Pulled in to Charleville Qld this morning about 11.30am, and gazed wide-eyed at the big city. Not quite a big city but to us it felt somewhat bigger than what we were used to. We have decided to bed down here for a couple of days to do a complete re-stock of our food supplies (at a real supermarket) and get some admin and washing done. First stop was a dodgey pub for that LONG awaited counter meal, which actually was quite good. Ahhhh, so with full stomachs we continued the buy up.....bananas.....ooohhhh...salad.....what is this strange world?
On our travels to Charleville we had headed north from Birdsville (after the Simpson) towards Bedourie than cut a diagonal path north towards the rarely talked about Diamantina National Park. The thought of staying on the main roads east was a bit of a drag, so we literally travelled thru the middle of nowhere to get to what ended up being a magnificent place. With great pleasure we stumbled off the desolate plains to be greeted by Gumhole waterhole, a beautiful, shady little place. We quickly made ourselves at home and wasted no time in cruising the cool waters in our boat and building a campfire....the stars....the stars.!
After spending time at both Gumhole and another little campsite at nearby Hunters Gorge we reluctantly left Diamantina, to again be greeted by the isolation as we made our way back to meet the road heading east to Windorah.
Had a night at Windorah where I had Lee Kernaghan songs playing over and over again in my head...... before heading to a great campsite on a lake just out of Quilpie. Anyway to cut a long story short. Beautiful campsite, great wildlife and even the strange group of travellers that insisted on camping on top of us on the last night, couldn't destroy our spirits. YAY for lakes in the middle of nowhere!!!!!
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
SIMPSON DESERT
The Simpson desert was an absolute hoot!! We did it all....forded rivers, slid through mud pans, and sank in bulldust. Such a crack up really. Headed East out of Birdsville on a sunny morning covering the 37 odd km out to the BIG RED sand dune and the start of the desert. The track out to Big Red was as challenging as we had seen and we kept saying to ourselves "yeah, some desert". The water at some crossings cascaded over our windscreen as we ploughed through, the mud trying to suck us in if we deviated too far to the sides of the track. It was quite an introduction to this new adventure.
When we eventually arrived at the foot of Big Red we let our tyre pressures down and mumbled to ourselves something about a track that goes around???? Yes of course that's a good plan we said, after all why risk it with a trailer and two little kids? So we very proudly took the more cutious route to the north that we thought took us around the worst of Big Red. NOT SO. In our slightly confused yet dedicated way (there was no way Max was not going up even if it did look rather steep)...this is the easy route right? We gritted our teeth and let the Cruiser do its work. If you haven't guessed we now think the world of our car!!!!
The cruiser didn't miss a beat and ploughed up that sand dune with no worries what so ever. It was literally a breathtaking moment as we hit that crest. The car pointed us to the sky for those final seconds where we were suspended before the momentum finally pushed us over and the sight ahead of us was incredible. As we paused on the dune top, ahead of us lay a sheet of water (from the recent floods) and just one single track megerly making its way over a sandune off in the distance. It was incredible! For a split second your mind goes 'Oh my god'.....before you realize you can probably go around.
Anyway as we know now, we in fact launched ourselves over the main BIG RED dune, not the bypass route. The main track is in fact the easier route and people deviate to take the Bigger Route. Mmmmmm anyway neither of us can say we regret it. In fact I'm glad we can say we climbed it. Pity we can't say the same from the other direction HA!
We drove on through the desert negotiating water and sand like it was as natural as spinifex. Such a strange contrast in one of the harshest deserts in Australia. Great fun though.
We noticed the trailer, but all up the cruiser handled things wonderfully and after each dune we breathed a collective sigh of relief. It was great fun. The desert finally had its way with us when we were stopped by a relatively small dune, angled and highly corrugated. We tried multiple times but couldn't get traction to take us over. Max with his dogged determintion didn't want to give in but eventually we had to admit defeat and set up camp. The camp that night was one of the best we've had so far. Gorgeous skies, vivid colours and just alive with animal life.
Next morning we backtracked to Big Red, closely followed by a couple of Fords. Our attempt at crossing Big REd via the so called easier route was not as successful, with both the F150 and ourselves needing a little tug from a friend (F250) to get us up over the crest. Ahhhh all in a days work................
