I’ve kept this as a separate blog at the start of Queensland because we really skipped up the Stuart Highway from Port Pirie to Three Ways, just north of Tennant Creek and then turned right along the Barkly Highway towards Queensland. And I’d already arrived in Queensland when I published this!

Port Pirie is a great stop to prepare for an extended journey. The CMCA RV Park is right next to Coles and Kmart for any last-minute purchases and/or a meal at the Footy Club if you’re there Thursday or Friday night. Nearby is the caravan Services and repair shop. But the cheapest fuel stop is back out on the main road. Read my full blog on this town under The Mid North above on this web page.

If you have time, another pleasant stop is in the Mt Remarkable National Park, we camped last year at the Baroota camp near the old homestead.

Our first stop after filling fuel at Port Augusta was at Monalena Lagoon Rest Area. It was OK – not much to talk about really. The Ghan Railway line runs alongside so you are between road and rail. More rail trains the night we were there than road trains.

There’s a viewpoint parking area just south of Pimba. Got to stop!!!! We didn’t and were awed by the glimpse we got as we sped by. We stopped at the next camera lookout stop which was north of Pimba but not nearly so impressive. So, do stop at the one on the western side of the road, south of Pimba.

Lake Hart Rest Area is pleasant, looking over the lake and if you need to stretch your legs you can walk down to the lake edge. Would be a reasonable camping spot.

Bon Bon Rest Area was a good overnight stop if it’s on your radar. Close to the road and a drop toilet available.

Coober Pedy – has its own blog on my South Australia page, under The Outback for you to read.

Next, we stopped for fuel at Marla and camped at Agnes Creek Rest Area. The area goes quite far back so you can get away from road noise.

We arrived at Erlunda Roadhouse (this is where you head west again to Yulara and Uluru) at lunch time, ate our sandwich and paid $5 each for a shower. Fuel was expensive here, the most paid so far.

As you head north from here, admire the rocky hilly section and look out for loads of birds of prey.

We drove a bit further on to the Finke River Rest Area. It was a bit noisy by the bridge but a free, easy stop.

IF you have time, turn east after Stuart’s Well Roadhouse to trek into Rainbow Valley. It is fine for 4WD, just a little soft sand a couple of times. Sunsets and sunrises display the colours of the sands and rocks brilliantly.

We didn’t go in this time; we remember it from our last trip when we camped there with the wee popup tent. Then we had an AWD car rather than 4WD.

We went straight through to Alice Springs and you’ll have your own plans for that area. There are so many things to do here and from here. We paid our respects by climbing ANZAC Hill and toured the Telegraph Station by the Todd River. Here, there is water most times of the year and this source was named Alice Springs, hence the name of the town that grew up nearby.

After a rest from driving for a day or two at the Alice Springs Tourist Caravan Park and supermarket, fuel and bottle shop purchases, we continued northward.

There are those brown camera signs but most of them are simple stone markers. Unless you have a particular interest, I wouldn’t bother stopping. However, Ryan’s Well is worth a quick stop and the roadhouse at Aileron has a massive man standing on the hill behind it.

We camped on the roadside at McDouall Stuart Memorial with pretty view westward. There’s a satellite dish looking thing with a red pole next to it. If you place your phone on top, you get a signal (Telstra)! Cool!

Barrow Creek Hotel is right next to the old Telegraph Station – ruins – we didn’t stop but went on north to the Barrow Creek WWII Staging Camp. The brown sign for it is right at the road junction so slow down as you near the mileage indicated in the book if you intend to stop here. We had to do a U-turn to return to it. It’s just an information sign and concrete pads remaining and seems well used for caravanners. I saw Grey Crowned Babblers there!

The UFO centre is closed – don’t stop!

We stopped 2 nights at Devil’s Marbles Hotel and had a good feed, hot showers and filled with fuel and water. There’s a pool here to swim in next to the beer garden and a reasonable camp kitchen. You can get water even if not staying. Bird life was Galahs and Whistling Kites.

The Devil’s Marbles are fabulous! You can camp there but recommendation is to get there before 4pm, it fills up. Also, a fee and a park pass required – though no-one was there checking the day we were there.

There are a couple of walks to complete to take in the geology and read a little of the connection the indigenous locals and inform where you can and shouldn’t take photographs.

Final town for us along the Stuart Highway was Tennant Creek. We filled with fuel and hoped to use the public dump point but that had closed.

We then drove on to just north of town to wander the Telegraph Station with lots of history to read on the information signs.

 You can get a key from the visitor centre if you want to inside but it was interesting enough wandering through the complex and reading the signs.

And then we turned right onto the Barkly Hwy at Three Ways – supposedly expensive fuel.

First stop along the Barky was at 41 Mile Bore Rest Area, a large expanse at the back with zebra finches galore bouncing around made for a relaxing, quiet night.

We pulled into the Barkly Homestead to have a picnic lunch. This is an impressive roadhouse with a pleasant bar and restaurant area and a caravan park at the rear. If we travel this route again, we’d stop for a night.

Our final free camping night before crossing into Queensland was at the Soudan Bore and we were slightly surprised to be the only campers there that night. Everywhere else vans had pulled in before us and more vans and roof top tent travellers after us.

We chose Ingham for its proximity to Wallaman Falls and beaches and the TYTO Wetlands.

We were delighted to find the CMCA RV Park had lush green grass for camping on and was just across the road from the information center and the wetlands. This RV park is only for CMCA members and with more and more destinations being added to the club why don’t you join? Rates are great!

I spent a good few hours wandering the TYTO Wetlands with the camera. Lots of familiar birds and the Buff Banded Rail were seen. The Krefft’s Turtles in the lagoons swam towards us as we crossed the raised boardwalk. Probably hoping for food and definitely giving plenty of opportunity to have their picture taken.

More elusive were the saltwater crocodile, thankfully! At one section of the circular path we paused, drew breath, held hands and walked smartly between the two lagoons along the narrow path. A temporary sign was posted warning us a crocodile had been sighted in this location within the last seven days! We made it and can tell the tale!

We wandered the two main streets of Ingham and came across the original ‘Pub with no Beer’ made famous in Slim Dusty’s song of the same name. He got the idea and some of the lyrics from a poem written by a local poet, Dan Sheahan.

During WW2, Dan dropped into the Day Dawn Hotel (now Lees Hotel) for a cold beer after work only the US troops had just been in and drank the pub dry! A sad day indeed for poor Dan.

We can recommend the meats at Chiesa and Sons Butchery on Bruce Highway and the very cheerful service. Another gastronomic shop we discovered was Lou’s Food Emporium on Lanarcost Street.

Lucinda, Halifax and Forest Beach gave us walks, pretty picnic spots and a grand day out in the car. Each small ‘town’ has its own personality.

You can’t walk out the longest bulk sugar loading jetty in the world at Lucinda which follows the curvature of the earth for 6km but you can marvel that the waves crash over it in a cyclone!

Wallaman Falls is about an hour journey across flat plains and then a steep, winding ascent of 20km to the falls lookout. These falls have the longest single-drop in Australia and are a sight to behold.

Seemingly, they are worth seeing from the falls base but we didn’t fancy the trek in the heat or the climb back up. We did go to the trail head for the views along the gorge and our decision not to go down was confirmed by the signage. Warnings went along the lines of ‘people have died here,’ ‘hypothermia,’ ‘cardiac arrest,’ ‘treacherous steep path’ and ‘dehydration.’

