Bowen to Hervey Bay

First of all, the big news. Our blog has made it into print!! In the current issue (Issue No.175) of the monthly caravan magazine, CARAVAN & MOTORHOME ON TOUR, there is an article about how to start and keep a blog whilst on the road, and our blog is featured. We are really excited! There are a number of photos and a story about our blog, and it all starts on page 139 of the issue. A few months back we were contacted by the magazine and asked to complete a questionnaire and send in a few photos, and now the article has been published. So there you go. Instant fame, and all in the name of having a great life!!

Coral Coast Caravan Park, Bowen

Bowen, and especially the area around Horseshoe Bay, is lovely. As you can see from the photo, we had a fantastic spot by the sea, and the sunsets were spectacular. The weather was mixed, being wet when we arrived, but fining up to some warm sunny days, before turning quite cool again. The park was full of long termers, people from down south, who come to the same park year after year, to the same sites. They all know each other, and it gets a bit "cliquey". We were invited to the first group "Happy Hour", which is more like a scrutineering, with lots of questions about how we managed to get on the site, when one of them has to move back a couple of rows the next day. Anyway it is all good fun, but no more "happy Hour" invites. Our new neighbours, Penny & Eric from Leeton, are really nice, and we start our own "Happy Hour" scene. Seems that Penny & Eric didn't pass the scrutineering last year. See, it isn't all champagne and roses around the caravan parks. Maybe I should write a Soapy script like "Desperate Caravanners"!!!!

Bowen sunset.

The area around Bowen is a real food bowl. Famous for vegetables like tomatoes, and capsicum, and leafy greens. Of course, it is also really famous for mangoes, but we are out of season. There is an abundance of cheap, fresh produce. On the Sunday, there is a market in the park beside the caravan park, and it is a beauty for fresh produce. We really stocked up. There was also a Spit Roast man there, serving up terrific hot roast meat rolls for breakfast! Bloody good!! There was also a guy doing some great looking omelettes, alongside his wife, who was doing a roaring trade, with her fruit and cream laden, artery clogging, waffles. Thankfully they were next to the St.John's Ambulance tent!

Our waterfront property at Bowen.

Bowen was made famous during the filming of the movie Australia. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman must have been very busy, as they were regulars at every establishment in town! No wonder the film went over budget. The water tower on the hill in the centre of town, still carries the huge BOWENWOOD lettering. The town is very spread out, and many of the buildings carry some fantastic murals, depicting the towns history, especially the Catalina Bombers that were stationed here during WW11. The concrete aprons along the harbour front are still there, and there is a monument to the men who served on these wonderful old aircraft.


We of course found the best coffee spot in town, with the quirky name of Food Freaks. It was really excellent, and became a regular stop. Unfortunately for Hugh and Nicole, it wasn't there during filming, but then it is probably a greater achievement, to have a pie at the bakery named in your honour! Actually, the bakery was pretty good too!


We really had a nice break at Bowen. Not much touring, just relaxing. Our neighbours Penny & Eric, were really keen golfers, and they invited us to join them for a game at the local Bowen Golf Club. We had a lovely day. It is a well kept and challenging 9 hole course, situated right along the beach, and offers some fantastic vistas. There are two very different tees on each hole, so the course plays as 18 holes.

Blacks Beach

It wasn't long before we were headed south for Mackay. Back through all the sugar cane country, which is incredibly wet, and causing the farmers some concern, as it is harvest time. We arrived at the Top Tourist Andergrove Caravan Park, where we stayed last year, and so began the first of a couple of set backs, that just emphasises that all is not beer and skittles on the road. John strolls into the office to be told we don't have a booking. John produces all the details of the booking, and then gets that steely look you get when the person knows they've stuffed up, but will never admit it! "Well we don't have any sites, and I wasn't the one you spoke to. Besides do you know how much rain we've had." Thanking the concerned lady for her compassion, and still wondering what I had to do with the weather, we were then showed two sites we could have. When the guy walked on to the first site and his feet sank up past the ankles, I remarked that it was probably a bit wet for a 3 tonne caravan. He responded with "its drying all the time." As my recovery vehicle is in for repairs, I went for the phone, and thankfully we got one night at nearby Blacks Beach. This was a beautiful park, and is now on our "must come back" list, so maybe Ms Grumpy did us a good turn in losing our booking! Despite all the begging, we could only get one night, so had to extend our stay at Rockhampton for an extra two days.


We arrived at Rockhampton, and you guessed it, the girl I spoke to, hadn't extended our stay! They were expecting us in two days time!! At least the young guy in the office did a great job in retrieving the situation. We were put on a temporary site for one night, at no charge, and then moved onto our proper site the next day. This Top Tourist Southside Village Caravan Park, is not in a great position, and is almost a dormitory for the mining industry with a huge number of cabins, and less and less caravan sites. The brochure neglects to tell you, it is jammed in between the Highway and the Railway. I have to tell you, there is a lot of coal going to Gladstone, 108 carriages at a time! Each train goes slowly past, sounds its horn to make sure you are awake, and then goes cachunk, cachunk, cachunk, as 432 axels and four locomotives go by at the rate of around 4 trains each hour. We had four very disrupted nights sleep! Thank God for Sexie Coffie. Yes, one of our favourite coffee spots is here in Rocky, and we are daily, blurry eyed visitors!

Happy Wanderer Village Caravan
Park, Hervey Bay

We arrived in Hervey Bay, stopping at the Sexie Coffie head office for coffee on the way! We also stopped in at Proserpine, so Carolyn could get a bit of retail therapy, at the amazing "Colour Me Crazy" Gift Shop. It is a classic shop, offering nursery, fashion, jewellery, kitchen, indoor and outdoor furniture, and much more. It is one funky shop, and the gift wrapping is better than what you buy!!
Our Caravan Park is the Happy Wanderer Village Top Tourist Park. As usual, I had booked a site with no trees, so we could get our satellite TV. The Olympics were starting, and the guy I spoke to was on my side. As you can see from the photo, we didn't quite succeed!! I was not a happy wanderer!! Why do caravan parks do this. Promise you everything, and then when you get there, tell you they don't guarantee sites!! Then the guy across the road tells you he has had the same site for the last ten years!! They wouldn't move us, so when the wind blows no TV. I told that woman in the office, she is the reason we lost that relay. If I'd been watching we'd have won!!

