About Kevin & Ruth Sheather

We are both parents, and grand parents, and will never see 70 again and recently cellebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. Ruth has retired and Kevin has done so partially but with an arrangement that allows extensive periods of travel in out Coromal Magnum off road pop top caravan towed by a 2001 3 litre turbo diesel Holden Jackaroo. We love the outback with its rugged scenary and wide open spaces but are a bit constrained by the need for regular internet to meet work committments. But we love the coastal areas as well. The purpose of this blog site is to keep interested people informed of our travels. We report in as often as we reasonably are able with recent doings. So stand by. The next trip is never too far off.

Sydney 2014 – Day 7 – 23rd January – Gloucester to Toukley

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

The morning was overcast and progressed to drizzle as we packed up to move on to Canton Beach Holiday Park at Toukley on the shores of Tuggerah Lake. Light rain continued for most of the trip but did clear as we reached our destination.

Our reason for spending a couple of days here was to catch up with Ruth’s sister Judy and her husband Alan. After setting up the van we took the short drive to their home for afternoon tea and a chat. Later we joined them for dinner at the Toukley Golf Club and chatted again while we dined and watched the last golfers for the day make their way up the fairway to the 18th hole: and for some the 19^th hole as well. Then back to the van for a relatively early night.

No pictures today.

Sydney 2014 – Day 6 – 22nd January – Around Gloucester

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

The sunshine and warm weather have gone, to be replaces by cool cloudy and rainy conditions. All areas through which we have travelled have badly needed rain so we shouldn’t complain. So we won’t!

But we did spend the morning around the van – a bit of shopping and some work that needed to be done. After lunch we went exploring again.

As I was born in Taree and lived in the area until I was 15, I am familiar with the Manning River that flows past the town and empties into the ocean at Harrington. But I have never thought much about its source. During map study as part of planning for this trip, I noticed that a stream that has its origins high in the Barrington Mountains was marked “Manning River”. Sure enough, they are one and the same. On our drive down to Gloucester from Walcha we crossed the Manning a couple of times but could not stop for a photo due to narrow roads and narrower bridges. We had also been told about the Bretti camping area and had caught just a glimpse of it on the same journey. This time a steep hill and the caravan pushing from behind swept us past without the chance of a real look. So we took an afternoon drive back north to see both.

Bretti camping area. Where the Barnard meets the Manning

Bretti is about 40 kilometres back up the Walcha Road. It is located in the most perfect valley where the Barnard and Manning Rivers converge. The road runs along the edge of the mountain above the valley, but only for a short distance, so the view from the road is tantalisingly brief.

The road runs along the ridge above Bretti camping area

The camping area runs along the banks of both rivers. Facilities are minimal, with only a couple of small toilet blocks, but there is plenty of water in the river and the area is intended for self sufficient campers. There were probably 30 camps and groups. Double that number would not have crowded the area!

Gloryvale Bridge over the Manning River

It began to rain again as we started back, so a couple of photos of the Manning River had to be taken dodging the rain. You will see that this far from the sea it is only a small stream. A camper to who we spoke at Bretti told us that the Manning has 153 tributaries flowing into it between its source and the ocean, so no wonder it is so much larger at its mouth.

Manning River. Please boil the water before drinking!

The rain had settled in for the afternoon so we went back to the van to shelter and warmth. It had become quite cool.

Sydney 2014 – Day 5 – 21st January – Barrington Tops

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

We are back in the lowlands so there was no need for a doona last night. We were comfortable with some help from our fan. Today dawned cloudy with rain forecast as possible but it soon cleared into brilliant sunshine with the promise of a hot day.

Honeysuckle is a typical rest area.

After clearing some business related matters, including waiting for it to be 9.00 am in Brisbane, we loaded our lunch (but forgot the thermos) and set off. We were following the road that runs from Barrington, just north of Gloucester, to Scone. The road is variously known as Scone Road, Barrington Tops Road and Barrington Tops Track. We followed it right through the State Forests, National Park and State Conservation Areas that collectively seem to be known as Barrington Tops National Park.