To calm our nerves, we drove on to the day use area had a picnic lunch being befriended by a persistent Brush Turkey and then meandered the path along the river to a natural weir and a dip of the toes. Another group approached as we were about to leave and exclaimed over their snake discovery.

We’d walked right past an Amethystine Python curled up and absorbing the rays of the sun on a log by the side of the path. We made sure to admire him on the way back. He’s the largest of Australia’s snakes and has iridescent sheen to his scales. A calm and non-aggressive snake. What a beauty! See him on my Instagram account.

You can camp at the Girringun National Park but you won’t get your caravan up that road! Campervans and tents only!

We detoured off the Bruce Highway, as we drove south, to see Mission Beach. It’s a pretty, tropical beach, holiday destination. They are still recovering from flooding earlier in the year. We walked a stretch of beach until the rain threatened to get heavier.

Tully was our next stop for a cup of tea and a photo opportunity with the Golden Gum Boot. Gum boots are required in Tully as this is officially the wettest town in Australia, or at least it and Babinda compete depending on where the most rain falls in any given year.

The Sugar Mill is next to the boot and offers tours for those interested. We took a few photos from outside the fence and watched one of the small train engines, used across the countryside, dropping its load of sugar cane to the mill.

About 20km further along the road we camped for the night at Bilyana Rest Area. Free, with toilets and shelter from rain or sun we relaxed for the afternoon. I looked up from my novel mid-afternoon and gasped.

A green pigeon? Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I grabbed the camera and started taking snaps. Yes. A green pigeon which, when I looked in my field guide, I identified as an Emerald Dove. Beautiful!

You’ll see him on my Instagram account

Next morning, our final stop before Ingham was the Cardwell Range Lookout. Well worth stopping at and take in the dramatic view across to Hinchinbrook Island.

At Innisfail we stayed the first night at the Goondi Hill Hotel. It happened to be a Tuesday night and therefore we were lucky to take advantage of a ‘buy one meal – get one free’ deal as well as free camping for patronising the establishment. It’s a nice enough bar and bistro and the food is great! Read more on the food blog here.

The next day, we drove just south of the town to Martyville where we had agreed to a housesit caring for two dogs, a cat and five cattle.

Innisfail is renowned for its Art Deco architecture with several buildings from the 1930’s era still standing and, thankfully, being painted up to impress.

We were lucky to be here for the annual Art Deco Festival which gave us the opportunity to attend a free tour of the Shire Hall. We were the only folks to turn up so had a personalised tour from the lovely lady volunteering.

The frontage of the hall is imposing and the entrance foyer striking with its patterned tile floor, all hand painted! The tradition was for a tile or two to be set incorrectly, to disrupt the very geometric pattern. You must look closely to find the two in this foyer!

The hall itself has a large ceiling and a terrace on each side with large glazed windows. Each window has a roller shutter to be drawn down during cyclones but even these didn’t survive the cyclone of 2006 unscathed.

The shutters, the paintwork and even the floorboards needed repair and/or replacement after that event, at a cost of millions, to regain the grandeur of this listed building.

We picked up a brochure for the self-guided walk around town though we did most of our touring by car. Why? Because of the rain!

Of the ten days we were in Innisfail, it was seriously wet for seven of them!

We did manage to get to Etty Bay twice, hoping to spy a Cassowary. This is a picturesque bay with soaring rainforest as its backdrop. No Cassowaries for us on the beach either time.

We did stop at a Cassowary road sign for me to take a photo but the photo did not get taken. I quickly hopped back into the car because a Cassowary was right underneath the sign!

Luckily, we saw two more Cassowaries on the road to Mourilyan Harbour who were quite interested in Hetty the Ford Ranger. We pondered if other road users have been feeding them despite signs around regularly reminding us not to do so.

Murdering Point Winery is also near Innisfail and gave us a ‘dry’ destination on a wet day. I enjoyed the tastings and came away with a bottle of Lychee Wine which reminded me of a Gewirtz Tramminer and did indeed work well with a spicy curry that evening. We also bought a bottle of their Black Port. All wines and liqueurs are produced from locally grown fruits.

The story behind the name is sinister too. In 1887, a ship got into trouble on the reef nearby. The crew escaped in a dinghy. Search teams later found bodies beside an Indigenous camp. Supposedly, these bodies had been burned and partially eaten. It was claimed the local inhabitants were cannibals. Gruesome but is it historically true?

It’s well worth spending some time wandering Warinna Lakes. It has a miniature railway which runs on special occasions by volunteers. Birds frolic in the trees, turtles submerge themselves in the lagoons and walk trails lead you through grassy areas to shady picnic tables and through botanical gardens.

We celebrated our stay at Innisfail with a selection of cheese, olives and cold meats bought at Oliveri’s Continental Deli, compliments largely to a gift voucher from our generous housesit owners.

South of Cairns we stopped overnight at Gordonvale’s CMCA-run RV Park. Open to members and non-members alike it sits close enough to walk into town.

You’ll see everything in town in moments. Even the locals we asked in shops had no suggestions for us to do other than climb Walsh's Pyramid. A difficult, 6-hour hike up a steep hill which used annually for a race. We didn’t climb!

Onwards to Babinda and their very pleasant free RV camp spot by the river. Again, you can easily walk into town.

The volunteer who helped us in the information centre was kind, informative and a good listener. We stayed for quite a while chatting.

Amongst other things, we learned that weekend was to be the Babinda Harvest Festival with a parade along the main street and a show grounds type fair held in the afternoon til late at night.

It’s a short drive up to the famous Babinda Boulders and a couple of nice walks. There are two safe pool areas to swim in. There are large areas you are asked to stay out of, for good reason. There have been deaths here from falling off rocks, slipping into deep crevices and being held under the surface by the power of the flowing water. Heed the warnings and stay safe!

The Indigenous people, the Yidinji, have a legend that speaks of an Elder’s beautiful, young wife falling in love with a young man from a visiting tribe. Having run away, knowing their love was forbidden, they were eventually tracked down to this spot. His tribe took him away, she jumped into the creek waters when suddenly, a great rush of water occurred and boulders were shaken out of the ground.

The legend goes she still haunts the boulders today, luring young men into the water and to their deaths.

Another, slightly longer drive, takes you to Josephine Falls. These impressive falls also allow relatively safe swimming areas and large no-go areas. I tried to gain a good vantage point for a photo and slipped a few times on the wet rocks. Fortunately, I was unhurt.

This slipperiness did not make me want to follow the lead of other tourists who clambered across rocks, a pool area and to climb a low natural rock formation that makes an ideal slide into the pool below.

I’d be nervous of hitting my head as I went either up or down and becoming an ambulance casualty!

The walk to and from the falls was adventure enough for me, admiring the tall trees, the butterflies, the fungi and the whole dampness of the rainforest.

And then the heavens opened on us and the rain made everything even wetter. Including the towels and bags of those intrepid swimmers! I was prepared though, with my umbrella!

Babinda does claim to be one of the wettest places in Australia so no surprise we had a good few downpours in the few days we stayed at this delightful wee town.

The major day trip we undertook from Cairns was up into the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest. You can of course drive yourself in and camp or rent accommodation there. We decided to buy a day tour with Tropic Wings.

