Bris - Warraweena - Bris Trip Report

TRIP REPORT
Nearly 8800 klm’s over 2000 photo’s I turn back into the driveway after 30 days touring four states. From a busy city Brisbane to Birdsville the launching pad for many to the desert in outback Qld via ruins alone the Birdsville Track to the beautiful Flinders Range South Australia, high country and snow in Victoria over to NSW and the Blue Mountains. My trip took me to many and varied changes in scenery which can only be summed up as a bloody great experience also to meet a diverse array of people and finally putting faces to forum names at Warraweena. Seeing the desert and snow for the first has simple excited me to get out and about more.

I departed Brisbane on the 26th of June stopped overnight at Morvan, Charleville, Quilpie and Windorah on my path to Birdsville. A sign 3klms Brisbane side of Dulcucca $4.95 steaks and free camping, maybe worth a visit. Morvan you can camp at the showgrounds has all amenities and was free. Muckadilla – Morven I’m pleased I drove this section during the day as it was skippy heaven with the carcasses lining both sides of the road what seemed like every 20 metres.

Next day Charleville and spoke with National Parks and was advised the two parks I planned to visit over the next four days were closed due to rain, so decided to stay at Cobb and Co Caravan Park and do some planning for the next four days. There’s plenty to see around Charleville but I moved on the following day.

Cooladdi – Quilpie I was told best meat was at the butcher at Quilpie and the Caravan Park was well worth the stay over as the lady thier spins a few yarns and tells stories around the camp fire. Just so happened it was her birthday the day I arrived so was having the night off, still a great night at the pub meeting the locals. Checked out the opals at the old pub, Lake Hournman and Baldy Top. Lake Hournman is prior to Quilpie a great place to camp no facilities and Baldy Top just after.

Quilpie - Eromanga - Windorah was a interesting drive with Eromanga being the cheapest fuel in the area at $1.23 per litre. They drill and refine thier own and make 100.000 litres of deisel a day. The permanent water at Kyabra Creek would have been a fantastic place to camp for a night or two but pushed onto Windorah and stayed at the Caravan Park cost $5.00. Did the 12 klm nature drive just prior to Windorah which if your interested in putting names to trees and shrubs this was a nice drive. I enjoyed it.

Dropped my pressures to 28 one on the dirt making a softer ride, I took my time and simply enjoyed the scenery. I Arrived at Birdsville and set up camp at the Caravan Park. I caught up with Footloose the following day and we did a bit of the tourist thing. Trevor, Judy, Ross and Leigh rolled in following afternoon the same day footy left, which just happened to be the State of Origin night so a night at the pub was in order. We visited Big Red, Burke and Wills Tree, Dingo Caves, working Museum (great place) and others that escape me. It was interesting to stand on top of big red and look at the desert and turn around and see green fields from recent rains.

Birdsville – Warraweena
The drive down the track presented no problems and I took heaps of photo’s including killer attack emu’s along the way, after refuelling at Mungarannie we pushed onto Clayton Springs well worth a stop over (but it’s a secret place ) Visited plenty of ruins along the way I scored some dirty fuel (not very happy) which had me use over half a tank in 100 klms Ross put some stuff in the tank which managed to clear the system out over the next 100 or so k’s. With Qlder flags proudly flying high we entered Warraweena gathering, camps set up we mingled and had a great time over the next few days. The gathering has been covered elsewhere so will not go over it again here. Suffice to say I’m innocent.

Warraweena – Port Augusta
Ross, Leigh and I headed further south for our roundabout way home after travelling via some gorges near Wilpena Sound, Trevor and Judy heading back home. A great drive and as I had said 100 photo’s would not do this place justice (but I tried lol ) anyway we moved up in style and stayed in a motel with heater and we got delivered pizzas.

Port Augusta – Burra
Ross and Leigh headed off towards the Great Ocean Rd and I headed more inland. After a photo shoot around Port Augusta I opted for a sort of back road run via Willowie - Booleroo Centre - Appita - Peterborough - Terowie and this was well worth the effort nice country, green after recent rains and plenty of wildlife. Appita Springs was quite nice has toilets no shower, really only a camp (tent) spot. Also a nice spot would be Burra gorge about 10 k south of Burra could not access the gorge proper, locked gate guess due to muddy road, but plenty of places to camp and easy for caravans as well. Met Rebecca a fellow EO person at Burra whom recognised my vehicle and we chatted for awhile. Rebecca was heading home with one rather sick child from a cut short trip to Cooper Pedy. Hope the youngster is much better now.

