17 July – 2nd August 2025

After being stationary for so long we were determined to get some kms on the odo. That meant longer stretches of driving, and what we call “bare” camps, only setting up the minimum for comfort. So, after leaving Capalaba we had single overnight stops at:

• Little Yabba Ck, Camboon
• Gunalda
• Gin Gin
• Bajool
• Blackwater
• Bogantungan
• Barcaldine

The distance was 1271 kms, about twenty hours of driving at towing speeds which average out at about four hours per day. Not a lot by some standards but almost double what we normally do.

The stretch from Little Yabba to Gunalda was a very short drive. After and hour twenty, we were forced to stop by a heavy downpour which reduced our visibility to almost zero. The following night at Blackwater, we were greeted by a gaggle of minions, very cute.

Travelling offers insight to where our everyday products come from. In past posts, I’ve written about cotton farms, farms which are plentiful along our route. We passed a huge area filled with bales of cotton, wrapped in plastic of varying colours. I did a little research about the colours and their meaning, but other than pink, which is used to support breast cancer awareness, there is no meaning to the colour, despite what Google’s AI will tell you.

Bogantungan was a lovely overnight stop. We actually camped at the Drummond Range Lookout, but there were very few spaces for big rigs, we were lucky to find a spot and enjoyed the stunning views.

You know how people build stone cairns around the country? Well, we saw some unusual bridge cairns. After examining them I decided that the stones must be stuck together somehow, so I touched one. Guess what? They weren’t. I felt so guilty about knocking it over, we decided to rebuild it, but like any DIY job, there were a couple of pieces left over.

After rebuilding the one I knocked down, Peter was inspired and decided to make his own.

We drove through Jerico, and nice little town east of Barcaldine and while Peter explored the open-air cinema, I hunted butterflies and we both admired the murals.

By that time, we were ready for a bit of a rest, and on the recommendation of Hazel & John, (sister & brother-in-law) we drove through Longreach and checked out the Darr River.

This really was a great place to stay. There were only two or three spots suitable for a larger van, but again…we were lucky and got a great spot. Unfortunately, Peter was still unable to lift heavy objects, so we couldn’t get the kayaks down for a paddle (we will next time,) but we were able to walk along the river quite a distance. Crossing a railway line and another barbed wire fence, into the neighbouring property.

We loved it there and we stayed for four nights. The river was full, the birdlife was plentiful, and it was home to some of my all-time favourite birds…Budgies!

I was surprised to find Black-Fronted Dotterels and Stilts this far inland, but…here they were.

Just on the other side of the river was a very busy pair of Whistling Kites preparing for their chicks.

While in Winton we were treated to a show by bush poet/comedian, Gregory North. Although he lives in the Blue Mountains, I think he makes Winton one of his bases. He got a bit of a buzz out of being Gregory North performing at the North Gregory hotel… cute. He was actually very good and has been voted best bush poet several times.

Anyway, you know how it is when they call for someone from the audience… no-one volunteers, so feeling a bit sorry for his stalled act, I put up my hand. It was fun 😊 This little snippet is from the end of my show. I’m thinking of taking it on the road.

The next day took us through Kynuna a little country town with a resident Brolga, and that night we stopped about halfway between Kynuna and Mckinlay.

On the way to Longreach the next day, Peter spotted a hill. Now if you’ve been following our blog, you will know that Peter can’t resist a good hill. So, off we went, sneaking through a barbed wire fence, into an old mining area just so we could climb this.

We made it to Mt Isa without falling down a mine shaft or getting arrested. Like many mining communities, it’s not a pretty place, but Mt Isa Mines have contributed heaps to Australia for over a hundred years (since 1924).

A short drive out from Mt Isa is Moondarra Dam.

I think it’s safe to say we are now back in the swing of things, but it wasn’t until we reached Longreach, outback Qld, that we felt that sense of freedom and we knew we were back where we belonged.

And so, we continue: The road to Camooweal beckons.

See you out there somewhere

On tow and on the go!