Enzos on the Beach at Scarness.

Off the soap box. Thankfully the weather has been good, albeit a bit cool. Hervey Bay is a nice area. It is a region really, with villages set along the water front. There is Point Vernon, Pialba, Scarness, Torquay, Urungan, with its fantastic wooden pier that juts way out into the bay, and the Hervey Bay marina precinct. It is also the gateway to Fraser Island, which sits across the bay. It has a real seaside feel. The villages along the water are full of cafes, restaurants, ice cream parlours and fish 'n chip shops. There are caravan parks nestled on the thin strip of land between the water and the Esplanade. There is a terrific walking track/ cycleway, that goes all along the waterfront. The bikes are off the rack, and we really enjoy cycling along the track, in the cool morning or late afternoon air. There are so many good choices for coffee. We really like "Enzos on the Beach", at Scarness. Right on the beach, it is good food and coffee, in an amazing setting. If I had a cafe, I would like my name to be Enzo. It is such a culinary name.

Dinner with Cheryl & Phil.

Our friends Cheryl & Phil, and their little dog Tess, are also in Hervey Bay. We had been keeping in touch by email, and when we thought our paths could cross, we made it happen. They were the ones that alerted us to the fact we were in the magazine. Phil must wait at the newsagents door for the first issue! After paying homage, we allowed them to provide us with morning tea, as we called by for a visit. It is great seeing a familiar face. We hadn't seen them since Bateman's Bay in April last year, so had a lot to catch up on. They did WA last year, so we were interested to learn about that trip. We also had a nice dinner at a local Italian restaurant called Santini, and managed to fit in the markets at Torquay on Saturday morning. These markets were really underwhelming, so we adjourned for coffee and cake. They headed off on Sunday morning, heading up to Yeppoon.

Close up with a whale.

Whale Tail.

Hervey Bay is most famous for whale watching, as each year the humpback and southern right whales travel up from Antarctica along the east coast, to have their calves and shelter in the warm waters of the huge protected waterway between Fraser Island and the mainland. It is the beginning of the season, whales have been sighted, and we had some lovely still days,  so we decided to do a whale watch cruise. We chose a small motorised catamaran called Freedom 3, and together with 30 or so other travellers, from all over the world, headed out to find whales. It was a wonderful day, except that John left the camera SD card in the computer, so we only had the little camera which uses an XD card. We saw a lot of whales, and got up very close. It was the most incredible day, aided by wonderful weather. Would recommend this boat to anyone, as it was friendly and the food was very good as well. The highlights were a tail stand, a manoeuvre a female does when feeding. We saw a juvenile whale just practicing, right beside the boat. Fantastic, as the whale holds itself vertically in the water, with its tail right out of the water, and gives it a real shake. The other real highlight occurred just as we were starting back. As the boat accelerated, a whale started to surface on a collision course with the boat. Just when it looked like the whale would hit the boat, it threw itself sideways out of the water and avoided the collision, all right beside us! It was one of those moments when there is a dreaded silence, as everyone inhales in horror, then there is a huge cheer of relief. Absolutely unbelievable. You would not believe that something so big could turn itself so quickly, and me with my SD card safe at home in the computer, and a flat battery in the spare camera! Paparazzi I ain't!! 


Well, tomorrow it is off to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast. We will be there for about 10 days, getting in a bit of golf with my mate Pete, while Carolyn gets a Noosa fix. 

Mt.Isa to Bowen

We never cease to be amazed by the sheer size and majesty of this great country. The more we talk to people, the more we realise just how much there is still to see. Outback Queensland could occupy years of travel all in itself.


On a long drive such as today's I spend a lot of time looking in the rear view mirror. Today, I have come to realise, that the old saying, "the difference between a good haircut and a bad one, is about two weeks", is true. My Mt.Isa hair cut is looking better. I think I can discard the hat! I should have been warned when the first two people I asked where I could get a haircut, sent me to a shop that was boarded up with a For Lease Sign in the window. The next most popular answer was, my mum, so undaunted I finally found a cavernous shop with the sounds of scissors coming from a back room. The lilting voice of the Irish Backpacker welcomed me, and pointed me to the chair. She immediately set to work, as if there was no tomorrow. I enquired if she he been doing this long, to which she replied, "about two weeks, but I did cut hair back in Ireland". I then enquired if that was the reason she left Ireland, but she let that one go through to the keeper.  When she stood back and asked "how's that", I said, that's great, and then she got out the mask and the gun and asked for $25.00!! I left with my new funky haircut, thinking all I now needed was some body piercing and a tattoo, but opted for the hat instead!!

Mine train near Cloncurry.

As we travelled across Queensland, heading east towards the coast, we passed through a number of regions and towns, all which have so much history and natural beauty to visit, that we know we have to come back and do justice to the area. This part of our journey is all a rush, as we are on a deadline to get back to Sydney, to sort out matters in regard to Carolyn's mum's estate. We have decided to spend more time on the coast on the way back to Sydney. Nonetheless, our quick trip across Queensland's "Overlander's Way", has provided some wonderful glimpses of what we can expect when next we visit.

Bougainvillea in Richmond.

The drive from Mt.Isa was lovely. We drove through some wonderful mountain ranges, which while not high, were spectacularly beautiful. We then drove through some lush grazing country, showing the benefits of the wet, mild winter, so far. First stop was Cloncurry, where the Overlander's Way meets the Matilda Hwy. The "Curry" as it is known by locals, holds a large place in Australian history. Birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and the destination  for Qantas' first ever flight, it is a true outback town, built around grazing and transport, and more recently, copper and gold mining. The Curry Merry Muster Festival held each August, celebrates the "Curry" outback heritage. We found a lovely little cafe for our late breakfast. The town was full of caravans. People who had been forced into town due to the rain up north, or simply travelling through like us. From Cloncurry, you can continue north along the Matilda Hwy up to Normanton and Karumba, and some legendary fishing in the Gulf of Carpenteria.


