Yachtie's Travels
Well finally we have left on our journey around Oz. Our rig consists of a Discovery 4 and Roma 20 ft caravan. Our travels will take us west from Brisbane through Toowoomba along the Warrego highway to Charleville and then north to Lawn Hill west of Gregory Downs via Long reach, Winton and Cloncurry. From Lawn Hill we will travel back to Cloncurry through Mt. Isa, Camooweal, Tennant Creek and then head north to Darwin via Kakadu. We hope to be in Darwin by June.
Days 24 to 27 - Charleville to St George, Applethorpe, Home
Day 24 - Charleville to St George via Mitchell.
Last night dropped to about 7°. I was looking forward to cooler weather, but to wake up freezing in the early morning was unexpected. I have some warmer gear packed somewhere.
I started the day by visiting relatives in Charleville. I first met them at Barkly Downs Station some 12 months ago when we placed the Headstone on Hop Thomas's grave. My relatives, are direct descendants from Hop and Annie's sons. I am a direct descendent of their only daughter.
Days 13, 14 - Bladensburg NP to Camooweal Billabong Camp (Georgina River).
Day 13 - Bladensburg NP to Corella Dam, Cloncurry
Left Blandenburg NP after most of the morning reading all the manuals again. Rechecked my 12v electrics again, and cleaned then re-tightened the battery terminals. They were a tad loose so here's hoping.
Also had another go at the gas stove in the Camper. Finally, managed to get it going after checking all the fittings - some relief I tell you. No more butane meals and coffee but butane is a reliable emergency cooking aid.
Following the Big Wet - 2011 Trip – Part 17: Fossicking and moving north.
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We had only gone a couple of kilometres along the track to the amethyst fossicking area when we met a vehicle coming out. We stopped for a chat and to check that we were on the right track. The driver was a regular fossicker and warned us that the track became rough in places with some bad side slopes and steep creek crossings. He seemed a bit concerned that a couple of tourist types towing a trailer might not make it, and warned that we would have the place to ourselves as no-one else was out there.
Alice, Tennant Creek to Mt Isa and Cloncurry
Day 34
Monday 4th July. Alice Springs
Its back to Alice Springs this morning and we check in at the van park before 10.30, having booked and paid for a site before we left 10 days ago. Our site is the one we occupied last time and for some inexplicable reason we have all kind of difficulties getting the van parked. It must provide some interesting entertainment for the people around!
2002 Trip - Kimberley & Kakadu. Part 9 – Kakadu to Mt Isa
We left Kakadu satisfied that we had a least sampled its variety and amazed by the range of experiences we have had so far on this trip. At Pine Creek we pumped up the tyres and proceeded down the highway to Katherine where we emptied out our water bottles and filled up with clean fresh water. We had to pay a $20 deposit at the “I” center for a key to one of the taps there. We did a major food shop, refilled the gas bottles and headed out of town to pack our shopping and have lunch.
Borroloola and the Barkly Tableland
Our next adventure takes us through the vast Mitchell Grass plains of the Barkly Tablelands as we head towards Queensland.
Heading further south we reached Pine Creek. What we saw on our second visit here has been combined with the earlier travelogue on Pine Creek. We were now back on the road we had taken a few weeks earlier, so did not stop for any further sightseeing, travelling through Katherine and Mataranka.
Tennant Creek to Mataranka
We head towards the land known as the Never Never, passing many historic points along the Stuart Highway.
We take the Stuart Highway north from Tennant Creek and discover just how much preparation for defence was made during the War, even this far south of Darwin. There are over 1,000 World War II historic sites in the Northern Territory.
Three Ways is on the junction of the Stuart Highway and the Barkly Highway, which travels east and on into Queensland.
Trip to Kimberley 25 May - 24 August 2003
Trip to Kimberley 25 May – 24 August 2003
25 May – Sunday – Nyngan – Nyngan Riverside Caravan Park ($20.00 en suite)
Departed Canberra 9.00 and arrived Parkes 12.30. Had lunch in town and filled with petrol at Woolies. The Dish: looked around and watched the film (should be free) and John got chatting with the woman at the desk about CSIRO. Arrived Nyngan about 5.00. Drive through site, didn’t unhitch. Courtesy lift to and from club for dinner.
26 May – Monday – Cunnamulla – Jack Tonkin Caravan Park ($16.
Central Queensland
The "Matilda Highway" is the name for the connection of highways from Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria to Bourke in country NSW. We joined the Matilda Highway at Mt Isa and followed it through Cloncurry, Winton, Longreach and Barcaldine where we turned off to make our way eastwards towards the coast through Carnarvon Gorge NP, Cania Gorge NP and finally to the shores of Hervey Bay where we took a vehicle barge to Fraser Island.
