Cairns to Laura

We packed up our ute with all our supplies and stored our camper trailer at our resort style caravan park.

Camp Kitchen- complete with fridges, microwaves, ovens, cooktops etc . I  don't think our next camp kitchen will look like this!!!!!!

After doing a big shop in Cairns we headed up the coast, to avoid the fires, to Port Douglas and then up the Development Road to Laura. The bitumen ends at Laura.

We saw lots of sugar cane fields, sugar trains and paddocks of bananas.......you'll have to visit me if you want to see the photos. John thinks they are boring.

We have been travelling along the road in this picture. 

Roadside toilet (usually every 100kms)

We reached Laura about 4.30 and set up camp behind the pub. I was right, the camp kitchen is very different.

Normanton to Cairns

Left Normanton about 8 o'clock and travelled along the Savannah Way until Georgetown where we had a cuppa and chat with other travellers. As we came over the Atherton Tablelands we noticed a dramatic change in the terrain.....from dry to green. Even dairy farms to be seen. Most eventful sight was this display outside a shop in Malanda.

Arrived in Cairns about 4 o'clock.  Found a park which will also store our camper trailer for the next two weeks. Enjoying our last night in civilisation......heading for the Cape tomorrow.

Mt Isa to Normanton

After using the free internet at McDonald's we had a look around Matthew's new workplace.

The mine is across the river from the town and dominates the skyline.

The mine tours were all booked out so Matthew suggested we have a look at one of the local recreational/sporting facilities.....Lake Moondarah. As you can see it was very peaceful on  a weekday.

We'd need a big suspension lift to fit these tyres on the HiLux

Typical landscape as you get closer to Normanton.

We stopped at The Burke and Wills Roadhouse for a drink......didn't have to get diesel, luckily because it was $1.78 a litre. Dearest  we've see so far.

Staying in a very quiet and shady caravan park in Normanton.....went to the pub for 'tight arse Tuesday' and had mouth watering local barrumundi.

John with the biggest croc

Barcaldine to Mt. Isa

Having breakfast at McDonald's after spending the night in a dodgy Caravan Park. A local of the caravan park told us they are making so much money from permanents they don't have to keep people happy.

Yesterday we visited The Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach. Huge building with a fantastic history of Australia.

Longreach is also where Qantas began.......we didn't bother visiting their exhibits.

Stopped at Winton for more diesel and lunch.

 So hot even the parking has shade!!!!!!!!The temperature is about 36 degrees.

Arrived in Mt. Isa about 6.15pm.

Now we are off to check out Mt. Isa before backtracking to Cloncurry and then heading north to Normanton.

We continued on to Cunnamulla for more diesel, then had lunch in Charleville, more diesel in Blackall before finally arriving in Barcaldine about 6.40pm.

We had tea at the Shakespeare Hotel, which is over the road from the Tree of Knowledge.
The Tree is where the Australian Workers Union was formed.

Christine gaining even more knowledge!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is only a short trip, about 700kms to Mt. Isa.

Cobar to Barcaldine

After filling up with diesel we left Cobar at 7.15, heading for Barcaldine a mere 1021 kms.
We had a cup of tea at the Queensland border about 11 o'clock and checked out all the different routes across Queensland

Belmont to Cobar

After a traumatic Friday our trip to Cobar went very smoothly.
For those of you who haven't heard all our cards were cancelled by the bank due to someone fraudulently trying to access our Mastercard in America for $1.43.

We spent an hour and a half in the bank trying to work out how to access money while we are away, without any cards. Anyway we devised a plan.....hopefully it works.

We hit the Geelong Ring Road at 8 o'clock and stopped for lunch in Deniliquin about 12 o'clock. Have to get used to backing into parking bays again.
We had our afternoon tea at Hillston, which is a very pretty and quiet spot, and continued to Cobar.
We avoided all the goats, pigs and kangaroos successfully and arrived at 6.30.