Hello all
I know … I know … I began our holiday with visits to artesian spas and now I am ending our travels with more artesian spas! Very fitting methinks.
Although I have to confess, after two spas in two different towns today, I am a little ‘spa’d out’ right now and I’ll tell you why. We began the day in Walgett (pop 1800) which has a small artesian spa for free at their Public Pool, therefore by 8.15 am we were all packed and on our way to the spa in town.
Soon after, we were delighting in the beautiful warm spa waters of Australia’s artesian basin. How wonderful! Three hours later we arrived in another town called Moree (pop 8,245) where we purposely stayed in a caravan park which has five different spa pools all of different temperatures. It’s an amazing place!
Of course, as soon as we had a chance, we were trying out all the different pools. I have to say dear friends, that they were full of ‘old people’ (not US of course) all hoping for some miraculous cure or other. Or perhaps they were like us and found their aching limbs responded well to sitting in the beautiful warm waters. There sure were a lot of aged people in those baths!
However, I digress! There has been more to our travels than spa pools folks … more … much more. Oh it is hard to believe that this time it is actually about to end. We arrive home on Thursday. Now everybody weep … as we will be weeping come Thursday morning.
Leaving Broken Hill we travelled through Wilcannia (pop 900) a town having massive problems with their aborigine community. We were told “do NOT get petrol here; do not stop here!” We did both! I even went into the local store and bought ham and a drink for lunch. I asked the woman why the place was so quiet and she replied “They’re all in Broken Hill for a football final. Just wait until they all come back!!” It was our lucky day. I also saw some vintage cars on their way to Perth when Geoff was getting petrol.
Now, let’s get back to where we left off at Broken Hill. We were on such a high after we arrived there that the next day was a bit of a downer for us. Everything seemed harder. We were tired of looking at mines and museums and everything annoyed us. Why were we so tired?
Geoff had been doing a lot more driving per day hoping to get us home earlier, so when we arrived at 5pm at Cobar (another mining town: silver and gold, pop 2500) we went “ho hum … we’re too tired to really care.”
It was not long after this that I made an executive decision dear friends! We would not drive so far the next day. We would stop trying to get home quickly and begin – once again – to enjoy ourselves and get home whenever we got home. It worked!
Now isn’t this interesting? As soon as we made this decision – on the road between Cobar and Bourke – circumstances occurred to make it come into being. I still find it hard to believe actually. It happened like this:
I was trying to rendezvous with a friend in Bourke who was leaving the day we were arriving. We knew it would be tricky so when I arrived I phoned her on her mobile and she said “We have just been to the Bakery to get some goodies and left town. What a shame!”
A conversation about the Bakery ensued which led us to visit and have coffee and cake before we left for the next town. We asked the shop assistant about this town and she was adamant that we weren’t to stay there; it wasn’t safe; it was too small etc.
And then dear friends, a sales pitch for us to stay in the town of Bourke came flowing out of her mouth and it was so convincing that we were almost saying “So where do we sign up?” There was mention of Poet’s Dinners at the Bush Camp and rides on a paddle steamer and more besides.
Next minute, we are pulling in to Kidman’s Bush Camp and having the time of our lives … and yes, the paddle steamer up the Darling River was just wonderful the next day that we didn’t leave until midday. We had such a great time in Bourke all thanks to our friend Katrina and our desire to take it easy!
Therefore, we just keep driving as far as it is comfortable to drive in a day, arrive around 2-3pm and enjoy the rest of our time in that town.
On this note I will leave you tonight … heavy of heart about returning home … but knowing it has to happen. As my granddaughter Alice (13) said sadly to her mother the other day “Mum, I’ve forgotten what Grandma’s voice sounds like.”
And that means, dear ones,that I must go home. Talking on the phone doesn’t cut the mustard apparently. I need to go home to chat to my grandchildren. Time for me to disconnect with my travels and reconnect with my family …
Hello all
After four days of being ‘off the air’ so to speak, we arrived today in a little town of 2000 people called Coober Pedy where opal mining dominates EVERYTHING in the town.
Dear friends, it is the wild wild west as far as I am concerned! It is situated in the middle of nowhere. However, having said that, it is a very interesting town with more opal jewellery shops than you could ever imagine … at least about thirty of them.
When I left you last, we were leaving Uluru to go to a canyon called Kings Canyon 300 ks away. Everyone said, it was a ‘must see’ before leaving the area and it did not disappoint.
We stayed at an outback station called Kings Creek Station where we found Camel Pie on the menu – the camels were looking so innocent when we arrived. I wondered if they realised they could end up in a pie if they weren’t careful? They were also used for camel rides as well. Plenty of camels out there so perhaps there is hope for some of them!
Since leaving Kings Creek, we have stayed in two overnight stops – one in Kulgera (pop 50) and the other called Cadney Homestead (pop 30). Basically, these places are kept going by the grey nomads going up and down the centre of Australia staying overnight.