There is roughly 35 kilometres of sealed road that passes through the old gold town of Copeland, climbs 500 meters over a range and then descends 500 meters into a rural valley. It then becomes a gravel road as it ascends to the National Park area.

View over the mountains from Devils Hole Lookout

After a few kilometres after the gravel starts the road takes a sharp right hand turn over a stream and starts to climb from about 200 meters to near to 1,500 meters above sea level. The gravel road to the park boundary is in good condition but deteriorates a bit as soon as it crosses the boundary. A sign in council territory advises that you have reached the end of a council maintained road. A sign inside the park boundary advises that the road is not regularly maintained because of lack of funds. A case of taking the high moral ground on the one hand and passing the buck on the other!

The view from Thunderbolt’s Lookout

It was cooler at the higher altitudes so walking was pleasant. We visited the points of interest along the way, guided by a National parks brochure. There are two lookouts of note on this road, Thunderbolt’s Lookout and devils Hole. Both reward a short walk with great mountain views but they are not the equal of those that we gained from Point Lookout near Ebor, although at about the same altitude.

Presumably Thunderbolt’s Lookout is named for the famous bush ranger. He was active in areas not too far away from here so perhaps the lookout was the point from which he patched for his enemies. The National parks brochure is silent on this matter.

A boardwalk spans Polblue Creek between the day use and camping areas.

We had lunch at the Devils Hole day use area, did the short walk, and then drove on to Polblue picnic and camping areas which are separated by the swampy Polblue Creek. The rangers at the NP office in Gloucester had told us that Polblue was the main camping area. It certainly has space and facilities for a large number of people but the crowds were not there today. The only residents were a couple in an off road caravan. We would have seen only about a dozen vehicles in the mountain area all day and most seemed to be commuting between the major centres at either end of the road.

The caravan belongs to the sole residents of Polblue camping area

We chatted to and had coffee with the only tenants in the camping area. They are fellow Queenslanders who have followed a very similar route to ours in arriving at Barrington. Like us they are heading to Sydney and staying at the same caravan park with our stays overlapping.

Cleared slopes of the Upper Hunter Valley in the afternoon sunlight.

We crossed the entire area to just past the Dingo Gate at the top of the long steep slopes that lead down into the Upper Hunter Valley. More views of mountains but these were paetly clear of trees and covered with brown grass. Another 15 kilometres and we would have reached the first small town on the way to Scone. But duty called. Someone needed to close the Dingo Gate that had been left open despite a prominent sign that said it should be shut.

The Dingo Gate after being closed

The sun filtering through the pine trees produced an attractive effect.

Not far back from the gate the road runs through a pine plantation. Only 100 meters off the road is a rest area in such deep shade that it seems almost dark when you enter. A short walk leads to the edge of the pines where the normal forest recommences. The effect of the sun filtering through the foliage at the top of the trees was quite striking.

We lingered a bit longer with the folk at Polblue over that cup of coffee than we had intended, so it was near dusk when we reached the van. For the first time on this trip we turned the air conditioning on. The van was quite hot after being locked up all day.

Sydney 2014 – Day 4 – 20th January – Armidale to Gloucester

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

Not much sightseeing today but endless ups and downs over considerable altitude. Last night was a doona night and the morning again dawned fine with the promise of a hot day. Once again the promise was kept.

The white stain shows where the water normally is.

The drive from Armidale through Uralla and on to Walcha is through fairly gently undulating pasture land but Walcha is at the edge of the plateau and the hills start to the south and east. We took a side trip to visit Apsley Falls and Gorge which are about 20 km towards Wauchope and the coast so we started to experience hilly country.

Only a couple of pools remain at the foot of the falls.

Apsley Falls must be magnificent when there have been good falls of rain but today were totally dry, with the exception of a few pools at the very bottom of the gorge. The area is well presented with excellent visitor facilities.

This is part of the 106 steps to the mid-level viewing platform.

A suspension bridge provides access to the far side of the gorge.

A suspension bridge spans the stream above the falls to give access to the far bank. We didn’t do that walk today but it would be pleasant in cooler weather with water going over the falls. But I did the climb down 106 stars (and back up again) to the lower viewing platform. I felt the last few steps back up.

