On, on while one feels like it!

As we set off I realised we might gt to our planned destination (near Miles QLD) about 2pm.  If we felt like it, and pressed on, we could get to Goondiwindi and make the last two days much easier.

Here is the sign for the park in daylight.

The owner was a very conscientious guy and was trying very hard to do the right thing by the Census.  He had thought that 4 pom backpackers were out of scope and when I said they were in, he went to give them a form at 7:30.  He was astonished that they had already left - apparently the usual backpacker model is to get up at 10:00am (unless checkout is at 12)!

On down the road heading along the A3 towards Mount Morgan/  There were signs about "caravans take extreme care" and "roadworks 30 minute delay" but we got straight through the works.  It was one of the more interesting roads I have driven but with chunderpooch in back, and a nervous Frances in front, I didn't have too much fun.

Mount Morgan was an old mining town which looks pretty well maintained.  This mural is on the theatre.

Here is the railway station (now a museum).

We eventually found our way to a lookout giving a great view over the mine workings.

They had found a large ichthyosaur fossil in the area and we could have viewed that in the museum if we had wished.  We settled for this indigenous depiction of it.

A rather impressive fig tree.

When we got to the lookout a Pheasant Coucal (aka Flying Haystack) flew off and got itself photographed and elected as Bird of the Day.

Some distance down the road we got to Banana Shire  and then Banana township.  The shire was named after the town which was so-called after a bullock of that name.  Shades of Captains Flat!  That explains the bovines on the town sign!

We crossed a number of small ranges, on one of which we were directed to pull over by cops on escort duty.  This is about the most oversized load I have seen.

In fact there we both halves of the house on separate trucks!  At least 3 cop cars were escorting them and we saw another just up the road: it will be costing the house owners a lot to shift it!

We took a comfort stop in Tamoor, with a nice mural on the bog.

I'm not sure how big road trains get, but this one, full of Brahman cattle, was pretty impressive ...

.. especially as it pulled away.

Our next stop was Miles, where we had planned to stop for the night.  But it was, as expected only 2pm and we felt good , so after refuelling and taking a walk along Dogpound Creek (a more PC name that that on one road sign "Chinaman's Lagoon") 

where we photographed some flowers ....

it was on on to Goondiwindi for the night.  As an example of the daftness of grey nomads those in van 1 below were having a chat with those in van 2.  Did they go over - of course not just yell back and forth!

As night fell the bugs came out.  Some friendly ...

.. others possibly not.

I retreated but Frances stayed outside and didn't get savaged.

As darkness really came down other wildlife appeared in the trees along the billabong behind our site.

Much quieter than the night before.

• Bird of the day: Pheasant Coucal.  The flock was again Apostlebird as we saw hundreds of them in groups of up to 15 once we passed Miles.  On the way up it was from Walgett to St George (about the same longitude).
• Vegetation of the day:   Massive amount of lantana around Banana.
• Memorable moment:  The house being moved.
• Comment of the day: "$4 please."the shop owner in Tamoor selling me a sausage roll!  They are usually about $2.50!
• Pie of the day: Non existent.
• Troppo moment of the day. Being deluged by bugs.  It turned out this was barely troppo as we were only about 3km from NSW!

How to think well of Gungahlin?

Visit Mackay in Queensland!  I will expand on this towards the end of this post.

The morning began with a walk to the beach through the sand dunes.  These attractive fertilised flowers were a highlight.

On the bird front a Rainbow Bee-eater was cooperative.

I had hopes of getting a photo of a Blue Triangle butterfly, but unfortunately a White-breasted Woodswallow had (fulfilled) visions of a snack rather than a snap.  The insect had displayed some interest in these mistletoe flowers before its attention span was terminated.

The mistletoe was growing on this eucalypt.  Nice to see that genus in flower.

Even nicer to see these very colourful and huge Pandanus fruit.

We than had an interlude (from the Latin meaning "between games" I think) after Tammie started trying to dig through the back seat of the car.  It was obviously going to be impossible to travel with that going on, so the car was completely unloaded.  Sure enough, there was Mr Rat in the boot.  Tammy was loaded in, but the rodent got the jump on her and disappeared into the rear footwell.  No trace found, but Tammy was very disturbed for the next several kilometres.

No Bustards were evident as we left Alva but a fair bit later as we crossed the Burdekin Bridge Frances glanced into the huge (mainly dry) River and spotted a Black-necked Stork (which would be called a Jabiru if the South Americans hadn't claimed that name first).  A series of complicated changes of direction followed and some photos taken.