An early start saw us waiting at the bus stop at Smithfield Shopping Centre, one of the pick up locations offered by the company. Then, we headed northward to Port Douglas as our driver gave us information about wallaby preservation efforts in the area and other interesting facts.

At Port Douglas, we stopped for a flying tour of the Wildlife Habitat Centre, a rehabilitation centre for local wildlife that has been handed in.

Some animals are nurtured back to health and returned to the wild. Most you see have been damaged and need continued care.

After the tour and a morning tea, we had 30 minutes to wander the enclosures by ourselves. Great photography opportunity for me taking close-up bird shots, though I prefer to shoot them in the wild.

Continuing north we arrived just in time for our Daintree River Crocodile Tour. Our captain was full of crocodile facts and shared them entertainingly. We headed up stream and found two crocs on the banks. One slid into the water as we watched.

Then he spotted the territorial male, Scarface, lurking in the water by some fallen branches. He was huge and grizzly having lost his teeth and some of his spines near his head through the many battles with other males trying to steal his hareem and terrain. He’s not lost yet!

Passengers had all eyes peeled for snakes curled in branches hanging over the water but none were seen.

We did spot Egrets and a Black Butcherbird , as we were about to disembark, I spied a Brahminy Kite flying above us. Amazing!

Back in the bus and onto the ferry crossing the mighty Daintree. This marks the start of the Heritage Listed Rainforest and immediately you drive off the ferry you feel a difference. The trees seem even taller and more majestic. The green appears richer and the shade a bit darker.

Road side signs indicated (Southern) Cassowaries were around. Unfortunately, we never saw on this trip. I was so disappointed but when you realise there are only 4000 or so left in the wild, I understood luck was against me.

We stretched our legs at Cape Tribulation. This is where captain Cook’s fortunes along the eastern coast of Australia changed. In 1770, The Endeavour grounded on the Great Barrier Reef. The crew spent 23 hours off loading anything not absolutely necessary to lighten the ship for the incoming tide. They did succeed in saving the ship. Cook named the location as Cape Tribulation as this was where “all our troubles began.”

A few photos to help recall the beautiful, a short trek back to a café for lunch and then back in the bus to a boardwalk trail through the forest.

Again, our guide had so much knowledge about the plants and the animals in the forest. Thick vines grew up tree trunks, roots poked up through the muddy mangroves, Orange Footed Scrubfowl scratched and scraped on the forest floor creating huge mounds of leaves as nests.

Some plants are endemic to this area. One tree in particular has adapted its seeds to only be germinated if it has passed through the gut of the Cassowary. So, if the endangered Southern Cassowary were to become extinct, eventually these trees would too.

To break up the long journey back to Cairns, we paused at Alexandra Lookout to see the Daintree River meet the Pacific Ocean and at another lookout to the islands and the coast towards Cairns.

All in all, this was a grand day out, allowing Hetty the Ranger a rare day off, and all the planning done for us. For a day tour, I’d highly recommend Tropic Wings.

I loved Cairn’s Botanical Gardens! There is the rainforest section with a board walk and trails and the formally planted section. We spied various birdlife, a vast array of flowers and plants. The information signs are spaced out and detailed. There is so much to see we split these gardens for two visits.

More birds were spotted at the Cattana Wetlands. A great circular walk around large lagoons outside of the urban city, on the way to Trinity Beach and Yorkeys Knob, both beautiful beaches.

Notice the vinegar placed by the beach for stinger first aid treatment. Between Stingers and Crocodiles, I was not game for a swim but others were.

Cairns town didn’t really appeal to us. Businesses seemed spread out, a car was essential, but our top picks were:

Rusty’s Markets – fabulous fruit and vegetables on sale

Hemmingway’s Brewery – a tasty beer and a relaxed atmosphere

Esplanade – strolling territory looking out to sea and to the mountains

We were housesitting in Caravonica, not far from Smithfield and its big shopping centre and industrial area where you can get almost anything you need.

While I had some teaching, Huberto the Coromal’s fridge needed a repair. The folks at Portable Fridge Solutions proved quick, polite and knowledgeable. Within 10 minutes Ian had Hetty’s power re-engaging with the fridge. They’d not been connecting since way back in Georgetown!

Huberto also got a new awning vinyl fitted by by Alex, The Caravan Bloke.

Between Kuranda and Cairns

We’d been warned by friends about the difficult drive down into Cairns from Kuranda. It was a winding road and a steep descent.

Hetty the Ford Ranger controlled Huberto the Coromal’s tow down to sea level admirably, using the low sports gears. Because there were roadworks in several places, traffic was in no hurry either, so no pressure was felt from other drivers.

The views, when visible through the rainforest, across to the cane plains to the coast were stunning.

“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” is one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous quotes.

Well, this was a memorable journey which we repeated by train from Cairns up to Kuranda and back again shortly after taking up our housesitting position.

The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a must do! You get a good, informative commentary and a seat with those stunning views. We went up standard class and came down in Gold Class. Whilst the ‘treats’ presented were all tasty, they were also a distraction from what you were there to see. I suggest standard class is better value.

Many tourists travel one way by train and return via the Sky Rail. One of us suffers vertigo so was not an option to us. Others return by bus. You have options!

The train pauses for 10 minutes at the Barron Falls lookout. This powerful river has, over eons, carved a narrow crevice in the rocks which allows the current levels to flow through. The Tinaroo Dam further up river now captures much of the wet season water so levels are less than once upon a time. Still, there is a hydro power station at the base making good use of this natural energy.

Kuranda itself is a small town. We stepped through the famous markets, ate lunch at a café, walked through a few galleries and walked the jungle and river trails round the town. There are several toursit attraction such as the bird and butterfly sanctuaries for those happy to spend time andmoney.

We were unhurried but with limited time though enough to spare for an extra drink at the Kuranda Hotel before our return trip.

Onwards to Mareeba, the largest of the Atherton Tablelands district and a stay at the Rodeo Grounds. Water, power, showers and toilets are available in this large camp ground on the edge of town. You can also choose a cheaper unpowered site, which we did having the solar system (read about our system here) for easy off-grid camping.

The town has a long main street with a large variety of shops, chains and local businesses. It is worth a stroll along and has plenty parking. If you are towing, or have a large vehicle, do not park in the Coles car park. On the opposite side of the main road, near the traffic lights as you enter from the south side of town, there is parking for us longer rigs. Then use the green man to pop across to the supermarket.

Also out towards the south sits the Mareeba Heritage Museum and Visitor Centre, a volunteer run, excellent museum with displays from the Indigenous cultural lifestyle, to WW1 and 2 exhibits, to information on cane and tobacco production and more. A one of payment gives you access for two days visiting so you can break up the information load as you wish.

There are a couple of coffee plantations and/or cafes to sample the coffee grown in this area. We went to Jaques Coffee and I enjoyed a delicious flat white with a slice of pineapple and mango cheesecake.

Whilst sipping on the rich caffeine drink, my eye caught flashes of yellow in the flowering tree above us. I grabbed the camera and started snapping. It was only later, when I downloaded the photos, I was able to identify the birds as Sunbirds. Gorgeous!

