Dates: Saturday 13 July – Wednesday 17 July 2024

Locations: Longreach, Winton, Kynuna, Cloncurry, Mary Kathleen

Regions: Outback Qld, Barkly Tableland NT

Temperature: 7 – 25 degrees

Longreach to Winton

Saturday 13 July 2024, 180 kilometres

Total trip kilometres 1460

Temp: 7 – 23 cool morning, sunny

We are heading to Winton today but first up we attend to a bit of washing and cleaning in the van and getting it set to go. We keep a big 20 litre bucket under the van for waste water drips and while here we’ve had the waste water pipe out also and as Rob goes to pack it all away he finds 3 dead rats, drowned in the bucket!

Our last post mentioned the rat problem in the Outback at present and this is definitely one of the not so nice sides to camping. We think they crawled up the pipe and either fell or jumped in and then couldn’t get out.

After setting the van we head into town as the CWA have showers for a donation and there’s also a market from 9 – 12pm.

We meet Gwen at the CWA, she is 90 and volunteers 1 day a week to different aspects of the CWA. Today she’s looking after the showers and she has made scones.

We enjoy a quick shower then spend about half an hour enjoying Gwen’s company, her scones with jam and cream and a cup of tea. Gwen tells about her time as president, traveling the Longreach district and all about the Lake Dunn Sculpture trail. The Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail is a 200 kilometre circuit that loops between Aramac, Lake Dunn and Jericho. Along its route you’ll find 40 sculptural installations showcasing Outback elements and life, from emu families to jackaroos. Not for us this trip but something to consider if your headed out this way. Sounds awesome!

We head back to the van and are on the road by about 11am.

We arrive Winton mid afternoon and after setting up at our camp, meet our neighbouring travellers who advise there are rats here too unfortunately, more on that later…

We then head into town to see the Opal Festival. Unfortunately though we are latecomers and most of the stall holders have packed up. One fellow shows me a few samples of Boulder Opal though and they are entrancing. The red, green, gold and blue colours dance as if alive amidst the stone and I briefly wish I was in the market.

We then head out to the musical fence, a whimsical collection of metal objects and a fence that can be used to make music if you’re talented enough. We do have a go but neither of us strikes a chord. Nearby is a nod to the QANTAS history.

Back into town and we walk the Main Street and it’s charming with its beautiful old pubs and the Waltzing Matilda museum with the statue of Banjo Paterson out front. Across the road there is another statue of the swagman from his most famous poem, written not very far from Winton.

We visit Arno’s wall with its collection of everything engineering and then visit the Australian Hotel for Happy Hour and are lucky enough to catch bush poet Gregory North right before he recites that most famous poem – The Man from Snowy River and other famous works by Banjo Paterson including the story of the writing of Waltzing Matilda.

We return to the van just in time for another gorgeous sunset and after dinner we catch up with our neighbours Cheryl and Doug for a drink around their campfire.

Winton Sunday 14 July 2024

Temp 7 – 23 cool morning, sunny

Age of Dinosaurs Winton

Rob had booked our Age of Dinosaurs tour for 10:30 so we leave the van around 9:30 as it’s 24 kilometre’s from Winton back towards Longreach and we also camped about 5 kilometres out of Winton on the Jundah road.

The age of dinosaurs site is in the Blandenburg National park high up on an escarpment. After the turn off the A2 highway we see a flock of whistling kites and then two Wedgetail eagles tussling over some small prey. Maybe a rat!

The Age of Dinosaurs is a great place to visit. Everything from the lab; didn’t know you can volunteer and get training to work on dinosaur bones, to the collection room and March of the Titanosaurs it is a must see.

On the way back we see a flock of emus and we take a picture of the Winton sign, there is a bolt behind the “I” which allows you to replace the I. Thought that was very cool and fun too.

Monday 15 July 2024

Winton to Cloncurry 440 km’s

Total Km’s 1938 including side trips.

Mary Kathleen (West of Cloncurry) to Mt Isa 65 km then on to Camooweal 180km

Temp 7 – 22, cool morning, sunny

Pass Ayrshire Creek, a series of plateaus.

100km’s from Winton we see a tabby cat trying to cross the road and then a while later I see a black cat off to the side of the road with a huge monitor lizard less than a metre away. It’s a strange sight and I wonder if one is stalking the other? I also see another Australian Bustard standing alone in the grass.

We stop at Kynuna Roadhouse for a break around lunch and munch on sandwiches while watching four Brolgas casually strolling around.

Continuing on the highway we see several large flocks of kites, wheeling and circling on thermals above the highway usually over fresh road kill.