The photos were taken from the pedestrian element of the bridge.  This I think cantilevered out from the roadway and was somewhat below it.  In combination this meant it bounced rather more than desirable.

After a pie-free diversion through bits of Bowen we finally scored some baked goods in Proserpine.  We ate these in a roadside parking lot which was graced by these bottlebrushes,

My pie is covered in the official summary below.  I purchased what I thought was going to be an egg and bacon quiche for Frances.  It turned out to be a steak pie with an egg and bacon covering, plus a whole boiled egg in the middle.  Most unusual.

We then got to Mackay.  It looked a rather industrial town.  After getting to the van park - also rather industrial looking - I went to try to find some rat traps for the car.  The first Bunnings I found was closed.  Que?  So I searched a huge shopping centre and no-one sold rat traps.  The place was full of screaming kids and fat persons!  I eventually found my way to the replacement Bunnings (about 5km outside town, next to the Masters store) and got what I needed.

After returning to the van park we went a walk around the Goose Ponds.  An excellent civic park with many interesting geese and ducks (as well as a lot of feral Muscovies and domestic ducks.

This Muscovy had a nice brood of young.

• Bird of the day: Black-necked Stork an easy winner of the individual comp.  The Woodswallow got a mention for the feeding frenzy.  Flock was the wide variety of fowl at the Goose ponds.
• Vegetation of the day:   Pandanus fruit at Alva Beach
• Memorable moment: Bouncing around on the Burdekin Bridge!
• Comment of the day: "How did you get that allowed?"  Comment on Tammy being allowed into the park.
• Pie of the day:.  Steak and kideney in Proserpeine.  Pretty good but a not a great deal of kidney.  Perhaps 7/10.
• Troppo moment of the day. Finding that a Bunnings store had closed!

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Now we are 4: hopefully not for long

In yesterday's post I narrated the tale of the rat in the Pajero.  On the way "home" from Mareeba we purchased a sack of spuds, which we left in the car overnight.  This morning something had got at the sack and chewed a hole in it (and half eaten a spud).  We couldn't track the miscreant anywhere in the car which means it must have a hidey hole somewhere in the bodywork or chassis. So Ratsak was acquired and put in selected places to await its dining pleasure.  The spuds will have to travel in the camper (which is free of rats, as far as we know).

Most of today was focused on leaving as the passerine breaks wind, tomorrow morning.  It will actually be a little later than that, as we  don't want to pack the car until the morning (to give the rodent a clear run at the ratsak).    However we did fit in a dog walk which included nice sightings of a 'pus in Peterson's Creek,

 On our way home a large fitness class was happening in the market park.

Our treat for the day was a return to Lake Barrrine.  Initially it was very quiet and we're not sure why, although the wind may not have helped.  The waterlilies were attractive.

As were these non-flowering plants.

We ended with quite a few good species of birds, including Orange-footed Scrubfowl (Bird of the Day); 5 Chowchillas giving very good views; Pied and Spectacled Monarchs; Pale Yellow and Grey-headed Robins and Brown Cuckoo Dove

I needed to use the facilities in the cafe rest rooms and found this helpful sign.  Unfortunately it was behind the pedestal so had to be noticed on entry rather than while in the position (either one).

On the subject of the Crater Lakes one theory we have heard for the presence of crocs in these waterbodies with no creeks running into them, is that pig hunters find crocodile nests with eggs and take one back for the girlfriend.  Some of them hatch and eventually get too big to be amusing (or the girl friend can't hack the out-competing looks).  So what do you?   Dump it in the Lake.

• Bird of the day: Orange-footed Scrubfowl.  No specific flocks noted.
• Vegetation of the day:   The lichen and fungi at Lake Barrine
• Memorable moment: Seeing the munched spud.
• Comment of the day: A quiet day
• Pie of the day: Nothing doing
• Troppo moment of the day.  Finding the munched spud (White-tailed Rats are troppo specialists).

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Go, Chilla to Chillagoe

For the benefit of overseas readers (and probably many of the younger Australian readers) I should explain that 'Chilla' is a familiar form of "Charles".  The town we visited today was apparently not named to honour any Chucks but from an alleged sea shanty (of which I have never heard).

We began by dodgin Atherton town by using Marks Lane and Beantree Rd.  The latter took us past the blueberries we saw yesterday, where work was happening.

 I wondered why the ends of the netted areas were open.  There are obviously fruit on the bushes.

 I foresee a visit to the place to ask some questions.

