Homeward bound

With the sniff of home in the air, we ended up deciding to take the fastest route - we’re rapidly losing our lovely weather and camping isn’t much fun in the cold! So we opened the gate - literally to enter our home state - Dennis & Tops have another border to cross yet. 

The gate is part of the wild dog fence which is now some 5,600km  long, keeping wild dogs out of NSW. Originally it was the rabbit proof fence. We met the boundary rider at the pub, whose job is to ensure the integrity of the fence in this section. 

Once we left Beetoota, we started to meet oncoming traffic - all heading to Birdsville for the Big Bash. We certainly realised we weren’t in WA anymore as the roads - especially from Windorah to Quilpie, were terrible. Narrow, bumpy and rocky shoulders and having to slow down and get off the road for oncoming traffic was problematic! That stretch also presented the worst scenery with dead trees and drought like conditions - and loads of road kill with the hawks, crows and eagles feasting on the carcasses! Previous to this stretch, we hardly saw any road kill. 

We fuelled up at Quilpie then onto Thargomindah. Fortunately, the traffic slowed right down - the road did improve but still narrow.

 We enjoyed our night at Hungerford - another lovely little place with a warm and welcoming pub, where we enjoyed a dinner which was  a tad better than spaghetti bolognaise!! 

We have been travelling along the Dowling Trak - all the way from Thargomindah to Bourke - another track completed. From Bourke onwards, it’s all sealed roads - the cars,  vans - and drivers, will probably rejoice in the smooth ride - but not appreciate the traffic! We had our morning tea at the Fords Bridge Hotel - which is hanging on by a thread as the owner is in a wheel chair and elderly. There’s a business opportunity for someone! 

With the end of our trip in sight, this will be the last blog. Thank you to all the readers - it makes the effort of writing them worthwhile. Our trip has been wonderful. Over 14,000km through amazing country - we loved every bit. We've had no real hiccups with either cars or vans - just little things that when travelling on rough roads you expect. Luckily, we have very capable men folk who are not fazed by any issue. We’ve also been so fortunate with good health - we must be the luckiest people around!  We know that cold and wintry conditions will greet us - but we’ve been gradually adjusting to colder weather. Goodbye from the travellers until our next trip! ❌❌❌❌

Birdsville & Beetoota

Our chilly morning walk at the Carcory Bore gave effective views of the artesian bore water steaming up. We visited the adjoining ruins which tell the story of how difficult life was in days gone by. Sir Sydney Kidman owned the property and during a drought in the 1900’s, lost 4000 bullocks!  During WW 1 the iron off the roof was requisitioned by the government - that’s how short of supplies of country was. 

In Birdsville after fueling up (again) our next stop was at the bakery where we enjoyed a coffee and some of their delicious pastries. We are a little over biscuits and cheese lunches so this was an enjoyable change - even though it was only morning tea time! 

We had noticed many horse floats heading to Birdsville and learned they were attending a weekend of activities so we ventured out to watch the cattle drafting. This was new to all of us and we found it quite interesting - and very hard and skilful work. 

The Birdsville Big Bash is coming  up and already the  town is gearing up to cater for the huge crowds - and the early birds are already there! It’s a very happening town and full credit to the community - next are the Races. 

We left there and headed east towards Windorah. The scenery was so different - more like you’d imagine Central  Australia to be - but spectacular in a different way. 

This serpent art work along the way was quite a sight to see.

We camped along the way at the iconic Beetoota pub, some 200km before Windorah. We’ve read about this place, and had it on our list for a long time so we were very happy to finally get there. It certainly is different, right in the middle of no-where - and very rustic. 

Dennis was pretty happy to spy this Model T car - looking in very good condition. 
We were looking forward to a delicious pub menu - steak, salmon, seafood …….but the set menu was spaghetti bolognaise! It was ok anyway and best thing was we didn’t have to cook it! The Shit box rally had been though and diminished their supplies - there wasn’t even a drop of red wine in the bar! 

You can see how isolated this pub is, and how the caravans are just perched outside.

Around the campfire at breakfast (cooking our toasties) we learned that the Warri Gate is closed due to flood damage. So once again our plans change as that’s where we were going! We will leave this blog for now and post it when we get service. Keep warm and safe, ❌❌❌❌

Plenty Highway.

We spent a couple of days in Alice springs to refill everything - fuel, gas, water, food, wine and beer! Camping at the Alice Springs Showgrounds was a perfect place as it was safe, spacious and picturesque and we could enjoy a bit of grass plus a campfire. Our evenings were enhanched by a younger Queensland  couple who joined us for happy hour each evening - and even served us nachos as nibbles on the last evening. To complete our Outback Way, we travelled the Plenty Highway - another bucket list item now crossed off. Day 1 was mainly bitumen, some pretty good dirt road and a couple of sections of very rough bits which tested out our vehicles and drivers!

The scenery - especially at the beginning, was spectacular with the Hart mountain range dominating. It was much like driving along the Flinders Ranges in SA. Our original perceptions of inland Australia being flat, red, dry and boring were quite wrong. 

We fuelled up at the very pretty Gemtree roadhouse and caravan park. It’s a very popular location for folks who like to fossick for gemstones. 

