29-30th at Daintree

Honey enjoying the C-Gear mat and her haircut

Well this is more like it. Warm and sunny!!! Have the awnings and 'privacy' screens out (side and back). BBQ and the washing machine unloaded. And the C-Gear mat finally being put to use. So the rest of Sunday is for relaxing... What a great place this is.

Where we are is under the same tree as last year but it has grown and shields the satellite dish. We moved about a bit but are stuck with the obstruction. Maybe fortunately, the Daintree Riverview Lodge and Camp Ground, has a big screen (mainly for the Olympics) in the open bar/ pool room/lounge on the top level - if we are desperate... And we can always watch morning news on Mac or iPad. But sitting in the warmth reading or chatting to the neighbours is excellent.

Have discovered that the iPad AFL app lets you buy live video of the games, and in QLD if there is a QLD team playing - that's the one on TV... So I have bought a months games for $10 to watch on the iPad. (In fact we could watch it through the iPad via AirPlay on the big TVs - if I had brought the Apple TV with us...) So with the iPad holder on the side of the bus we have live footy of the Saints; on a 9.7" screen, under the awning, in the warmth, with a cold beer! After a slow start, the Saints gave the Bulldogs a lesson!!! Thank Dog.
Fillet steak and chips on the BBQ with Maz's new, delicious salad for dinner. Bit of a movie and we have had it

The satellite phone arrived during the week, so it is charged up and works - so far. In the front of the bus with the foldout antenna up it shows all 'bars' for signal. The SIM has not arrived yet so can't do much much with it. But at least have read the instructions... The phone first needs a GPS fix, so it can determine which satellite to connect through. I guess that might take some time first up. All the sat phone purveyors have there own telephone country code. Inmarsat is 870. So all calls to a satphone are international calls. There are other arrangements that can be made to have a local number, but that costs of course. Also, because it is international, emergency and other numbers don't work 000 012 and 1300 1800 numbers - so one needs to know the real emergency numbers for your location... Allsatphones publishes a good list of these, fortunately.

Moved the bus a bit Monday morning away from the bushes at the back, but closer to the tree at the side. Broke an awning bracket yesterday afternoon. the same fragile plastic bracket which failed at Cooktown last year. So have swapped the metal versions from the original/repaired awning on the right side; and discovered I don't have the necessary 10mm spanner - the smallest of my 4 adjustable spanners will have to do.
The metal swivel brackets should better take the weight of the screens and bungee tie-downs. Will get a pair of metal replacements for the other awning, but plastic should be fine on the right side which is only out a metre to keep any rain (ha) off the open windows (or sun if we are out in the open). If we ever put it out 2+ metres (as a carport), the alloy brackets would be more re-assuring...  

Finally have the table on its tripod legs, outside

So today Monday we may go into Mossman to get a few things (including a 10mm spanner). While we are here, we will get to Cape Tribulation again and explore down the coast too, And a bit inland. We will get out on the River on some tours... And catch a Barramundi!!!! 

28th July Daintree Village

Breakfast watching the Olympic Opening... while packing up back into the bus. Car has the tow bar on and chained up to the bulbar. I need to turn the tow bar tongue upside down to clear the dip getting out the driveway (made that mistake getting in... ). Have ground about 2mm off the bottom of the tow ball thread along the way!
By 0930 we are ready to hit the road. Once both vehicles are outside, we hook the up. Only take a couple of minutes.
Short checklist: Connect the tow hitch to the ball - and padlock it! Connect the safety cable shackles - all 4. Check the hitch and R pins on the car end. Connect the lights - and turn on the power supply! Connect the brake cable - enable the override on the hitch. Transfer case in neutral - hubs in FREE(wheel). Key in ACC (steering unlocked). I can see the front indicators in the rear view camera - so check lights via Hazard switch is easiest. Done! Away.
Quick stop in Malanda to dump the household rubbish... B-Double detour around Atherton... which resumes the Kennedy Hwy at Tolga. We make a pi"t" stop at The War Memorial Park halfway to Mareeba - not as full as last time we went past, but heaps of vehicles... straight through Mareeba. Soon at Mt Molloy, Past the Rifle Creek free park - also with lots of campers. Turn right for Julaten - and down the hill...
We have decided to do the down hill windy bit as two vehicles so stop at the Golden Barramundi where we regretted not buying all they had last year!!! Maz spent $30 on a couple of kg of saltwater farmed barra... While I disconnected the Vitara - again hooked the tow bar up to the bull bar for the 10km down the hill. Still roadworks with one way traffic lights. I reckon they will be removing bits of mountain for another year.
At the bottom of the hill we hook up the Vitara again and find a park for a last minute shop at Mossman Woolies. 35km to Daintree.