Burra – Shepparton
Robertson – Eudunda – Morgan – Berri - Pinaroo – Ouyen – Swan Hill – Echuca. Eudunda was a bit more hustle and bustle than I expected and quite a busy little place. Stayed on the banks of the Murray at Murray National park (Katarapko Creek) near Berri this is a damn fine camp spot with 42 sites one central toilet (that I could find) but sites very well spread out and only $5.00 a night. Waking up to the mist over the water, birdlife both on and off the water was just fantastic and what camping is all about. Down side took till 11 am for tent to dry from the dew. Plenty of wineries and interesting towns on this run and well worth more time in this area. Also stayed at Swan Hill did not look around but the RSL had great feed.

Visited the rellies at Shepparton and spent the first couple of nights at the Murchison Pub now if you want an interesting place to stay, just watch and listen to the owner with the customers worth a laugh $25.00 a night nothing flash. Just remember to crush your can when finished.

Shepparton – Albury Wodonga
Violet Town - Mansfield – Tolmie - Whitfield - Myrtleford – Beechworth. What a drive with the country changing all the time from open farming - vineyards - forests and mountains. Going through the mountains at Tolmie you could see where the fires earlier in the year had raged through and was rather complete, at least the regrowth was in full swing and this was also my first encounter with snow. It started snowing and it did get rather heavy. I had a 1cm of ice over the bulbar headlights etc etc in no time flat. Once again managed a few photo’s. As I had no snow chains I exited the heights before black ice started to form. Visited Harry’s Lookout but was clouded in (pity). Beechworh is a nice place well worth more than a fleeting visit, as mine was, with plenty to see and do, with its old buildings and history. It did snow in Beechworth while I was there and one local said last time was 7 years ago. King valley has heaps of vineyards and wineries and I would assume a spot for the wine buffs. Met up with the wife and we toured for the next couple of days finding Mad Dog Morgan’s hideout north of Albury and we also went via Wangaratta and Bright. Bright we went to a lookout in the forests and I spied a nice looking off shoot and before I could turn the wheel wife said DON'T even think about it.

Albury - Tumit Opted for a run along the Murray River via Bellbridge – Walwa – Towong and cut over the border towards Tumbarumba, diverting about 20 k’s south and moved towards Tumit Power Station No 2. The sign at the end of the 70 k’s said it was Elliott Hwy, forget caravans on this road its narrow, steep and heaps of sharp blind turns, best classed as 1 and a half lanes. The end result I lobbed at Cabramurra reported to be the highest town in Australia and it had plenty of snow and quite deep as well ¾ up the windows of the general store. Once I had my Kodak moment I headed off to Tumit. Called into Yarrangobilly Caves, pity it was late however spoke with a ranger they have just finished the guest centre so people can now stay on site and from all accounts the caves are huge and many cave explorers do their thing in there. You can have guided or self guided tours.

Tumit – Picton (just south of Sydney) no tourist stops here just a run up the Hume Hwy. While there visited Nepean River lookout great views mind you they give you a rail to get on top of the rock but that’s it so if you’re no good on heights don’t go to the edge. Blue Mountains did the tourist thing, three sisters and a couple of walks one to the first sister and then a walk to Katoomba falls believe me it’s not flat (puff puff). Parking I felt a rip off $3.50 first hour and $4.00 there after.

Picton – Lithgow Stopped off at Hartley at the old town and then visited Jenolan Caves what an amazing place I did two tours at a cost of just over $30.00 and plan to return and do the rest. To enter the main entrance and drive through the cave and then exit to this fantastic huge alpine type building was amazing. The best cave I did was Temple of Baal.

Lithgow – Armidale
I had to cut my return home by a day so no real stopping for many tourist things but did like Mudgee – Coolah (home of the black stump) areas. Mudgee is well worth a stop over to learn more about Henry Lawson and his involvement in the area. Gunnedah met with a local R.B.T and they were also doing licence checks. Had a relapse and needed another Kodak moment at Armidale with Thunderbolts Monument and grave.

Armidale – Brisbane
Only stops here where Thunderbolts Cave, Balancing rock on the way to Glen Innes and the Standing stones at Glen Innes. Other than that I just drove up the Hwy home. I do plan to return and do a week in the area of Glen Innes, another trip to plan after rain.

Cheapest fuel Brisbane, The Gap $1.09 dearest Birdsville and Mungarannie $1.49 fuel rip off Miles Qld 1.47. Sorry for the long winded report.

Brian aka Captain Kodak