After passing through Tolga we took Channel Rd.  It is not a major thoroughfare being at times what I call three ply (1 lane of bitumen with a lane of dirt on either side).  At other times it was closer to two and a half ply but there was no other traffic so hakuna matata.

We came to an intersection where we could go right to the Mareeba - Dimbulah Rd or left on another, minor route more directly to Dimbulah.  On this occasion we trended left, for a very interesting drive through a lot of intensive tropical horticulture (bananas, cane, mangoes).  After a while we came to the main road and eventually Dimbulah.

As well as the Memorial Hall ...

 .. it had the Funky Mango Cafe (graced with statues of Jake and Elwood above the front) and a very helpful Museum/Visitors Centre,

The road is marketed as the Wheelbarrow Way as the miners used to walk from Mareeba pushing their kit in a wheelbarrow.

 The local schools have got into this with tiles along the walkway.

 Heading West some hills or possibly mountains were visible.

Just after leaving Dimbulah we disturbed 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles dining on a former wallaby.  The adult took off but the immature bird landed again to lurk in some long grass near the meal.  Its the first time I have seen a Wedgie act like this.

 On, on down the road,  A family of black pigs (2 adults and 2 small items) diced with death but decided to head back off the road.  The cattle were more laid back and just watched us pass.

 The road went up and (mainly) down.

Losing elevation and moving inland meant things were getting warmer.  By the time we stopped at the Almaden Cemetery it was 28^oC.  Here is one approach to decorating a grave...

 ... and here is a second, possibly more traditional approach.

 To the West of Almaden the road got a little dodgier with stretches of dirt (in good condition) and some painted rocks.

Approaching Chillagoe we came through the Ramparts area with some very impressive rock formations.

In the main street were a couple of genuine road trains.  (In South Australia I think they try for, but fail to achieve, glory by calling B-doubles road trains.  Three trailers count.

 A black Kite was looking more bronze on a power pole.

 The Chillagoe Cemetery had much to recommend it with some headstones made of the local marble (of which we had seen many quarries along the road).

 This Honour Roll was a project of the Dimbulah-Chillagoe Masonic Lodge.

 It was particularly interesting as it lists not only the names ages and plot numbers of the occupants but their religion and jobs.  (Click on the image to expand it.)  Without a rigorous investigation the most evident occupation was 'child': I reckon it would have been a tough life for a kid out here between 1901 and 1920.  (Probably not too easy for the following 100 years either!)

 More decoration.

 This headstone is interesting for a number of reasons.

1. The occupant was a Mason;
2. He died not long after mining started in 1890;
3. The epitaph is interesting; and
4. The mason for the stone was in Townsville about 400km away.

This collection of objects were at the entrance to the cemetery.  Judging by the way the wires had cut into the tree they had been there for a fair while.

 We visited the weir which had excellent swimming holes being enjoyed by tourists and locals (but not us).

 The two German guys in this were obviously well set up for outback travel.  A sign where the Burke Development Rd left the town mentioned that there was no fuel for 590km, so I think they'll need their extra cans on the roof.

 A spider web.

 An impressive yellow flower (on a medium size tree).  Duncan has commented (see below) that this is a Kapok tree - Cochlospermum gillivrae.

 A couple of views of the smelters, which are now just historic relics.

 The QNPS have really done this area nicely with many helpful signs about the history and geology of the area.  They even allow dogs (or at least don't prohibit them) in the mine area!  Some limestone outcrops  ...

 .. and a balanced rock.

 The drive back was still interesting but we were motivated to get home.  We did stop however when Frances noticed the gorgeous red tails on this flock of Black-Cockatoos.

• Bird of the day: Brown Quail .  Mather Rd gets a mention for my first " three Cuckooshrike species in 5 minutes" record with Barred, White-bellied and Black-faced in swift succession.   The Red-tails get a second crack at flock of the day.
• Vegetation of the day: Yellow thing at Chillagoe
• Memorable moment: Looking out over the site at Chillagoe
• Comment of the day: "The National Parks people are funny."  Part of a conversation about whether we could take Tammy into the Park.  This was definitiely a reference to funny-peculiar rather than funny-haha,  
• Pie of the day: I got something described as a pie at the roadhouse in Chillagoe.  Came in cellophane.  Was warm (microwaved) and had brown stuff inside.  One would need to be severely inebriated to enjoy this and completely legless to give it more than 3/10.  In fairness, probably no worse than similar commercial offerings in other towns and States.
• Troppo moment of the day. Temperatures >30^oC in Chillagoe - and it is still Winter!

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