We drove up, up into the Davies Creek National Park to view the stunning waterfall there. The walk is easy from the car park but the road can feel a bit daunting at times. Twists, turns, potholes and meeting vehicles on a narrow dirt road clinging at times to the steep mountainside. Great views for the passenger though!

We found peace and quiet by the swimming hole to eat our picnic lunch and cool our feet off in the refreshing water.

Back in town, we had a relaxing stroll along the river on the north western end of town. Birdlife abounded.

Our final treat at Mareeba was tasting mango wines at the Golden Drop Winery cellar door. You will pay a small fee for the tasting of wines and liqueurs but do get a taste of all they have to offer. I was a little buzzy by the end my tasting! I came away with a bottle of dry white mango wine and their award-winning Sparkling Mango Wine to sip on another day.

Herberton town sits high on the Herberton Ranges. It started as a tin mine site, became a flourishing town and offered three private schools to the children of the lower coastal areas in its cooler climate.

It certainly had a cooler and wetter climate the few days we were there than Atherton town below us! We were in the clouds most of the time.

Construction of a train line to connect the tin mines of Herberton to the port at Cairns started in 1886. The final stretch of line eventually linked Herberton in 1910. You can still puff your way from the town station to the Heritage Village on an old steam train and carriage run by volunteers.

Although we didn’t go into the Herberton Heritage Village, a bit pricey for us we decided, it has excellent reviews. It’s a complete village of historic buildings and some craftsmen who showcase olden industries.

I did get a guided tour around the Spy Camera Museum, the only one of its kind in Australia. The knowledgeable owner show cased several brilliant examples that I didn’t know about such as a cigarette packet and a rifle camera! I also learned a lot about the history of cameras and the pure quality of prints given by the silver laden glass plates that even the most expensive modern digital cameras cannot compete with. If you’re at all interested in spies, photography or development of simple machines to complex modern versions, this is the museum to visit.

Next to the Herberton Mining Museum, you can start one of the many walk trails through the mountains. We chose a short route past mine pits, shale heaps, through the forest landscape, across a few tiny creeks and skirted impressive termite mounds, stopping to admire the flowers and butterflies.

Another day we drove into Herberton Range National Park, along a narrow, winding dirt road to Halls Falls. From the small carpark the first part of the short trail is easy but be warned, the second half is narrow along a steep slope to some natural boulders stepping down to magnificent views and a peaceful swimming pool half way down the falls.

The walk along the river between the Lions Park and the Heritage Village is delightful. You’ll hear the toot of the steam train on weekends when it runs through the little valley and catch glimpses of it through the trees, particularly at the park picnic benches, and free barbecues, as it traverses the trestle bridge on the opposite bank.

We spotted a few birds, heard many and listened to the burbling Wild River running by, not always in view. Swimming is popular in the man-made pool, with its own weir, at the park and near the village is a section of ‘rockpools’ where you can also take a dip or sit and cool off your feet in the rippling water as is slides past the boulders and rocks.

The only place to camp is at the Wild River Caravan Park. A little expensive at $30 per night unpowered but friendly, clean and well placed to walk to the Heritage Village and on into town. Be prepared for hills as the road and paths dip up and down with the contours of the land.

We opted to camp just north of town at the free Rocky Creek War Memorial RV site. Very relaxing, especially if you can grab a spot by the tree line.

The War Memorial is poignant. This was a very large hospital during WW2. Soldiers came here to recuperate from various physical and mental injuries incurred in the Pacific Region. The train brought them up from Cairns to the cooler climate.

It was also a place of research. Treatments for malaria were tested here on willing military personnel.

Today, boulders with plaques commemorating the various divisions that spent time in this region, including those stationed in the many training camps in the Atherton Tablelands.

The town of Atherton is pleasant. Set on a hillside, overlooking a flat, agricultural expanse towards another amazing mountain range. Hallorans Hill gives you the best views.

Most businesses are along the Kennedy Highway that runs through the town.

We bought a special gift in the Crystal Caves. So many brilliant gems, stones and crystals on display for sale and you can pay to enter to see the owner’s wonderful collection in the cave itself.

We discovered the best IGA supermarket, Fresh St Market, we’ve come across. Do your shopping here! Fabulous local produce!

I’d hoped to spend time at Hastie’s Swamp. Unfortunately, timing didn’t quite let that happen. But, the walk trail through Wongabel Mabi State Forest is lovely and we spotted some birds there as well as admire the buttress roots on trees, the fungi on dead logs, the dancing butterflies and the dappled shade through the high canopy.

Between Atherton and the War Memorial, Tolga is a small town with a warm welcome. The markets every first Sunday are bursting with locally grown and made products. The Eventide Distillery offers cocktails, beers and food. I sipped a Pink Gin made with their Allure Raspberry Gin and promptly bought a bottle to take back to the caravan.

From Tolga head east to Lake Tinaroo.

This is a huge lake created to irrigate the growing tobacco industry. Tobacco is no longer an industry here but the dam remains to provide water for towns, irrigate the mango, coffee and avocado farms among other produce grown at this climate.

It’s also a water play area: camping, hiking, fishing, boating, swimming and holiday units for rent.

The dam itself is impressive and the release of water from a pipe near the base to feed the Barron River is an astounding experience to witness, hear and feel! It gushes up and out in a high arc spreading misty spray onto you. The thunderous rumble makes it difficult to be heard by the person standing next to you shouting. As you stand on the concrete path by the wall, near the water, it’s as if there is a mild earthquake pulsing up through your feet into your very heart!

Another day’s drive is to Yungaburra to tour this historic town. Stop at the awe-inspiring Curtain Fig nearby and then at the Platypus Viewing Platform. I spotted my first wild platypus there!

We popped into the Cowgirl Country shop, locally owned and run, and admired the craftsmanship of all things leather and cowhide. I think I’d like a cowhide mat one day, whenever I’m living in a house again!

The architecture in town is lovely, charming and wooden. The hotel is just what I imagined a large hotel built over 100 years ago would look like on the inside. It caters for large numbers of working men to drink their beer and carouse in cavernous bar and dining rooms.

There’s a gentle walk along the river, Peterson Creek Track, where you can try platypus spotting again. We didn’t see any here but loud sounds led our eyes upwards. Not birds but Flying Foxes filled the trees and I was surprised at how awake and alert they were flying from one perch to another.

We continued on the Gillies Highway to Lake Barrine which is a volcanic crater, fresh water lake nestled among another Mabi forest remnant. Two ancient pines stand tall, rising high above the canopy around them. These are known as the Twins.

We took our own sandwich and boiled the billy for a cuppa but one could splash out at the Tearooms. The view from the balcony seating area is wonderful.

Taking a circular route via Malanda, we stopped to take in the pretty Malanda Falls. It surprised us that there was a proper swimming pool built at the base, with steps and handrails to enter. The day was too chilly for us to consider entering the cold water in the shade but some youngsters were enjoying the exercise.

On return to Tolga, we decided to buy an ice cream at The Humpy. We came away with packets of locally blended curry spices, home-made Eucalyptus and Menthol boiled sweets and warm, seasoned Tolga peanuts – and some delicious Chocolate and Ginger flavoured Emerald Ice Creamery for dessert.

All day we had been hoping to see a Tree Kangaroo but had no luck, despite craning our necks looking upwards much of the time. To make up for it, several new-to-me bird species were spotted such as the White Cheeked Honeyeater and the Australasian Figbird – see them, the pines, the bats and more on my Instagram account.