The town/Village is busy - no parks so we head down to the bottom level of the CP. Lo and behold Sally (the owner) is yelling greetings at us, telling us that we know where to park. Like coming home! Great! So we disconnect again and are in!

28th July 2012 - sunset over the Daintree River!

26-27th July

Back in Glen Allyn it's washing day, check everything. Start Tony and Stephanie's cars etc.
Finally had a chance (no fog, drizzle, rain) to have a go at mounting Tony's 95cm satellite dish with tracking motor - on a post on the north side of the house. After much assembly of the motor brackets, the dish and LNB (low noise block amplifier) mount... I have connected it to the receiver/controller, I made it move! but don't have a screen attached so I cast see the menus etc... so I don't know what I am doing... Anyway it's up, so a start has been made.
Also re-torqued the u-bolts on the new front spring sets. Both front u-bolts needed it too. Should have checked earlier as they bed in, stretch and compress the spacers. However nothing has moved. I had previously marked the position of all leaves with white paint marker...
So now it' is serious preparation to depart tomorrow, Saturday, morning to Daintree Village. Weaather is great (up there) so can't wait.

25th July back to T-View

Checking out this morning... Usual casual breakfast and caffeine fix. Bus won't turnover.
Volts at 23.5... There is a constant, light drain on the bus batteries -which I can't find... and there is seven metres of crank cable between battery box an starter motor. Being off the grid for 6 days, and having not yet got the new charger connected, the easy way is to fire up the generator and use the mains charger. Takes all of five minutes to connect up and three pulls to start the 2.6 kva Kipor. And after 10 minutes running there is plenty of battery. Probably 5 would have done the trick.

Any way we are tidied up and roadworthy so it's back through Yungaburra and Malanda to T-View/Serenitea... Stopping at the Post Office. Oh good, our rates notice has made it!!!

Washing day awaits...

23-24th July

Not much to report, guess we are chilling out...
Monday started of gloomy so we headed to Malanda to check the house and the mail. All good. Bought a book and a new rubbish bin for the bus at Atherton Big W, food at Woolies, and back to the lake.
Bought a refurbished satphone online (Inmarsat, Isatphone pro) and a prepaid sim good for 720days. We will be way way out of Telstra range for a fair while, and soon... So it is just for emergencies. Basically $1 per minute to dial out to a landline. Expensive to call in, however. Will experiment when it arrives.

Fillet steak and a Pinot noir for dinner...

Tuesday started my new book, birthday present from Helen McC - Bert Hinkler biography. Maz also on a new book Vol 2 of the Archer 'Clifton Chronicles'. A pleasant quiet day.
Not much solar charging happening tho... Honey finally a escaped and chased the goose into flight. Didnt see it for the rest of the afternoon.

Fish and a cheeky chardy for dinner...

22nd July, Sunday off...

This morning was overcast with a cool breeze, so we stayed snuggled up inside for a while... By midday sun was out, batteries solar charging - as well as us!

Out for a half hour or so walk in the sunshine - initially against and then with the cool breeze. All the local are out with the boats now, but once they are in the water and set up on the waters edge, they are easily ignored.