They are virtually a Roadhouse with petrol, food a pub and some groceries. We’ve had some very interesting experiences at these places although they have no mobile phone or internet access however, they attract a lot of people to Happy Hour at the Bar as well as meals. It is here you meet and chat with fellow travellers.
Now, we are back in so-called civilisation here at Coober Pedy, I am writing a post to fill you in on our travels. We’ll be in the wilderness again from Saturday onwards. We have decided to stay here two nights as there is a lot to see.
We visited a church this afternoon which is underground. Yes, I did say ‘underground’. It is so hot in summer that they have dug out areas under ground and turned them into churches, houses, restaurants or gift shops. Fascinating place this town!
I visited 45 years ago and it was a very small town then. I couldn’t believe how much it had grown and changed. Geoff and I did a walk of the town this afternoon and met some locals which is always great.
Now dear friends, I’ll leave you with this tale I was told whilst in town. We went to a Bakery to buy cake for afternoon tea (yes, I know … naughty naughty!) and saw a paper clipping on the counter “Thief breaks into Bakery and cooks himself a late night snack!”
When I asked the owner about it, he said the thief had been caught on CCTV and he was doing all kinds of bizarre things like dancing in the dark after he had cooked himself eggs. He also hit himself on a beam and got knocked out! He was found fast asleep in the storeroom and taken away.
The owner said “Oh, apparently he was from Melbourne and it seems his doctor is looking for him!” Don’t you love this story … and what’s more, it is true! It could only happen in Coober Pedy.
One of the camels at Kings Creek Station not destined for pie! Entertained the German children and parents we met here and became friendly with. They have invited us to visit them in Germany and take ‘tea’ with them.
Geoff and I at the lookout at the end of our walk.
We found a creek on our walk at Kings Canyon and took this reflection of the cliffs while we had our morning tea by the water.
Here is the chef who was making camel pie … but she has a sulpher-crested cockatoo as a pet. Hope cockatoo pie is not on the menu next!
A hat tree we came across at the crossroads between Uluru and Kings Canyon as we headed south from Kings Canyon.
Geoff at Happy Hour in the iconic pub at Kulgera.
Coober Pedy is surrounded by shale hills – from mining for opals.
This Opal Shop owned by a Greek man was named ‘Opalios’ captured my fancy. Lots of nationalities here.
The Catholic underground church at Coober Pedy. Many places have been dug out as it gets so hot here.
Hello all
The Ochre Pits where the aborigines get their ochre to mark their bodies for ceremonies.
It looks as if Geoff and I are in love … with Alice Springs that is! Oh okay, we are still ‘in love’ with each other too – but that is another story!
We arrived here since last Friday 15th right smack bang into the festival they call The Henley-Todd Regatta which involves a so-called ‘boat race’ in the middle of the dry river bed aka The Todd River.
Now dear friends, keep in mind that we are in the middle of the desert and most of the rivers do NOT run unless the rains come and then it floods. Yes, I did say: FLOODS. The rains do not come very often so Alice Springs decided – 54 years ago – not to wait for the rivers to flow. Instead, they would create ‘boats’ of all shapes and sizes, powered by people to run the course of the race … in the dry river bed.
The view of the Sonda Mountains – the Finke river is not visible but it runs in the foreground of this picture.
Hence, the Henley-on-Todd Regatta was born. The Regatta street parade is followed by the race on Saturday 15th. Such good timing! The ad in our brochure said “A must-see event once in a life time.” Yes, we would agree with that!
On Sunday we went on a bus tour to the West MacDonnell Ranges to give Geoff a break from driving. These ranges actually run through the town and become the East MacDonnell Ranges to the east. This is a long mountain range dear friends!
Geoff called this tour “the highlight of our trip” and he wasn’t wrong. Picture this: coloured mountains that go on forever, beautiful gorges and huge gaps between mountains with billabongs (waterholes) at some locations. We were taken to a summit where we viewed the beautiful Finke River flowing (amazing, one river does flow in certain places) and the Sonda Mountains in the background.
Friends were made on this trip; German people were advised on where to go when they visited Brisbane; lovely food was eaten and Clive the captain of the show filled us in on everything we needed to know about Australia, aborigines and the West MacDonnell Ranges. A wonderful day out!
Today is our last full day here and we’ve visited a few places which I’ll tell you about later on. Yes we are feeling sad. We’ve come to feel at home in our rustic Caravan Park where the afternoon sun wafts into our van before it sets.
However, for the moment I’ll share a selection of photos of the journey so far. Tomorrow we pack up and inch ever closer to Uluru (Ayres Rock) the amazing Rock which Australia is famous for, but for now I’ll say my good-byes. I’ll be back when we get to Uluru to give you the latest news.
Chow for now… from talking to the Italians mentioned below.
A submarine in the Regatta Parade through the Todd Mall.
On of the bigger ‘ships’ in the parade.This one was amazing!
Some of the ‘boats’ came out into the dry river bed for the first race!
This is me enjoying fresh strawberries, cream and ice-cream at the Festival on the banks of the dry river.