We opted to camp just north of town at the free Rocky Creek War Memorial RV site. Very relaxing, especially if you can grab a spot by the tree line.

The War Memorial is poignant. This was a very large hospital during WW2. Soldiers came here to recuperate from various physical and mental injuries incurred in the Pacific Region. The train brought them up from Cairns to the cooler climate.

It was also a place of research. Treatments for malaria were tested here on willing military personnel.

Today, boulders with plaques commemorating the various divisions that spent time in this region, including those stationed in the many training camps in the Atherton Tablelands.

The town of Atherton is pleasant. Set on a hillside, overlooking a flat, agricultural expanse towards another amazing mountain range. Hallorans Hill gives you the best views.

Most businesses are along the Kennedy Highway that runs through the town.

We bought a special gift in the Crystal Caves. So many brilliant gems, stones and crystals on display for sale and you can pay to enter to see the owner’s wonderful collection in the cave itself.

We discovered the best IGA supermarket, Fresh St Market, we’ve come across. Do your shopping here! Fabulous local produce!

I’d hoped to spend time at Hastie’s Swamp. Unfortunately, timing didn’t quite let that happen. But, the walk trail through Wongabel Mabi State Forest is lovely and we spotted some birds there as well as admire the buttress roots on trees, the fungi on dead logs, the dancing butterflies and the dappled shade through the high canopy.

Between Atherton and the War Memorial, Tolga is a small town with a warm welcome. The markets every first Sunday are bursting with locally grown and made products. The Eventide Distillery offers cocktails, beers and food. I sipped a Pink Gin made with their Allure Raspberry Gin and promptly bought a bottle to take back to the caravan.

From Tolga head east to Lake Tinaroo.

This is a huge lake created to irrigate the growing tobacco industry. Tobacco is no longer an industry here but the dam remains to provide water for towns, irrigate the mango, coffee and avocado farms among other produce grown at this climate.

It’s also a water play area: camping, hiking, fishing, boating, swimming and holiday units for rent.

The dam itself is impressive and the release of water from a pipe near the base to feed the Barron River is an astounding experience to witness, hear and feel! It gushes up and out in a high arc spreading misty spray onto you. The thunderous rumble makes it difficult to be heard by the person standing next to you shouting. As you stand on the concrete path by the wall, near the water, it’s as if there is a mild earthquake pulsing up through your feet into your very heart!

Another day’s drive is to Yungaburra to tour this historic town. Stop at the awe-inspiring Curtain Fig nearby and then at the Platypus Viewing Platform. I spotted my first wild platypus there!

We popped into the Cowgirl Country shop, locally owned and run, and admired the craftsmanship of all things leather and cowhide. I think I’d like a cowhide mat one day, whenever I’m living in a house again!

The architecture in town is lovely, charming and wooden. The hotel is just what I imagined a large hotel built over 100 years ago would look like on the inside. It caters for large numbers of working men to drink their beer and carouse in cavernous bar and dining rooms.

There’s a gentle walk along the river, Peterson Creek Track, where you can try platypus spotting again. We didn’t see any here but loud sounds led our eyes upwards. Not birds but Flying Foxes filled the trees and I was surprised at how awake and alert they were flying from one perch to another.

We continued on the Gillies Highway to Lake Barrine which is a volcanic crater, fresh water lake nestled among another Mabi forest remnant. Two ancient pines stand tall, rising high above the canopy around them. These are known as the Twins.

We took our own sandwich and boiled the billy for a cuppa but one could splash out at the Tearooms. The view from the balcony seating area is wonderful.

Taking a circular route via Malanda, we stopped to take in the pretty Malanda Falls. It surprised us that there was a proper swimming pool built at the base, with steps and handrails to enter. The day was too chilly for us to consider entering the cold water in the shade but some youngsters were enjoying the exercise.

On return to Tolga, we decided to buy an ice cream at The Humpy. We came away with packets of locally blended curry spices, home-made Eucalyptus and Menthol boiled sweets and warm, seasoned Tolga peanuts – and some delicious Chocolate and Ginger flavoured Emerald Ice Creamery for dessert.

All day we had been hoping to see a Tree Kangaroo but had no luck, despite craning our necks looking upwards much of the time. To make up for it, several new-to-me bird species were spotted such as the White Cheeked Honeyeater and the Australasian Figbird – see them, the pines, the bats and more on my Instagram account.

Mount Surprise got its name from the surprise both the traditional owners and the European pioneer couple, who arrived with sheep in tow, got when they met each other – or so the story goes.

The sheep didn’t last as the native spear grass caught in the wool making it vastly reduced in value. So, the couple quickly turned to cattle and this is still a large part of the local economy.

In World War Two, Mount Surprise was selected as one of the light weight radar stations to be set up across northern Australia. This was to give early warnings of any Japanese attacks from the air. The town had a repeater station too, so communications were kept open between Townsville and Torres Strait Islands. Little of any war relics remain but signs tell the story.

Tourism is big with three caravan parks. We stayed at the friendly Planet Earth Adventures.

Gold, agate and gems bring the fossickers to the Mount Surprise area such as O’Brien’s Creek. You need a Queensland fossicking permit if you want to try your hand.

And then, there is Undara National Park and its world-famous volcanic landscape including the huge lava tubes.

These were created about 190 thousand years ago when the Undara volcano slowly erupted causing a sluggish flow of lava. The surface cooled first and solidified. The internal, gooey, hot lava continued its downward journey slowly emptying out 70km plus away from the spewing mouth of these eruptions.

You can see several, more readily identifiable, volcanic craters across the landscape. To peer down into one, climb up the Kalkani Crater. The initial 600m is steep but has a clear path. The rim is also a path but it is more rugged with rocks, roots and dips.

It was on this rim walk we nearly walked onto a Carpet Python, basking in the sunshine on a slab of warm rock in the middle of the path. She slid out her tongue tasting the air and eventually slithered into the bushes, disappearing quickly and clearing our way. Magical!

You need to book your lava tube tour in advance as they are very popular. When booking, see if you can also book an unpowered site for only $10 per night, up to two nights. It’s well worth being in the park, hiking some of the trails and spoiling yourself at the restaurant (see my food blog page).

This was a journey we had heard about from caravanners heading in the opposite direction to us. It was a rough, forty km stretch of road with many a wash out to cross and a large river to ford. Could we do it with Huberto the Coromal? He’s only semi-off road.

We asked lots of questions of those we met, including the owner of Silks Rest who looked over Huberto and declared we’d be fine, with enough height clearance to manage fording the river at this time of year.

The publican, when queried, said that while rough, it was pretty dry and so long as we took it slow and careful it was a far better choice fuel-economy-wise that the two hundred plus km sealed route back through Forsayth and Georgetown.

So, we agreed that we would attempt this shortcut on the proviso that if anyone felt it was too much, we’d turn back to the longer way.

Preparations:

·      Lower tyre pressure

·      Ensure all loose items stored securely

·      Check fridge was packed to avoid door busting open with a rolling bottle.

·      Tie awning up with additional straps

·      Wrap TV in bubble wrap

·      Make sure all screws were tightened and windows well latched

·      Take a deep breath

The first challenge was to ford the Einasleigh River. I stepped out of Hetty the Ford Ranger and waded through the running water. Glad I did this inspection as a pot hole was discovered!