Lots of people with dogs - from which Honey must defend us; getting annoying. At least she is getting used to our friendly goose. Only stirs if it gets within about 2.5 metres... Also visited by Willie Wagtails, mudlarks, crested pigeons and even Black Ducks. The word is obviously out that Maz is a soft touch with lots of (stale) bread...

Goose and Maverick

Listened to the Swans vs Saints game. We (Saints) was robbed! Well maybe not, but a good game to listen to. Won't bother boring you with another pretty sunset picture....

Think we might stay another couple of days!!!

21st July "61"

A beautiful morning. Great breakfast. Chat to the neighbours. Luxurious, indulgent long shower. Eventually off to lunch. Great feed of wild caught Barramundi (guess who) and real Veal -Wiener? Schnitzel, Italian Salad and a nice glass of Chardy (Mitchelton!).

Met Nick, has been in business there for 26 years, and obviously loves it. When Maz was paying she let slip that it was a birthday treat. So it was a complimentary Port or Schnapps - and a rendition of Happy Birthday with button accordion.

But there is a price to pay, we have to accompany Nick on uke and tambourine - while wearing silly hats and throughout the busy pizzeria adjoining. The other diners are 'shamed' into another rendition of Hippo Birdys... etc Good Fun. No cameras!!!

Looked throughout the 'Nicks' scrapbooks whilst sipping our drinks. On leaving Nick showed us his plan for some units on the block looking down the valley. Bet he will do it too.

Siesta time, well a quiet read in the sun, then a walk with Honey, who stayed home at lunchtime...
Expecting another fine sunset at beer o'clock, although there are few clouds in the sky this afternoon.

Cheers from us 61 year olds

Just when the day was slipping away we had a visitor... Thought it was a Titan Tornado at first but appears to be a VH registered Can Am...

20th July a day mostly 'in'...

Now we are set up/organised we are enjoying the warmth - definitely. Making new friends Terry and Robin Shanahan from Warwick way.
Went into Yungaburra to check out places for birthday lunch tomorrow. My pick Maz's shout. It has to be Nicks Swiss/Italian Restaurant. Everyone who has been in this part of the world recommends it to us.
Solar Panels are now keeping the house batteries re-charged. From 80% in the morning to 100% by about 2PM. Excellent!

We have a resident goose and have worked out it is a Cape Barren Goose. Habitat is the grassy islands off SOUTHERN Australia... boy is he/she lost. Fairly tame tho' having apparently been hanging about for a couple of months. Wanders down the road oblivious of traffic and comes to within 2-3 metres of us - until Honey spots it anyway.

Another 'average' sunset over Tinnaroo - used to sun rises at home...

19th July Tinnaburra

The Yungaburra end of Lake Tinnaroo is... Tinnaburra! And we are at the Motor Inn & Caravan Park - for $15 per night unpowered. But we have sunshine, hence PV! We are parked facing about north.

looking south west

This is s pretty place; lots of skiing (not at the moment 'cos it's too cold for Queenslanders to go in the water...) fishing and crabbing - Red Claw the local name for freshwater lobster/ marin etc - really f'ing big yabbies!

Eastern side of the CP - Yungaburra in the distance

A nice sunset for beer o'clock!!!

18th July - and a bit of sun!

Slept in this morning - no tea mowing last night. They did the paddock next door yesterday. Fascinating machine. Took a movie of it turning just over the fence. Will figure out how to post it...

Off to Atherton to pick up the repaired shoes and stock up at Woolies for our 4 days down the road. Also picked up the tow bar support from the welder at Malanda. Just the thing.

Blow me down we have come back to a sunny afternoon... for a while. So I have a chance to get the tow-bar holder installed and the new 12V supply finished - without getting wet. Also have the new charger 90% done...

Sun's gone for the day - it's time to get in...