We visited an Anzac Memorial on top of a hill overlooking the town. We went just before sunset so we could get photos of the sun setting behind the MacDonnell Ranges but got so busy talking to two Italian couples that we almost missed it. Yes, we were teaching them how to pronounce English words!
When we arrived at the memorial, there was a wedding party having their photos taken. I captured them walking back up the hill to their lovely hire car sitting at the top of the mountain/hill.
We arrive at our first stop which involves a 30 minute walk to Standley Chasm. This is one of the first photos I take of typical central Australian scenery.
Geoff and I at Ormiston Gorge – a beautiful spot and one which I remember from 45 years ago when I was first here!
Here was a nice spot to rest on one of our walks in the gorges
Another Australian bush scene which captured my fancy.
Geoff enjoys the scenery at Ellery Creek Bighole
We arrived back to the caravan park in time to see the rock wallabies being fed.
Hello all
After four days of one night stopovers, we arrived hale and hearty in Alice Springs this afternoon. The locals here call it ‘The Alice’. The locals also call Cloncurry:‘The Curry and Mt. Isa: ‘The Isa!’ When we arrived in Camooweal, Geoff asked an old man “Do you call this ‘The Weal” but the poor man had no idea what Geoff was on about … but we did laugh!
As usual I have been writing up my Travel Journal along the way. I’ve also been sending postcards to both sets of grandchildren who have been delighted to be following Grandpa and Bampy as we travel the outback of Australia. I’ve sent them a lovely map now so they find each town we visit.
It has been a grand adventure coming down the middle of Australia and we ‘aint finished yet’ … as the saying goes! So join me dear friends, as we travel the outback of Australia via my journal.
Wed 13th August 2014
We took off from The Barkly Homestead this morning heading south to a place called The Devil’s Marbles but when we got to Tennant Creek, out of the blue Geoff said, “let’s stop the night here!” I was quite surprised but the little town with pop 3,500 seemed to appeal to him. He felt he had driven far enough and the Marbles were another 60 ks further on.
The Devil’s Marbles were spread over a large area.
After getting settled we went off to ‘walk the town,’ which is becoming a great habit with us. As we were leaving the park we met a woman called Cathy who advised us not to go saying it wasn’t a very nice town to walk around. This had the opposite effect on us and only increased our enthusiasm to go!
She was half right … what an event this turned out to be!
The town was shabby and dirty; it was full of indigenous people speaking their own language and just hanging around the streets. Every shop had their windows covered in mesh or boarded up, some had metal sheeting on them. This was not a good omen.
The police presence was all over town. We spoke to a fresh-faced young policeman standing outside a run-down hotel … possibly as a deterrent to those hanging about looking for trouble. He told us his two-year tenure was just about up and he couldn’t wait to get out of Tennant Creek. Oh dear, we did feel for him.
However, on the flip side of it all, the town held such promise! There was beautiful aboriginal art on a lot of the buildings, walls and even the rubbish bins … just a shame that the rest was grubby and unkempt.
We chatted to a man called Wayne – with four front teeth missing – who served us in a computer shop where I was getting my Australia maps photocopied. He was scathing about everything in town: the aborigines, the network provider and the petrol companies! Not happy at all. He was the second person who served us in a shop who had no front teeth. What’s happening here? No dentists perhaps?
Thursday 14th August 2014
We arrived at Taylor’s Creek this afternoon for a free stopover by a creek with not one drop of water in it. Cathy and Lyle who we met in Tennant Creek told us about this place and they are parked next to us which makes us feel good as this place is quite isolated.
Taylor’s Creek. Dry desert country. This is our free campsite with the cattle stalls in the background.
Picture this: we have been driving down the centre of Australia – desert country – heading south to Ayres Rock (Uluru) and all we have seen is red dirt and Mitchell grass tufts as far as the eye can see with occasional low multi-coloured mountain ranges in the distance. It is freezing cold!
No houses can be seen as the cattle properties out here are vast and their homesteads are not visible from the road. However, there are plenty of ‘grey nomads’ (old people travelling) with caravans and motorhomes going up and down the highways of the outback.
There are plenty of rest stops every 30-50 ks and there are always other nomads like us there, sustaining themselves for the journey with cups of tea and other goodies.
This is a dry vast land and travelling down its centre is an experience not to be missed. As I sit writing in the van, I am watching the sunset over an expansive horizon. It is eerie really … isolated. I am grateful for Cathy and Lyle next door however, there are cattle nearby which is quite unusual, so there must be a homestead somewhere!
I think we’ll be locking our van door tonight in Taylor’s Creek without any water, dear friends!”
I am writing this as my Chilli Con Carne cooks on the stove for dinner tonight. I bought some nice minced beef at Tennant Creek before I left yesterday. In fact, I also bought some lovely fresh bread there to have on sandwiches with the ham off the bone I bought the day before.