Then I guided our rig across. The water flowed strongly but the weight of the vehicles found this no challenge at all and we crossed without incident.

The road appeared well graded for a while. Then the first wash out appeared. A dip down on corrugated slope to a muddy base and another corrugated drive up the other side.

Slowly, slowly, but without stopping and all was well.

More fine road and then a few more wash outs and small creeks to cross. Mostly, you could see the stony base and could avoid any major holes.

On one particularly deep, or steep, crossing, as Hetty roared to haul Huberto along, a loud clunk was heard. Once atop the slope, I slipped out to examine the rig. Not seeing a thing wrong, we assumed no damage, just a knock on a stone perhaps.

On we went til we reached Jardine Station Lagoon. The station offers three camp sites: one by the river beach, one by the waterhole and this, by the lagoon. The other two are further back off the road down dirt roads and without amenities. At the lagoon there are toilets and hot showers. A good deal for $10 per person per night.

Camp for the night. Serene lilies growing in the calm water, birds bouncing, cattle meandering and only a couple of campers. How gorgeous!

I spied my first freshwater crocodile here. I surprised him as I walked the high bank of the lagoon. He dashed off his beach pad below and dived into the water.

I stood stock still – what had I disturbed?

And then I saw him, long snout with nostrils poking above the water. He floated, frozen in the lagoon just in perfect camera focus. And so, I left him to recover and walked back to camp.

Next morning, we readied to complete the last half of the shortcut.

It was then I noticed the grey water tank drainage pipe was leaking. A stone must have kicked back off the wheel to smack it and crack it.

Plus, the plastic end of the back bumper bar behind the pipe was popping out. Further inspection realised the plastic was scraped and scratched on the underside.

This then, was the damage inflicted by that clunk we had heard. The dip may have been so steep that the rear end of the van hit the downward slope as we drove up the exit.

Minimal damage that is easily repaired. The plastic bumper end hammered back into place and the spray piping seal in the back of the car ready to restore the pipe as good as new at the next camp.

This was supposedly an easier drive that the first half and proved correct.

Once we met the main road again, we topped up the tyre pressure to make it safely into Mt Surprise.

Just 30 miles down the road from Georgetown is the small settlement of Forsayth. A hotel, a caravan park, a school and a health clinic seem about it. The local posters depict a close community with events planned for their entertainment and care.

A lot of effort has gone into signage near the old railway station and the park with some heritage items on display. This made for an interesting, if short, stroll.

The Forsayth Caravan Park is all powered sites at $40 a night.

This is often a stopping point for those heading to Cobalt Gorge. We opted to save our dollars and head to Einasleigh’s Copperfield Gorge, a free to visit geological attraction.

The road was very picturesque with views at times across hills to the mountains in the distance, all green and blue in the morning haze. The road was better than expected as if newly laid with bitumen.

Einasleigh is an even smaller settlement of about 20 inhabitants.  Both it and Forsayth relics of the gold rush era.

The gorge was beautiful! The bridges over the river ahead of the gorge add to the dramatic view. The drone came out to play here!

We stayed at Silk’s Rest for $10 pp/pn. Rob, the owner is very friendly and stops by for a chat with most campers. Silk’s is an easy walk to the gorge and the hotel.

Supporting the local business we had a drink at the bar in the Einasleigh Hotel – The Gulp Country!

As we sipped and swapped some stories with the bar tender, three young workers arrived to quench their hard day’s thirst. More chats and more stories.

Soon, a guitar came out and one of the young men started singing his own composed country style songs. It was an excellent evening, the pub filled with his rich voice, complimented by his brother’s tones.

If you want to hear some of the music we heard, head to Spotify and search for Dallas Steele.

A lovely free camp ground is provided for travellers along the Savannah Way at Cumberland. Here, a whole town used to exist but all that remains is the Cumberland Chimney and a lagoon, that is really a dam built to capture fresh water for the townsite.

There used to be a police station, a telegraph office, two banks, a school and four hotels as well as the mining infrastructure, including a tram, and housing. Now? Just a chimney stack and the lagoon.

This is a delightful spot for twitchers. I met a few of my bird watching colleagues and swapped some notes.

Of the many species I saw over three relaxing days, my newbies were a Brown Falcon, some Forest Kingfishers and two finches: the Masked Finch and the Black Throated Finch.

The caravan fridge has been playing up. Hetty, the Ford Ranger and Huberto the Coromal Caravan cannot agree on where the problem lies but the fridge is not working as we drive along. It’s a three-way fridge and should be on continuously on either gas, mains or the car!

So, we headed directly into Georgetown where the friendly local mechanic, Bushy’s, took a look. He confirmed Hetty and Huberto are talking – power is getting through. It is the fridge at fault.

Nearest business to fix this? Cairns!!!

So shorter trips between places have to be planned til we can reach Cairns.

Georgetown is a pleasant place with the Unearth Etheridge Tourist Information Centre hosting the local library and the Terrestrial Information Centre.

The roadhouse is also the supermarket, though there is a small store selling fruit and vegetables between roadhouse and hotel.

We stayed at the Goldfields Van Park. They have only two unpowered sites so book ahead if that’s what you want.

There are a couple of suggested walks and lookout points, one of which circles the town along the river. Another takes you to the cemetery, which I did to see some of the pioneer grave markings.

A lovely surprise was the free access to the swimming pool. Just ask for a token at the roadhouse to let you in.

We had expected Georgetown to be quite a bit larger than it is but we managed to enough groceries, fuel and a gas bottle exchange to keep us going forward.

Croydon is a goldrush town that is able to show off some of its history in the Heritage Precinct. This group of original buildings exhibit photos, stories and some antique articles. You can wander through the police station, the sergeant’s residence, the town hall and the court room.

The old hospital sits at a main junction and can also be visited.

On the edge of town, recently opened to the public, lies the archaeological remains of a Chinese temple and dwellings. The lives of some of the Chinese who lived here is written on small posts as you tour around the perimeter helping you create a picture of day-to-day activities and how legislation changed the way they could earn an income. No longer allowed to work in a mine opened less than three years, many turned to market gardening.

The Chinese gardeners tended their plants individually, bring water to them from the nearby creeks, soaks and wells and mixing rich fertilisers to grow fruits and vegetables.

Many of the European men who came to the goldfields in the area spent their money and time in one of the many hotels that used to be licensed in the town. At one point, 36 hotels and 21 of them on one street!

The only pub now remaining is the Club Hotel built in 1887.

We stopped in at the True Blue visitor information centre which has two exhibits you could enter for a fee. We opted not to, having enough information from the areas mentioned above and the free displays in this centre. Out the back are some old mining, rail and road vehicles to inspect as well.

The Gulflander travels to Croydon and you can purchase a ticket for a short ride from here. The train departs once a week.

Other than history, we spent time up at Lake Belmore. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon cup of tea watching the water, the birds on the lake and bouncing in the trees and chatting with other fellow travellers. There are plenty shaded areas, including a bird hide, toilets and barbeques. Some brave folks went swimming but we were still considering crocodiles, even if only freshwater ones are present in this expanse of water.