17th July

Picked up the (locally sourced, with warranty) replacement 24 to 12v power supply (for 'trailer' lights for MRTOAD - yes the car now has a name) and the 12-24v charger (from the UK, for topping up the bus cranking battery) and also the new panel ampmeter (for monitoring the charge) yesterday.

Will work on them today, in the drizzle, but need to get in to Malanda to get some bits of steel welded together for the tow-bar bracket for the back of the bus. It's galvanised, so it's really hard to weld with Tony's gasless MIG welder and I don't have the steel bar I need. Also need some suitable screws and a phillips driver bit.

Have ordered my birthday present - on Maz's behalf, A Makita 10.6V Li drill and driver kit... Am sure it will be handy over the next four months. Should be able to charge the batteries from the heaps of 12VDC we have available, and doesn't take up much room.

Speaking of 12VDC... we have not seen enough light, let alone sun, to keep the batteries charged enough to run the fridge and TVs etc. So it is definitely time to find some... Tinaroo Thursday!

15-16th July

Sunday, a day of rest. Read, tinkered, watched some footy... stil getting over the Saints miraculous 'escape'...

Monday off to check the mail and take Maz's favourite shoes to the Athertom shoe-repairer; need heels...

Blow us down it is only at Glen Allyn that it is wet! Even Malanda 10km away is dry!

That's it we are going to the southern end of Lake Tinaroo (Tinaburra, where we explored a few days ago) for at least the weekend.

And we have booked two weeks at Daintree Village from 28th to the 12th August so will overlap with Des and Sandra for 12 days... And will be back at Glen Allyn for a day or so prior to Tony and Helen's return.

So as the plans solidifies... we will be heading west towards Karumba about 15th August. Its a hike so will probably stay at Mt Surpise (and I still want to tour the Undarra Lava Tubes) then Croydon, Normanton, Karumba, then, who knows...

14th July Yungaburra - Lake Eacham

Exploring again today. Heading northeast to Yungaburra and the other end of Tinaroo Lake. Several way to go but we headed out through Malanda towards Atherton then right along Fig Tree Road, to the famous... Curtain Fig Tree. It is actually a small national park; dog stays in the car again.

The strangler fig tree is, well (surprisingly) bloody impressive. As usual a fig seed was deposited in a high branch of a tree, the fig drops roots (maybe 20-25m) to the ground, overpowers the host tree which eventually fall over - on top of another tree, and the fig keep s dropping roots. Eventuallt the host rots away.

Initially could not get far enough away from the tree to fit it in... bear in mind it slope 45 degrees and we are up on a boardwalk...

 We Continued into Yungaburra checked out the huge old hotel, the famous Nick's (Swiss-Italian) Restaurant. and wandered around -with Honey. Found a nice coffee corner off a lane and enjoyed a Queensland Gold Coffee. We had passed the place on the way to Skybury the other day but had had enough of the waves of rain...

At Grovealicious Coffee, Honey was asked to pose for the we site (Facebook) Find her pix here: Honey on Groovealisious Facebook

Next Lake Tinaroo - at Tinaburra!. What a cool place at this end of the lake. we will probably come and stay at the CP maybe next week. Glorious (and only $20 per night with power!!!)

Lake Eacham.
The bloke next to Maz said you wouldn't catch him in the water...
must have heard about Johnstone River Crocs

Lake Eacham

There are lots of volcanic cones around here and some go down rather than up. One is Lake Eacham which is maybe 1km across (its 4.2km around) and is 65m deep!!!! Water temp a bit over 20 I reckon. Very pretty - but another national park so we cannot walk around it with Honey!!!!


We are staying in dairy country - Malanda and surrounds - these geese live at one of the dairys between Maland and Glen Allyn (where we are staying) They regularly hang out on the road - and will not move! In fact if you drive too close they peck the car...

Back at T-view/ Serenitea for the afternoon - footy's on TV and I have a new Macworld to read. Gee it's tough! cheers.