Apsley Falls are in the Oxley Wild Rivers National park and are on the Apsley River. The dry falls that we saw yesterday at Wollomombi are on the Chandler River. Both flow into the Macleay River which, after flowing a great distance, reaches the ocean at South West Rocks.

The rest area at Nowendoc provided a pleasant lunch stop.

Our path took us back to Walcha and then through Nowendoc to Barrington and then to Gloucester. As soon as we left Walcha the road started to climb. Past 1,100 meters, then past 1,200 meters, down a bit and then higher still. The altimeter on the GPS reached 1,332 meters and then we plunged. Down we went more than 400 meters in a few kilometres into the Nowendoc valley. Farming country extends almost to the edge of the plateau with pine plantations and virgin bush at the edge and on the decline into the valley. Then farm lands again..

Nawendoc commercial centre

Nowendoc is a tiny town located about a kilometre from the main road. We visited and used their excellent travellers’ facilities, including a picnic shelter, for lunch.

Back on the road and it was back to climbing and descending again. Finally we came to Karo Mountain and a descent that was very steep. A sign at the top warned all vehicles to use low gear. What sound advice! The descent went on and on, around several sharp bends and past numerous signs to indicate that the slope still had some distance to go. Once we reached the bottom of this descent it was not far to Gloucester.

We had intended to take the van over Barrington Tops with a possible overnight stop somewhere near the top. But storms are forecast so we will make day trips into the area until we move on in a couple of days.

Sydney 2014 – Day 3 – 19th January – Ebor to Armidale

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

We awoke to the distant lowing of cattle, as yesterdays heard returned via the water supply to resume grazing on the road side, as they had been the previous day. It had been a doona night with the temperature down to 11C. The sun rose into an almost clear sky with the promise of warmth.

Upper Falls at Ebor Falls. Still some water in the Guy Fawkes River

Immediately after breakfast we unhitched the car and drove across the road to the day area at Ebor Falls. We have been here a couple of times before but a waterfall is always worth looking at. Rainfall through the area has been low by normal standards but there was a fair flow of water tumbling over the upper and lower falls on the Guy Fawkes River, just as it flows into the Gay Fawkes National Park within walking distance from the small town of Ebor.

Lower falls at Ebor. Please excuse the reflection.

Ruth standing by the trig point at the summit

The view from the first observation point just below the summit

Point Lookout, a mountain peak of over 1,500 meters, is about 25 kilometres by road from Ebor. Previously, when we went there, we encountered a pea soup fog about 300 meters from the top and could see nothing. This is a common state of affairs as the lichen covered trees, scrubs and rocks attest. But today was different. We had struck a clear day. A short walk from the car park to a lookout was certainly worth the effort.

The view from the second observation point overlooking an adjoining valley

Spread before us was the most magnificent panorama of mountain scenery that we have seen in a long while. Range after range, divided by deep valleys and gorges, reached away to the distant Pacific which we could not quite see because of distant haze. Those northern NSW ranges are sure rugged!

Breeding ponds at trout hatchery

We had passed a trout hatchery on the way to the mountain peak and stopped in to have a look. We took the self guided tour, which started with an explanatory video and finished with a self conducted walk which included feeding the trout from a small bag of fish feed with which had been supplied.

I would love to catch one this size!

When I go fishing the activity can reasonably be described as feeding the fish but then I feed them without seeing them. Although warm weather makes trout a bit sluggish there was enough interest to disturb the surface as large fish lunged at the pellets. Summer is a bit off season so there was not a lot going on but we left with an understanding of the process that provides the fingerlings that are used to populate the lakes and streams for the sport of trout anglers.

Processing centre for breeding eggs but not operating at this time of the year.

While there we bought some smoked and sliced trout. Does anyone have a loaf of very fresh bread handy?

Back at the van we had lunch, hooked up and headed for Armidale. We made two short detours.

Very dry Wollomombi Falls in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

First a turn to the right to check out the tiny town of Wollomombi and a few kilometres later a turn to the left into the northern most part of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park to check the Wollomombi Gorge. We would also have checked the Wollomombi Falls but lack of rain has left them without even a trickle. But the gorge is spectacular even without water.

