Day 29 – Tuesday 20 June 2023 – Stonehenge to Longreach
The day started chilly, maybe 8 degrees and great cloud patterns. The pre-dawn colours were magnificent, but I was too lazy to head out for a photo.
Eventually we got going and headed out to the popular Stonehenge "address book".
The Stonehenge “stone address book” is where numerous travellers have written their name using some of the many available rocks. The rocks are about the size of a fist – give or take. Shirley joined the list of famous people with her name when we were here in 2017.
The names extend for over a kilometer of road and we decided to press on, so we don't know If Shirley's name is still there - or not.
The road was pretty poor in places and excellent in others, so it was a slowish 155 km to Longreach (pop. 3120).
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| Stonehenge to Longreach road |
Camp was established before lunch. Shirley and I had stopped at a carwash to give the car and caravan a bit of a refresher. They both looked much better.
Washing machines were quickly employed. Plans were made. The "I" was visited. I visited an auto electrician to talk about the second battery in the Prado that had packed up after eight years.
Eventually happy hour came about. Not long into our first drink five Brolga appeared in the park - just wandering about as if they wanted to join happy hour.
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| Brolga - Adult (left) - Juvenile (right) |
The sky turned turbulent, just to give photographers something to look at. Rain is not forecast - much as they need some. Todays temperature reached 25 degrees.
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| Longreach Sunset |
Shirley conjured up some shepherds pie, and it was excellent.
Day 30 – Wednesday 21 June 2023 – Longreach
My day started on a high as I realised that our cricketers had won a close Ashes match in England.
I loaded the washing machine at 7:07 am and had to pay the $5 by credit card. Talk about modern facilities. I was in the shower around 7:10 and eating an egg by 7:25. The clothes were on the line by 7:55 am and at 8:01 I pulled into the auto electrician to get a new deep cycle battery.
Shirley rose at 8:30 am and was yet to have breakfast when I returned to camp with the newly installed battery. At least she had had a shower and washed her hair.
We did various tasks in the caravan and the car and then headed into Longreach for a pie for lunch. Not much happened after that, apart from folding the washing and relaxing, and taking close up photos of the persistent Brolga.
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| Up close and personal with a Brolga |
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| Thompson River |
Around 5:30 we walked to the 'Woolshed' for a drink, dinner and live music. All were very good, although the stools at the high table were uncomfortable. After dinner Kay, Darryl, Gill and Ray headed back to camp while Shirley and I enjoyed the music as we danced the night away.
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| Entertainment at the Woolshed |
Tonight was Game 2 of the state of origin rugby and there was lots of competition between the NSW and QLD visitors. As the game started Shirley and I cut our losses and headed back to the caravan.
Day 31 – Thursday 22 June 2023 – Longreach
It was our mildest night of the trip to date, only dropping to around 14 degrees.
After a casual start we headed off to stock the cupboard before heading to Winton tomorrow. Diesel was also on the list. That was achieved and we relaxed until lunch was consumed (chicken rolls).
We then visited the Longreach Powerhouse & Historical Museum. The Powerhouse & Historical Museum has three main sections - The former Longreach Power House Generating Complex; A local history collection including the 1921 swimming baths and Nogo Cottage; Displays of agricultural and road maintenance machinery used in the development of the central west.
The power generation section is housed in the power station building that was used to generate electricity before Longreach joined the state power grid. It was an interesting insight for former SECV people.
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Above: Power station complex Below: Historical memorabilia |
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| A gramophone and a Gene Kelly record "Singin' in the Rain" |
More relaxation followed as the temperature rose above 30 degrees.
An interesting statistic for you. In 2021 Longreach had a population of 3,124 people. We have estimated that there are in excess of 500 caravans, motorhomes, etc in the two caravan parks and the numerous 'free' RV camps in and around Longreach. With an average of two people per caravan/motorhome, the 1000 tourists increases the Longreach population by more than 30%.
We enjoyed happy hour in the warm late afternoon and all headed to our caravans for dinner.
I finish my Longreach story with another sunset photo.
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| Longreach Sunset |
Day 32 – Friday 23 June 2023 – Longreach to Winton
Loaded with wood, fuel, food, drink and water we departed Longreach around 8:30 and headed to Winton. As we have seen recently, we were again blessed with superb driving conditions - and a good tail wind as well.
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| Typical view along the Longreach - Winton road |
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| Winton is about as far from home as we will get this trip |
We established camp at the Winton 'Long Waterhole' before lunch time. Each caravan was around 10 metres from the water. The place for the fire was selected. It was around 24 degrees.
