Day 22

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Tuesday 2nd

Heading off today for Fletcher Creek, had a good drive through. Stopped at Ravenswood for morning tea.What a neat place. Another town with lots of mining history. J & A had to carry onto to Charters Towers and we met up with them there. We spent some time in Charters Towers, didn’t realize what a big place it is, we stocked up on grociers, fuel etc. We had lunch at Centennial Park before heading off to Fletcher Creek, we got here at about 4 pm, 3 very large areas to choose from.

Came across this very distinguished gentleman. Two old Fords At Pub in Ravenswood. Another lovely old building, still being used. Red tar seal, heading to Fletcher Creek.Imperial Hotel

Day 21

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Monday 1st September

We are packing up and heading to Lake Dalrymple via dirt roads so we are filling up as there are no stations out there for 234km, be slow driving and its very hilly and windy so will use more fuel. Well what a road, just took our time and saw lots of interesting things. Very dry, ran over a snake, saw Bustards, we are traveling thru stations but on a public road, its called the Rutherford Road. Dalrymple dam is huge, largest n Qld. They have lovely amenities and clean, $10 per couple per night and $2 for a load of washing. Feral Goats roaming, Peacocks roaming thru the camp, Burdikin Rock Wallabies, they are so tiny. The camping is no where near the water so we are only staying one night.

These bushes are called the bellyache plant, a noxious weed. Waters from the Dam They had just shut off the overflow. Feels very wierd traveling along the bottom of the Dam wall. Run Jack. Looking across the Dam wall. The snake we ran over, it was still alive and moving ok, not that I was going to help it. A very dry river bed. This was typical of the road we traveled on today, rough in many places. Stopped here to let some air out of tyres. Mt Coolon area, this was well known for its gold back in 1946, lots of interesting reading. Morning tea at the top of a range. Dry and dusty.

Day 20

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Sunday 31st

Another nice sunrise but no clouds so I stayed in bed. Our internet coverage is not good here nor phone reception. Did another walk today. Did some more star trails from a different angle, cool again. A chap here in a caravan, looks like a permanent has a dog, his chock, another family have 2 geese and a cat, quiet comical.

Day 19

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Saturday 30th

Woke to a lovely morning sunrise, had a big clean up in camper and aired everything. went for a walk without my camera for some exercise. Having a relaxing day. Heaps more campers arriving. Very cool wind. Did some star trails. Lovely morning light. Trees in the early morning glow from sunrise. Sunrise.

Day 18

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Friday 29th

Well the winds got up about 3.30 am, by 6.30 am clouds were coming in over the range so worked in nicely that we were planing to move on today. Filled up with water, beautiful drinking water they provide here. We are heading to Elphinestone via the Nebo Rd, or Little Lizzy Rd, what wonderful country side, dry but still so much to see, along the way Jack saw Moonlight Dam Camping sign and radioed to us as to would we like to have morning tea here, of course we would, so off we go, OMG I wondered if we’d ever get there, but when we did it is lovely. very rough 4×4 drive, along a ridge and windy.

Lake Elphinestone, We camped here for two nights. Here is a drag line bucket at the entrance of the town Glendon. Amazing landscape along the way today. All these Brolgas in the paddock, what a noise they were making, they were a long way away. Going along the ridge into Moonlight Dam Camping. Old trough, was once filled by the windmill in background. Heaps of room for camping. Did star trails at Lake Elphinestone. Moonlight Dam Camping area, the Dam was only a puddle but large area when there is water. Little Lizzy Road, heading to Nebo. Going through a narrow part of Little Lizzy Road. The animals weren’t as thin as I expected. Love this shot, the way the road winds, Jack is the wee white dot at the end of the road.

Country side where we traveled today.

Day 17

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Thursday 28th

This is our last nigh here, have really enjoyed it here. Cold winds today, was quiet windy yesterday as well. The men went out in the boats, Don got his crab pots in, nothing in them. Waters are to cold for crabs etc. Did a wash and got all dry, ready for the next move. Did tea in camp oven, very nice, sausages and roast veggies. Put some spuds in tin foil and into the coals, perfect. Sky very dark tonight, new moon, so I wont be doing star trails. Everything is packed up and ready for tomorrow, we are heading to Lake Elphinestone.

Don eating a piece of damper cooked in the camp oven, bit burnt, but with jam and cream, who cares.

Day 16

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Wednesday 27

Water was so still, Jack went out for a early row. We sat around and had breakfast chatting. So peaceful. Don did some fishing, kookaburra sitting on the branch above hoping to catch something every time Don reeled in. But nothing was caught. We had 2 ring tailed opossums here last night, one was red furred, very pretty. Baby butchers, 3 baby kookaburras. We have no coverage out here so J & A shot back into Eungella to do some business. Warmed up my water for a nice hot shower. Went for a drive over to the Dam wall. Lovely picnic area for day use. There are kites flying all around us. Went for a ride in the rubber duck to the other side of dam was lovely.

Star trails. Eungella Dam wall. Spillway. Very foggy this morning. Wonderful clean facilities. One can camp anywhere here, very big area, it is paddock camping so you find what you can as far as level sites. our set up. More fog.

Earlier we could not see the other campers, so foggy.

Day 15

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Tuesday 26th

Lovely fine morning and cool. Had breakfast in the sun and cleaned up. On the way by 9 am. Had a lovely drive thru to Eungella, its only 4km from the bottom of the hill to the top but boy its very steep. Had morning tea at the lookout. The landscape is lovely with all the sugar cane farms, hills and sugar cane trains. The Eungella Dam is not part of the NP so we are heading out there and see the ranger when we get there. It’s 49 km from the top of the range to the Dam, 11 km of dirt roads but good. This is beautiful and huge, we will be coming back to to this camping spot. We share with the cows, horses and bird life, pretty good I say. Plenty tree’s for shade, toilet block is great and a cold shower room, so we used our warm shower containers and had good showers. Rubbish bins and all this for $ 8 per couple per night. One pot dinner tonight, curry mince and cabbage. Saw 3 satellites tonight and did star trails. Lovely and sandy around the edge of the banks in places. Lovely quiet spot for our camping. We were facing south perfect for star trails. 🙂 Dam wall.Evening light on the hills.

Day 14

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Monday 25th

Up and away by 9.15 am. Went thru to Sarina and had morning tea at the train station. Then onto Mackay. Stopped at Caneland Central, did some shopping. The drive and country side was real nice to here, lots of rugged hills and cane farms. We got away from Mackay about 2.15 pm and headed towards Eungella, pulled into a rest stop at Plummer River and ate lunch. Had chicken and salad, Got to Boulder Creek at 4 pm, long way out of the way for what there is, but one never knows until you do it. At least the turn off to Eungella is only 1 km back, good short cut. Not a very big area, nice wee creek running. We are only staying the one night seeing as its not fantastic.

Entrance to Boulder Creek camping on left.

Boulder Creek.

This is the only area to camp in here, not big.

Day 13

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Sunday 24th

Nice weather, very windy and cool. Had breakfast then headed off down to the bridge to get the incoming tide as it comes in so very fast. Well that was a joke, the tide was on the ebb, all we got was cold bums. Got back to camp and had morning tea. After we warmed up we headed off to town to catch Sunlander train coming in, but it was 11.40 pm, so we were 12 hours to early. It’s been one of those days, but not in a bad way. Now it’s started raining. I headed back to camp and when I got there I could here the Brolgas and Curlews calling. We got all packed up as much as we could for the morning. Filled all the water containers etc. One last hot shower as never sure where we’ll end up.