk down the road to the Post Office Hotel, the pub where we ate dinner that night. Although we found the food to be generally very good in the various places we stopped, this dinner - chicken schnitzel - was a bit disappointing – basically an oversized Chicken McNugget. After dinner we strolled around the block to the other pub in town, the Chillagoe Hotel, for a nightcap and an interesting chat with the proprietor serving at the bar. Even though we were well into the tropics (17 degrees S), the morning was quite chilly, so we were “rugged up” as we sat and enjoyed a delightful “brekkie”, which was served in an open area next to the pool at our accommodations. The day turned out to be gorgeous – clear skies, highs in the 70’s, the sort of weather we had for most of the whole trip. We had booked a tour of one of the limestone caves, Donna Cave, a short drive out of town among a maze of massive limestone outcroppings (karst). There were perhaps 20 people on the tour, which took around an hour. We were not disappointed – the limestone formations were beautiful, and our guide was very knowledgeable. If we’d had more time we would have seen another cave or two, and we’d have instead toured the more highly recommended Trezkinn cave if the timing was right. We emerged from the cave into bright sunshine and then took a short walk among the karst outcroppings, including Balancing Rock, a massive, elongated chunk of limestone precariously standing atop a similarly large boulder. Before departing town, we drove out to the site of the copper smelting complex, abandoned in the 40’s after operating about 40 years. Remaining now are just a few tall smokestacks and ruined stone buildings. The site itself was off-limits, but there was a short trail up a hill with a nice view of the surrounding terrain, distant hills, the smelter, and the adjoining slag heap. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d583f16ce8.jpg Our route, starting in Cairns (A), southwest to Alice Springs (I), south to Adelaide (O) then northeast to the Gold Coast (Z) over 24 days. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...558c329c1.jpeg Caught a glimpse of the Barrier Reef landing in Cairns https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4b71a88e7.jpg Had some time to spare the day before hitting the road so we took Skyrail up and over the ranges to Kuranda on the Atherton Tablelands https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f243451d7.jpeg Picking up our vehicle - Ralph on left, Dave on right https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5469370f0.jpeg Heading west into the outback, leaving the lush coast and tablelands behind https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aafd0d07f.jpeg Chillagoe Cabins accommodation - clean and very cozy. We weren't ready for camping yet... https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4d3768be5.jpg Karst outcropping, Chillagoe https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d40c38bab.jpeg Donna Cave https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41ee0ae09.jpeg Donna Cave - "The Bedroom Curtains" https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a1e478cec.jpeg Balancing Rock https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bc582014b.jpeg Chillagoe copper smelter ruins https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b39a964d.jpeg Smelter lookout view - slag heap on right |
It wasn't until I saw your map that I realised what an enormous distance you travelled, and in a short time. I'm enjoying reading about your trip especially the places that aren't as well known.
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Yes Kay - we logged a lot of k's - about 7300 of them! That's about 4500 miles.
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Hopping along for the ride too. Looking forward to learning about the lesser known bits of Australia and new ideas for future visits.
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Part 2 - Undara National Park
From Chillagoe, we backtracked on the main road then went south from Almaden on the dirt Ootan Road toward our next destination, Undara National Park, about 200 km away (125 miles). The road was generally in good shape, though there were steam crossings that would have been risky for a normal car to negotiate. We stopped for lunch near one of the crossings where we enjoyed the peace and quiet sitting on the mostly dry riverbed flanked by white-barked river gum trees - a quintessential Australian setting. It was the first time we used our induction stove, using it to fry sausages and heat up canned chili. A huge road train loaded with livestock, which we could hear coming for some time, broke the silence for a few minutes and was just about the only other vehicle we saw until we turned onto the Kennedy Hwy toward Undara.
