The Triton rolled slowly down Lucy Street and left onto Baroona Road to mark the commencement of our journey to the centre of Australia. This will be our longest road trip in length and time that we have embarked on in our own country. My brother Eddie, wife Sue and his friends Macca and Lyn will be our traveling companions.
Our plan for today was to have a short journey to Gil Weir which is located about 6km south of Miles on the Leichhardt Highway. Alice and I left Brisbane around 11:30am and set a good steady pace of 90kmph to arrive at Toowoomba just after 1:00pm. About 60km into our journey I realized that I had not reset the trip meter which means our mileage will need a slight adjustment. We parked the van in the bus stop at Toowoomba Grammar where we were meeting our friend Carina for coffee. I then had an epiphany or you could call it something else as I had just realized that my wallet with credit cards, drivers license and the most important item my coffee club VIP card. It doesn’t matter where I’m traveling to I always seem to leave some minor item at home. Anyway life goes on so we spent a pleasant hour with Carina before hitting the road for the next leg of the journey.
This is an excellent overnight stop for those who enjoy free camping. There was plenty of room to spread out with good views of the water. The sun soon dropped below the horizon and it did not take long for Eddie to have a fire going. A couple of cool drinks added to the relaxed camaraderie. In this atmosphere I remembered one of my Dad’s old sayings ‘fire is your friend” which made it a perfect way to end the day.
Day 2, 19th April – Miles to Morven (281km – km)
The first thing I heard this morning was the raucous laugh of a kookaburra. It was 5:00am and they were soon joined by the screeching sounds of a large flock of white cockatoos. There is nothing like the sounds of the bush to get you out of bed nice and early. The birdlife here is prolific with Willie Wagtails, Butcher Birds and the pink Galahs which remind me of little old men. To top off a great morning a large Pelican came soaring over the weir like a giant jumbo jet and then landed gracefully on the calm water of Dogwood Creek.
The driving today will not be particularly onerous as there are a no major towns to navigate through and the weather is overcast with the possibility of some light rain. We were traveling along at a Driving Miss Daisy pace and decided to pull over for a Devonshire tea at the bustling community of Wallumbilla which is about 40km east of Roma. The scones were excellent and the coffee so hot that it scolded my tongue. There was also a well restored railway station building and a 1930’s Chevrolet fire engine. Ever onwards we drove and at last we reached Roma where we marveled at all the Bottle trees that have been planted to commemorate the soldiers from the district that were killed during World War 1. I believe that 135 trees were planted in their memory.
With no sign of Eddie and Macca who are probably well in front of us we continued down the Warrego Highway. There are plenty of road trains heading in the opposite direction and as they pass us you can feel the van and Triton being buffeted. It is only 87km to Mitchell and despite the rain squalls we could not resist stopping at Muckadilla for some photo opportunities. The name always evokes a pleasant memory as Dad on a long drive would always comment where the hell are we going, to bloody Muckadilla? At Mitchell we had one of those serendipitous moments when we decided to stop and have a swim in the hot artesian bore. We had the pool virtually to ourselves and the hot artesian water that was pounding our skin really invigorated us. We rotated from the hot bore water to the cold bore water which brought a tingle to our skins. Alice thought her aching knee joint had been miraculously cured. At 2:00pm we reluctantly left the pool and continued west towards Morven which is only an hour away. There was one small town that we drove through that had a tongue twisting name. Try saying Mungallala with a mouthful of Sao biscuits.
When we arrived at the Morven Recreational ground the other Triton boys had already set up camp. There is a small lagoon at the opposite end of the show grounds which would be a good spot to throw in a pot for some red claw. The real bonus however is that the local community provides free camping with facilities such as power, dump point, toilets and hot showers. All they ask is that you leave it how you found it and a small donation. After setting up we had an early dinner, watched a little television and hit the sack.