The day turned out quite hot. Armidale recorded a top of 34C and it felt it. But just as we finished setting up for the night thunder sounded, to be followed by wind and rain. Storms have continued since then with another one passing as dusk settles. The overnight minimum is forecast to be 11C. Another doona night!

Sydney 2014 – Day 2 – 18th January – Grafton to Ebor via Dorrigo

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

Just to clarify. We did not share the facilities in Grafton with greyhound races. They had been on the night before. Instead we had a quiet night with little traffic and one train in the distance. We slept through anything else that happened.

The road from Grafton to Dorrigo runs through Coutts Crossing and then follows the Nymboida River into the mountains. The Nymboida canoe centre is on this road. On this river very game (or silly) people do heroic things in canoes and kayaks in white water.

Nymboida Canoe Centre

No activity there today. There is probably not enough water coming down due to dry conditions. There are extensive facilities for visitors including camping areas, cabins and caravan sites. Just past the canoe centre and on the banks of the Nymboida River stands the quite new looking Nymboida Hotel, which appears to offer all the normal facilities for travellers and those who want to linger a bit longer.

Armidale Road and power lines – both going up! Roads never look as steep in photographs.

Then the climb up the mountain starts. The road is narrow and winding. It mostly runs through thick bushland with the occasional cleared rural areas. While not an ideal road to tow a caravan it is quite safe if taken slowly. This is the Armidale Road which joins the Waterfall Way about 10 km north east of Ebor. We left this road at Tyringham and took a short cut through North Dorrigo to Dorrigo itself. Again some steep climbs but by this time we were driving through cleared farming country with rolling green hills almost a far as we could see.

Outdoor dining area – the Canopy Café, Dorrigo National Park

Sky Walk The National Park is the key attraction at Dorrigo but as it was lunch time when we arrived we decided to try The Canopy Cafe. An excellent meal! Ruth’s club sandwich was big enough to feed more than one club member and my chicken, mushroom and sundried tomato pasta was to die for. And the chips? Made from Dorrigo potatoes, of course.

The main attraction at Dorrigo National Park is the Sky Walk, a sort of cat walk that extends out above the rain forest on the escarpment and provides stunning views over the forest, mountain ranges and down the Ballenger River valley to the Pacific Ocean.

View from Sky Walk

Knee test in progress

To give Ruth’s knee the promised workout we did an 800 meter rain forest walk with some downhill and up hull sections. The knee passed with flying colours.

Danger Falls is a popular swimming spot

This is the Waterfall Way after all, so for our first waterfall we took a short drive north of Dorrigo to Dangar Falls. We had been there before but this time there was much more water in the river so it was worth the effort.

Main street in Dorrigo

Another unique feature of Dorrigo is that it is the largest railway graveyard in Australia. There are hectares of rolling stock and engines standing on the lines around the rail depot which was, in its day, was the end of the line. The track is so winding that the section to Dorrigo was recognised as the slowest section in all of NSW Rail. I think there were great plans for the collection of railway equipment but there was not much sign of action as we drove past.

From Dorrigo we then proceeded along the Waterfall Way to Ebor. This piece of road has no flat sections. You are either ascending or descending and the grades are quite steep. But it is only about 47 kilometres so we were soon at the Ebor free camping area. We have only two caravan neighbours but for a while we had about 450 neighbours of the four legged variety. A local farmer was moving his herd between paddocks and was temporally holding them near the gate to the free camp.

The leafy main street of Ebor

Fussypots café at Ebor

Four legged neighbours

Talk about noise! But he drove them via a stream for a drink and then moved them on to a paddock further away. We are fairly quick on the uptake, so two of our neighbours joined us for drink. Can’t let the cattle have all the fun!

So we three caravans have been joined by the farmer’s horse for the night, while he has driven home in his 70 series Toyota utility with his three cattle dogs on the tray. We really are in the rural scene.

Sydney 2014 – Day 1 – 17th January – Home to Grafton

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

We are on the road again, but just for a month. It was a very familiar drive today, down the Gold Coast and Pacific Highways to Grafton, where the overnight stop is at a small caravan park at the Greyhound Racing Club. The “dish lickers” were performing last night, so all is quiet.