Undara National Park is renowned for its volcanic features, in particular its extensive system of lava tubes that are the main draw for tourists. There are also several volcanic cinder cones, including the Kalkani Crater, the rim of which is accessible as part of a 2.3 km (1.4 mile) loop trail. We encountered the turnoff to the Kalkani Crater on the way into the park, and so, with time to spare, we decided to climb it then and there. Views around the rim were limited by trees, but nonetheless, you could look across the perfectly circular bowl to the other side. Pretty cool. Halfway round the Kalkani rim. I was startled by something I had nearly stepped on – a large greenish-brown snake, which was, fortunately, just as startled as me and quickly slithered away into the bush. I related this to one of the guides the next day, who instantly deemed it being a King Brown, a very poisonous snake that could have quickly ended my trip. Yikes! I have done a lot of hiking in Australia and can confidently say that such a close encounter is a rare occurrence, not because the snakes aren’t there, it’s because they sense you coming and usually disappear.We stayed at the Discovery Resorts facility, the only accommodation in the park. In retrospect, I wish we’d just used our rooftop tents and camped in the designated camping/RV area, closer to the shared bathroom facilities. Instead, we stayed in one of the rigid two-man swag tents that were available at a small rate. Our swag was in pretty good shape, but some were in ruins. Much nicer en suite accommodation was also available, including a line of repurposed antique railroad carriages. That evening we enjoyed a respectable meal and a few beers in the large covered common area at the center of the resort complex. After dark, it was (for me) a glass of wine (or two) sitting and socializing with Dave and others around a central fire pit. We could have eaten in the dining area the next morning but instead opted for a “bush breakfast”, cooked on and served around a fire in a nearby clearing – eggs, sausages, bacon, toast, billy tea, etc. With time to kill before our lava tube tour, we took a hike on one of the several hiking trails emanating from the resort. We climbed the bluff behind the facility. This was capped with large boulders atop which afforded nice views over the park. Low areas in the mid-distance were flooded - I assume a result of the torrential rains that had submerged huge parts of Queensland earlier in the year. The Undara lava tubes can only be accessed on a guided tour. Among other options, we opted for the 2-hour Wind Tunnel tour, which goes down a rocky path into one cave entrance (a collapsed section of the tube), along a stretch of giant lava tube and out another opening. On the small bus to the start of the hike, our obviously experienced guide explained how the lava tubes were formed (lava from the Undara crater, some distance away). He also delved into the abundant wildlife in the park and efforts to control feral cats by not killing the dingoes (native animals) that prey on them. As we descended into the cave, he explained the survival of the vine thicket rainforest vegetation existing around the cave openings and collapsed tube sections. In the cave he pointed out some of the creatures that live there – bats (of course), spiders, etc. We also saw the bones of a couple of unfortunate wallabies that had perished in the cave for some reason. Back at the lodge, it was meat pies for lunch followed by a hike to the Atkinson Lookout, a modest granite dome, about a mile away. The best wildlife sighting was a stunningly beautiful Red Winged Parrot, a new Australian bird for me. It was quite warm and humid that afternoon, so we were eager to relax outside our swag with couple of cold “tinnies” from our vehicle’s refrigerator. Dinner that night was again in the common outdoor dining area. It was amusing to watch a couple of kookaburras positioning themselves in a nearby tree looking for opportunities (which they took) to swoop down and steal food from people’s plates. Around the firepit that night we talked to several interesting people including a couple of young-ish, somewhat tipsy women from north of Cairns. I wouldn’t have picked one of them as a driver of enormous dump trucks that service a coal mine somewhere in central Queensland: very good money (~150 k/year) but a 10-day on-10-day off commute to/from Cairns by air. Quite a lifestyle! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f77df6b7b3.jpg Beginning the Kalkani Crater. This nice lady kindly offered to add perspective to my picture... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4e3164f37.jpeg Saw quite a few of these guys... https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c271e2514.jpeg Bush breakfast https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...827b200fe.jpeg Lovely view from the bluff behind the resort. The hills in the distance are volcanic cinder cones. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...01994e50f.jpeg Savannah and boulders galore https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...79bca0323.jpeg Wind Tunnel lava tube entrance https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...32809e28f.jpeg Wind Tunnel lava tube https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...64e0b5e85.jpeg This wallaby got stuck in the tube somehow https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...98b7043a0.jpeg Red Winged Parrot https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...787a25ccb.jpeg Kookaburras ready to strike - to swoop down to steal our dinners! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b06d250c5.jpeg Our swag tent at Undara. There is much nicer accommodation available. |
Checking in for the next legs!
Keep 'em coming. |
Scary close encounter with that snake, Ralph. I miss the Australian birds, but not the snakes, spiders and flies!
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Originally Posted by Melnq8
(Post 17677784)
Scary close encounter with that snake, Ralph. I miss the Australian birds, but not the snakes, spiders and flies!