When he confessed that he, the butcher gets up early to bake the bread, I was gob-smacked. Only frozen bread gets trucked to Tennant Creek he tells me, so he learned to bake bread. He laughed when I said “Oh, so you’re the butcher, the baker … are you a candle stick maker also?”
It can only happen out here in the country dear friends. As we travel I send you my good wishes and after hearing of the death of Robin Williams, my admonition today is: Seize the Day! This is what Robin told the young boys in that wonderful movie “ The Dead Poet’s Society.” Just do it …
This sign is typical of Tennant Creek
The Aboriginal art is wonderful
Typical of the shabby buildings in Tennant Creek
At a rest stop today, Geoff befriended an old chap of 81 and his son who were driving this 1926 Dodge fire engine as part of a veterans rally. Here is Geoff invited to sit in the driver’s seat!
It had this little caravan at the back of it. The boys sleep in it!!
Hello all
Now that we are settled in at The Barkley Highway Roadhouse, it is time to reconnect with all my followers as we head into the centre of Australia bound for Uluru (Ayers Rock). I’ll bring you up to date dear friends.
We left Mt. Isa on Monday. We laugh that we went to Mt. Isa to have a cuppa with my cousin on the way through and ended up staying four days because the Rodeo was on!
So here are some excerpts from my travel journal for you so you can enjoy the journey with us.
Sun 10th August 2014
My cousin Michael was having a ‘Great Big Rodeo Breakfast’ on Sunday for all his family and some friends. Well, the BBQ breakfast is done and dusted now. We’ve meet all my cousin’s children, husbands, wives and grandchildren plus some other old friends who happened to be in The Isa at this moment.
What a day it turned out to be! Words seem inadequate to describe such a day. And there, standing tall as head of the family, was Michael, my cousin known as ‘Mick’ to most people. Gregarious and friendly, with a deep booming laugh and dressed up as a cowboy for the day, he prepares to cook enough food to feed 30 people.
Tina, Mick, Tess and Geoff at the back
There are tables and chairs set up in the back yard. The morning’s preparation goes like clock-work. This is a well-oiled machine and Mick and Tina (his wife) have their allotted duties. Years of Rodeo Big Breakfasts have produced this efficiency and Geoff and I look on in awe.
Introductions all round … food kept warm in the pizza oven nearby… drinks …it’s all happening. The Great Big Rodeo Breakfast has begun for another year! Mick is in his glory, waxing lyrical as he drinks THE punch he made earlier. “Don’t you just love this?” says Mick as he waves his arms to indicate the family and friends that are gathered around him.
Mick is feeling magnanimous and gives me a great big bear hug and says “It’s so good to have you here Therese!”
What’s in that punch I wonder? It seems harmless enough as I sip on a glass. One of his adult kids tells me not to trust ‘Dad.’ I find out that there is white rum, Contreau and white wine topped up with orange juice in the punch!
In fact, I do not imagine that the punch is getting stronger with each jug he makes! One of the woman guests doesn’t realise this and tops hers up with wine. Oh no! It does look like orange juice but after my third glass I am feeling tipsy and compensate by switching to ginger beer.
We’re having so much fun and eaten so much food: heaps of bacon, thin slices of rib fillet steak, eggs, fried home-grown tomatoes, fried onions … and toast. All this is washed down with Micks (in) famous punch! The breakfast goes on all day ending with games (trivial pursuit type questions) under the shade of a tree for anyone left that can still stand up. What a day! Finally, last to leave are the old friends.We hug as if we have known each other forever!
It’s all over now and we must come back to earth so we can leave tomorrow.
Monday 11th August 2014
We are now staying at a little town overnight called Camooweal (pop 310). Mick laughed at us as we left Mt. Isa quite late (noon) saying, “Well, you’ll get there by 9 pm hopefully!” Considering it is only 200 ks away we know this worth a good laugh.
It is warm as we drive to Camooweal and we know we are very close to the Northern Territory (20 ks). This is dry dusty country – flat land as far as the eye can see – no sign of civilisation until we reach the town. There are caravans and campers everywhere! The grey nomads are keeping this tiny town going methinks.
Geoff chats to Owen over the fence
When we’re settled we set out to ‘walk the town’ as we have been doing everywhere. There is nothing much to see: a large hotel almost falling down, one store that is a Post Office, a General Store and sells petrol … plus a BP Service Station; plenty of motels, caravan parks (2) and a hostel.
We’ve almost finished our uneventful walk when Geoff spots an old man in the yard of a backpacker’s hostel and asks his usual question: “What’s happening in Camooweal then?” Nothing much it seems although the Drovers Festival is on this weekend. We tell him if we stay we’ll never get to Uluru!
It turns out that Owen (88) has lived here since 1959 and spent his life droving cattle through Australia. Oh, he has some stories to tell and we can’t help talking for quite a while. He lives in a beat up bus in the yard of the hostel. We can tell Owen is loving having someone to chat to, besides the 310 residents that live here, although he assures us that only 24 of these are white people!
We head back to our van where the aroma of Chicken Korma cooking in the slow cooker greets us. Yummy! Tea should be good tonight after Rodeo food!