!3th July (Friday...) Port Douglas

We have arranged to meet Des and Sandra Prien in Port Douglas. They sold up in Brisbane and have been on the road since April. They have registered on the electoral roll as 'itinerants', but we figure registering as 'homeless' might have more benefit. Port Douglas is quite unfriendly to pets. Mossman is the closest dog-friendly caravan park.

Found them at a few minutes past 11AM - leaving Honey in our car, outside, for a few minutes. All piled into the Prien's (4 door) Suzuki for a tour, and to find somewhere for lunch. Settled on the Thai place in the main street and settled in. Honey was forced!!! to defend the table against a white Scottish Terrier which came to close (5m) to our table. Had to reel her in quickly. Odd, there is one in Mulwala we see sometimes -and she doesn't like the look of that one either... Was fine with the other few dogs we met walking around Port D! Took no photos as they would be pretty much the same as last year... but not as sunny!

Anyway, an excellent Thai feed was had and we adjourned to the Pandanus CP for coffee and chat - with Honey again in the car outside. The 'itinerants' are not really homeless, I guess with the 10M Winebago with slide-out sides, the Grand Vitara, the pushbikes and... The Harley-Davidson Electroglide...

Fought our way back 'home' up the Julatin Range from Mossman - in the drizzle and occasional heavy rain again; well storms were forecast!!!

11-12th July

Spent a couple of quiet days. On Wednesday we went to Atherton in the morning and came back to a beautiful sunny afternoon. Maz sat in the sun and read. I re-did the wiring for the trailer lights - taking the 'emergency wire throughout the engine compartment wall (4mm hole from the bin) and tinkered...

Thought we would try to generate the better weather on the Thursday by going into Malanda -no luck mor of the same drizzle... but at least is is warmish...

10th July Mareeba

Today we set of to explore some of Mareeba's attractions. First stop there is liquorland - a special on my new, favourite whisky - Glen Grant : Majors Reserve.

Skybury Coffee

Last year we stopped at Coffee Works in Mareeba, this time we are off west 10km or so to Skybury - Australian Coffee Centre (self styled...) on the Chillagoe Road.
Great building post an beam with tree trunk posts and surrounded by the plantation. Skipped the tour as is was constant drizzle with occasional showers.

Awaiting lunch... and the oncoming shower...

In fact we saw the sun from 1125 to 1135 and that was it. Either this is one of Mareeba's 65 NON sunny days for the year, or the 10 minutes counts as a 'sunny day'... Nonetheless had a good lunch and an excellent cup of house roast coffee. Bought a couple of small coffee samplers to go...

We pass the Mareeba Showgrounds. The rodeo is on in a few day and there are already about 100 vans, motorhomes and horse house parked up next door...

Next it's north of Mareeba to the Mango winery - Golden Drop. Suffice to say we head home with several bottles of Mango Cello (liqueur) and some citrus Cellos too...

South of Mareeba is one stop I have been waiting for since passing the signs several times last year; Mount Uncle Distillery!
Damn; their whisky will not be ready til next year. However the patron of the place Bruce Watkin happened to be on tasting duty. We had a good chat. Rum is his 'tipple' so we tried the Platinum white rum, the dark rum - which he conceded would be better in another year or so, but it was still a superb drop. Had to try the Banana Liqueur - pretty good. We skipped the 'bridges' eatery, and  left with 'only' a bottle of the white rum - Platinum.
Boy is it time to head for home now... and carefully.

We have been on the tablelands for a week now and aside from last Tuesday and most of Wednesday being fine it has rained or drizzled nearly all the time. We have been tempted to head for dry ground - but at the moment there isn'y any for hundreds of km. At least it is not cold! Cool at night here, but have filed half the warm bedding away finally.