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Merci for this TR Ralph. Not often that we get to read and see reports from the Outback.
I am done. the dingo |
a great read
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Thanks again Ralph, a great read.
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Part 4: Undara to Karumba and Mt. Isa
Our drive west on the Gulf Development Road from Undara across the base of the Cape York Peninsula to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria was a long one – 570 km (350 miles). Except at the end as we neared the Gulf, the savannah was less flat than anticipated. But as would be the case for much of our journey, there were long, dead straight sections with the road disappearing over the horizon miles away. The road was mostly two-lane and paved, but in a few sections, it was unpaved or just paved with one lane down the middle. It was on the latter where we had to be particularly careful to mind oncoming road trains. These enormous vehicles - up to 175 feet (53 m) long and pulling up to four large trailers – do not move off the bitumen, forcing oncoming traffic (except, I suppose, other road trains) right off the road and onto the verge. This fact, along with free-ranging livestock and wildlife, are the reasons why driving at night in the outback is such a bad idea. We had planned our itinerary with this in mind, allowing plenty of time to reach our destinations before sunset.
Along the way, we fueled up in Georgetown and stopped to cook lunch at Lake Belmore, a man-made reservoir outside Croydon. At a lookout over Croydon, we got talking to a local gentleman who related the story of a massive fireball meteor that had exploded in the skies above the area in 2023. Amusingly, he was sure that we could find pieces of it if we kept an eye out. Karumba would be the first place we slept in our rooftop tents as there were no other accommodations option available. We were lucky to get a space at the caravan (RV) park there, Karumba being a popular destination in the “winter” months for fishing in the Gulf and being a scenic coastal stopover for “grey nomads” - retirees like us, usually pulling a caravan, traveling around the continent. Indeed, virtually anywhere went most of the vehicles we encountered were either caravans or road trains. Deploying our rooftop tents was new to us and somewhat involved, so we were sure to get them up before sunset. That done, we ventured up the road to get our first look at the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria from the beachside patio of the Sunset Tavern. There we enjoyed fresh-caught barramundi and beer as we watched a magnificent sunset unfold over the sea. The next day (July 7) we began the southbound section of the adventure heading to the remote mining city of Mt. Isa in far western Queensland. After Normanton, where we picked up groceries, dense concentrations of termite mounds dotted the flat savannah for miles – fascinating! Closer to Mt. Isa, the terrain became hilly and quite rugged. We stopped at a memorial honoring Burke and Wills who perished in the Outback in the 1860’s while leading an expedition to establish an inland route from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. If I were Burke and Wills, looking down from above, I think I’d prefer no memorial to that one - a small plaque mounted in a crude stone obelisk accompanied by a similarly sized, bright red rubbish bin six feet away. In Mt Isa, we checked in to the Burke and Wills Motel, did a load of laundry then walked up the street for beers at the Buffs Club, a modern facility with sports bar, gaming area (i.e., slot machines, or “pokies”) and restaurant. A couple of the bartenders were from France – the first of many young people from overseas we met who were extending their visas by working in rural locales.We felt we deserved a more up-market dinner, so we settled on Giuseppe’s Cantina, a block or two away. I wouldn’t have thought we’d find a place nearly as good as it was in a frontier mining town, but then again, mining creates a lot of wealth. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d457fbdf.jpeg Road paved down the middle. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cabedafc.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6dba03aa5.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...02deb6028.jpeg Tents up in Karumba. Pretty confortable, though getting up to pee at night wasn't fun. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e96cca5c.jpeg The Gulf of Carpentaria at Karumba https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12bd933b6.jpeg Karumba sunset https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...56cd3a6b5.jpeg The Purple Pub, Normanton - a classic outback "hotel" https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eda63228b.jpeg Zillions of termite mounds south of Normanton on the Gulf Savannah https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...07a85ad3e.jpeg Burke and Wills Memorial outside Mt. Isa. Don't go out of your way! |
I don't think my bladder and that roof top tent would get along very well:)
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Spectacular sunset at Karumba, Ralph. I agree about the Bourke & Wills Memorial. That's a disgraceful "why bother?" & the Shire Council should be ashamed of themselves.