Just two stops along the way. Lunch by the Tweed River at Chindra and coffee at Ferry Park near Maclean. Somehow, with the time difference between Queensland and NSW at this time of the year, there is no time for morning tea. We no sooner leave home than it is lunch time.

Chindra always has interest for us. Over 100 years ago my maternal grandfather operated the pedestrian ferry over the river. The family lived nearby and Mum’s playground was the river bank. She talked of playing with the soldier crabs on a small sandy beach. She had no siblings, so the crabs were probably her main play mates. I think she enjoyed their stay at Chindra.

The plan for this trip is to stay as much as possible in the higher country to avoid crowded coastal caravan parks and for cooler nights. After a few days at Katoomba (where Ruth and I honeymooned over half a century ago) we will move on to Sydney where we will stay for a week. Daughter Karen is coming home from India for six weeks. She flies into Sydney on Friday 30^th January. Younger daughter Briony has a birthday on 3rd February (now resident in Sydney) so we will celebrate her birthday and spend time together. A few days after we travel home, via the coast, Karen goes to Tasmania for a few days but then joins us for a month in Brisbane a couple of days after we get home. We will celebrate what Karen calls “the birthday season” while she is with us. She and Craig have birthdays only a few days apart near the end of February.

Ruth is travelling with a brand new knee. The entire process of the replacement has gone very well and eight weeks on from the big day she has almost full use of that vital joint and not much discomfort. On day 2 of our trip we will give it a bit of a work out as we travel along the Waterfall Way to Armidale.

Until then stay well.

A Short Northern Safari – Video of whales

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

What ever is going on? Whales often take a look like this.

Hello Readers.

The reason for this post is to provide a link to some of the video that I took on our whale cruise at Hervey Bay.

https://vimeo.com/75350302

Enjoy!

Another close view.

A Short Northern Safari – Home from Windorah

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

On this part of the trip we were no longer in north Queensland. Windorah is only a little north of due west from Brisbane but it is 1,200 kilometres by road. It was further that that for us as we diverted further to the south due to a change of plan.

Windorah solar power station

We left Windorah fairly early on a fine sunny day, accompanied by a
pleasant following breeze. Our first stop was on the edge of town to look at Windorah’s much photographed solar power station. These giant panels individually follow the sun, so the one facing the wrong way may have been turned off.

The next point of interest was the bridge on Cooper Creek, which is about 10 kilometres out of town, a bit further towards Quilpie than the road on which we had come in from Longreach. So once again we were on a road that was new to us

The Legendry Cooper Creek near Windorah

There is debate about the spelling of this legendary creek. Officialdom spells it with an apostrophe “s” but outback purists favour “Cooper Creek” or just “the Cooper”. Not far away from here the Thomson River is joined by the Barcoo River and jointly they become Cooper Creek. Hence the claim that Australia is the only country in the world where rivers flow into creeks.

The legend of the naming of the Cooper

The story about how Cooper Creek became designated a creek rather than a river is told on this sign beside the campers amenities block. The reason goes right back to explorer Charles Sturt in 1845. The banks of Cooper Creek are a well known free camping area. There is plenty of shade and normally good supplies of water with fish and yabbies to be caught. The amenities block was in good condition and clean. This is another Barcoo Shire facility. As we came past there were few campers. Those that were Birdsville bound would have been long gone.

The Cooper Bridge. Some vans were heading east

Some travellers heading in our direction pulled out of the camping area and crossed the bridge as I stopped to take some photos. Note the single lane bridge. It is a solid structure and needs to be. Come flood time and it is well under water.

A well positioned Cooper caravaner

The picture opposite shows the amenity that is available to those who arrive early. No doubt these folk planned for a stay of a few days. They have chosen a great spot to spend their time.

Morning tea in a dry floodway

The drive from Windorah to Quilpie is over 246 kilometres of mostly river plains. There are no more large streams, but there are lots of floodways. We parked in one for morning tea. Cooper Creek flows to Lake Eyre. The Bulloo River at Quilpie does not, but empties out into swamps in north west NSW. The high ground between them is sufficient to create two distinct catchments but was not notiecable as we drove through.

