Saturday, July 28, 2012

Day 58 and 59

Day 58
Had morning tea in Mundubbera, lunch by Boyne creek, beers at Kumbia pub, free camped at Kumbia, only had to pay for a lovely hot shower. Will probably go back to the pub tonight and watch the Broncos beat another team:-). Bugger the Broncos weren't playing but the Titans won. Lots of characters in the pub.

Day 59
Drove through the Bunyas on the way to free camping at Merrimac :-)
The end. (for now)

Friday, July 27, 2012

Day 56 and 57 adventures

Day 56
Had a quick look at Blackdown Tableland NP. Coal trains over a km long. Free camped now at Duaringa....great facilities for nomads...free showers...a bonus shower is always welcome!

Day 57
Bottle trees, coal towns, lunch at Biloela. Cania Gorge NP and dam......beautiful. Free camped at Wuruna Dam south of Monto. Lots of RVs here but we drove down a muddy track away from them and we can only just hear a generator in the distance. Lots of frogs, ducks, bunnies, wallabies and a lakeside view. Awesome!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Day 55 adventures

Day 55
Just outside of Barcaldine. There was a not nice, irritating smell at this great camp site last night, we thought one of the camp fires was burning something dodgy. Then, after we went to bed a noise like a jet warming up started...went all night. I've just googled it and it appears we are right next door to a gas fired power station! I'm surprised they are allowed to make so much noise and smell....only 2 km from town. Now we are in the Drummond Ranges, lovely to have some variety in the landscape. Lawrie is collecting firewood for tonight.
We are on the way back to the Gold Coast so Lawrie can get his house in order (literally) before we set off again. I must warn you that we may have picked up some bad habits on our travels. If we come round and visit I may automatically upend my beer on your floor when its finished to make sure it's empty. Crumbs may get brushed off on to the floor and food scraps tossed over the shoulder. If you see Lawrie piling up bits of wood in the middle of your lounge room...hide the matches and if you have wooden furniture watch out for the chainsaw! We may not have showered for a couple of days so don't leave the garden hose out we may strip off and have a shower in your garden on the plus side our pockets will be bulging with toilet rolls so no need to supply that :-)
Tonight we are camped near Emerald at High Ground home stay......not free, a whole $5 per night. No facilities but we have a lovely private spot near the creek. Camp oven pork...mmmmmm.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Day 54 Adventures

Day 54
Brolgas at the Hihouse in the caravan park. Stockmans hall of fame, Qantas museum. Lawrie got a death threat text message....police not very interested. Dime a dozen apparently. Free camped just east of barcaldine. Great free camp.....great fire...potatoes in the fire!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Day 53 Adventures

Day 53
Got a bit chilly last night, even the fire didn't keep us warm. The wind came up during the night and howled. Rocked the Hihouse around and kept us awake. So cold we didn't want to get brekkie so drove to Winton for bacon and eggs, saw lots of brolgas on the way. Drove to Longreach and got a spot in a caravan park. Got a 2 day package deal for the stockmans hall of fame, had a quick look today and will go back tomorrow for lunch and the show. Highlight of the day was a couple of beers at Ilfracombe pub. Early night tonight after a lovely hot shower!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Day 51 and 52 Adventures

Day 51 cont
Toyota say it's the after market chip sending wrong signals to the computer and probably there's nothing wrong. So we limped to the nearest free camp (it was hilly) and will continue on home. Lawrie is going to try and unplug the chip in the morning. He tried calling the people who fitted the chip and also said it wouldn't affect the computer but it was too late on a Friday afternoon.

Day 52
Lawrie unplugged and replugged the chip module and checked a few connections. Fingers crossed Princess is behaving. Some of the road trains out here have 4 trailers....scary. Walked to Combo waterhole just east of Kynuna, where the jolly swagman met his untimely end and managed NOT to sing Waltzing Matilda. Crossed some historic overshots on the way (looked like dams to me). Pretty boring country except some mesas near Winton, thought I was in the wild west. Free camped now just south of Winton. Lots of room so we have a great spot away from all the other campers.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Day 50 and 51 adventures

Day 50 cont
Forgot to say that the club we went to was quite upmarket for Mount Isa I suspect. We brought going out clothes with us but we were so hungry we just went straight there, unshowered, dusty pants covering bathers, Lawrie in boardies (he hurriedly put sneakers on to replace his thongs), we looked pretty rough but they let us in :-)
Day 51
Of course Princess is back to normal, no unusual noise, no engine light, normal power. We are at an auto electrician the van park owner recommended to see it they have any idea what it could be. Hate intermittent faults....would rather it go properly wrong so we know for sure what it is! Later: it happened again. The auto electrician couldn't do anything until this afternoon either so we are hanging around Mount Isa waiting for Toyota to fit us in. We're at Lake moondarra having lunch.....lovely spot. On and off problems with Princess.