I looked at that bitumen strip in the middle of the road & remembered when we thought it was marvellous to have the same on our formerly unsealed black soil road. My second thought, looking at the red gravel was to wonder how many windscreens were broken on that road every year. |
Originally Posted by Melnq8
(Post 17678514)
I don't think my bladder and that roof top tent would get along very well:)
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Originally Posted by Bokhara2
(Post 17678608)
I looked at that bitumen strip in the middle of the road & remembered when we thought it was marvellous to have the same on our formerly unsealed black soil road. My second thought, looking at the red gravel was to wonder how many windscreens were broken on that road every year.
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Originally Posted by RalphR;[url=tel:17678848
17678848[/url]]That's one thing I was quite worried about. Took care to slow down and pull over with oncoming traffic, especially the road trains. Sounds like you live in a rural area. May I ask where?
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speaking of road trains-my grandaughter who was born in Broome and lived in the Kimberleys used to make that sort of road train with her blocks-she had never seen any other "train". And she always looked in the toilet bowl to see if there were any frogs before using . A diiferent life
love your adventures |
'Welcome all to Broome' went the song.
I am done. the singing dingo |
Originally Posted by Bokhara2
(Post 17678916)
I used to live between Walgett & Brewarrina and later between Brewarrina & Goodooga, Ralph.
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Originally Posted by northie
(Post 17679141)
speaking of road trains-my grandaughter who was born in Broome and lived in the Kimberleys used to make that sort of road train with her blocks-she had never seen any other "train". And she always looked in the toilet bowl to see if there were any frogs before using . A diiferent life
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Part 5. Mt Isa, Qld to Tobermorey Station, NT
Still somewhat jet-lagged, we were up early in Mt. Isa. It was a bright, chilly morning, a perfect time to drive up to the Mt. Isa Lookout to take in an excellent 360-degree view over the city. Dominating the industrial view to the west were two enormous smokestacks, one for a copper smelter, the other, towering 850 ft (260 m) high, serving a lead smelter. Silver and zinc are also extracted from ores mined nearby.
After a superb modern breakfast at Bambino Express, we hit the road. At this point we had planned to head due south to take the Birdville Track to Marree and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. But since the Track was closed due to flooding, we began a 2000 km (1200 mi) detour to Marree by driving SW to join the Urandangi Road, Plenty Highway and Binns Track to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. This 1000 km (600 mi) stretch was mostly unpaved and was probably the most remote section of our journey. About 20 minutes out of Mt. Isa, we realized were low on diesel – a serious oversight since the next fuel was about 280 km (175 mi) away and had we continued, we could have ended up stranded on a road where we saw just two road trains and one car in about three hours. Fortunately, we were still close enough to Mt. Isa to turn back and fill up. Leaving Mt. Isa, on the Boulia-Mt. Isa “Highway”, civilization abruptly ends as the road winds through the rugged hills to the south. By the time we turned onto the Urandangi Road, the terrain was dead flat with wide expanses of red ground, parched grass and isolated shrubs. This was cattle country although I don’t remember seeing many cattle. Perhaps they all were on the two oncoming road trains that buried us in their dust as they thundered by us early on. We really should have deflated our tires a little (as recommended by the rental company) to reduce the chance of getting a flat on the unsealed road, but keeping our speed down to about 75 km/hr (~45 mph) probably helped. Keeping us amused along the way, often hung near the occasional cattle grid crossing, were crude signs made from detached car hoods (bonnets) with comical expressions like “ARE WE THERE YET???” painted on them. Less entertaining were the occasional shells of abandoned vehicles off the side of the road – “Is this what happens when you run out of gas out here?”, we wondered. Ultimately, we reached the small town of Urandangi only about 20 kms from the Northern Territory (NT) border. There was hardly a soul was in sight. I learned that Urandangi was nearly wiped off the map by flooding of the nearby Georgina River in 2023. Some buildings survived, but not the Dangi Pub, which was ruined and has since been torn down. We could have used a few beers by this stage! After crossing the Georgina River, it was a short drive to our destination, the Tobermory Station, a HUGE cattle property the size of Rhode Island just over the NT border. As a side-business, it runs the only camping area with fuel and amenities for hundreds of kilometers. Not surprisingly, the diesel was very expensive: AUD 2.80/liter or ~USD 7/gallon. We found a nice spot to set up under a grove of gum trees in the middle of the complex between the restrooms, cooking area, a small store and an outdoor bar. With tents up, we made a beeline to the bar, shade provided by a large, horizontal windmill fan. There we struck up conversation with a couple living in Broome, in the north of