For us it is ever eastward. The traffic dropped off a lot as we continued east. Much of the traffic heads south, down the Matilda Hwy to Longreach and Central West Queensland. Next town of any consequence is Julia Creek. The big event here is the annual Dirt 'n Dust Festival, held in April with a major Triathlon, rich Horse Race, bull riding and my favourite, Australia's Best Butt contest. At night, the 30 metre high water tower is illuminated with blue lights and can be seen from miles away!


We continue our trek along the Overlander's way, travelling through some more cattle country. There are a lot of healthy looking cattle in the paddocks, and flying overhead are some large groups of Hawks. Sometimes there are as many as 20 to 30 in a group. They are a bit of a menace, playing chicken with the cars, as they swoop down to pick up things off the hwy. Is that why they call them Chicken Hawks??

Kronosauros at Richmond.

We arrive in Richmond for our overnight stay. We know we are in Richmond, as it is the only town in Queensland with a life size replica of a Kronosauras in the centre of town!! You guessed it, we have reached what they call the Dinosaur Way, a triangle of road that links the towns of Richmond, Winton and Hughenden. This is an area of wonderful history of the Dinosaur Age. There have been some incredible fossils found around this region. Our caravan park is already pretty full, so again, lucky we booked. We are at the Richmond Lakeview Caravan Park. It is a delightful park set on the edge of town and looking down over the man made Lake Fred Tritten. The manager, and his big dog Monty, are very friendly and helpful, and we almost feel guilty when we tell him we are only staying overnight. The town itself is small, population 800, but it is beautifully kept, with bougainvillea all down the centre median strip all the way through town.


We head off early next morning having made a stop at the award winning butcher for some of his award winning sausages and some good looking local beef. Looking at all those cows has given us a craving for beef!! It isn't long before we get into Hughenden. Not to be outdone by Richmond, they have a 7 meter high replica of a Muttaburrasaurus in the middle of town! There is also a fantastic Comet Windmill that looms over town. It is a nice little town of 1200 people.

Cloncurry's iconic cafe.

For us, the stop coincides with morning tea time, and where else to have it but the FJ Holden Cafe. Inside, this place is a shrine to all things Holden, especially the iconic FJ Holden. There is also a lot of Elvis memorabilia, as well as other music stars from the '60's. It isn't all about the memorabilia though, the cafe was voted "Best Hamburger With The Lot" venue for 2011. My eyes lit up, but Carolyn reminded me it was just morning tea time. Next time!! We enjoyed our coffee and old fashioned raisin toast, had a quick walk around town, refuelled while the train went through town holding up traffic, and then set course for Charters Towers.

The road to everywhere!

We passed through the tiny village of Prairie, with its wonderful little pub, with the old saddles and hitching rail out front, making a promise to stop in next time. We made our lunch stop, a road side picnic area at the top of the White Mountains Range. Carolyn made some lovely rolls, and we sat and looked out across the National Park. Further down the road, we start to see evidence of a lot of rain. The creeks are running and there is a lot of water beside the road, but it is a lovely sunny day. Approaching the little village of Pentland, we see signs advertising fresh fruit and vegies. We decide to stop, and find three old fellas sitting under a tree, next to an old truck, with some trestle tables loaded with white Styrofoam boxes, all with lids with large rocks on top. The three old timers probably had a full set of teeth between them, and hadn't seen a barber for quite a while. It was already happy hour. I asked where the produce was, and was directed to remove the rocks and lids as required. One of the blokes told us he had to keep the rocks on to stop Barry and Charlie stealing the fruit. I said "can't you trust your mates?" He replied that Barry was a bower Bird and Charlie was a Magpie, who lived in the tree, and proceeded to show us the damaged kiwi fruit! Another of the blokes then told me the tree was ":the tree of knowledge". When I told him it seemed to be working for the birds but not them, he replied that they hadn't been there long, and the birds had a head start!!! I wish I'd had a tape recorder. The conversation went on, from bad to worse, and Carolyn and I left with some lovely fresh fruit & vegies,which the birds hadn't seen, and with tears running down our cheeks. God I love some of the characters we meet!!


At the village of Homestead, we saw where the road had been cut and closed by the recent rains. The road had only re-opened that morning. We made it into Charters Towers and the Dalrymple Caravan Park. We stayed there last year, and it is a lovely park. We couldn't believe how full it was!! Mostly people caught by the heavy rains that had caused havoc around the district. The park was so busy that we were really crammed in. I had booked the same site we had last time, but we were moved to a much smaller site. We were lucky enough to get a site where our satellite dish worked, and Carolyn got to watch the final episode of Desperate Housewives. Thank you God!!


We went to bed under a beautiful clear, starry sky, but awoke to a real "pea souper" of a fog. Everything was soaking wet. It was a fast hook up and on the road for Townsville. It is now all familiar country, and roads we had travelled last year. A stop for fuel and late breakfast on the outskirts of Townsville, then on to Bowen.

The long, straight road.

Before we get to Bowen, there are two more stops to make. First there is a seafood place just outside Ayr. We stock up with a fresh mud crab, some fish fillets, and a small lobster from the Gulf! Yummo!!!! The last stop we have to make, is the French Bakery in Ayr! In Carolyn's book, this is home to the world's best Matchstick, and their Pavlova Roll is to die for. We park nearby and find the shop. Triumph turns to tragedy, when Carolyn learns that the Pavlova Roll is no longer made, for some technical reason, but the tears turn to cheers when she spies a whole tray of Matchsticks! So loaded with Matchsticks, some fresh bread and some new cookies, we head for Bowen.
We are booked at the Bowen Coral Coast Big4 Caravan Park, which is really nice. We have a great beachfront site, with only a lovely lawn and a few palm trees, between us and Horseshoe Bay. We are here for a week, and looking forward to a nice little break. We are surrounded by people who all know each other and have been coming here for years, most staying for 2 - 3 months. They are all good fun, and if the first happy hour is any guide, we should have a lot of fun. The weather has turned windy and quite cold. It was hot and beautiful when we arrived, so hopefully that will return real soon!