Day 3, 20th April – Morven to Longreach (555km – 1163km)
Along this stretch of road we were rewarded with sightings of large flocks of Black Cockatoos that were feeding on the edge of the highway. We also saw quite a few pairs of Jabirus that seemed to be patrolling the boundary fences in search of scraps that may have been thrown from passing cars. Of course there were plenty of highway cleaners (crows) feeding on the Kangaroo road kill. Another 100kms and we were pulling into Tambo which had a great rest area. We only had time for a quick rest break and a stretch of the legs before jumping back into the Triton to continue our journey north on the Landsborough highway.
Another 100kms and we were pulling into Blackall for a well deserved lunch break. As I was circling the block I saw Eddie heading north in search of the Black Stump. He was so focused that he flew straight past without noticing me. We found a dusty picnic area down by the banks of the Barcoo River and enjoyed a relaxing coffee and a few crackers. It was nearly time to leave when a couple (Steve and Jenny) came over and introduced themselves. I made the fatal mistake by commenting on the size of his trailer box that was mounted on the rear of his Billabong Caravan. Steve then proceeded to show me all his handiwork that he had carried out on their van. He actually did an impressive job but after an hour we needed to get moving. We still had another 220kms to travel and it was already after 2:00pm.
The 107km to Barcaldine was made more pleasurable as we passed “Alice Downs” and found that the Alice River ran through town. We spent a little time filling up with petrol and having a look at the “Tree of Knowledge” which unfortunately is now dead. This was the birth place of the labour party movement that was born out of the shearers strikes. I also struck up a conversation with a tattooed Rick who turned out to be evangelist bikie. He was off to Roma for a get together with some more Christians. You never know who you will meet on the road so it is worth the effort to say hello.
Our last stop for today is Longreach Waterhole for a spot of free camping and with a bit of luck we will make it before the going down of the sun. On this section of highway I have never seen so much road kill. It looked like mobs of kangaroos had stood in the middle of the road and were just run down by an eighteen wheeler. I thought I had found the turnoff to the waterhole but after traversing a rutted dirt road for over 10 minutes I knew I was in the wrong place. We turned around and headed back to the highway and found some people who informed us that we were on the wrong side of the highway. At around 5:30pm we set up camp next to the others. A quick set up in the remaining half hour of daylight and it was time for a well deserved drink.
Day 4, 21st April – Longreach (1163km – 1195km)
It was a nice easy start to the day as all we are doing is driving around Longreach to have a look at
After lunch we paid a visit to the QANTAS Founders museum which had some very good interactive displays. There were also exhibits in the original QANTAS hangar with an old ABC documentary narrated by Hudson Fysh who was one of the founders. Time was marching on so we headed back into town for some more supplies. Alice managed to snaffle a couple of wine bargains for $5.
Back at the camp the boys headed down to the river. I wish that we hadn’t as we met a guy coming back from checking his yabby pots. He had a bucket full of the biggest Red Claws that I had ever seen. There would have been enough to feed the six of us. Such is life!
Day 5, 22nd April – Longreach to Fountain Springs (1195km – 1780km)
Just after midday we hit the road again and pushed on to Kuyuna and then McKinlay where we met up with our fellow travelers. They had decided to pay $3 for a hot shower at the Walkabout Creek Hotel (Crocodile Dundee country). Alice and I forged ahead as we wanted to set up camp before dark. The others decided a quick beer in honour of Paul Hogan was the order of the day. At Cloncurry our Optus reception kicked in so we managed a couple of quick calls to family. Eddie also got hold of me and gave us information regarding our next camp site which was Clem Walton Park located on Corella Dam. When we arrived at the entrance it was near dark and horror of horrors the gates to the park were locked. We waited 10 minutes for the others to arrive and quickly made an executive decision to stay at Fountain Springs rest area which was another 7km further up the Matilda Highway. The facilities were quite good but a little close to the highway. The road trains sounded like they were coming straight through the camp site.
When we were setting up our camp I noticed that I had forgotten to tighten the handles that tension the arms of the retractable awning. As a consequence the very expensive nuts had fallen out somewhere along our route. I would not have felt so bad if this wasn’t the second time I had done this. I had a couple of Crownies to drown my sorrows while Alice whipped up some mean rissoles.