Western Australia (WA), who were headed across the continent on holiday. He is a general practitioner and she, an occupational therapist, both working with indigenous communities in WA. It was very interesting hearing about the special challenges they face in their work, for example, efforts to improve indigenous life expectancies, which lag some 10 years behind that of European Australians. With a beautiful sunset slowly unfolding, the four of us took a stroll around the levee surrounding the complex to protect it from flood. We cooked dinner on the truck and then were kindly invited by a couple “next door” to us in the campground for a sit-down around their campfire and an engaging chat over, for us, more beer and some wine. He was an Australian who had served in the Vietnam War, reminding me of Australia’s involvement in the conflict. The desert night was cold, so I was grateful that Dave had asked for extra sleeping bags when we picked up the vehicle in Cairns the week before. A large flock of galahs (grey and pink parrots) settled in the trees above us squawking halfway through the night. They took flight shortly after we arose, flying as a near murmuration around the camp at sunrise – a spectacular sight. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...80fa117d2.jpeg Mt Isa from the Mt Isa Lookout. Copper and lead smelter stacks left and right. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4ef081a93.jpeg Road train in downtown Mt. Isa. He couldn't avoid running the red light! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3c4bcbaa.jpeg Arid, yet pretty country leaving Mt Isa https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...71e52c1c4.jpeg LOL on the Urandangi Road! Only 721 kms to "Macca's"??? https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bed8ee256.jpeg No kidding! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75e1fe9ae7.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...05dbedeb2.jpeg Alas, there the pub was torn down after the flood in 2023. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...87b577378.jpeg Abandoned house in Urandangi. So sad. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5fb0a9002.jpeg Tobermorey Station bar area https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f016c29e2.jpeg A windmill fan for shade... https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7c6cf2f99.jpeg Dave, beer in hand, camping under the gum trees at Tobermorey Station https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...007e20959.jpeg Morning shadows https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33d3162d8.jpeg Flock of screeching galahs at sunrise. Buggers kept us up half the night with all the noise. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...87981d6e6.jpeg Galahs close-up, for reference. |
I'm still following along and very much enjoying the ride. Appreciate getting to know bits of Australia that I will not likely get to through you.
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Ralph, if you get to Lightning Ridge, Goodooga or Moree - don't miss their Artesian Aquatic centres.
Like Tripplanner, I’m seeing parts of Australia through your eyes that I’ll probably not see with mine & I’m enjoying your trip report enormously- thanks again. |
Here’s the Great Artesian Basin - you might come across some other baths & bores in your travels.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File...sian_Basin.png |
[QUOTE=Bokhara2;17679703]Here’s the Great Artesian Basin - you might come across some other baths & bores in your travels.
Is it always possible to swim there? |
[QUOTE=derek33;17679925]
Originally Posted by Bokhara2
(Post 17679703)
Here’s the Great Artesian Basin - you might come across some other baths & bores in your travels.
Is it always possible to swim there? The only places you can swim in it are where a bite has been sunk into it and the water brought to the surface or through a naturally occurring spring ——- From Wikipedia Artesian" refers to water from a confined aquifer (an underground layer of rock or sediment) that is under pressure and flows to the surface without pumping, forming artesian wells or artesian springs. The term is most famously associated with Australia's Great Artesian Basin, one of the world's largest underground freshwater reserves, which is vital for drinking water and supporting industries in the region. What is an artesian system?
Artesian water in Australia
Related terms
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Part 6: Tobermorey to Jervois Station and Alice Springs
From Tobermorey Station we turned onto the Plenty Highway toward our next destination, Jervois Station, another cattle property 265 km (165 mi) to the west. Either Google Maps was in error, or I had screwed up using Google Maps, as we had expected it to be a 7+ hour drive averaging just 40 kph (25 mph) on what we assumed would be a rough slow-going road. But although the road was unsealed nearly the whole way, it was in good shape, and we found ourselves at the property by lunchtime with an afternoon to kill. The landscape was much the same as it had been most of the previous day – mostly flat, red soil, sparse mulga scrub and occasional eucalyptus trees, especially near (dry) watercourses. We stopped for a good look at a couple of enormous (~15 ft high) red termite mounds close to the road, as well as to enjoy the sight of a flock of beautiful pink cockatoos (aka Major Mitchell’s cockatoos) that flew across the road in front of us to perch in a nearby tree.