Another bird hide can be found at Cemetery Swamp. You guessed it – past the cemetery. There was water in the swamp when I was there early one morning and saw a good selection of birds and a herd of white cattle coming in for a drink. I enjoyed it so much I went back in the late afternoon for another round of bird spotting, though my only new one here was the White Throated Gerygone.

Our first stop on leaving Julia Creek was the famous Burke and Wills Roadhouse. A family run business helping to support the cattle station.

We camped behind the roadhouse and had a drink at the bar, taking the all-important souvenir photos.

We considered the road we had just traversed. Largely single track with wide dirt shoulders to allow passing and overtaking. Every now and again there would be a short stretch of two lanes to further allow for overtaking. We didn’t meet much traffic thankfully and when we did were grateful most of these meets chanced on the two lane stretches.

From the roadhouse onwards, the road was better and wider.

A brief stop at Normanton for fuel and we continued up to Karumba. As we approached, we took in the roadside hazards: cows sitting or strolling along the verge, Wedge Tailed Eagles playing chicken with us as we sped towards their claimed roadkill (and we lost, veering across the road to avoid these huge birds) and Brolgas, dancing in the tall grass near water courses.

Karumba is made up of two areas. The town area to the south and Sunset Point to the north east.

In town there’s a good bakery, a reasonably stocked, small supermarket, a butcher and pharmacy. Most businesses close between 1 and 2pm. And if you want to access the library, it is open in the mornings.

On the far side of town is the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre which is very informative on everything Barramundi. We spent quite some time in there and enjoyed the old documentary on the original fisherman, Les, who started the Barramundi fishing enterprise in 1950s.

We booked a half day fishing trip with Mick’s Fishing Adventures. It was a slightly nervous trek across the beach sands at Sunset Point to get to the boat in the pre-dawn darkness. Were crocodiles lurking nearby? We had been warned!

Fortunately, the only moving thing my eyes spotted on the beach was a black necked stork.

Too cold for Barramundi fishing, Mackerel was the prey for the day. Of six fisher people on board only nine legal sized fish were caught and we managed to land three of those!

We would have had a fourth catch if only a Tiger Shark had not decided to snap up my hooked fish with a leap in the air than made all onboard gasp!

Tasty meal of home cooked fish and chips that night!

If you haven’t caught your own, the Sunset Tavern offers meals or Ash’s sells takeaways. Their fresh cooked prawns are delicious! Whichever you choose, or take your own snacks, do stay to watch the sun set at this pretty location.

There are several caravan parks in Karumba. We selected the Points Fuels Service Station and Caravan Park station for its unpowered option at $27 a night. If you are fortunate, you can get a water view over wetland ponds and watch the Brolgas dance, the Rajdah Shelducks ducking and the Pied Stilts stepping around.

For more bird watching, take the boardwalk into the mangrove and dry bushland area close to shore.

Back down to Normanton where we did lots of reading at the tourist information/library/heritage centre contained in the historic Burns Phillips Building. We wandered the street taking in the Purple Pub, the beautiful shire buildings and met Krys the Croc, a fibre glass replica of the largest crocodile shot in the area before conservation ideas materialiased.

Do visit the train station. It’s a large, wooden structure and shaded shed area where you can view the Gulflander engine and carriages and other large rail memorabilia.

We got our permit for the river side free camp for a night and the next night paid $10 per person a night at Leichardt Lagoon. Very picturesque and calming. From the camp ground you can walk to the Glenore Weir on the Normanton River.

Both spots are good for bird watching. My new finds from Karumba, Normanton and Leichardt Lagoon were:

1.    Blue Faced Honeyeater

2.    Great Bowerbird

3.    Leaden Flycatcher

4.    Lemon Bellied Fly Catcher

5.    Magpie Goose

6.    Nankeen Night Heron, adult

7.    Paperbark Flycatcher

8.    Pheasant Coucal

9.    Pied Heron

10. Radjah Shelduck

11. Red Headed Honeyeater

12. Rufous Throated Honeyeater

13. Sarus Crane

14. Spangled Drongo

15. White Bellied Cuckoo Shrike

16. White Gaped Honeyeater

17. Yellow Honeyeater

18. Yellow Oriole

Further east along the Barkly Highway after a long flat drive, you arrive at the very friendly and well organised town of Julia Creek.

I had some days teaching booked and my other half agreed to be camp host at the free RV Park (scroll down) by the creek. He had fun chatting to all those who came to register, as permits are required. He not only shared destination tips but gathered them from fellow travellers. This is strictly self-contained vehicles only due to the nature of the ground and the proximity to the water.

The visitor information centre is full of information and history but the real draw card has to be the Julia Creek Dunnart which you can view being fed twice a day. He’s cute but vicious, at least to insects!

For birdlife, there’s a fair bit just beside the creek at the free camp but if you follow the trail further along the creek you may see more. I saw the black necked stork again and various smaller birds for the first time. See my ‘new to me’ list below.

The Caravan Park hosts the famous Bush Dinners on Monday nights through the dry season. Local community groups prepare a two-course meal and the first 100 paying guests can enjoy hearty food, good company and golden sunsets. Money raised is managed by the shire but ploughed straight back into the community groups and projects.

Julia Creek lies atop the Australian Great Artesian Basin, ana amazing source of fresh water which is now being better managed and preserved than when open channels and ever flowing wells flowed.

Lucky for some, you can book a luxury, sunset soak in a hot artesian bath at the caravan park and take your own drinks and nibbles to celebrate. We chose the free hot showers at the roadhouse. Perhaps at some other hot springs we’ll chose to soak but we were busy checking in guests right up til sunset, except for Monday nights that is!

If it’s a cooler dip you appreciate, take a plunge at the swimming pool for only $2!! The water was 17

At night, drive past the water tower which is lit up at night in bright colours. This tank is used as a cooling tower so residents can have cool water in their taps.

Local businesses offer a wide range of goods. The hardware store was recommended to us from Mt Isa Bunnings who didn’t have what we were looking for and though we can’t remember now what it was, we did indeed get it at Julia Creek. And we had our gas bottle filled there. I found a longed for magnifying glass at the newsagent, we refueled at the roadhouse, topped up groceries (taking turns to purchase at both supermarkets) and spent well at the butcher’s shop.

On our penultimate evening, the shire employee who enrolled us in the camp host position came to the creek side and enjoyed a sundowner drink with us. We chatted a good while before the cool night air descended and she made moves to leave.

We thanked her for the warm welcome everyone in the town had given us.

New to Me Birds at Julia Creek

Chestnut Breasted Mannikin

Pictorella Mannikins

Plum Headed Finch

Rufous Songlark

The trip from Mt Isa to Cloncurrry is scenic with rolling hills, rocks escarpments and outcrops and twisting bends on the road slowly unveiling the countryside.

Stop at the Battle Mountain Memorial to read the poetry and admire the spirit of the Kalkadoon warriors who fought the European arrivals only to lose their lands. This point also welcomes you to Mitakoodi country and acknowledges their loss too. I found it very moving.

We pulled in to see Corella Dam and wished we had extra days to spend here as the birdlife was amazing – once again! You may free camp here and explore further.

Alternatively, or as well, head in to the ghost townsite of Mary Kathleen which was home to thousands when the mine by the same name was supplying uranium. All that remains are the concrete pads. It’s a wide area. The popular photo of the uranium mine pit now filled with brilliant blue water is a further trek off the road but don’t swim in it!!