We pass through McKinnon and the Walkabout Creek Hotel, made famous by the movie “Crocodile Dundee”

Our camp for the night is at Mary Kathleen an abandoned and dismantled town 60 km South of Mt Isa, West of Cloncurry.

Tuesday 15 July 2024

Total trip km’s 2191

Temp 5 to 20 sunny

We drive into Mt Isa, 60km’s enjoying the hilly scenery on the way in.

We shop for groceries at the local Coles, visit the pharmacy and then have a pub lunch at the Mt Isa Hotel. Rob has a steak and I have a Korean poke bowl. The meals are very nice.

We then walk back through the town then visit the Caravan dump point and fill the water tanks.

We continue on, thinking to either stop at a WWII camp site 60kms out of Mt Isa or further on at Camooweal. 180km’s away.

The landscape begins to resemble an ocean of dry tufted grasses moving with the wind and it feels a bit like being ship in an inland sea. Small trees dot the horizon which shimmers in the afternoon sun.

The WWII memorial mentions the building of the Barkley Highway; previously just a dirt road, during WWII as part of the defensive effort to protect Northern Australia. The camp is just off the highway and already well occupied. It’s just before 3pm so we decide to continue on.

We arrive Camooweal around 5pm and camp literally on the Georgina River creek-bed. It’s a beautiful spot with lots of birds either side of the bridge resting on the riverbanks and the sunset is amazing.

I make a quick spiced pumpkin soup for our dinner and I relax in bed enjoying the Masterchef finale (no spoilers here) while Rob reads in frustration about the AFL Tribunal findings against Charlie Cameron. The consensus online is that it’s a rubbish decision and once again very Melbourne Centric!

The cold I started a few days ago is gaining momentum so it’s an early night.

Wednesday 16 July 2024

Camooweal to Barkly Homestead NT 260 km’s

Total trip km’s 2455

Temperature: 5 – 20, very cool start, sunny and a stiff breeze

Locations: Camooweal, Avon Downs, Soudan, Barkly Homestead

Regions: Outback Qld, Barkly Tableand NT

After starting a loaf and making some discard sourdough cracker dough to bake later we set down and head off. My head cold is now raging and I have a roaring head and face ache which is a bit disappointing as it’s the SOO (State of Origin) decider tonight, our NRL ( National Rugby League) annual contest between NSW and QLD.

We set off and about 30km’s down the Barkly Highway we cross into the NT.

Over the border the landscape on both sides of the highway flattens to a sea of never ending sea of spinifex.

Another 80km’s on we pass Avon Downs station on the left and the Avon Police station on the right. There is no fuel or service here so no reason to stop.

The rest area just before the station has the stories of Thomas Guthrie’s establishment in 1882 and one of the longest sheep droving routes in Australia from Donald, Victoria to Avon downs, Northern Territory, 16 months and 3500 kilometres starting with 11,000 sheep and arriving with 4000! There’s more on this driving at the Stockman’s Hall of fame.

Another 60 or so km’s we pass Soudan Station and see Stockman preparing cattle for transport. We’ve seen many of these road trains with four, sometimes five carriages.

Next up and closer to Barkly Homestead we pass a wetland. Full of birdlife and the landscape is now peppered with Termite mounds. The are everywhere! Some as large as cars.

We arrive Barkly Homestead about 1:30 (1:00 NT time) and after set down we both shower which perks me up no end. Theres’s just something so relaxing; for me anyway, about having my head under water.

My cold is raging though so after lunch and a load of washing. I rest for a bit. We then go to happy hour and I catch up on the phone with my daughter Carly, always a treat. Then it’s another rest before a late dinner and SOO Final.

The mood is festive and there are many people dress in Blue and Maroon. About equal which I’m very pleased about. I set up chats with fellow Blues supporters Grant in Qld and Heather in NSW and Rob does the same with fellow Qldr Michael and his daughter Kat. The rivalry and banter is fun.

The game is a cracker with great defense from both sides and only a penalty goal to Qld right before the end of the first half. There’s a bit of biff and Rob I playfully argue about which side started it. Qld of course haha!

We enjoy our meal during half time, a Barkly burger for Rob and Calamari and salad with chips for me.

The second half continues to be a tussle but Qld starts to show signs of fatigue and NSW takes the lead with a try and then another with a conversion. NSW win the match hurrah!

We finish the night chatting to two NSW supporters sitting behind us and then talk turns to travel plans.

All in all a great night and the Barkly Homestead is a great place to visit if you’re travelling the great Outback. Be sure not to miss it. I have many memories of visits here when I lived at Tennant Creek during the late 80’s so it’s great to see that it’s bigger, better and thriving.

On to Tennant Creek tomorrow. Should be a blast from the past. Love to all. Stay safe and warm!

Maryann and Rob