Mt.Isa

Some famous people from Mt.Isa.

When you first drive into Mt.Isa, you can't help but notice the mine. It is huge, and dominates one side of the highway, the town is on the other, and of course there is the 270 metre high smoke stack for the lead smelter, that towers over everything. For some reason, the locals refer to there home as "The Isa", preferring not to use the "Mount". It is home to 23,000 people, almost all of whom work at, or as a result of, the mine. The town sits in a valley, and is surprisingly green, with lots of trees, and the prevailing winds take most of the pollution away from town. It is a real town with three supermarkets and lots of specialty shops, not to mention a lot of pubs. It is spread out over quite an area, and we find the people friendly and open. Whilst there is an obvious aboriginal community, it is not as large as in other towns we've recently stayed at.


Our caravan park home for the next week is The Sunset Top Tourist Park, about 2.5 kilometres from the centre of town. It is a nice outback park, with lots of trees, and it is extremely busy. I'm glad we booked ahead, as the house full sign is up every night. Our neighbours at the caravan park are John & Val, a lovely couple from Port Arlington in Victoria. We spent a lot of time sharing stories with them. They are on their way to Darwin.

The town of Mt.Isa.

It was in 1923, that a guy named John Campbell Miles, went looking for a horse that had wandered away from camp and up onto a ridge. On that ridge, he found some ore that proved to be very rich in lead. He staked his claim and was soon followed by many more. The horse's name was Hard Times, but there were no more hard times for John Miles! He called the place Mt.Isa, after Mt.Ida in Western Australia, a place he had seen in his travels. In 1924 Mount Isa Mines Limited was formed, and by 1925 they had acquired all of those leases, and the legend that is Mount Isa Mines, was born. Today the lease and the mine is owned and operated by the mining giant Exstrata, and vast quantities of lead, copper, and zinc, as well as other precious metals, continue to be mined and refined, with no end in sight. There is a rail link to the east and the City of Townsville, where there is also a lead and a copper refinery, and a port to export the minerals all around the world.

In the centre of town is the attraction known as Outback at Isa. It also serves as the Visitor Information Centre, a cafe, a gallery and museum. It is the focal point for tourism in the Isa. It is set up as a mine, and actually offers an underground simulated mine tour, using older mining techniques and equipment from the actual mine. They no longer run underground tours of the actual mine, which disappointed Carolyn, who had done an underground tour in her visit way back in 1975. OH&S has seen an end to all of that. However they do a surface tour by bus, which we decided to do. All the tours were well patronised, and booked out a few days ahead. We got onto a tour on Friday, and It turned out to be a highlight.

The Super Pit at Mt.Isa

Working the Super Pit.

We all piled onto the bus. Our guide was a Welshman, who had come to Mt.Isa in the 1960's and worked at the mine ever since. I think that he might have spent a bit too long underground!! Either that, or he was the greatest comedian of all time. We headed off with the door of the coach wide open, and when told, he said he thought it was an automatic door!! Driving through town, we were all peering out the windows with puzzled looks, until we realised that he was meaning left when he said right, and vice versa. We made it onto the mine site, and soon realised the magnitude of the mine. Parked on the road beside the Super Pit, you can't help but feel small. Everything is big. The size of the hole in the ground, the trucks, the road trains, the excavators, the buildings, the work shops, the scrap yards, and that imposing smoke stack. We were all getting quite good at picking out the points of interest being described by our guide. Usually he would start with "over there", but with no hint of a direction, so we would all scan the horizon and eventually some one would pick it out, and the word would spread throughout the bus with much laughter. He did get us one time though, when none of us could pick out the point of discussion. There were many puzzled looks, followed by raucous laughter, when he explained that the thing he was describing was on the other side of the hill!!! Still we get a lot of interesting facts and figures on the mine, and some great stories from his working days and life in Mt.Isa. 

Lake Moondarra at Mt.Isa.

Just sixteen kilometres outside Mt.Isa is Lake Moondarra. This dam was built by Mt.Isa Mines, to secure a permanent water supply for the town and the mine. It is a shock to find such a large body of water in the outback. The area is beautiful, and a playground for the locals where they can picnic, swim, water ski, fish and generally relax. There is an abundance of bird life, and the lake is stocked with fish. In October they hold the Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic, with lots of action, both on the water and around it.


The other major event in town is the annual rodeo, the largest in the southern hemisphere. It is held at Buchanan Park, an impressive venue in town. The main street in town is Rodeo Drive, but unlike its Hollywood copy, it is devoted to real cowboys!! No designer shops here. There are brass plaques along the length of the street, honoring the heroes of the sport of rodeo.


The lookout in the centre of town is a popular spot. You get an amazing 360 degree view of the town. We went up both by day and night. The night time view was spectacular, with the lights of the mine creating a wonderful light show.

Free show at Sunset Caravan Park.

Friday night at the caravan park was a bit of a surprise. The sounds of country music filled the air from 5.30 to around 7.00pm. Everyone was bringing down their chairs to listen to the free show, arranged by the managers, Julie & Steve. The band was very good, singing a lot of fun bush songs and making jokes about everything, including some of the patrons! A large, old, bull dog walked up to the makeshift stage, and one of the wags in the band declared "good of the mother-in-law to come to the show!!"


Our weather has been excellent. We can't remember the last time we saw rain clouds. It is quite bizarre really, as the weather forecast is all doom and gloom, but each morning dawns clear and bright. When it finally looks like we will get a storm, it fizzles out into a few drops. What is doubly strange is that lots of people are arriving at the caravan park with cars and vans caked in red mud, telling stories of how the heavens opened and the rivers came to life, and the roads became impassable. All this just 100 kilometres from Mt.Isa. In this part of the country, a lot of people "free camp" out in the bush along the rivers and roads that cross the area. There are a lot of established camping areas, some of which have toilet and water facilities, but the whole fun seems to be in taking what you need with you. We have yet to embrace this lifestyle, but we are well set up for it, and believe it will only be a matter of time before we take the plunge.

The Underground Hospital at Mt.Isa.