Named by Burke of Burke and Wills explorers fame, after the home place of an Irish friend, Cloncurry townsite lies on the Cloncurry River and is the regional centre of Cloncurry Shire.

It was mining that put the place firmly on the map.

Today you can discover some of the Aboriginal, explorer, pastoralist and mining history at the excellent Cloncurry Unearthed Visitor Centre. We spent ages in here at the indoor museum and wandering the outdoor vehicles, machine sand fossils.

You even get to experience the mining remains at Kuridala from the ground and from the air all in the comfort of a chair in this air-conditioned museum by donning on the VR headgear.

The Royal Flying Doctors also started here when Dr John Flynn founded it in 1928. The Museum is reputedly very good but we’d been to the Alice Springs RFDS Centre in the past so skipped this.

The best thing we discovered just outside of town was Chinaman Dam. Built in 1994 to service the town water supply, it’s a relaxing and tranquil spot to BBQ or simply have a cup of tea by the shore in the shade. Look across the water and admire the geology of Black Mountain, spot the birdlife and listen to the crickets sing.

The free Coppermine Creek Freedom Camp on the edge of town gets busy, so pull in early to get a decent spot.

On the gentle hill above the camp sits the Chinese Cemetery. A couple of grave markings with Chinese script denote only a handful of graves but many were buried here. An information board lists those interred.

A short walk from the camp takes you to the weir on the river and the QANTAS memorial. A breakdown on the dry river bed in 1919 resulted in the concept of this now iconic air service.

You can walk further along the path and up the hill to the Cloncurry Lookout and Water Tank. The views are expansive and the tank painted brilliantly with the Cloncurry Parrot, a girl holding a paper plane representing the birth of the RFDS, a boy of the Mitakoodi community looking out over his lands and their totem, the Eagle-Hawk.

A fine town indeed!

Mt Isa is a major, mining city in the outback with all the amenities you need.

It is built on Kalkadoon country, the traditional owners who fiercely tried to protect their land from the invading Europeans. Battle Mountain is named after a significant combat where a large number of Kalkadoon warriors were killed by settlers and police forces. Weakened, resistance declined and they were dispossessed of their lands. You can read more about this proud tribe, their land and history here.

In 1923, John Campbell Miles discovered rocks that contained 78% lead. Staking a claim with friends, he started the Mt Isa Mines company that is still functioning today.

Since that start, copper, silver and zinc have also been mined in both underground and open cut mines. The infrastructure dominates the town skyline, best seen from the Lookout Watertank.

The tourist information centre, Outback at Isa, has so much to offer:  a botanical garden, the Hard Times Mine, the Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Regional Art Gallery, the amazing Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre, a café and an interesting mining, gems and minerals display. Buy tickets here too for the Underground Hospital nearby.

There are art installations dotted around town reflecting Mt Isa life and the lovely Tharrapatha Way walk trail along the Leichhardt River.

A must do is a day out at Lake Moondarra just a 16km out of town. The Leichhardt River has been dammed here to provide water for the town. The resulting lake is a large expanse and a playground for fishermen seeking barramundi and other fish and a twitchers delight.

Take a picnic to sit by the lake or a enjoy a BBQ with the Peacocks at Peacock Park. Children can frolic in the shallow water or at the shady play park below the dam wall.

We spent two Sundays admiring the views and spotting birds. See my list below of 44 species, including 11 new to me!

There are a couple of caravan parks at Mt Isa. No camping at the Lake! We stayed at Mt Isa Caravan Park which is run by a friendly couple and is only a short stroll into town. Usual amenities plus a swimming pool.

Having picked up some teaching here, we treated ourselves to a slap-up meal at The Buffs Club.

Locals highly recommended the club and we were impressed. A fancy sports bar, a café, a pokies room and a restaurant. Bonus was the free shuttle bus that would pick you up if wanted and drop you home.

You can read my food blog on the meal we had here.

Lake Moondarra’s Birds

1.    Apostle Bird

2.    Australasian Darter

3.    Australasian Grebe

4.    Australasian Swamphen

5.    Australian Crow/Raven – unure

6.    Australian Pelican

7. Bar Shouldered Dove

8.    Black Faced Woodswallow

9.    Black Kites

10. Budgerigar

11. Comb Crested Jacana

12. Crested Pigeon

13. Double Barred Finch

14. Dusky Moorhen

15. Eastern Cattle Egret

16. Eurasian Coot

17. Fairy Wren – unidentified subspecies

18. Galah

19. Glossy Ibis

20. Green Pygmy Goose

21. Grey Fronted Honeyeater

22. Indian Peafowl

23. Jacky Winter

24. Kingfisher – unidentified subspecies

25. Little Black Cormorant

26. Long Tailed Finch

27. Magpie

28. Magpie Lark

29. Masked Lapwing

30. Noisy Miner Bird

31. Pacific Black Duck

32. Peaceful Dove

33. Pictorella Mannikin

34. Pied Cormorant

35. Rainbow Bee-eater

36. Wandering Whistling Duck

37. Whistling Kite

38. White Breasted Woodswallow

39. White Plumed Honeyeater

40. Willy Wagtail

41. Zebra Finch

And at Mt Isa town

42. Black Fronted Dotterel

43. White Faced Heron

44. Rock Dove

Camooweal

As you enter Queensland from The Northern territories, Camooweal provides a friendly welcome. The town sits beside the Georgina River. Established in 18xx, it was superseded by Mount Isa’s mining boom and has remained an outpost. Now it is considered a suburb of the City of Mount Isa whose CBD is 188kms away along the longest main street in the world!

This is Aboriginal People’s and Drovers Country. A museum on the eastern edge of town tells the drovers’ history.

There’s not much more to this wee town: a roadhouse and a pub (both with caravan parks), a school, a Post Office and small supermarket and the jockey club where the Camp Draft is held.

However, the Camooweal Billabongs are fantastic! Found it in our Camp Australia 11 Book.

These large lagoons on the Georgiana River allow the birdlife to abound. See my list below of birds I spotted in just the couple of days we could stay.

You can free camp on the western river bank. There are many sites to choose from but they fill up fast. We had luck snagging a site with sun for solar and shade or sun to sit in, depending on the temperature and breeze, and a clear view across water to the opposite bank.

Showers can be got at either the roadhouse or the caravan park for a small fee. There is a dump point and potable water available in town too.

Birds: my new ones in red!

1. Australasian Darter

2. Australian Pelican

3. Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike

4. Black Kite

5. Black Necked Stork (Jabiru at least new on camera!)

6. Black Swan

7. Brolga

8. Brown Quail

9. Budgerigar

10. Cockatiel

11. Corella

12. Crested Pigeon

13. Diamond Dove

14. Eurasian Coot

15. Galah

16. Great Egret

17. Great Cormorant

18. Hard Headed Duck

19. Jacky Winter

20. Kingfisher (unsure as only silhouette spotted at dusk)

21. Little Pied Cormorant

22. Magpie

23. Magpie Lark

24. Masked Woodswallow

25. Pacific Duck

26. Peaceful Dove

27. Pied Cormorant

28. Raven

29. Royal Spoonbill

30. Whistling Kite

31. White Breasted Woodswallow

32. White Faced Heron

33. White Plumed Honeyeaters

34. White Winged Triller

35. Willy Wagtail

36. Zebra Finch