A mini sand dune near Quilpie

We were traversing grazing country, of course. We saw both cattle and sheep on this drive. Although we were heading into more densely populated areas we were reminded that deserts were not far away by the appearance by the road or in the distance of isolated sand dunes like this one.

We arrived in Quilpie for lunch and immediately turned the air conditioning on. The temperature was above 35 C with a warm breeze. It was the hottest day that we had experienced.

We waited for the sun to rise sufficiently to be out of our eyes when we left next morning. The road out of Quilpie heads almost due east. We continued to meet a string of Birdsville bound vehicles.

Our destination was Mitchell for an overnight stop at the Neil Turner Weir free camping area so our path took us through Charleville and Morven. We were through this area earlier in the year and covered it in our blog then.

We took our lunch break in the dining room of the Morven Road House. There we struck up a conversation with a couple, also from Brisbane, who were diverting through St. George to get home rather than face the almost continuous road works on the Warrego Highway. The Mitchell to St George Road had been in our plans for earlier in the year but the need to return to the Telstra shop in Roma forced us to take a different route. So here was our chance to fill in that gap in our journey over Australian roads.

Fishing person at Neil Turner Weir

We spent a pleasant and comfortable night by the weir. The area was quite crowded but most vans had lights out early. Most of them seemed to be Birdsville bound. Many had already departed by the time we emerged from the van next morning.

The Mitchell to St George Road starts as a single lane strip of asphalt with broken edges, winding over a series of low hills, but soon straightens out and widens to become a quite reasonable road. There was very little traffic sharing it so we made good time over its 209 kilometre length, arriving in St George for some quick shopping just before lunch time.

When free camping areas in southern Queensland are under discussion it is almost certain that someone will mention the Nindigully Pub on the Mooney River, south east of St George. The couple back at Morven had referred to it as a great place to stop overnight. We decided to make it a lunch stop.

Nindigully Pub – well over 100 years old

The pub has been in continuous operation since 1864, so I suppose it has quenched a few thirsts and dispensed a few headaches in almost 150 years of operation. Its other claim to fame is its culinary special. It serves the road train burger. I believe assistance is required to eat this burger. It is much too large for one person.

We drove past the building but we did not go in. We parked in the shade to partake of our modest lunch. A sandwich, probably! I wasn’t over impressed with the place as a camping area. It was very dusty and would be a quagmire after rain. The river was like the Yarra and was flowing upside down. (Sorry Victorian readers). But perhaps the charms of the pub eclipse these disadvantages for many thirsty travellers.

Only a fence between us and the tracks

That day’s journey ended just past the town of Inglewood in southern Queensland at a small caravan park overlooking the waters of the Coolmunda Dam. There were two memorable events that night. Our site in the park was near a railway line. It didn’t look busy but that didn’t stop a very long grain train from passing in the wee small hours. There was no mistaking what it was. It seemed to take half the night to pass.

The other memorable event was temperature related. After 35 C two days before the morning temperature at Coolmunda was just 8 C. Yes, we did turn on the heater.

And pelicans all in a row!

Before commencing the final leg of our journey we drove to the dam. This is a popular fishing lake. The caravan park gets most of its business from fishing orientated tourists. It is a pleasant spot with another free camping area on its banks. I can imagine it being crowded during summer holidays. An attractive aspect of this lake was the number and variety of water birds. There would have been more there that we had seen in total up to that point in our trip.

We returned to the Cunningham Highway for a time but left it at Karara and travelled through the fertile Condamine Valley and the towns of Leyburn and Clifton. From Clifton we followed the picturesque Clifton to Gatton Road which returned us to the coastal area through the lush vegetable farms of the Lockyer Valley. After a quick burger at Plainland the next stop was home to those delightful chores of unloading, cleaning and washing.

So there ends another trip! Where to next, you may ask? No decisions yet and there will be nothing significant until 2014 but Cape York has been mentioned. We will need to see what the wet season does before such plans can be finalised.

But of one thing you may be sure. When the time comes near we will certainly let you know.