We are only 20km from QLDs two highest mountains - Bartle Frere (1622m or 5322ft) and Bellenden Ker ( of which I have been waiting to see and photograph their tops...) so I guess the Misty Mountains includes here...  and it is forecast to hang about for a few more days -while the high pressure system sits over the Tasman Sea...

The tea harvester is audible in the distance a lot of the time. While the tea growth is slow in the winter!!! they only mow/cut/pick about every 4 weeks. I am waiting to get a decent pic of the machine. It is about 6m wide and seems to float over the sea of camellia bushes (the tea)... cheers from the Atherton Tablelands!

9th July Herberton

Mr Toad in the parking lot at Herberton

Finally off exploring. Herberton is one of the original (first) town on the Atherton Tablelands. Tin mining! Cornish miners etc. It is bigger than we expected, and quite picturesque. Herberton has a historic village which is bigger - and better than most. There are over 50 buildings with collections or examples of just about everything from the 1900's.

Maz enjoyed the clothing, shoes, fashions in particular. I prefer the mechanical stuff. My favourite thing was the Citroen rail ambulance - basically a small van on train wheels.

Citroen rail ambulance. I want one (in standard gauge)

Artistic shot of the building rooftops...

We spent a bit of time at the Printing Works where a retired printer has accumulated a bunch of presses and even linotype (hot metal typesetters) machines. When I started Sky Sports I used the printer in Kyneton and learned to use his Linotype machine - same model as this one... Had a wanted poster made for my great x6 grandmother Bridget Le'strange (the 19 year old highway robber).

On the Hotel Balcony - wasn't open!

Spent hours going around the place - til our legs were falling off...
Back via Atherton for a few things and back to base.

8th July

Quiet day in today. Washing etc. Tomorrow we plan to go to Herberton...

7th July

It is Honey's ninth birthday today. Not a grey hair... But she does have a tick... So her present is $80 worth of anti-tick stuff from the local vet. And bit of kero to kill this one... Maybe a haircut is in order. T&H are off on their next adventure. And we are off shopping at Atherton this morning. But it is drizzle and rainy at Malanda. Better WX at Atherton... The stream weather is likely to hang about for a few days, then we will have to think about what next... This arvo and this evening we will be watching the Swans and the Saints, hoping they do as well as Carlton...

6th July

Quiet day today, hanging around. T&H are packing and fixing loose ends prior to leaving tomorrow. Malanda show is on today and the weekend - but so far is damp to went and cool as well. Went with Tony to Malanda, busy but but little action at the show grounds.
This is a bit like a tweet isn't it - sorry!

5th July on the tablelands

Today we need to get to a bank, post office and vet. Honey needs some tick protection.
So in to Malanda in the morning for Helen and me.
Tony needs to get to their bank at Atherton so we are all heading in there in the late afternoon and then going with friends for dinner later.
In between we have had a bit of a tour to Hallorans lookout, Hasties Swamp, and Tinaroo dam. Think we might go to the Tinaroo Falls/Dam caravan park for a bit.
Very good chinese dinner at the Pagoda Restaurant, and good company.

4th July at "Serenitea", Glen Allyn

We are having a day in. Great shower each this morning. Great breakfast. Great weather, and lots of last minute mowing. Tony has done the edges with the small ride-on mower and is now doing the rest with the Tora - auto diesel, power steering, cruise control... The paddock next door is ready for the tract and slasher...
Over the road Nerada are also mowing with the huge tea picker... a noisy middle of the day, but we are back to shorts, singlets and thongs.

For you half dozen subscribers - I hope I have fixed the header to ...OZ rather than ...2011
Took me a while to figure out where to look. Keep warm!

3rd July Ravenshoe to Glen Allyn

What a misty morning. did need the doona/duvet, very cosy. Had breakfast - coffee and hot stuff, a treat!
Did our small load of washing at the laundromat conveniently over the road. And we are away... throughout the mist and fog past the Misty Mountains!!! saw the sun twice in the 60 km to the Sanders' 'plantation'.

