Mt Isa to Boulia

Mt Isa to Boulia

Cool morning again (11degrees). We were away at 8.40 after getting petrol ($1.47.7 lt).

300 kms to Boulia – road mostly one car wide strip on bitumen – passing area every so often. Quite a bit of traffic – all very good, either moving to side of strip to pass or getting off it completely. No roadtrains thankfully.

Scenery changed from rocky hilly outcrops nearer Mt Isa to wide barren dry stretches to areas where land covered in semi-circular spiky clumps of grass, to straw coloured plains as far as the eye could see. Only a few cattle – there has been drought conditions for last 4 years. Whole area is Channel Country where floodways (signs all the way along the road) & floods caused when rain comes. Waters run into Lake Eyre.

Small settlement of Dajarra was about half way. It used to be the biggest railway junction for cattle transport from Northern Territory & Queensland. Now it’s mainly an aboriginal settlement – newish very nice houses everywhere!

Sitting with a couple on their way north we learned that there was The Outback  BASH on near Birdville!!! At Big Red Sandhills (35kms east of Birdsville, on edge of Simpson desert) & there 4,000 people staying at Birdsville – place completely booked out until after Monday night – the last night of the Bash!!!!! People would be leaving Birdsville from Tuesday – probably!!!

Wedge tailed eagles feeding on road kill kangaroos along the way.

Boulia Caravan Park really nice. $27 a night – lots of grassy, shady sites  & beside near empty Burke River (explorer Burke named it after himself when they camped here in 1860/1. About 30 lots of campers here. Their BIG weekend (Camel races) in 2 weeks time when they cram 150 lots of campers in!

We decided to stay 2 nights (Sun & Mon) then go to Bedouie on Tues – hopefully not a lot of traffic coming other way – 190 kms – patches of gravel road.

Sunday night we walked up to the pub for dinner (counter meals –crumbed chicken $18, c. steak $15 or c. sausages $13 & chips!). A kangaroo jumped across in front of us on way back!

COLD overnight & 5 degrees in morning! Thankful for our little heater!

Monday - lovely day visiting The Stone House Museum & Fossil Display ( Whole area part of inland sea 100 million years ago - fossils of giant dolphin like dinosaurs, turtles  other fish - incredible). Also Min Min Lights presentation at the Info Centre – both excellent! The latter where you walk around six 3D sets with holograms /graphs)?) figures telling people’s stories of seeing min min lights.

No phone reception for us (was for Telstra) or internet connection – even at library!

We are watching Homeland 2^nd series, Clare lent us – good!