Last stop of interest for us to visit, was the Underground Hospital, situated just behind the current hospital. This place was built by the miners during WW11, following the bombing of Darwin, and fears that Mt.Isa could follow. It was never used, other than for exercises, to ensure it worked. It stayed buried for many years, but has now been fully restored. It is a fascinating self guided tour. It was built in the shape of a letter E, with three entrances and a number of ventilation shafts. It took just two weeks for the volunteer miners to complete. There are thousands of exhibits from all sections of the hospital, together with some gruesome reminders of how medicine used to be practiced. Skeletons lying in beds, and plenty of funny signs. A lot of fun.


Now by this stage, most of you will be shocked at the lack of mention of coffee and cake, and food in general. Well the answer is simple, we didn't find much! There is a very good Coffee Club Franchise in town, and this proved to be our safe haven! On the last night we tried a take away from the Happy Box Noodle Shop, that proved pretty good, but apart from that, it was pubs or the Bluffs Club, and none of them grabbed us. We put it down to the fact that the majority of customers are miners, who crave humongous plates of food rather than fine dining. All the pub menus are the same, Mega Steaks and Monster Schnitzels. We've done our share! The menu at Chateau Relaxeau is far superior!!!

Alice to Mt. Isa

Alice disappeared in the rear view mirror, and we set course north along the Stuart Hwy. It wasn't long before we hit a bit of a roadblock, a giant Wedge Tail Eagle sitting on top of a kangaroo carcass, smack bang in the middle of the road. He defiantly stared us down, leaving it to the last minute, before aloud cry and a whoosh of the wings took him to a nearby tree. The goose bumps are up! It is the most amazing sight.

Aileron Man.

We need a coffee! We cross the Tropic of Capricorn, that signifies moving from  the dry arid parts of Australia, to the more temperate and tropical. Not quite yet. Must be global warming!! First opportunity is the small town of Aileron, with its giant aboriginal warrior standing guard. Quite a sight! The road house is very nice. It is spotlessly clean, and the staff are friendly. The coffee and muffins are good too. A small gallery next door has a statue of his woman and child in the front yard, and the whole thing is well presented.
Back on the highway we pass Ti-Tree and Barrow Creek, and early afternoon reach our overnight stop at Wycliffe Well. Now most of you have probably never heard of Wycliffe Well. But we have been given assurance that it is famous as the UFO capital of Australia.

Says it all!

New arrivals at Wycliffe Well.

The Big4 Caravan Park tries hard. The well still works so the grounds are green, and full of little green men! It is a funny caravan park. All the sites are drive through, and so narrow that you really get to know your neighbour. With the northern caravan migration well and truly underway, it pays to be early, as the park soon fills up. When our neighbour moves in, we have about six feet between us, and no hope of either of us putting out an awning! We took a walk around the property. There is a model railway track, in poor repair and not running at present. There is Lake Wycliffe, left over from the WWII years, when the area was developed to grow fresh vegetables for the armed forces. The lake today is overgrown and full of old tyres. There are lots of statues around the grounds. 

Pick the real Hulk.

Happy Hour is upon us, so it is out with the comfy chairs, and time to get to know Steve & Ally, our neighbours for the night. They are from Adelaide, on their way to Darwin & Kakadu on two weeks holiday. They are green with envy when they learn we are retired and on no time limit. One day!!!The peace is really shattered, when two huge coaches arrive, towing trailers and 100 school kids. The campground goes from busy to bulging and the camp kitchen is over run like ants, as dinner is prepared. It is a reminder that it is NT School Holidays for the next  four weeks.
We are up early because the buses full of kids are up early, and the exodus begins. There is a queue to get out the gate!!

Arriving at the Devil's Marbles.

Just north of Wycliffe Well is the natural phenomenon known as the Devil's Marbles. It is one of the most sacred sites in aboriginal culture. Depending what you read, it is the place that the Rainbow Serpent, the central part of all Dreamtime, laid its eggs. It is not hard to see how this was imagined.

Carolyn & The Devil's Marbles.

We do the walk around the park, and the sights in the early morning sunlight, are quite amazing. The colours in the rocks are stunning. The huge variety of shapes and sizes adds to the spectacle. Some of the rocks have split perfectly in half, looking like man has somehow intervened, but not so.   

Perfectly split rocks.

There is a campground at the Devil's Marbles, and the last  of the overnighters are packing up to leave. The best times to view the Devil's Marbles, is supposedly sunrise and sunset, hence the reason people choose to camp. We take our time, despite the chilly morning, and just wander around taking it all in. You can understand why the aboriginals believe it is such a special place. With that clear blue sky and red rocks, it is a memorable stop.

It isn't long before we arrive at our next overnight stop, Tennant Creek. This is the largest town in this part of the Territory, and as we drive into town we are pleasantly surprised how green it is. There are sprinklers spraying water on all the parklands, and the centre median strip, on the divided road that runs through the centre of town. It is obvious that there is a very large aboriginal population here. In fact, it is almost a case of spot the white man!
We have chosen to stay at the Outback Caravan Park, and it proves quite good. We are getting used to the fact that the caravan parks in Central Australia, are either gravel or dirt. There is little grass, and hopefully there are a few trees. This one is a big park, full of drive through sites. There are no bookings, so it is first in best dressed. Again we are in around lunch time, so we get a reasonable choice. Arrive after 3.00pm and the choice is much reduced, and there is a queue of anything up to ten or twelve caravans waiting to get in! Every night, a local celebrity by the name of Jimmy Hooker, runs a talk around the campfire. It is $5.00 per person, but usually includes some damper and billy tea, some bush poetry and bush tucker. A lot of fun, and every night during the migration season at 7.30pm.

Icon of the Outback.

Sunday is Territory Day. The Northern Territory is the last part of Australia to allow fireworks to be sold, and Territory Day is the occasion. For the last week we have been seeing the signs advertising "Fireworks". Each night we have heard the explosions from those getting in some early practice.
Sunday night, the sky is filled with colour and explosions. The dogs are all going crazy, and the galahs (the feathered ones!) are squawking and flapping in the trees, unable to settle down. It continues late into the night, and it takes a while to get to sleep, as there is one last big bang after another.