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When we eventually arrived at the foot of Big Red we let our tyre pressures down and mumbled to ourselves something about a track that goes around???? Yes of course that's a good plan we said, after all why risk it with a trailer and two little kids? So we very proudly took the more cutious route to the north that we thought took us around the worst of Big Red. NOT SO. In our slightly confused yet dedicated way (there was no way Max was not going up even if it did look rather steep)...this is the easy route right? We gritted our teeth and let the Cruiser do its work. If you haven't guessed we now think the world of our car!!!!
The cruiser didn't miss a beat and ploughed up that sand dune with no worries what so ever. It was literally a breathtaking moment as we hit that crest. The car pointed us to the sky for those final seconds where we were suspended before the momentum finally pushed us over and the sight ahead of us was incredible. As we paused on the dune top, ahead of us lay a sheet of water (from the recent floods) and just one single track megerly making its way over a sandune off in the distance. It was incredible! For a split second your mind goes 'Oh my god'.....before you realize you can probably go around.
Anyway as we know now, we in fact launched ourselves over the main BIG RED dune, not the bypass route. The main track is in fact the easier route and people deviate to take the Bigger Route. Mmmmmm anyway neither of us can say we regret it. In fact I'm glad we can say we climbed it. Pity we can't say the same from the other direction HA!
We drove on through the desert negotiating water and sand like it was as natural as spinifex. Such a strange contrast in one of the harshest deserts in Australia. Great fun though.
We noticed the trailer, but all up the cruiser handled things wonderfully and after each dune we breathed a collective sigh of relief. It was great fun. The desert finally had its way with us when we were stopped by a relatively small dune, angled and highly corrugated. We tried multiple times but couldn't get traction to take us over. Max with his dogged determintion didn't want to give in but eventually we had to admit defeat and set up camp. The camp that night was one of the best we've had so far. Gorgeous skies, vivid colours and just alive with animal life.
Next morning we backtracked to Big Red, closely followed by a couple of Fords. Our attempt at crossing Big REd via the so called easier route was not as successful, with both the F150 and ourselves needing a little tug from a friend (F250) to get us up over the crest. Ahhhh all in a days work................
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Innamincka - Birdsville/Simpson Desert
Sorry we have been completely out of touch for so long, but as you all know, this is a BIG country with very little reception. We have had a wonderful time and i will do my best to fill you in with what has happened.
We left Innamincka and headed south down the Stezlecki Track, which was scarred with many massive wheel ruts and slippery sections after the rain. Spent a great night at the Montcollina Bore that is a hot artesian spring, which allowed us to indulge in hot water pursuits.....washing dishes, clothes, bodies etc...Had dingoes hanging around at night. Finally arrived in Lyndhurst at the end of the track, where we desperately needed to refill our water tanks (one still not in operation) repairs would have to wait till we reached a bigger town.
We gladly left Lyndhurst after having to pay 10 bucks for 20 litres of water...cough, cough.....and made our way up towards Marree and the start of the Birdsville Track. Stopping to make camp at the beautiful Farina where we stayed for a good two days just chilling out. Gorgeous old ruins allowed me to get some nice pictures and all of us to relax under the massive sky. GORGEOUS
Topped up our fuel and water tanks at Marree, after Max was able to make some repairs.
Birdsville Track was rutted and rough after no doubt suffering the same rain we had run into a week ago. We stopped to camp at the Mirra Mitta Bore almost exactly half way up the track, after taking a punt that there would be a few trees (or bushes) to shelter us from the gibber stones and the wind. The site was great, with again a hot artesian bore spewing out near boiling water that trickled down alongside our camp, supplying us with hot water. We fended off a few curious travellers the next morning and stayed on in our little desert paradise for another night or two.
Pulling up stumps we pushed on into Birdsville.....mmmmmm which day? What day is it again? Can't remember. Camped two nights on the lovely Diamintina River just outside of town and got ourselves stocked up again with supplies and water. Birdsville has a town water supply care of their hot bore (1700m) that also supplies their power so we were revelling in the taps with fresh water, long showers and grassy green oval (bizarre I know).
The second day.....as we gritted our teeth against little voices whining mummy...daddy, we decided we could take no more and took ourselves off to have a beer and an orange juice at the Birdsville Hotel. If only for an hour.
