Carnarvon Gorge - Roma - Moree

We left Takarakka campground at Carnarvon Gorge after Nanette's washing dried enough to fold up. We passed through Injune and free-camped off road in a huge truck stop, well off the road with others dotted about us. We lit a fire and enjoyed cooking and eating under the stars.

Next morning was a short drive to Roma where we refuelled and did some grocery shopping. Then onto Surat where Ken's brother Peter used to live. At St. George we stayed at the Top Tourist C'van park, because there were no signs to the Beardmore Dam where we planned to camp.

We crossed the border into NSW at Mungindi and had lunch at Garah. There, we had a change of plans and will now follow the Gwdyr Hwy to the New England Plateau after Moree instead of continuing south to Narrabri.

On the Moree Plains, we passed open irrigation channels and fields of broad acre farming of cotton and wheat. There were enormous storage sheds along the way and herds of cattle grazing the 'long paddock'. As we drove, pieces of blown cotton scrim were snagged on dry grasses and the skies were heavy with rain clouds which met the land as it disappeared over the horizon.

At Moree we slipped our bodies into the wonderful warmth of the hot spring baths. They have a large complex with three outdoor, covered pools, one of which is Olympic sized, with others inside the building. It's a terrific resource for the local people and obviously well patronised.

After leaving Moree we drove to Gravesend, just before Warialda and camped on the town recreation area.

 

 

Willows gemfields to Carnarvon gorge. 13.8.14

On the morning we left Willows, we photographed some of the gear made by a man who had been fossicking for about thirty years. He was very helpful and shared his knowledge generously.

It was very interesting to see the number of jade plants thriving in the dry earth where nothing much survived. The fossicking was a lot of fun and we enjoy it. We have met people from all over the country and all walks of life who spend the winter months up here fossicking and relaxing. There is a real community feeling amongst people who have come year after year and are happy to share their knowledge of stones and places where they are found.

After leaving Willows we ate Sapote in the car. It is a tropical fruit and has the appearance and texture of strap licorice and is sticky. It tastes a bit like licorice but sweeter with a hint coconut and sarsaparilla. It becomes quite glutenous as it is chewed. The fruit is a bit like a large pumpkin in shape. The woman I bought it from in the Mossman market had wonderful dried tropical fruits Her business email, if you'd like to try some is

springcreektropical@gmail.com

We also bought delicious dukkah and dried coconut from this lady.

We stayed the night just east of Springsure at Mt Zamia and Virgin rock rest area which had floodlights highlighting the rocks in the early evening. We lit a fire which attracted six near neighbours and had a pleasant happy hour chat before dinner, under the gum trees. ( Nanette and Ken made enough delicious apricot chicken for the four of us so we had a night off!) These free camps, which usually have toilet facilities, are great for travellers just wanting an overnight stop. Many travellers are self contained and and don't want to pay ever-increasing costs for facilities they don't need in crowded caravan parks.

I've noticed that the several Christmas Creek crossings we've made, have coloured tinsel decorating the signs. I wonder who stops to do that, and to incidentally brighten a traveller's day!

The travelling is faster now as we head south towards Carnavron Gorge. The way is tarred and fairly straight and tall gums line the road. There is still the odd 'Oversize' vehicle with a front runner escort to watch out for, but otherwise it's relaxing driving.

Now that we are pointed in the right direction, we are all experiencing the "sniff of home" syndrome.

We stopped for lunch at Fairbairn Dam and filled our water tanks with some difficulty because we didn't have the right fitting for the tap. The dam is enormous but a long way from full.

 

QUEENSLAND GEM FIELDS.. Rubyvale - Willows. 8. 8. 2014.

From Airlie Beach, we drove to Mackay and then spent the night at The Retreat Hotel. It was a free camp with hot showers, washing machines, and a friendly atmosphere. As the patrons hoped, we had dinner in the pub and bought a number of beers which we drank as we sat around huge wood fires on the covered verandah. There were a lot of fellow travellers taking advantage of the free camp and spending lots of dollars in the pub. What clever entrepreneurs we thought!

West of Nebo there was extensive coal mining and mountains of slag heaps, along with volcanic plugs dotted along the skyline. Good roads though, which deteriorated as we left the mining areas and travelled south west through Claremont to Rubyvale. There has been some water under the bridge since we stayed at the Rubyvale Caravan park and fossicked nearby, and we intended staying there again, but it was booked out. We decided to go to Willows which was recommended by someone we met at Pat's Gems, where we bought a bucket of wash. Lucky Nanette found a substantial sapphire which has been sent away to be assessed.