Tennant Creek Telegraph Office.

Lake Mary Anne

Tennant Creek is the place where Australia's last great gold rush occurred, so we head up to Battery Hill, where the Tourist Information Centre is to be found. We opt not to do the underground mine tour, but have a look around at all the old exhibits. Just north of town is the Old Telegraph Office. The story of the building of the Overland Telegraph Line in the mid 1870's is quite amazing. It was how Australia was linked to the rest of the world. The line was built from Adelaide to Darwin, then linked under water to Java, and on to Singapore. A series of eleven relay stations were built along the line, and messages were relayed using Morse Code, from one station to the next. The men who built the line, then maintained it and manned the relay stations, lived a hard and lonely life. Their story is a fantastic part of the history of the opening up of this great outback land. Other places of interest, are Lake Mary Anne, a beautiful oasis just north of town, where the locals can picnic and swim. It is quite a surprise to find such a body of water, surrounded by grassy picnic grounds. A little further north is The Pebbles, a smaller relation to the Devil's Marbles, but nowhere near as inspiring.

Road Trains refuelling at Threeways.

Next morning we start north and quickly reach the Threeways, where the Stuart & Barkly Hwys meet. The road house here is a quite famous one, and the bar has become somewhat of a shrine to the truckies that frequent this stop. As we head inside one of the young truckies from a road train parked outside, holds the door open for us. He is obviously well known, and the young lady behind the counter shrieks in delight and announces she has just made a batch of beef stroganoff. She produces a large spoon full, which the truckie announces, is as good as his mum's, and then a huge plate arrives with six slices of toast! Our coffee and Anzac biscuit paled into insignificance!

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A couple of Barkly Homestead Locals.

We take the Barkly Hwy and head east. The head wind is strong, and it is amazing how much it badly effects our fuel consumption. A full tank of 80 litres just gets us to Barkly Homestead. Since leaving Tennant Creek we have travelled just 230 kilometres! Barkly Homestead is another iconic roadhouse. We can't believe we are actually at these places we have only read about until now. The caravan park out the back is surprisingly good, and we set up in a nice drive through site between the palms. The place fills up quickly. You cannot believe how many caravans are on the road up here, at this time of the year. Most are heading up to Darwin or Kakadu or the Kimberley, but a few are heading up to the Gulf country via the Tablelands Hwy which meets the Barkly at the homestead.

Ant nests as far as we can see.

Our site at Barkly Homestead.

We head off early next morning for Mt.Isa. The Barkly table land is cattle country, but judging by the landscape it is more like ant country. There are 1000's of these huge mounds of earth scattered through the low grassy shrub land, that goes as far as the eye can see. The sky is full of birds, small finches that are prolific, and fly in large flocks, and dozens of beautiful hawks, gliding on the wind, looking for breakfast. The wind isn't as strong today, so travel is a little easier. We suddenly arrive in open grass land. It is as if someone has drawn a line and said no more trees allowed! We see more and more cattle, a surprisingly large number of horses, and lots of those big windmills, pumping up the life giving water. We pass Wunora Bore and Sudan Bore, where free camp sites have been established. We always expect the unexpected, but even this amazed us. At Avon Downs, 57 kilometres from the Queensland border, at 10.00am, we get pulled over for a random breath test! They must really have a drinking problem with the 8 people who live out here!!

Rock art near The Pebbles.

We cross the border and pull into the cattle town of Camooweal, population 310. We need fuel, so stop at one of the two service stations in town. We have to either leave our car keys or drivers licence at the counter, before we are allowed to fill up. Talk about the wild west. They reckon they have been getting a lot of drive offs. My mind fills with an image of retirees filling their tanks and making a run for it, towing 3 tonnes of caravan. For God's sake, they'd be caught on foot in 300 metres!! I collected my keys, asked the Irish Backpacker serving behind the counter, if they were all still there, got a puzzled look, and left. Carolyn had spied a sign that proclaimed "real coffee". Now we have become very sceptical about such signs. We went inside, and my doubts were heightened when I couldn't see an espresso machine. The lady assured us it was out the back, so we ordered. When the coffee arrived, I knew we had been listening to a recording of a coffee machine!! Carolyn said maybe we should have ordered cappuccino, but when the next table's cappuccinos arrived they looked like someone had been blowing bubbles in them with a straw!!! Thank God we have our own machine. I could be making a fortune!!


Another 190 kilometres and we will  be at Mt.Isa. Since arriving in Queensland we couldn't help but notice, how the highway is not as well kept. In the NT, they keep about 20 metres on each side of the bitumen, mowed back to see any wild life that may be on the edge of the road. In Queensland, the high grass grows right to the edge of the road, and we got the fright of our life when a wedge tailed eagle flew out of the grass, disturbed from its lunch of kangaroo, and narrowly missed us! Eyes were glued to the road all the way to Mt.Isa.

Alice Springs

Dinky the singing dingo
at Stuarts Well.

The drive up to Alice Springs took us through more of the same flat country. We stopped in at Stuart's Well, as we had read about the famous singing dingo that performs for his supper at the Roadhouse. Unfortunately, Dinky was all tuckered out and sleeping under a bush, so there would be no performance for us. So all we got was a photograph of Dinky's photograph! There was not much else at Stuart's Well. We were going to overnight here, but thankfully decided we could get all the way to Alice. Thank God!

Arriving at Alice Springs.

Alice Springs from Anzac Hill.

Driving towards Alice Springs from the south, you start passing through the ranges, that symbolise the area. You actually drive through a gap in the MacDonnell Ranges, and find Alice Springs nestled in a valley, surrounded by the East and West MacDonnell Ranges. It is quite a sight, with the green grass and trees of the town, framed by the red ranges, and the brilliant blue sky. A fantastic vantage point to see the town is Anzac Hill. From here you get a 360 degree view of how the town sits in the valley. We drive past the town centre to find our home for the next two weeks, the Wintersun Tourist Park. It is a secure compound, with sliding security gate and high perimeter fence strung with barbed wire, and is our first introduction to living in Alice Springs. The girls cabin is comfortable. and we have a large grassy site for the caravan, so we are set up and ready to see the sights of Alice Springs and the surrounding area.