Tuesday 12th August 2014
Before leaving Camooweal for The Barkley Roadhouse stop 240 ks away, we decide to have a look at the Drover’s Camp Museum just out-of-town. Imagine our surprise when a pastel drawing of Owen the drover is on the wall with all the other pastels of well-known drovers who worked throughout this area.
We met some old drovers here – Paul and Jeff – giving tours and they regale us with such stories that we realise how lucky we are to get them first-hand from these men in their eighties. Hardly any drovers left it seems. Cattle are carried to market via road trains now. No one rides for months with the herd to market these days.
Once again, Geoff and I can hardly bear to leave but we must hasten ever onwards to the Barkley
Highway so we leave with a heavy heart. Yippee … Northern Territory here we come!
The delightful bus Owen lives in.
The Camooweal Pub looked interesting
An interesting sign on an old butcher shop. Owen tells us it closed four years ago.
The yard where Geoff and Mick are cooking the BBQ. Lovely pizza oven on right.
Hello all
Well, I am back to tell you more travel tales dear friends! Since I last wrote we travelled from Winton to Cloncurry (pop 3500) and then on to Mt. Isa (pop 13,500) built as a mining town many years ago. We are staying here with my cousin Mick and his wife Tina and just by chance the rodeo is on this weekend! Therefore, we are busy busy so while I have a chance I will leave you this piece from my Travel Journal which updated recently. Enjoy!
Thursday 7th August 2014
What a day it has been! We set off from Winton just after 8.30am to drive the 258 ks on the long lonely highway to Cloncurry where I have relatives. It has been a little difficult as Geoff feels sleepy. Presently he is laying down on a concrete picnic seat having a snooze! As he is the driver I have to look after him.
We’ve had a couple of interesting experiences along the way. We stopped for petrol at Kynuna (pop 20) and a cold drink to keep us going. What a deserted, windy and wild place! One building: a petrol station; a shop, cafe and a hotel to boot. A five year old boy was ensconced at a big table covered in junk. “Home schooling” said the mother serving us.
As I glanced over at the boy who was playing with a large toy tractor, I could see no sign of anything to do with ‘school’ nearby. Too many people coming and going for Mum to do any school work. The boy looked very happy about this fact too! Back now on the road and our next break for lunch at MacKinlay.
As we travel onwards, the countryside is changing and we see an abundance of ant hills. Strangely enough, a lot of them have singlets and other clothing placed on them. Wierd! Soon we come across a sign saying “Crocodile Dundee”. Underneath is written “The Walkabout Creek Hotel.” Of course, the pub from the movie Crocodile Dundee!
We stop and go inside and there is the bar straight out of the movie. This little town MacKinlay (pop 20) has a great picnic area where we have lunch. Again, dry and desolate. The little library next door is classified ‘The smallest Library in Australia; (it is like a little backyard tin shed). We find out that it is the same shed that was used in Crocodile Dundee as Mick’s tour office. We had seen the sign in the pub up the road!
We chatted awhile to the librarian Tarnee who is having a culture shock working here after living on the Sunshine Coast. Only dial-up internet she tells us and if a few people are using it, you have to wait until one hangs up! Oh dear friends, it is the back of beyond it really is! Tarnee’s father is the policeman for the town.
We find out all about MacKinlay from a Centennial Museum on the property so we check it out and discover that John MacKindlay the explorer founded this area in 1862 when he was searching for Burke & Wills who had not returned from the outback. What a story this was … of course he found them alright … evidence of where they had died that is. What men of great adventure they were in those days taking camels and sheep and walking the outback for a year!
We packed up and headed the 100ks to Cloncurry. Nearly there now and Geoff had overcome his sleepiness! When my cousin Ronnie saw us get out of our car, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He had no idea we were coming as we couldn’t contact him on the phone. “It’s Therese!!” he says to his partner Maria in his country twang.
Well, everything at Ronnie’s house happens under the huge mango tree in the backyard so soon we were drinking tea and having a wonderful reunion. He insisted we stay at the house and with a sense of relief we went off to have tea at the local pub and then settle in for the night.
What an adventurous day it has been!
Saturday 9th August 2014
We left Cloncurry with hugs and kisses all round and a map to the house of another cousin (Ronnie’s brother Mick) in Mt Isa only an hour’s drive away. Mt. Isa has a huge mine and a big stack blowing smoke all over the town. I lived here in 1969 for six months and it has grown beyond recognition since then.
Ronnie is sure we will stay here too for a night and not a caravan park but when we arrive Mick is insistent we stay until Sunday because of the Rodeo which is in town!
Oh, so that’s two nights then?
No, says Geoff. We will leave on Monday as we will be so worn out from all the activities planned that we’ll wait until Monday.
Oh, so that’s THREE nights then? Yes, indeed it is!
So the Rodeo weekend is now upon us. We’ve been to Mardi Gras last night and watched the floats as they came along. 
