10th of August
Packed up and headed into Mt Isa. The biggest rodeo in the
southern Hemisphere is on in Mt Isa this weekend and all the camp grounds are
booked out. So we went to the info centre and enquired on over flow campsites.
The Lady at the info centre was great and couldn’t give me more info if she
tried on Mt Isa. The Lady at the info centre gave me a number for an overflow
park at the local basketball courts. For $10 we had showers and toilets but no
power. So we set up camp had a shower and headed into pick up some food
supplys. We spent the afternoon at camp as the kids were exhausted.
11th of August
Packed a lunch, called into Laundromat and did some washing
and drying before heading into the rodeo at 10.30am. The girls were excited at
first to watch the rodeo then they had an intermission for a couple of hours so
we went down and gave the girls a treat on a couple of rides and some ferry
floss. We ended up back at the rodeo watching a few more events while I enjoyed
a couple of queenslands finest xxxx. After we had seen a rodeo for the first
time we won’t be racing back but I don’t like watching any sports. We headed
back via the city lookout before returning to the van for a cuppa.
12th of August
Would have liked to spend more time in Mt Isa but I am low
on battery power and need to get to a caravan park and none in Mt Isa available
we decide to leave. We start to head to Normanton not sure how far we will make
it half way is the Burke and Wills
road house half way if we are too tired and we will stop there for fuel anyway.
Well leaving Mt Isa the hills have started and the terrain is starting to
change. We get to Cloncurry a little town down the road where we turn left to
head north and straight away the strength of the tail wind is felt I can go up
slight hills in top gear and the car is not working at all. On arrival at Burke
and wills road house there was a huge cue for fuel all parked up behind the
browsers. I pulled up beside the cars and joked are they waiting for me, that’s
when a lady informed me there is no fuel. I drove up the front and the service
station owner was out the front looking nervous waiting for a fuel truck said
they ran out at 3pm yesterday almost 24hrs ago. I said that was only diesel
right you have petrol, with him saying yeah your right you can fuel up. Just as
I finish fuelling up the tanker arrives and fuels up the tanks and the next
hour is spent sending through all the diesel 4wds waiting while I had lunch.
Well the strong tail wind and nice driving is to much to let go by so we decide
to go to Normanton. Well not long later the roads vary from 1 lane back to 2
lanes and back again for the next 200kilometres and when it is 1 lane bitumen it
is centre of the road and when a car comes towards you, both of you have to
drop one side of your car on to the dirt and hang on. If a truck comes towards
especially a road train well get off as quick as possible and stop on the side and
make sure the truckie knows your intentions I had one truckie start to go off
when I was well and truly on my way to be completely off and stopped and the
rocks and loose crap sitting on the side of the road a triple trailer truck
throws up is awesome. I had my hand out the window begging the guy to get back
on the bitumen before he passed me sitting on his 90km per hour and he made it
just in time. Well we arrived at Normanton at about 4pm and booked in the local
caravan park for a couple of nights and had a few beers with the fellow camps
and chatted about our day.
13th of August
Kids were keen for a ride and with 2 big things in Normanton
Jess, Megan and myself head off and give Mum a break for a little bit. All up
the Kids rode 4 km not to bad but they didn’t do it completely whinge free lol.
We got a picture in front of an 8+metre croc that was meant to be a replica of
the biggest one caught in the area in the 50’s glad it wasn’t me. We then rode
all the way to the other end of town to get a fake picture of Jessica
pretending to hold the big Barra. We returned to camp for some lunch and the
kids were keen to test out the pool. I had to repair an electric brake cable
that was broken and have a look into why our batteries went flat 2 days ago. I
couldn’t find anything major wrong tested all connections and when I was at Mt
Isa I cleaned the Solar panel as it had a bit of red dirt on it. Put it all
back together and 2 days later the power seems to be ok so will wait and see. After
my maintenance check-up I wanted to head up to Karumba and check out the gulf
the kids were in the pool still and I offered them the 150km drive return, Jess
replied take a picture Dad I will see it when you get back. So up and back for
a speed run for a picture and return in time for happy hour and put it this way
I only went to say I have being to the gulf I wouldn’t say it was worth it.
14th of August
Leaving Normanton head back out of town and turn left to
head east for the last time. It is 600kms to Atherton where we want to get to
in a couple of days and I plan on doing 400km to day and have an easy run into Atherton
tomorrow. The day starts off great we see a drover musting his cattle. We then
past the Gulflander train going down the tracks what a cool looking rig. Then
back to 2 lanes one lane and so on. Then flood damage repair road works every
20km having to stop at road works waiting for the go ahead. We stop at a rest
area for lunchwhere 2 couples traveling together are having lunch break. After
speaking to the 2 couples and the wives getting the grand kid fix on Emily they
tell me at Mt Surprising there is a gentleman running a small caravan park and
un-powered sites are only $10 and powered are $17. As Mt Surprising is right on
the 400km mark and there isn’t anything either side for another hour of driving
we decide that is not a bad spot to stop. I went un-powered site as I wanted to
test the batteries out. The place was great and our kids went nuts under the sprinklers,
that the gentleman seems to have connected up to an unlimited water supply and
has nice green grass sites everywhere. The Greynomads find it amusing watching
our feral kids going nuts. The Owner of the park comes out at 4.30pm and says
he is doing a snake show today so I quickly dry the kids and dress them into
what they will wear tomorrow and Jessica once again surprises all and wants to
hold another snake. I have never seen someone know so much about snakes he must
have talked for an hour about what to do if bitten, what snakes are the most
venomous and where they live. If at Mt surprising stay at this place he even
has a café where he makes breakfast, lunch and tea.
15 of August
Back on the road to Atherton after going through a dozen
road work sites in 140km we have to pull into give Emily a feed and at the same
time have Lunch ourselves we pulled off the road down into a surprising great
free camp on a flowing fresh water creek. It is great to see river pebbles and
green grass in a natural spot again after so long. We then head in the last
60km and are greeted with big hills ones I haven’t seen the likes of since I
was in Victoria and a drizzle of rain also not seen since May at Tom Price. The
girls are excited as we are now driving through the rain forest and clouds, climbing
up hills 1150m above sea level. We check in to big 4 Atherton and great to be
back on the east coast I could almost roll on the grass it’s so good to see.
The girls have a play in the park before I take them down to the info centre
and pick up some supplies from the local Iga.
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