Rare Todd River Herring!

First stop is to do a tour around town. We stop at the Todd River, where true to form, not a drop of water is to be found. We walk the river bed, and contrary to popular belief, find evidence of sea life. (See photo). We continue our drive around town, and find the Lasseter's Casino and Hotel, as well as the excellent Alice Springs Golf Club, which Carolyn and John played after the girls had returned home. It is a good layout, and despite the harsh conditions, was in good order. We find the Todd Mall, and the two shopping malls in town, as well as the essential supermarkets. We now have the lay of the land.

The Ghan at Alice Springs.

Sunday is one of the two days in the week that The Ghan, one of the world's great rail journeys, comes through Alice Springs. So we headed down to the station, to check it out, all 32 carriages. Named after the Afghan Cameleers, that helped forge the railway line, the Stuart Hwy, and the overland telegraph, the journey traverses Australia from Darwin to Adelaide. Those Afghans sure left quite a legacy, in the form of more than a million feral camels, giving Australia, the world's largest camel population. Not bad for species introduced only 150+ years ago! No wonder so many Arabs want to come here to live! Having been away from the city for so long, a vote is taken, and dinner at the Casino is decided. It is a nice venue, and we have a nice meal, and a fling on the pokies, without too much damage done.

This was a favourite stop!

Alice Springs is the first large town we have been to, where large numbers of whites and blacks live together. Living here is like no other place we have been. You cannot help but notice the large & small groups of aboriginals gathered around the parks, shops, street corners, and in fact everywhere you go. Security screens are on almost every window. Gaymoir Products would have been run off its feet here!! Government buildings are like compounds, surrounded by high fences topped with razor wire.There is a very strong police presence, on the street and in the shopping malls. Liquor is obviously a problem. You must show photo ID each and every time you buy alchohol, and there are security guards and/or police on duty at every retail outlet. It is an intimidating environment. The hospital has been through a major overhaul and expansion. Remote Area Health has a huge presence. It is a stark reminder that the aboriginal issue is far from solved. In the two weeks that we are here, we will experience every emotion from admiration for their magnificent art works, to sadness and despair at sights we have seen, all too often

Hermannsberg Mission & Tea Rooms.

Around Alice Springs there is so much to see and do. It is a good size modern town with almost every convenience we city dwellers need. And yes, the coffee scene is excellent, with a number of options available. Unfortunately dining out at night is not recommended, other than at known safe houses, like the casino and larger clubs. Our first full day outing was to the West MacDonnell Ranges. First stop was Hermannsberg, an historic township about 130kms west. It was the site of the first Lutheran Mission, set up in the 1860's. Talk about oversell in the tourist brochures!!! A promise of devonshire tea or a delicious ploughman's lunch at the teas rooms, sounded wonderful, but by all the best measures, the place was basic at best. We have never seen so much dust and decay.

Palm Valley.

Palm Valley.

We dusted off and left town, headed for Palm Valley. The road said high level 4WD only. We fitted the bill, and headed out along a narrow, dusty road. It was a wonderful drive, crossing the river several times, mostly dry river beds to be exact, and looking up at the magnificent red rocky outcrops. We saw a dingo, which got Robyn terribly excited, stopped to let a black snake cross the track, then eventually reached the campground. From here, the road really deteriorated into a rough track, but the slow progress was rewarded, as we entered the valley. What an amazing site. All these magnificent palms and cycads in the middle of the desert. These are varieties of palms that grow nowhere else on earth. It is quite unbelievable to be standing in such a lush oasis, of ancient palms.

Glen Helen Gorge.

Jill, Carolyn, John & Robyn
at Ormiston Gorge.

Ormiston Gorge.

The Ochre Pits.

Next day we were back out in the West MacDonnell Ranges, to visit the various gorges and gaps that cut through the ranges. First stop was Glen Helen Resort, at Glen Helen Gorge. As previously reported, "resort" is used loosely around these parts, and has now been redefined as a roof and four walls that serves beer, and has a helicopter parked out front! This was no exception, though they did have a machine that whirred and hissed a lot, and eventually spat out half decent coffee, which made the stop worthwhile, and of course, the gorge was gorgeous (sorry, I won't use that line again!) Next stop was Ormiston Gorge. This was spectacularly good. A deep pool at the base of the cliff, and a river bed full of ghost gums. No wonder it is a favourite with the locals. The gorge has water all year round, and is a popular swimming hole. The German tourist we spoke to, vouched for how cold the water was, but his blue colour was a dead giveaway. We dragged ourselves away from this inspiring spot, and headed for the Ochre Pits. These were fascinating for another reason, the source of the paints used by the aboriginal artists in their painting. The canyon wall was a swirl of colours, from white to yellow, to red and brown, all mineral colours naturally occurring. 

Rock Wallaby.

Standley Chasm.

Looking up at the rocky ledges surrounding the gorges, would usually reveal a rock wallaby. These agile little guys, bounce all over the sheer cliffs, and are a sight to see in motion. Lunch was taken at Serpentine Gorge, but a walk into the gorge was abandoned, when we saw the sign telling us it was a 3 hour return walk. We've heard that before Sherpa Tensing!! On we went to the best known of the rock features, Standley Chasm. This one is privately owned and operated, which means you have to pay, ($8 for seniors, $10 for Jill), and then get a much worse track to walk on. The Irish guy at the shop, (are there any Irish still in Ireland? The buggers are everywhere!) said it was an easy walk, but if we didn't think it was, and turned back, we could get our money back. Very Irish logic!! Anyway, we headed up the track, past the sign that said "walk, 45 minutes return", walked 50 metres,  turned a corner where the sign said "walk, 30 minutes return", and assumed that after the next corner we would be back at the carpark! Well, it turned out a worthwhile walk, as the Chasm is spectacularly narrow, with sheer walls. Apparently, the best time to come is noon, when the sunlight gets to the chasm floor, and lights up the walls. We were too late, but nontheless it was a mighty fine scene.

Robyn, Jill & Ruby.