This little fellow stood on the bar and was so flexible his legs could be rearranged, and often were, by the miners who had lodgings in dongas out the back!!

RUBYVALE.

Learning the trade at Pat's Gems in Rubyvale.

WILLOWS.

We stayed in the Gem-Air Caravan park, small and friendly but so dry. They have not had rain for two years and have to buy their water from Sapphire. The rinse water from the washing machines is collected so fossickers have water for washing stones. There is no grass and only the toughest trees and bushed of jade have survived. The lady over the back fence of the van park feeds the kangaroos and birds every day and needless to say, is very popular with the wildlife!

Nothing in that lot!!

There are holes in the ground everywhere you look. The area is a designated fossicking area and all you need is an inexpensive fossickers licence, a few sieves, a pick, shovel and a bucket of water. Take lunch, splash on the sunscreen and hat and you can make your fortune in a day...... Or so we've heard!

ANAKIE

We spent a full day in ANAKIE for Gemfest which is on for three days. It is basically an expo for people involved in the gem trade, who have stalls selling and advertising all kinds of gems, and related products. The raffle prizes were extremely generous and numerous, many donated by local businesses.

All up we have spent three and a half days fossicking here at Willows with no success. That's why sapphires are so expensive......... They are VERY hard to find. We have met a wonderful group of people from all round the country. Most of them spend three months in this caravan park to escape the southern winter and some of them have been coming for twenty years!! They fossick in the morning and have a range of activities such as playing golf, patchwork, darts, cards, markets, Gemfest, happy hour every afternoon around the fire pit and lots more. They are a very friendly and welcoming community, happy to share their expertise and local knowledge.

It's a lot of fun and we have enjoyed it.

Next stop is Carnavon Gorge.

 

CARDWELL - Bowling Green NP -Airlie Beach.

Cardwell, a beautiful, tropical town was devasted by cyclone Yasi but the re-built waterfront is absolutely stunning. It Looks out beyond the long jetty, to Hinchinbrook Island. It is small and serene and Ken has fond memories of fishing trips in this area, in his younger days.

We arrived in time for the Saturday market and had bacon and egg sandwiches and coffee. We all bought fruit and I bought a female choko with detailed instructions on how to successfully grow it ...AND protect it form the possums.

The scenery was lush as we headed south along the coast.

We by-passed Rockhampton, a big sprawling place and ended up in The Alligator Creek campground in the Bowling Green NAtional Park...an intimate and lovely place designed for small vehicles. So small in fact that we had trouble squeezing our vans onto the sites. Last time Qld. National Parks said 'small sites' we could have parked a road train in the space!!

We had an exceptional night being entertained by Phil and Trudy Edgeley, a couple who have featured at Lizottes in Kincumber and Newcastle just to name a few venues and played at many music festivals.Their music was beautiful to listen too and both of them have terrific voices and amazing guitar skills.

It was a special night with the possums coming to listen as well. Wildlife abounds here and we have seen the pretty face wallabies and Rufous Bettong which are tiny wallaby like creatures with long dark floppy tails. The creek runs along the side of the campground and there is a canopy of leafy trees, cold showers and loos. Just beautiful.

AND .. There are brush turkeys and, those of you who know of my long-running campaign to rid my garden of these creatures, will be surprised to see one featured here.

We moved on the next day and shared the bridge at Ayr with a sugar train.

Wide rivers, irrigation channels and flat country were the order of the day as we continued south towards Airlie Beach. At Bowen we saw the Big Mango. Amazing .. or Not?

 

AIRLIE BEACH

What met our eyes was beautiful waterfront with curving walkways following the beach, a stunning swimming pool, free and open to all, and extensive views out into the Whitsunday islands. We stayed in the pleasant Flametree caravan park for two nights but windy weather and then rain put paid to our snorkelling plans again.

Dugong sculptures on the waterfront.

This sand creature was created as an entry in the Reef Festival in Airlie beach. He was a fire-breathing dragon.

The creeks were full of water as we drove south to Mackay. Some of the truckies hassled us because we slowed them down and their language was pretty ordinary. We told them that the ignorant few were giving the rest a bad name and thought that if their work place conditions stressed them, they might consider changing jobs, a move that would probably make the roads safer for all of us!

Our overnight stop was a free one at the Retreat Hotel. We had a great pub dinner (rissoles with mash, gravy and very good veggies) and a few wines as we sat around the roaring fireplaces with about forty others. Some were travellers, others miners and a few locals, all enjoying the ambience. The nights are cooler as we move inland and south. Next stop the gem fields of Sapphire, Rubyvale and Emerald, which we approach with high expectations.