Found the place - but no one home, not back from camping trip, just yet. So we have parked conveniently per last year so all cars etc are accessible.

We have covered 3025 km (by the bus odometer, which I think over-reads about 1% - so near enough!)

Went the 10km into Malanda to explore. Chemist for my minor drugs and bottle-shop for our joint 'drugs'. Also checked the post office for any re-directed mail - 'post restante' Malanda. Nothing yet.

Tony and Helen are back and unpacking, so we will all work out what happens next. Cheers.

2nd July Charters Towers to Ravenshoe

Another leisurely start to the day... well why not? Headed up the Gregory development Rd, about 25 km out of CT there is a very popular camp spot by a river, well a big creek by QLD standards. About 50-60-70? vans and motorhomes setup there. Busier then we remember from passing by (in the opposite direction) last year.

Then the road becomes more... interesting. 3.5 metre wide seal AND road trains. Need to be going slow enough to get onto the shoulder - one wheel on the seal for us, as we are medium sized and the road trains also get half off the seal - meaning they move all over the place and drag an heap of dust...

Also got the left wheels off for passing caravans - out of sympathy. Chanel 40 UHF is essential for a heads up on traffic, and doing deals.

Passed by Greenvale this time and stopped at The Lynd, which is only the Oasis Roadhouse. Stopped for a while enjoyed a drink some lunch and enjoyed the sunshine and filled up. The road from the Lynd is again a/the Kennedy Development Road which becomes the Kennedy Highway passing the Undarra Resort (Lava Tubes). It is difficult to find any change in the road as there are still good bits (5.5M seal) and not so good bits (3.5M seal) We will be back that way in a while on our way to Normanton/Karumba.

Next Mt Garnet where we stopped for a short while, to get a drink and a Womans Day... it's Monday. A bloke pulled up beside us to ask about the A-frame towing. So 20 minutes later we ambled on... to Innot Springs where there is a warm mineral spring, creek and lovely looking caravan park. Might be a good spot, looks like it - moved along.

So for tonight we have stopped at Ravenshoe - not Raven-shoe - at the Railway Museum. Boy is this a busy donation only park. Had a nice chat with a few people, quick shop at IGA, and we are in for the night. Ravenshoe is at 3000 ft so we have the doona out again, and adjourned inside when the sun disappeared! So its inside cooking tonight (Hicks chicken) and the satellite TV.

Off to Malanda/Glen Allyn tomorrow morning, which is only an hour or so away, but a windy climb. Actually today we encountered the first climb which needed 4th gear, getting up to the tableland.

1st July at Charters Towers

We have covered 2500 km averaged 21 litres /100 km at average cruising speed 95-105 kph... 

RHHINO has overtaken a few cars, many caravans... and four (3 trailer) road trains so far!

Slept comfortably away from traffic noise last night... and with only a sheet, a light throw over and cotton blanket!!! We are going to spend most of the day on seats that stay still... but will explore CT, lots to see... Tower Hill dominates the town...

Charters Towers CBD...

WW2 bunkers all over the sides of Tower Hill - and mine shafts!

 About 15km north of town is the Burdekin River Weir, built in the 80s to replace the 1902 version. Town water from the river, and fish... so they say. Was a lone pelican fishing...

We will be heading north again tomorrow morning on the Gregory Development Road via Greenvale and the Three Rivers Hotel featured in the Slim Dusty hit song (which we have still never head - as far as we know...itunes?) and The Lynd, to Mt Garnet. That' a little over 400km of ordinary road. We travelled south on it last year... So we will likely stop around Mt Garnet and head for Malanda - actually Glen Allyn the next morning...

PS Not far from the airport here and a gyrocopter has been flogging around a lot of the day (and yesterday evening) being the weekend... A lot of noise to not go very fast... But fun, I hear. My only flight many years ago ended up in a forced landing. I took the hint.