Carolyn, John & Doc.

No trip to Alice is complete without a camel ride. Pyndan Camel Tracks, provides the means, and we choose a sunset ride. Carolyn & I are on board Doc, Robyn & Jill are on board Ruby, as we head off into the sunset. There are 5 others in our group. Our guide, whose only claim to afghan blood is that he once ate a date, superbly dressed in black, topped off with a huge black Akubra hat, has a fine wit, for a lad so young. Mounting a cameI is quite difficult (no matter which way you interpret that line!!) Once underway it is quite comfortable, as we get used to the swaying motion, and head for the ranges to watch the sunset. As we circle around, the beautiful scene is shattered by the sound of a mobile phone ringing. Who could that be. Yes it is Robyn!! After two weeks without signal, it now becomes apparent, that Vodaphone must use camels for antennae, in the outback! Imagine the puzzled look on the callers face, who just got told "I'll call you back, I'm on a camel!" It was lot of fun for all.

Dr. John Flynn Memorial.

Last stop for the four travellers was Simpsons Gap. Another beautiful setting. We had also stopped along the way, at the grave site of Dr. John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which has a strong presence here in Alice Springs. It was quite eerie, actually standing next to that huge stone monument, that I have seen in pictures, since I was a young boy at school, studying this great man and his achievements.

Alas it was time for Robyn to head home. We had one last coffee and cake, then headed for the airport to wave her goodbye. It has been a treat for us to have Robyn share this part of our journey with us. It seems so long ago, we picked her up at Adelaide Airport. We have sure seen some sights and shared some great memories together along the way.

Jesse Gap.

Corroboree Rock

The road to N'Dhala Gorge.

Having seen most of what the West MacDonnell Ranges offers, we three who were left, turned our attention to the lesser heralded East MacDonnell Ranges. Having spoken to the local guy who fixed my windscreen, I was now armed with some sights to see, that were a little less travelled. Out along the Ross Hwy we went. A visit to Emily & Jesse Gaps, followed by a stop, and a walk around Corroboree Rock. All fascinating history. On we go to Ross River Resort, legitamised by the helicopter and four walls. We stopped in for lunch. The staff were very nice, and we had a good toasted sandwich and a drink. Anything more substantial would have required a new mortgage! I enquired about the road out to N'Dhala Gorge, and was told that the road was open, but to be sure I followed the track and did not deviate. 

The road to D'hala Gorge

Budgies everywhere.

This was a great drive, as we crossed the Ross River a number of times. It was a track, only for high clearance 4WD, and was through soft sand, river beds, water up to a metre deep, and all the time looking up at the amazing rock sculptures. To add to the scene, there were huge flocks of Budgies, flashing from tree to tree, showing brilliant green as the sun caught their wings. The gorge itself was not as spectacular as some we had seen, but it was another part in the wonderful picture that is the MacDonnell Ranges. 

Beanie Festival entrant.

Beanie Festival Entrant.

Friday was a designated girly day, so the girls took themselves off to town for some shopping and pampering at the beautician. Yes, Alice has all mod cons.

Saturday rolled along, and the 

Todd Mall Markets was not going to be missed. The Mall is in the centre of town, and is a pedestrian mall at all times. The markets are held every second Saturday, and are very good, with a wide variety of merchandise and food on display. Added to this weekend's market is the annual "Beanie Festival", which is being held in Alice Springs. It is an annual event, and judging by the wide variety of head ware on display, it is well supported. The girls did their best at the market, so it was time for lunch. We headed out of town to a Vietnamese Market Garden and restaurant, set in a garden. Alice Vietnamese Restaurant was very good, and just what we needed on a cold Alice Day.

Driving Lawrence Gorge

Rainbow Valley.

Jill's time with us was drawing to a close. We had one last full day, and took in the last two places my windscreen repair man had recommended, Rainbow Valley and Owen Springs Reserve. The road out to Rainbow  Valley was a shocker. So many corrugations, it shook all our fillings loose. The scenery when we finally arrived was spectacular and easy to see how it got its name. Unfortunately, we had to come back the same way, so more shaking and rattling until we reached the highway. Heading back to Alice, we took the turnoff to Owen Springs, and another fantastic drive through the Lawrence Gorge. This track was again only for 4WD, and we didn't see one other car on the entire drive. It was more like a drive on someones private property, and regularly was only two wheel tracks through the grass. We regularly crossed the Hugh River, and were often just following wheel tracks along the river bed. We stopped in the river bed and had our picnic lunch, just the three of us in all this wide wonderful country.

Picnic in the bush.

Some last minute souvenir shopping, on the way back to camp, and our last full day of touring is at an end.

What a wonderful time we have shared with Jillian. I am sure we have taken her to places she will never forget, and that are far from the well travelled tourist routes.

For our last night in Alice, we decide to get a bit dressed up, and head back to the Casino for dinner at their Asian influence restaurant, Sukra. It proved a good choice, and we all enjoyed a wonderful farewell dinner of Thai and Indian influence yummies. Last morning, was a leisurely late breakfast of Fried Haloumi with Chorizo & Cherry Tomato Salsa, served on Ciabatta Toast, courtesy of Carolyn, and if you reckon it sounds good you should taste it!! We followed that with a coffee at one of our favourite haunts, then out to the airport again for one more farewell.

Back at the Wintersun Tourist Park, it is very quiet, as we sit and reflect on the events of the last four weeks, with Robyn & Jillian. We use the rest of our time in Alice, doing some chores. The caravan and the car both need a good clean, inside and out. The car can now be repacked for travel with only two. We get some new neighbours, and almost fall over backwards, when they introduce themselves as Jo & George! They are a lovely couple from Adelaide, on their way to Darwin and the Kimberley.

We have really enjoyed Alice Springs. It won't make our list of possible places to settle down, but it has been an experience we won't forget. We have changed our future travel plans, due to the fact that the Ayers Rock Campground is booked solid for the next 10 days. So instead of back tracking to Ayers Rock, we will be heading north, and slowly working our way back to Sydney to sort out Carolyn's mum's estate. Ayers Rock will have to wait for another time.