Just when we were starving – around 7.30pm – a Hari Krishna van serving hot food came along and insisted on feeding us! Battered and deep-fried cauliflower and semolina for dessert washed down with fresh lemonade. It hit the spot I can tell you!
We’ve been to town today and checked out the family dress shop run by wife Tina and daughters plus daughter-in-law. What a lovely shop! Tomorrow is the big (read here ‘huge’) Rodeo breakfast here at Mick and Tina’s at 9am. Afterwards everyone goes to the Rodeo. Can’t wait.
That’s all for now folks. Signing off for now. Keep safe and well. Bye for now!
A scene from Mt Isa town centre with the stack in the background
The pavement is covered in such momentous of other year’s Rodeos
‘
Geoff looking decidedly out of place in the Oasis Fashion shop owned by my relatives.
Some of the lovely facinators in the shop
Hello dear friends
Days Nine and Ten of our Outback Adventure
Thank you to all those who have sent me messages as they follow our travels on my blog or on my Facebook page. Delighted to have you along for the ride!
We travelled yesterday from Charleville and camped at a little town 300 ks away called Blackall (pop 1500) on the Barcoo River. We had no power so we were totally turned off from technology which was strange, yet it was good in a lot of ways. You see, as we drove to Blackall I was having a wonderful time listening to music. I felt inspired so I wrote the following piece in my Journal about technology … or lack of it and how that affected me.
It has changed the way I look at our trip to Uluru dear friends. I hope it gives you an insight into how, as each day goes by, this journey continues to change as we relax and unwind each day. Sitting about in artesian spa pools helps also! Enjoy …
Fri 1st August 2014
I can hear the strains of the Ten Tenors singing Pia Jesu as we travel this Great South Land of ours. Brilliant sunshine accompanies them. It gives me such a feeling akin to being on a spiritual pilgrimage and I am uplifted by it. Is it contentment I wonder?
I’ve thawed out from the freezing night, thrown off my thick clothes and am snug and warm in the car. Too warm at times and I can feel my head nodding as I doze off to Bridge Over Troubles Waters. Simon and Garfunkel are reminding me “if you need a friend I’m sailing right behind.” How nice, I tell myself.
Who cares if my new Telstra card for use in my old phone refuses to work anywhere we go. Who cares if I’ve overused my data limit on my Optus Plan as well? And as for my Optus network coverage … what coverage??
A little voice tells me (if I listen carefully, it’s actually Geoff’s voice I can hear) telling me to forget all that stuff. Just check on my laptop twice a day (if I have power) and leave it at that.
I have the feeling I should embrace the spirit within me as it awakens like a giant awakening from months of slumber! Time to dream as Geoff and I drive this Great South Land of the Holy Spirit as Australia was first named..
Time to be close to the land as we inch ever closer to our destination tonight – Blackall – just as our first people, the Aborigines feel close to the land. Time to reconnect in favour of reality and not technology. I saw a sign along the road, “Disconnect to Reconnect.”
Yes, I like that! I do feel like I am on a pilgrimage! It seems that I don’t need to travel to Spain to walk the Camino to do a pilgrimage. Here we have a brown dry land, blanched a golden hue by the harsh and drought … just like Spain.
Yes, we’re driving the highway but we’ve not forgotten our commitment to walk through each town ON FOOT so we can connect with the people of the area. This is a pilgrimage … of that I have no doubt! We’re not Walking the Camino, we’re Walking the Outback Towns of Australia!
It sure feels good to get away from the noise of everyday life and open oneself up to listen … to the people you meet, to each other and to the still small voice of God directing our footsteps and our path as we travel.
Therefore, in the spirit of pilgrimage, we walked the streets of Blackall this morning and when we got to Barcaldine for morning tea, we walked the streets of that town too!
My pedometer is loving it and I have clocked over 10,000 steps today … especially after walking the streets of of this tiny town where we are staying tonight – Ilfracombe pop 300 – and just 27 ks from Longreach.
But … but … before I go any further afield in my travels, I haven’t even given you any photos of Charleville yet and that feels like ages ago Come along with me as I peak inside the little stores we found as we walked the streets of the town. More about the other towns later.
Until next time dear friends …
The entrance to a shop that sold all kinds of things including clothes, craft and bits n bobs. I bought a $89 top for $13.50 here! Love the piece written above the door too.
The Corones Hotel – a very interesting pub in the heart of Charleville
Aaah a music shop as we walked along looked very interesting
We didn’t go in but this shop was delightful and 10% off all Guess things as well!
The door of the Public Bar in Charleville Hotel was open so I took this snap.
Hello dear friends,
Well I’m back after a night off from blogging. Tiredness caught up with me after a week on the road. However, I found time yesterday to sit outside the van and catch up on my Travel Journal. Therefore, today I will share with you Day Seven and Eight of our Outback Adventure with the help of Caffeine. Enjoy!
Wed 30th July 2014
We set off for Charleville far later than we planned today. The trouble was we were enjoying ourselves far too much to leave Mitchell sooner!