Day 6, 23rd April – Fountain Springs to Camooweal (1780km – 2038km)
Prior to leaving our camp we saw a sign with a 4x4 tour that encompassed three old mining towns, railway tunnels and a waterfall that gives its name to the rest area Fountain Springs. Next time we are in this area we will give it a go. We started late this morning as it is only a 60km drive to Mt. Isa. About 10km from the Isa the fuel warning light came on so I slowed down a bit to conserve fuel. When we filled up I managed to squeeze 61 litres into a 60 litre tank. We stocked up on a few groceries at the Coles store and then checked our emails courtesy of McDonalds free wi-fi.
The road out to Camooweal for 185km on the Barkly Highway is quite good. About 20km out of Mt. Isa there is a roadside rest area that has a dump point for chemical toilets. A quick flush here and we were on our way once again. There was an absence of road kill in this area and the only thing that kept us amused was the termite mounds. You may well ask why we thought this was funny but the answer is simple. The good citizens of the area or possibly fellow travelers have taken to dressing the mounds in all sorts of clothing. Undies, singlets and dresses were the most popular form of apparel.
At around 2:15pm we approached Camooweal and at 2:16pm we departed. Just out of town we headed across the Georgina River and then turned left along a dirt road to some amazing camp spots along the Camooweal Billabong. While we were setting up camp Eddie informed me that Macca was still in Mt. Isa waiting to see the Mitsubishi dealer. He was having computer problems with his Triton but they could not see him until 3:00pm. After setting up camp Eddie and I threw our opera house pots into the lagoon in hope of catching a few blue claw. Macca arrived just before 6:00pm so we all jumped in to help him set up camp. When he had settled down I found out that he had blown a gasket. That was Macca, the Triton had blown a 7.5amp reversing light fuse. So much trouble for such a small item. In terms of blue claw we did manage four of them plus a couple of small crabs and fish.
Day 7, 24th April – Camooweal Caves (2038km – 2139km)
When we arrived back in town our cars were covered in red bull dust. I had a bit of a thirst so opted for a cold XXXX gold at the local bar. All the homesteaders are coming into town tonight for a cricket carnival and to celebrate Anzac Day. The first game is a day nighter and kicks off at 4:00pm and we were invited to attend the festivities and sink a few coldies at the bar. It will obviously be the place to be in Camooweal tonight.
Back at the camp and we are all relaxing in preparation for the big drive tomorrow. Our pots are still not producing the goodies so it looks like no entrée tonight.
Day 8, Anzac Day 25th April – Camooweal to Devils Marbles (2139km -2723km)
It is 6:00am and as we packed up most of our gear last night we were able to get away early this morning. The Northern Territory border is only 13km away and apart from sitting in the transit lounge of Darwin’s airport in 1994 this will be my first trip into the Territory. Our first stop is a mere 261km down the road at the Barkly Homestead where fuel prices are quite high. Around 11:00am we pulled into the Homestead and topped up with enough fuel to reach Tennant Creek. We also fuelled up with a terrific all day truckies breakfast for $20 which was big enough for us both to share.
There was no time to hang about as we still had another 187km to the Three Ways where the Barkly
Macca and Eddie had of course passed me by this time as they think I drive like Miss Daisy. We arrived at the Marbles around 3:00pm and set up camp. Facilities are basic but the view is fantastic. Alice and I put on our walking shoes and spent a good 2 hours walking over the entire site. The boulders with their bright red colours are amazing. Around sunset we all headed up to a vantage point and watched the dramatic change in colour. It was a great way to end what has been a very big day.
Day 9, 26th April – Devils Marbles to Alice Springs (2723km – 3160km)
It was a cool and windy night but we woke up in time to see the sunrise. After a quick breakfast we hit the road . Just south of Wauchope we saw an aboriginal man trying to hail down any passing car. He was on the opposite side of the road so I kept on going. Eddie and Macca did stop however and they ended up donating 20 litres of fuel to him to get him going. We are driving into a strong cross wind and the fuel gauge seems to be dropping before my eyes.