A Short Northern Safari – The Last of the Dinosaurs & Rivers Through Parched Lands

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Kevin & Ruth Sheather

Australian Age of Dinosaus sign at the Dinosaur museum and laboratory

Australian Age of Dinosaurs sign at the Dinosaur museum and laboratory

We made an early start from Porcupine Gorge. Squally winds had roared through the trees all night so we were awake early and took advantage of the situation. The road back to Hughenden was a downhill run most of the way assisted by a brisk following wind. Refuelling in Hughenden took only a few minutes and we departed this pleasant town for Winton, the remaining corner of the Dinosaur Triangle. From Hughenden it is a run of 212 kilometres over flat grazing land on a single lane sealed road with some wider passing sections. We made two stops, the second of them at a place called Corfield pronounced the same as Caulfield in Victoria. And like its differently spelled namesake it runs, annually, a race meeting with – you guessed it – a Corfield Cup. The town contains a pub, two houses, a rest stop and, of course, a race track.

We had spent time at Winton in 2009 during our Big Lap and although there are still things that we want to do they could not be fitted into this trip. However, we did fill one gap by dining in Banjo’s Bar where the park offers a nightly three course dinner and then enjoyed the entertainment of Suzie the resident comedian bush poet. A great night’s entertainment provided by a very funny lady.

Ruth meets a dinosaur

The third corner of the Dinosaur Triangle is provided in part by the Australian Age of Dinosaur Centre located about 20 kilometres out of Winton. The other dinosaur highlight is Lark Quarry, the sight of the dinosaur stampede. But we saw that in 2009 and a repeat was not a possibility, or of interest for that matter. The turn to the Age of Dinosaur is on top of a mesa, or jump up, just 13 kilometres on the road to Longreach. Gravel starts immediately you leave the highway, so we followed the dusty road across the flat lands and up the jump up to the very adequate parking area. The facility was quite new and very modern. There is a shop, coffee shop and display at this sight. About 500 metres away there is a laboratory where restoration work is done.

Pastures toward Winton viewed from the dinosaur centre

The tour covers both locations but takes about 90 minutes and costs $28 each for seniors. This tested the level of our interest in pre-historic creatures. Coffee and cake won out. After partaking we returned to the low lands and made our way to Longreach. It is an easy drive. The road is reasonably wide and quite flat, although we initially climbed slowly from the Diamantina and then descended to the Thomson.

The road from the highway to the “Jump Up”

At a couple of locations quality facilities have been provided including regularly maintained toilets, spacious picnic shelters and enough space for overnight campers to keep out of each others hair. We arrived to find the caravan park in which we had stayed last time greatly enlarged. We had a site with the caravan between ourselves and the sun. This was most welcome as the temperature was around the mid 30s by mid-afternoon.

Goos water levels in the Thompson River at Longreach

Good water levels in the Thomson River at Longreach

Our original intention had been to continue along the Landsborough Highway until it became the Capricorn Highway at Barcauldine. From there we had intended to visit the gem fields of Sapphire and Rubyvale before turning for home. But back along the road a bit we had changed our minds and decided to continue south. Well, south west actually. So on departure next morning, after a brief shopping excursion, we called to look at the well known, among its adherents, free camping area beside the Thomson River.

We found a few vans in a spacious area beside a river that contained much more water than we had expected. This is, of course, one of the wonders of the main waterways in the Channel Country. They have an ability to hold large pools of water for very long periods during hot weather.

Only one sealed lane but wilh well maintained shoulders

Only one sealed lane but with well maintained shoulders

The Longreach Windorah Road follows the Thomson River between these towns, although most of the journey the river is out of sight. This is grazing country, mostly cattle but with some sheep for wool and meat production. The road is mostly unfenced and there are numerous cattle grids across the road. We saw some stock but not much as conditions are dry out there and areas of pasture are rested regularly and for long periods, so the stock could be somewhere else on the property. Of the 314 kilometres length of this road, most runs through the Barcoo Shire. This remote municipality of just 460 people covers 62,000 km2. The Thomson River runs through its length and is joined by the Barcoo in the south. Jointly they become Cooper Creek which flows, sometimes, into Lake Eyre.

