Just a very short blog today following an easy 450km "transport section" from
Cloncurry to
Karumba on the eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria. No rain today, just sunshine, a few clouds here and there, easy bitumen and lunch at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. A real pleasure after yesterday's 700+km marathon from
Birdsville through the rain, gravel and dark. It was worth it, there aren't really many
places to stop between
Birdsville and
Cloncurry.
So a short blog today for a short trip. Not far out of
Cloncurry we found our first abandoned car for days, an old VW Kombi sitting forlornly in a field, probably where it finished up after a crash. When the radio reception ran out we listened to old Roy and HG shows from their Triple J halcyon days, a brilliant laugh even if the sport they are talking about happened in 2008.
![Possibly an abrupt end to someone's adventure]()
Possibly an abrupt end to someone's adventure
![Lunch at the Burke and Wills roadhouse]()
Lunch at the Burke and Wills roadhouse
![Amazing clouds above the road between Normanton and Karumba]()
Amazing clouds above the road between Normanton and Karumba
The landscape slowly changed to tropics, trees more abundant - lots of gums and bushes; a riot of bird life - galahs, finches, hawks and eagles. Also lots of road kill - kangaroos, cows and an unfortunate horse.
Normanton appeared mid-afternoon, the photo of the big crocodile a must. It’s okay, we didn’t get out of the car so no nobody saw us.
![The road to Karumba]()
The road to Karumba
![The Big (fibreglass) Crocodile. Lame]()
The Big (fibreglass) Crocodile. Lame
![Brolgas feeding by the side of the road]()
Brolgas feeding by the side of the road
When Pete tried to log our position and condition with VKS-737 on arrival at
Karumba he couldn't get a response. Even though we had
Charters Towers base loud and clear they couldn't hear us. Pete suspected a microphone failure so pulled the mic apart and, sure enough, a broken wire. This is the first trip ever Pete hasn't packed a soldering iron, so naturally the first time we have needed one, So it was an email to the VKS-737 head office to advise them we were alive and
well and to log us off. Pete will get hold of a soldering iron in
Cairns and hopefully fix the problem.
![Sunset over the Gulf of Carpentaria]()
Sunset over the Gulf of Carpentaria
![Karumba's Sunset Tavern, at sunset]()
Karumba's Sunset Tavern, at sunset
![Not a selfie, someone offered to take our photo]()
Not a selfie, someone offered to take our photo
We are at the End of the Road Motel (very nice accommodation) about to enjoy sunset, beers and a meal at the Sunset Tavern next door. Tomorrow we are taking the
Bourke Developmental Track and probably a night in the tent as we make our way towards
Cairns for a couple of days R & R.