With memories of the 38 degree spa pool fresh in our minds from the day before, we packed up and headed for town across the new ‘you-beaut’ bridge built after the 2012 floods. Our aim was to walk the town then have a ‘you-beaut’ coffee as per the rickety-rusty sign on the way to Mitchell but it wasn’t quite that simple after all.
There were two reasons for this. One, I had not counted on the town being so interesting and two, I had not counted on Geoff being so darn friendly to the locals! After telling the couple to enter the Big Rig in Roma, his confidence knew no bounds and so he greeted passers-by or serving staff in shops, old ladies in charity shops and anyone else he bumped into including dogs!
And he chatted … and chatted …
I thought I was Mrs Hav-a-Chat, but Geoff left me for dead today. Perhaps I wasn’t feeling as magnanimous as he was, but I was left way behind! An old fellow walking along said “good morning!” so Geoff hit him with “So, what’s happening in Mitchell today?”
Poor fellow, he wasn’t expecting this question. Turns out he’s lived in the town for 85 years. Loves the place. Then he spies a mate having breakfast outside the Bakery Café and sits down to catch up with him. When we return an hour later, he is still there chatting away. This seems to be a regular occurrence. How lovely to live in a town with a population of under 1000 and catch up with friends in the main street every day.
The shop that sold everything and had beautiful ceilings.
Meanwhile, Geoff and I looked around. He asked one women in a shop that sold everything from R.M. Williams to plastic shoes to Scanpans, how long she had lived in Mitchell. Only three years: a newcomer it seems.
“Oh, don’t look at my ceiling!” she said “it’s filthy!” Immediately we both looked up at the circa 1880 ornate plastered ceiling and commented on how lovely it was … we never saw anything but beauty!
Next, we crossed the road to the Library/Art Gallery which was once the Picture Theatre. The Librarian directed us upstairs to the projection room, left intact for visitors to see. What a marvel! It took us back to the fifties and memories of the theatres of our day.
Then Carmel, at the Old Wares Shop, was not safe from Geoff either and felt so comfortable with him she soon asked him if he knew the meaning of a word in an article she was reading! We chatted awhile and looked around at the old memorabilia including a 22 capacity egg poacher with lid on display. It was rather fascinating and I came away with a beanie and a tea cosy knitted for charity.
Oh dear, it is sad when you buy a beanie to wear at night in the van to keep your head warm … there is no such thing as making a fashion statement when you are on the road!
Finally, our hopes high for good coffee, we arrived at The Bakery. Young Adam at the Caravan Park has advised us to have an apple turnover here so we obliged. It looked so good when the lady arrived with two large black and white spotted mugs as we sat outside.
Geoff enjoying the delightful apple turnover washed down with weak coffee!
However, as we realised that the coffee was almost like hot milk, we overhead the couple next to us ask for some instant coffee to put in their flat whites. How funny as I had just finished telling Geoff that we needed to add instant coffee to our milk!
Another not-so-good coffee experience. However, I have to give ten out of ten for that brilliant apple turnover complete with fresh cream. Yummy!
Time to leave Mitchell and head to Charleville. What a great stopover. Even Adam at the park waved us off, mobile in hand as he was looking up ‘Life with Tess’ after telling him I had mentioned him on my blog. Quite chuffed he was too!
Thursday 31st July 2014
Sitting outside our van in the sunshine. The Cobb & Co Caravan Park in here Charleville is quite rustic and I can hear birds chirping in the many trees around us. The washing machine is going full-bore as I wait for the load to finish. Finally, after five days at different towns, it is nice to stay two nights here and get some chores done.
We have a booking tonight at the Cosmos Centre to see the night skies through powerful telescopes. We’ve been here before nine years ago but Geoff is keen to go again and I can’t deny him that. I went again in 2009 when I came here for work.
As I sit here, I can smell my rolled brisket cooking in the slow cooker with vegetables and spices for tonight’s dinner. Beef bought at an amazing Butchery in Mitchell yesterday was too hard to resist. You can still eat well whilst on the road dear friends.
Tess heading into the Picture Theatre now Library Mitchell
The slit in the projection room that looks down into the library
Tess outside The Old Things Display which included herself! Camel flatly refused to get in my photo!
Goods in the Old Things Display.
If anyone want a 22 capacity egg poacher, get it here in Mitchell!
RM Williams boots … Geoff wants a pair!
Hello dear friends
Thank you to all those who sent me kind messages of encouragement after our bad experience in the little town of Miles, Queensland. It was so nice that you were all thinking of us … and as one friend said “feeling your pain.” So nice. That’s the thing about travelling … you take the bad with the good!
Moving onwards to Roma was a totally different story however, and when we woke this morning the sun was shining brilliantly, the showers at the Showground were hot and the whole experience wonderful! Love was good once more.
We’ve had a lovely day today dear friends. We enjoyed looking around the township of Roma (pop 6000) but I did notice it looking very run down since I was there for work in 2008. What a shame! Perhaps the GFC has had an effect on this nice little town.