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We left Innamincka and headed south down the Stezlecki Track, which was scarred with many massive wheel ruts and slippery sections after the rain. Spent a great night at the Montcollina Bore that is a hot artesian spring, which allowed us to indulge in hot water pursuits.....washing dishes, clothes, bodies etc...Had dingoes hanging around at night. Finally arrived in Lyndhurst at the end of the track, where we desperately needed to refill our water tanks (one still not in operation) repairs would have to wait till we reached a bigger town.
We gladly left Lyndhurst after having to pay 10 bucks for 20 litres of water...cough, cough.....and made our way up towards Marree and the start of the Birdsville Track. Stopping to make camp at the beautiful Farina where we stayed for a good two days just chilling out. Gorgeous old ruins allowed me to get some nice pictures and all of us to relax under the massive sky. GORGEOUS
Topped up our fuel and water tanks at Marree, after Max was able to make some repairs.
Birdsville Track was rutted and rough after no doubt suffering the same rain we had run into a week ago. We stopped to camp at the Mirra Mitta Bore almost exactly half way up the track, after taking a punt that there would be a few trees (or bushes) to shelter us from the gibber stones and the wind. The site was great, with again a hot artesian bore spewing out near boiling water that trickled down alongside our camp, supplying us with hot water. We fended off a few curious travellers the next morning and stayed on in our little desert paradise for another night or two.
Pulling up stumps we pushed on into Birdsville.....mmmmmm which day? What day is it again? Can't remember. Camped two nights on the lovely Diamintina River just outside of town and got ourselves stocked up again with supplies and water. Birdsville has a town water supply care of their hot bore (1700m) that also supplies their power so we were revelling in the taps with fresh water, long showers and grassy green oval (bizarre I know).
The second day.....as we gritted our teeth against little voices whining mummy...daddy, we decided we could take no more and took ourselves off to have a beer and an orange juice at the Birdsville Hotel. If only for an hour.
Click here Search for local singles online @ Lavalife.
18th June 2008 INNAMINCKA TO BIRDSVILLE
Man, what a trip so far. We have had just about every condition you would normally expect from a Wilsons Prom or
It all started days earlier as we finally made our break from Broken Hill and headed north up the
We arrived at Cameron Corner, had the obligatory beer at the store and recounted our plans to avoid the masses and see some good sights. The locals assured us that Innamincka and surrounds was worth a visit, so we decided against turning south when we hit the Strezleki Track, and thought we'd head north to spend a week or so visiting Innamincka, the Dig Tree and a stack of other 4WD sites before heading north towards Birdsville.
Out of Cameron Corner the track was atrocious…….mud so thick and deep our cruiser earnt its keep for the next year. After many close encounters we managed to avoid getting bogged long enough for us to struggle out at Merty Merty (love that name) onto the Strezleki Track. Max and his muddy Otway experience really did pay off. (MaxTION MAN!!!)
We arrived at Innamincka with big plans. Only to be thwarted, like the crew of sorry looking travellers we found camped, stranded at the Innamincka General Store. The roads had already been closed for days (one guy had been there seven days), and showed little sign of opening soon. The river that usually provides such gorgeous camping, had burst its banks leaving people little option but to seek dry ground on the gibber rocks adjacent to the ranger station, general store and pub right in the centre of town.
It is here that we began our three day vigil waiting patiently for the roads to dry out and re-open. As the stories began to filter in about the rescue attempts at the
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Sunday, June 8, 2008
Broken Hiill to Broken Hill - 8th June 2008
Aaahhh....the rain goes on. We arrived in Broken Hill on Friday to find out that they had had 58mm of rain in the early hours (the highest rainfall on record!!!!). We curiously looked at all the water lying on the roadside and hoped there was not more to come. The Silverton camp ground served as our home for two nights, where we were able to dry out our camper and check out a few of the sites. Got some photos of Max in front of the fake replica MAD MAX machine at the Silverton Hotel.... (I hope he looks mad enough!) Saturday we educated ourselves in the mining processes of the Hill and viewed a huge collection of historic photos at a local exhibition. Really Interesting.