The amenities at Jervois were bare bone – a small shop, a crude restroom block a fair walk away from the camping area, and, most importantly, a diesel pump. The camping area was adjacent to a dry riverbed, lined with eucalypts as usual.Up to this point the infamous Outback flies had not been much of a bother, but at the Jervois Station they were out in force as we set up our camp and ate lunch. We had contemplated a walk along the pretty, shaded creek bed, but feeling a little tired from the previous night’s sleep interrupted by screeching galahs, and not wanting to be shooing flies away flies the whole time, we retired to our tents for an afternoon nap. By evening a few other groups had set up camp. Unfortunately, with no common bar area and with campers spaced well apart in the field, there was little chance of socialization as there had been at Tobermorey. Leaving Jervois the next morning, back on the Plenty Highway, we were surprised to see bitumen being laid either side of a newly constructed bridge, then additional patches of bitumen and finally, uninterrupted bitumen with road signs indicating the date of completion of each section. We learned that the Plenty Highway will eventually be paved all the way east to the Queensland border, thereby completing a more direct paved route to Alice Springs and the Red Center from the East Coast. Although the Plenty Hwy continued west to join the Stuart Hwy (the only north-south paved road in central Australia) just north of Alice Springs, to get our money’s worth from our 4WD, we turned off on the now continuously sealed road to take the rough, unpaved Binns Track, a historic backroad to Alice that winds through the scenic MacDonnell Ranges east of the city. Much of the property along the way is Aboriginal land with a permit needed to leave the road reserve. There were gates on the road between adjacent properties that needed to be opened to pass. Approaching Alice, we stopped for a hike at Trephina Gorge, one of several gorges sliced into the East MacDonnell ranges. As sunset was approaching, we didn’t get as far as I would have hoped, but nonetheless, we were there long enough to appreciate the quiet rugged beauty of the place. We stopped on the way out to see what is claimed to be the largest ghost gum tree in Australia, just as the day’s last light was upon it. A magnificent full moon rose behind us just as we arrived in Alice, where we settled into the Alice Springs Hotel for two nights. We were rather disappointed with the limited dining options nearby but were reasonably satisfied sharing a pizza for dinner at the Epilogue Lounge & Rooftop Bar on Todd Street. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...277713a28.jpeg Ralph (left), giant termite mound (right) https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b411a539f.jpeg Pink cockatoos (aka Major Mitchell cockatoos). Wished I'd brought:1) my binoculars and 2) my SLR camera with zoom lens! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcb727014.jpeg Outback cattle station - a stereotypical Outback scene https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ee84cc8c.jpeg Camping at Jervois Station. The flies were driving us nuts at this point! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4827508b7.jpeg Riverbed near our camping spot, Jervois https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1de558f9b.jpeg Sunrise with Venus. Jervois Station https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b5850df3.jpeg Starting the Binns Track https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7a67c7df.jpeg Get the gate, mate! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6689abecb.jpeg Approaching the East MacDonnells https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d1b99a5e.jpeg Trephina Gorge, East MacDonnell Ranges https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...697f5bf65.jpeg Trephina Gorge https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ab8de6bb.jpeg Wildflowers, Trephina Gorge https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bdc42be29.jpeg Largest ghost gum in Australia, according to the sign |
Oh my! That Trephina Gorge photo with the wattles is just goosebump gorgeous!
I can’t thank you enough for showing me so many of the “ by-ways” & corrugated roads of my country. |
As Bokhara says, thanks for taking us away from the usual haunts.
Great pics. |
stunning
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I did a sort of similar journey some years ago. Fueled by bananas and chocolate rather than diesel, as I was riding a bicycle.
https://www.fodors.com/community/aus...d-trip-801445/ |
Ralph, is there more to come? Really enjoying your report and photos.
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Originally Posted by Peter_S_Aus
(Post 17681356)
I did a sort of similar journey some years ago. Fueled by bananas and chocolate rather than diesel, as I was riding a bicycle.
https://www.fodors.com/community/aus...d-trip-801445/ |
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