Further south we passed through the settlement of Wycliffe Well that claims to be the UFO centre of Australia. Eddie stopped and looked around and his view was the place had already been overtaken by aliens. Barrow Creek was the next settlement and it has an old Telegraph Station to look at. I just kept on driving and finally pulled over for some fuel at Ti-Tree which is about 192km from Alice Springs. The fuel price was around $1.929 per litre and with their credit card facility not working I thought that 15 litres of fuel should be enough to get us to Alice Springs.
Alice Springs is quite large so we turned on the GPS to navigate our way to the Gidday Mate caravan Park which will be our home for the next 3 nights. The facilities here are excellent and it wasn’t long before we had set up. Alice made a bee-line for the Laundromat and put on a few loads. We spent the afternoon just relaxing and enjoying our surrounds. An added bonus was that there were no flies, unbelievable!
Day 10, 27th April – West MacDonnell Ranges ( 3160km – 3604km)
This morning we hit the road at 8:30 am for a full day of driving through the MacDonnell Ranges. Our first stop was at Standley Chasm which was the only place that required an entrance fee. I did manage to get a seniors discount even though I don’t look a day over 59. The walk up to the chasm was about 1.2km and well worth it. The walls were quite narrow and the early morning light gave the rock a deep red colour. On the way back a few more people were making their way up the rocky path. Near the end I heard a good use of the integrated adjective “David Bloody Gould”. I could not believe that I would meet an acquaintance in the middle of a gorge in the middle of Australia. It was Des whom I worked with at Toowong bus depot. The world is definitely not big enough. We had a bit of a chin wag about our trips and hoped we could catch up again.
Next stop was the Ellery Creek Big Hole which has some half decent facilities for camping including a drop toilet. The big hole is surrounded by cliffs and has a white sandy beach. The water colour is stained a dark brown but still looks crystal clear. Even though it looked inviting we all declined the opportunity as it was still quite cool. I can imagine how this oasis would have appealed to the early explorers.
Back on the road again and it wasn’t long before we reached the Ochre pits. Even though this area was not high I thought this section of the ranges was quite extraordinary. I can understand why the aboriginal people regarded this area as sacred. It was time for lunch so we headed up to Glen Helen Resort. The resort has Glen Helen Gorge as a backdrop and overlooks a large waterhole. The birdlife here is prolific with plenty of zebra finches and of course the rare Gouldian Finch. There were some exotic items on the menu and Eddie and I decided to try the Camel Burger and Alice the Kangaroo salad. The burger was well seasoned and tasted sensational.
It was starting to get late and we still had another 130km to travel back to Alice Springs. The late afternoon light cast such a magical look over the ranges that we travelled back at a sedate pace so we could enjoy the panoramic views. We were so late back that the others thought we may have broken down. What a great day and what a magical place.
Day 11, 28th April – Around Alice (3604km – 3626km)
Oh what a night, the temperature dropped down to a rather cool 4 degrees which on the plus side meant that I received lots of cuddles. This morning we just relaxed around the camp catching up on cleaning and attending to electronic media.
After lunch we took a trip into the city centre to explore what was on offer. As much as I love Alice it is a little concerting to see the word Alice associated with every inanimate object, store and event. She is everywhere. After some browsing we took a walk through the mall and apart from the Red Dog Coffee shop the place was quite dead. We also took a drive up to the Mt. Coot-tha of Alice Springs, Anzac Hill. The view encompassed the nearby ranges, mountains and the sandy dry bed of the Todd River. It was definitely worth the effort of driving up there.
Back at the caravan park we spent the afternoon removing the red bull dust from the Triton. I also had the unenviable task of cleaning up a diesel spill from the rear tray. I had bought a 20 litre jerry can from Super Cheap to safeguard myself from another fuel shortage mishap. The only problem was that after I filled it I forgot to tighten the air valve. Consequently when the unsecured jerry can fell over the diesel flowed freely into every crevice of the tray. You would think I would learn by now! With the cleaning duties over I relaxed with a couple of ice cold beers.
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