We spied some beautiful cattle along the way - but once again, not any other wildlife - not even road kill! Our first night was a free campground by the Marshall River and near Jervois station. We enjoyed another beautiful clear night - and awoke to an unexpected mild and sunny morning as we thought the nights would be very cold. 

Day 2 was another wow day! Driving along in brilliant sunshine with flocks of budgies wheeling above us, fat cattle standing contentedly along the road and even a well fed dingo standing for a photo shoot, we were feeling so happy. The scenery was amazing and we’ve been blown away with how picturesque the landscape is - mountain ridges, Mitchell Grass plains, and tree lined creek beds. We learned that all of the vegetation has the ability to survive seasons of floods and droughts and the Mitchell grass especially can survive up to 30 years  due to their dual root systems. One root is shallow and the other very deep. We’ve been fortunate  to see everything after some good rains - no doubt in drier years things wouldn’t be as lush. 

There were still patches of water lying along side the road - indicative of why the road closes after a rain.
Our last stop in NT was at Tobermorey station which was a pleasant oasis where we fuelled up and had our picnic lunch in their grounds. 

Once we crossed the border into Queensland, the landscape changed to be more open prairie like areas, interspersed with some wetlands and the beautiful Georgina River. This river has a huge floodplain and would be amazing to see it in flood. We noticed on the flood marker that the 70’s were particularly wet! 

Our 2nd night was in another free site some 50kms from Boulia. We were hurried on a little as a shitbox rally was planned to travel from Bedourie to Tobermorey Station and we didn’t want to meet these 250 cars on a dirt road. As it was we met them on the narrowest section of road out of Boulia! 

We have completed the Outback way and have travelled through Boulia and Bedourie and are now camped at an artesian bore 80km from Birdsville. These artesian bores continue to amaze us - the water comes out at 80 degrees - very very hot! As it runs to different ponds, it cools and if you were tempted, you could enjoy a hot bath! Not us though as it’s actually quite cool this afternoon! We had a 100km detour around Lake Machattie which looks like an inland sea - and has ruined the road! Driving though the area, it’s hard to believe we’re in desert country - it’s so lush and green. 

We continue to acknowledge how fortunate we’ve been to tick of these bucket list items - and we've been blown away by the magnificence of everything we’ve seen and have loved it so much! We are probably going to run into colder weather as we head south - we have been so blessed with beautiful sunny days and mild nights. We’ve travelled about 13000km, through 5 states and  past the Tropic of Capricorn 4 times - quite a big trip! We hope it’s not too cold at home - and hope everyone is keeping warm and well. Till the next blog, love from the grey nomads ❌❌❌❌

Good bye Western Australia

We have just loved this journey into WA and we’ve been provided with a wide range of experiences - from plains, to ocean to gorges and ranges - and all wonderful. The coup de gras for us was to complete the journey along the Great Central Road as it’s something we’ve wanted to do for ages. It’s been everything and more than we expected, as we’re very fortunate to see it as its best after a huge rain event some months ago. The desert is green and lush and just beautiful. We’ve witnessed the most amazing sunsets and sunrises as we’ve camped along the way - enough to make us to feel so blessed to be able to enjoy these beautiful touches of nature. 

Back to the beginning of the trip at Laverton. We enjoyed our overnight stay in this little town, but found it strange to be locked in a compound with electric and wire fence and security guards. The local pub where we dined was also different with the front facade all closed and activity was out the back. Jet planes also fly over but seeing it’s another mining town (gold & nickel) I guess that’s not surprising. 

With great excitement and a little trepidation, we set off early on our journey along the Great Central Road.

Day 1 the road was pretty good - very dusty of course but not too corrugated. We started to count the wrecked vehicles along the road and the total we counted was over 200 for the trip to the border - so not everyone makes it! Fuel was pretty expensive at the outback roadhouses - $3.60/litre was the most expensive! Like in Laverton, everything is locked up - even the fuel bowsers. Pretty sad really! The road was chopped up in places - due we found out, that these two huge low loaders, carrying mining equipment, were bogged and needed to be towed out!

Day two road was very good and we made good time, travelling 400kms. Tops won the camel spotting award, as she spied these on the road, which gave good photo opportunities. 

Evidently camels abound in this part of Australia and are quite a pest for station owners. We think that because food is so plentiful, we didn’t see many at all. Neither did we see any sort of wild life - not a kangaroo, emu or many birds. 

We had always assumed this road would be flat and desert like, but found that there were lots of ridges and then we came across a mountain range.

The scenery also kept changing from treed river beds to flat spinnifex  plains.

At our last campsite, we heard a dingo howl, then next thing, there were a pair prowling around our campsite - lucky we saw them and put our rubbish bags out of the way, as no doubt they would have pulled them to pieces. 

Just over the border, we visited Lassiter’s cave - poor man never did find that elusive gold reef - nor did anyone else. 

After 1102 kms, and 2.5 days of travelling, we completed the first part of this trek. We entered NT west of the iconic rock features which always look stunning!

We are camped at Curtin Springs before we head to Alice Springs, then onto the next part of the journey. 

We hope everyone is well and as happy as we are! Till the next blog, love from us ❌❌❌