So, without further ado we headed off to look at the history of oil in Roma at the Big Rig and whilst there I found a postcard which led us to Paul’s Anglican Church which was full of beautiful stained glass windows.
Here we met Allen, a retired gent who does guided tours of the church. What a champ! The thing I love about travelling is when you meet people who you engage with … it totally changes your perspective about a place. Well, Allen was one of those people.
As we chatted about the church and life in Roma, Allen told us how when he retired he thought he would do all the things he wanted to do for himself, but he hasn’t had time as he volunteers at the church, also at the Information Centre and he sings in a choir that goes to all different denominations. Life is full for him it seems.
When we were buying a few things in the town, we met an old man from Injune (further north) – a farmer – who was waiting for the bank to open so he told us he was wasting time in the shop. Geoff said to him “Well, what’s happening in Roma today?”
We then got the temperature this morning in Injune (there was ice on the windscreen at 9am) and a lot of other ‘useless information’ which we were only too happy to get! How nice it is meeting the locals …
We ended the day by taking a very short 89k journey to Mitchell (pop 1000) so that we could stay overnight and enjoy the artisan spas that they have here. The young fellow here at the Caravan Park is a budding author and was keen to find my blog so he got out his phone and googled it!
Hello Adam … good luck with your writing. Keep going with it and don’t give up!
Around 4pm we headed off over the bridge on foot to the spa baths where we luxuriated in the warm waters for over an hour chatting to other older people like ourselves who have nothing better to do than travel and enjoy artisan spas! Oh I do wish we could stay here another night – just for those amazing spas!
Oh well, Geoff has got the hot water bottles ready so I must be off to bed. We’re up early tomorrow to walk the town of Mitchell as we do each day. It should take about ten minutes to see Mitchell methinks!
Until tomorrow when we’re on the road again …
PS I did have some photos of the church and the spas but the internet has had enough tonight it seems!
There was a lot of nice old pubs in Roma … here is one of them.
The Big Rig – the history of oil – which had a shortage of staff so the cook putting on the chops had to come out to the gift shop and serve me! He told me, he had to do many jobs: gardening, security, cooking etc. I don’t think he was too impressed either!
A slab hut from the mining days of Roma circa 1850s was very interesting inside. All set us as it would have been in those days. Geoff chatting up an old dear he met there.
A scene right next to the toilets at the showgrounds where we stayed.
Geoff hooks up our van as we leave the Roma Showgrounds to head west to Mitchell.
Hello all
… from here at Hervey Bay en route to Central Australia! A strange way to travel to the heart of our country I know, but we came to visit Geoff’s ill sister before we head out west.
It is lovely here and we are staying with my brother and his wife who live not far from the sea. Our caravan is parked out on the street while we sleep indoors … such a luxury! It’s a bit of time out before we head off on Saturday on the ‘real’ adventure; there will be no staying indoors when that happens.
I have been keeping a Travel Journal as I travel, so I will share a little of what I wrote about yesterday’s adventure.
Matilda the Giant Kangaroo
So now dear friends, as our day is coming to a close I will finish with some photos of the day spent doing all manner of nice things. We will leave Hervey Bay tomorrow to head out west. Visiting Geoff’s ill sister at home was good too as she is so much better than when we last saw her. Until then adieu …Thursday 24th July 2014
I love a new journal when I am setting out on an adventure! So here I am writing in my new Travel Journal as Geoff starts the long drive to Uluru via Hervey Bay.
There are fluffy white clouds in front of us as we drive along the highway and they look beautiful against the blue sky. It is a good omen for day one of our outback adventure.
The caravan was still hitched on behind us last time I looked! I think it might have been easier to have hitched the whole house onto the car as we’re brought so much stuff with us.
2pm
Back on the road after a lunch stop at a Service Station called ‘Matilda’ near Gympie (half-way to our first destination). I never realised before that this is the home of the famed Matilda the Kangaroo who made her entrance into our lives during the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.Matilda winking at us
Who could ever forget that moment in time when the giant paper mache kangaroo turned her head and winked for the first time at all the crowds in the stands. A lovely surprise and typical of Aussie humour so we all loved it.
Today as I sat eating my lunch on the balcony overlooking the giant kangaroo – now 32 years old – I got the surprise of my life when Matilda winked directly at ME as she turned her head. That big giant eye made a ‘clicking’ noise and shut for about five seconds before turning her head to the other side and winking again. I had not expected this to happen. I thought poor old Matilda had been put out to pasture by now … but not so. What made this special today was the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow had been beamed live on our TV sets at 3am this morning. How amazing was that? Co-incidence you might ask? I think not … some of us think there is no such things as co-incidences!
Geoff and I after having breakfast at Enzos on the beach at Scarness
Having lunch with Geoff’s sister Shirley
Taking the dog for a walk with Brenda this afternoon at Pt Vernon.
Watching the sunset over Gataker’s Bay whilst drinking champagne
Life with Tess 