Rain on Barkly Tablelands

Oops!! sorry doubled up.
jules

G'day Norm,

A bit early to be heading north? Seems like they are having a serious "wet" this year. Hope the "minor" surgery goes OK.

Kind regards

Hi Theo,
We always expected to have to watch the weather and road conditions.
Our plan was (and largely still is) to head up as early as we can after the wet and fish the wet season run off for barra.

About 6 weeks now till we can get away, so we'll see how things are then.

Norm C

All the best and I hope the fishing is great - leave a couple for me will you. I'll come and get them in about 2 years - will you still be there?

Kind regards

Will I still be there is 2 years?
Well, no. A bit much of the country left to see for that. But we will be back from time to time as it is a favourite area for fishing.
Current plan would have us elsewhere in 2010, but back up there sometime during 2011.

Norm C

I like my fishing and the comment was a bit tongue in cheeck. Would take very little to convence me to stay a while but the bride has already warned me that our travels will not be just one big fishing trip. What she doesn't know won't hurt her I reckon.

Should be on the road myself around 2010/2011.

Take care and catch you later

Beatit I have the same problem when visiting Tassie.LOL
Cheers Pete

G'day Beatit,

Yeah, you're right, they are great photos. Wish I taken them, would really have bragging rights.

Don't know anything about the truck or driver, but would suggest that the truck comes from the Isa, and does a weekly to Booraloola, and stations along the h'way.

Someone suggested he pulled it on, then got to the point of no return.......bit hard to back a triple!!!!!!

Hooroo,
Bob.

Nomad,

Would have been like this in 1974-6, wet as buggery.

Pretty sure Creswell Ck drains into Brunette Downs, into Corella Lake.
During '74, 25% of Brunette was under water, due to a heavy & extended wet season. Brunette is over 12,000 sq km in area!!!

Hooroo,
Bob.

Hi Bob
In that case my theory of the Georgina Bridge contributing to floods in the NT side of the border is unfounded
74- 76 was before my time out there, in the 90 92 we use to have lot of trouble with the Georgina and Inca creek, never had any trouble on the N T side

Joe

Joe,

There would have been a lot of people that spent a lot of uncomfortable days & nights on the road, waiting for Inca Ck to go down, over the years.

At least at the Georgina, everyone could adjourn to the Post Office Hotel to dull the pain of boredom, eh.

Bob.

Bob
Yes, if you where lucky to be on the right side
Lost count of the number of days & nites I spend on either side of Georgina, Inca. Cloncurry, Boundary Cr. West of Richmond, I miss those days, can never be repeated.

Joe

John,

Just think he pulled it on, without checking the depth. Pretty wide by the photo, at least after the event, and if it were too deep, the current may have pushed the tralers off first???

Maybe he was heading home to see the bride....LOL

Hooroo,
Bob.

Happy 2009, Willem,

Looks like you've stolen Doug's thunder, with photo, lol.

In "their" wisdom, they've built the new highway up above the old level, to make it flood-proof. Pity someone hadn't told the engineers that the water then needs to go somewhere.

We were working at Avon Downs back in mid-80's when a similar weather event occurred. Flooded the Avon Downs station homestead as it has done this time, but there was not the road damage as much of the old highway still existed. Did damage a huge amount of fencing, which took a big group of young blokes, & a Jetranger helicopter, 3 days to repair.

Don't think road out of Boulia will stay closed long, Willem.Well, to Mt isa anyway.

You certainly wheeled us on the rain front too, Willem. Finished the year with 78.6mm. Already this year we have had 63mm. The Diamantina flood arrived here mid-morning yesterday, and is currently close to our "average" height. This biggest flood since January, 2004, and the best flood since June, 2005.

Best late Christmas present ever!!! Probably means we won't be Winton residents late next week, as planned.

Regards,
Bob.

WILLEM....................
What ya doing

The experts should advertise this photo, might make those idiots stop driving over heavily flooded creeks. There is a double flood way near Eromanga if you get through the first one doesn't mean you get through the next that's around the bend. A bit hard to back a road train in 4 ft water when its rising, specially if the air intake faces down. Amazing flood photos.

Doug,

Thanks for the link. Some good shots of the highway, in a not-so-good way.

Looks like they'll have a weight limit on it now, and much of those destroyed sections will be one-way only.

The change to Port Augusta route will give the Shaws, Hillman & Baskett drivers a change of scenery for a month or more, no doubt.

How's the weather in Adelaide River?

Regards,
Bob.

Bob
The weather here is just perfect

Image Could Not Be Found

.

Good one. LOL

Malcolm,

Not good country to break down in anytime. Even less so when its wet.

Hooroo,
Bob.

Hi Bob

Not good to breakdown at any time, let alone the outback ;-)

Check my profile for picture on Barkly Tableland ....

Dirt track photo I was towing same van with a '98 V8 Fairlane - never had one problem.

Malcolm

Well it's finallly started raining here in Bedourie , even though we've been cut off from Isa for 3 days already, now Windoorah is cutoff as well. It will be interesting being here in the wet.We are currently working @ the Simpson Desert Oasis Roadhouse for another 3 months as we travel around Oz. So call in & say hi if you're travelling through,when it dries out.
Cheers Blackie
PS so glad we've got the tinnie with us for fishing in the Gulf in April - may need it sooner?!?!?

Steve,

Even the OKA would have needed water wings to pull that water on, eh.

The Tableland h'way is good change from the Stuart, even though I think its a little further. Bit rough up towards Cape Crawford, as I remember.

We went that way a couple of years ago, heading to Cooinda. Good run through there, with not much traffic, in July.

Blackie,

That sandy ridge you're living on is going to shrink a lot over the next few weeks. Probably be standing room only for everyone, at peak flood height. One good thing, there won't be any room for the mozzies to land LOL
Will be a picture afterward, eh?

Regards,
Bob.