Last night Ella gave us a tolerance lesson after waking at 11pm, vomiting all over herself due to a water drinking attempt gone wrong. Aaaahh...quick dash to the dodgy shower block and at least Ella's pajamas were clean. I can not speak for anything else. Her hair had to stay unwashed due to the late (cold) hour and of course her blankey (code pet name) who received the full brunt of the assault could not be duplicated by a poor imitation. She would not hear of it! So Max and I had to tolerate not only a small baby with a spewy aroma but a slightly creepy, damp blanket that was cuddled and held close......ewwwwww.
So now we are holed up at Broken Hill due to road closures that prevent us from heading north to Camerons Corner. We packed up keenly this morning only to be stopped abruptly by the news that nearly all roads around Broken Hill are closed. We are determined to head north and get in close to the dog fence, so we will wait the rain out and see if they open tomorrow. Wish us luck......xx
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Last night Ella gave us a tolerance lesson after waking at 11pm, vomiting all over herself due to a water drinking attempt gone wrong. Aaaahh...quick dash to the dodgy shower block and at least Ella's pajamas were clean. I can not speak for anything else. Her hair had to stay unwashed due to the late (cold) hour and of course her blankey (code pet name) who received the full brunt of the assault could not be duplicated by a poor imitation. She would not hear of it! So Max and I had to tolerate not only a small baby with a spewy aroma but a slightly creepy, damp blanket that was cuddled and held close......ewwwwww.
So now we are holed up at Broken Hill due to road closures that prevent us from heading north to Camerons Corner. We packed up keenly this morning only to be stopped abruptly by the news that nearly all roads around Broken Hill are closed. We are determined to head north and get in close to the dog fence, so we will wait the rain out and see if they open tomorrow. Wish us luck......xx
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Thursday, June 5, 2008
Mildura to Broken Hill - June 5th 2008
Reluctantly left the isolation of the very quiet riverside camps (due to the time of year I'm sure) to venture into the big smoke today....Mildura. To grab a few supplies and fuel before heading into the desert. City driving is considerably more stressful than the open road but we managed to score ourselves a couple of pies, a milkshake (for Jake) and some food stores to keep us and the car going for a few hundred more K's. Had already decided to call tonight a shower and wash stop, so all of us feel alot better after a long HOT shower and a set of clean clothes care of the Wentworth Caravan Park.
Looking forward to heading into more desert country tomorrow, as we go north towards Broken Hill. Will spend some time exploring the history and what not and plan to keep going north and follow the dog fence to Camerons Corner and some Burke and Wills country.......ahhhhh such a sad story. Anyway better luck for us..till next time, X
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Looking forward to heading into more desert country tomorrow, as we go north towards Broken Hill. Will spend some time exploring the history and what not and plan to keep going north and follow the dog fence to Camerons Corner and some Burke and Wills country.......ahhhhh such a sad story. Anyway better luck for us..till next time, X
at CarPoint.com.au It's simple! Sell your car for just $30
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Day 3 - Tuesday 3rd June 2008
Day 3
Can't belive I am only just getting an opportunity to write an update. We are again tonight on the banks of the mighty Murray River just outside of Swan Hill and the sun is just going down. Campfire going, beds set up and time now just to enjoy the peace and tranquility.....ahhhhh. We camped at Echuca for a couple of nights and today Jake and Ella became instant Steam boat captains as they guided the old paddlesteamer "Pride of the Murray" through the masses of docked house boats to cruise up and down the river for an hour or so. Good stuff!
The cruiser and the camper are holding up great. Max and I are learning very quickly new shortcuts and tricks of the trade. Anyway no fish yet, so must go and catch our selves a Cod. Luv to all x
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Can't belive I am only just getting an opportunity to write an update. We are again tonight on the banks of the mighty Murray River just outside of Swan Hill and the sun is just going down. Campfire going, beds set up and time now just to enjoy the peace and tranquility.....ahhhhh. We camped at Echuca for a couple of nights and today Jake and Ella became instant Steam boat captains as they guided the old paddlesteamer "Pride of the Murray" through the masses of docked house boats to cruise up and down the river for an hour or so. Good stuff!
The cruiser and the camper are holding up great. Max and I are learning very quickly new shortcuts and tricks of the trade. Anyway no fish yet, so must go and catch our selves a Cod. Luv to all x
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