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Above: The Long Waterhole Below: Our camp Lower: Our camp from across the water |
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| From Left: Kay & Darryl, Gill & Ray, Shirley & Chris |
At least once every trip - usually more than once - we have an evening/night that is something special. I thought that today was one of those.
Even though it was 27+ degrees the fire was lit at 3pm. By 4pm the coals allowed the roasting pork and veggies (spuds, pumpkin, carrots) to be added to two camp-ovens. After some discussion Shirley was allocated to make the gravy and Gill did the green beans. I found a bottle of 2018 Pepperjack shiraz.
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| Happy Hour around the Kelly Caravan |
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Above: the fire at 3:15pm Below: The fire, camp-ovens and kettle at 5:30 |
The fire was kept small, just to provide coals for cooking. A couple walked by around 5pm and asked for timings. I advised them that all would be ready by 7pm.
Around 6pm we served the pork and veggies and gravy and ate like royalty. A few glasses of wine were consumed.
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| Pork and Veggies for Six |
The abovementioned couple came back about 6:45 and were unimpressed that the food was gone..............
There were many campfires around the 'Long Waterhole' and many discussions floated across the water.
Day 33 – Saturday 24 June 2023 – Winton
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| Willy Wagtail |
Our first job of the day was to drive the 4 km into town (pop. 860) and see the 'Crackup Sisters' show. The two sisters are a zany, madcap duo whose two main aims are to preserve Aussie heritage and put a smile on the face of people at their shows. They do both very well.
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| Shirley & Chris with one of the 'Crackup' sisters in front of their stage |
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| Gill, Shirley, Darryl and Ray in front of the Crackup Sisters house |
From there the six of us headed to the Waltzing Matilda centre for coffee, milkshakes and smoothies.
Then four of us headed to the local date farm, where we learned all about growing dates in arid Australia as well as trying a number of samples. We bought two varieties that come from Iraq.
The science of date growing in Australia is a very interesting story.
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| Winton Date Palms and the Varieties Grown |
As mid afternoon approached Darryl lit the fire and started a beef stew in the camp-oven, A number of green parrots circled for attention. I could not get a close photo, but the following provide an idea. He was quite a big parrot - around the size of a Galah.
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| Maybe a Red Winged Parrot |
While Darryl had the stew under control I prepared an apple & date damper - using some of the 'Barhee' dates that we had purchased earlier. It was cooked in a second camp-oven. As it was above 30 degrees the fire was just big enough to provide coals for our dinner.
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| Apple & Date Damper - After & Before |
Day 34 – Sunday 25 June 2023 – Winton
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| Memorial to Pelican Waterhole |
We moved along the dusty road and found another memorial, this time to the location of the shearers camp in the great shearers strike of 1891.
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| Shirley reading the plaque about the great shearers strike of 1891 |
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| Eat your heart out Ringo |
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| Arno's Wall |
Day 35 – Monday
26 June 2023 – Winton to Lara Wetlands
The Kelly
mob decamped around 7:55 am and headed south-east, saying goodbye to Winton for
maybe the 5th or 6th time. It had been a good, albeit
hot, few days.
By
10:30 am we were filling up the caravan with water in Longreach. Three things
are very important in modern day caravans – a well-stocked water tank(s), an
empty toilet cassette, and plenty of (backup) drinking water in the car. Food
is also handy, as is diesel in the Prado. All of those were actioned in
Longreach – before we headed east. Lunch happened somewhere in there.
It
is 78 km from Longreach to Barcaldine (pop. 1540) (and we
passed 78 caravans/motorhomes etc going the other way. It was a busy road.
It
was over 30 degrees, but no wind. By 2pm we had established camp beside the
lake at Lara Wetlands Bush Camp – one of our favourite spots. No power, no connected
water, minimum amenities – but a great location with great views across the
lake. Lots of birds and a great heated artesian pool.
Although
it was hot there were plenty of campfires, mainly for cooking.
We relaxed, then went for a walk, took a photo of the Brolga, then relaxed, then entered the happy hour phase, then cooked dinner – of BBQ chicken and veggies.
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| Brolga |
A kookaburra entertained us for maybe 45 minutes.
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| My Favourite |
The sunset entertained us for maybe 90 minutes, as the cool of the evening made the atmosphere more comfortable.
By
8:30 noisy parties had gone quiet and the croaking frogs took over. The
cool evening breeze made it a good night for sleeping.