Stonehenge – the entrance to and a large part of the town

We paused for morning tea at the roadside and then continued to the mini town of Stonehenge. This tiny community of about 100 people has, of course, a pub but no store, and it has a caravan park. The council has installed power heads, an amenities block with toilets, showers and a washing machine. Visitors may stay by paying, by an honesty system, $10 per night.

Long term Indigenous water supply

Soon after leaving Stonehenge the road rose steeply and levelled to a plateau. There, by the side of the road, is a well that indigenous people used as a water supply for who knows how long. Water is visible about 25 cm below the ground.

Jundah Store with unknown photographer

All passengers need a drink

The next town is along this road is Jundah, the adinistrative centre of the Shire. It has about the same population as Stonehenge but appears to be a bit more substantial. It has a small store but no obvious fuel supply. There is a school and a police station. A small caravan park operates providing an alternative to the free camping areas on the banks of the Thomson. Beside the park, which is also the war memorial, the council has built a quality amenities block for the use of campers and other members of the travelling public.

Vans at Windorah. Most are bound for Birdsville races.

The road crosses the Thomson River at Jundah and continues through flat riverplains until the Diamantina Developmental Road is reached just east of Windorah. Which, of course, brings us to the third of the three towns that comprise the urban areas of the Barcoo Shire.

The road out of Windorah to Birdsville. There is 388 Km of it.

Windorah is the last town before Birdsville which is 388 kilometres further along the Diamantina Develpmental Road and the Birdsville Developmental Road. The greater part of the 200 kilometres of the Birdsville Developmental Road is sand, dirt and gravel. Consequently Windorah has businesses that offer succor to both traveller and vehicle. Long term blog readers will remember our failed attempt to reach Birdsville via the Birdsville Track in 2011 when we were thwarted by rain. We have not had the opportunity to try again so you can imagine my feelings as I gazed along that part of the road out of town that I could see from the gate of the caravan park.

The caravan park is operated by the council and it is another low cost park. Just turn up and sellect a site and a council employee will find you and collect $10 per van or tent. The amenitius were solid but very useable. Surprisingly it was possible to produce a lather under the shower. Our visit coincided with the annual pilgrimage to the Birdsville cup. Most of our fellow campers were headed there together with most of the several hundred vehicles that we met as we travelled east over the next couple of days. We heard estimates of 8,000 to 10,000 revellers at Birdsville for the Cup. In a town with a permanent population of less than 300 this is not the time of the year that I would want to visit.

Windorah Hotel with parking meters

Windorah does not look to be a prosperous town but it must be. Every person who passes through spends money there. Most vehicles would need to refuel and many would top up supplies. The hotel offers rooms and cabins and there is another establishment that offers cabin accommodation.

Windorah shop with fuel pumps

The normal flow of travellers south on the Birdsville Track and west over the Simpson Desert grows annually. In addition, increasing numbers are travelling this way to the Red Centre through Windorah to Bedourie and Boulia and then over the Donohue and Plenty Highways to Alice Springs. Councils, understanding the value of the tourist dollar, are putting more effort into road maintenance which means more regular grading. The dust is much easier to take if it doesn’t have bumps under it.

Windorah has a handy information centre

We were were much impressed by the effort by the Barcoo Council to encourage tourism. Not only are the caravan parks inexpensive, adequate and well maintained but the roads are in much better condition than in the neighbouring shires of Longreach and Quilpie. The quality of the roads literally change at the boundary. Barcoo puts great effort into keeping the shoulders graded with soil packed right to the edge of the single lane sealed strip. This reduces the risk of damage to tyres significantly.The only thing missing from the three Barcoo towns that would be useful is mobile phone coverage. With this service available we would return and spend a while. The camping places along the Thomson and Cooper looked quite attractive.

This was to have been the last blog in this series but I have too much material that won’t fit in. So watch out for the final part of the story as we share our trip home from Windorah.

Kevin & Ruth Sheather

The Mobilesheathers – exploring Australia

Author Archives: Kevin & Ruth Sheather

About Kevin & Ruth Sheather

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Sydney 2014 – Day 6 – 22nd January – Around Gloucester

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Sydney 2014 – Day 4 – 20th January – Armidale to Gloucester

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Sydney 2014 – Day 1 – 17th January – Home to Grafton

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