Day 36 – Tuesday 27 June 2023 –
Lara Wetlands
I
headed to the amenities at 6:45 and was first in the showers – going by the
time that the hot water took to arrive from the gidgee-wood-fuelled HWS.
However, it was a good way to start the day.
I had a cereal breakfast while overlooking the lake (wetlands if you like). If I wanted to count them I was seeing probably 50 ducks searching for their own breakfast.
There were also a couple of black-winged stilts that seemed OK to pose for me.
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| Black-winged stilts |
Shirley was about an hour behind me and she followed my steps. Her hot water was quicker to arrive and probably hotter.
There
was not a lot to report for the morning, apart from Kay & Darryl arriving
mid-morning, and Gill & Ray arriving just before lunch.
After some relaxation Ray and I walked around the lake, maybe just over one kilometre. I showed Ray the artesian pool and he tested the (hot) temperature of the water.
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| Ray at the Hot Artesian Pool |
We took a photo of our three caravans from across the water.
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| Our three caravans from across the water |
Around 3pm I lit the camp-fire and at 4pm the roast pork (again) and the veggies were added to two camp-ovens. Gill was in charge and all worked well. Instead of steaming the beans they were added to the roast veggies pot.
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| Roast Pork & Veggies |
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| Ray carving the pork |
Dinner under the stars (again) was (again) excellent. The sunset was also (again) impressive.
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| View over Roast Pork & Veggies |
Day 37 – Wednesday 28 June 2023 – Lara Wetlands
A slow start, a relaxing shower and a breakfast of bacon and eggs outside under the awning. It does not get much better. There were birds galore – mainly ducks – but plenty of Apostlebirds and one swan. A few black-winged stilts tiptoed through the shallows.
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| Black Swan |
Before it got too warm Shirley and I did a 1.2 km lap of the lake/wetlands. That involved a few chats to different groups. One guy was making his own internet access facility, but I had my doubts. It involved a mobile phone using its Hot-Spot encased in a 90 mm PVC pipe – about 2.5 metres long. I think the idea was to lift the phone well off the ground, but I have my doubts about the wisdom of encasing a mobile phone in a PVC pipe when the ambient temperature is 30+ degrees – probably much hotter in the PVC pipe.
Ray and Darryl headed into Barcaldine in tourist mode – the rest of us relaxed.
After lunch Shirley and I headed to the two artesian pools – one is very hot and one is chilly. As the temperature soared beyond 30 degrees we headed for the chilly pool. It took a while to get in but was refreshing once we got in.
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| Cold Artesian Pool |
We had planned pasta bolognese in the camp-oven on the fire – but the wind was too windy to light a fire (according to our standards anyway). So I cooked the dish on the butane cooker. The troops all seemed happy with the result.
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| Pasta Chef |
The sunset was changing different red by the minute as we sat down to dinner. The following gives you an idea of our view from dining under the stars.
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| Another dinner time view |
Day 38 – Thursday 29 June 2023 – Lara Wetlands
We woke to a cooler & overcast day with the news that we will have to evacuate the park if the forecast heavy rains arrive early. The 13 km of gravel road can be quickly closed (as is the case for many gravel roads in central Australia) if we have significant rain – and could be closed for two weeks.
While we hoped that the rains stay as scheduled for the weekend, we started steps towards being ready to quickly evacuate. We did have a jovial discussion between the 6 of us last night as to what is in the cupboard that would have us survive being stranded for two weeks.
Shirley, Ray and I went for a bush 3 km walk around the lake, wandering through some lovely native trees and wetlands. The cattle watched us walk past.
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Above & Below - Views on our 3 km bush walk |
After morning coffee five of us headed to the hot artesian pool – now that the weather was much cooler. It was hotter than we remembered but was enjoyed by all. It was definitely hotter than some of the cappuccinos that we have had this trip.
Lunch preceded lighting the fire and cooking a batch of plain and a batch of date scones – all in the camp oven. It was a first for me, cooking two types of scones in the one camp-oven batch. They turned out fine.
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| Photos courtesy of Ray |
Our days of 30+ temperatures had changed into a day that struggled to reach 20. So we kept the scone fire alight and cooked dinner on the BBQ plate. Gill and Ray provided BBQ’d pumpkin wedges as an appetiser then sausages and soup were the choices for the main course (2 for soup and 4 for sausages). We boiled the kettles on the fire and had tea and coffee as the camp-fire dwindled.
As we get ready to leave Lara Wetland our trip to date has provided camp-oven dinners of three stews, three roast pork, one pasta meal, and multiple dampers and scones.
This chapter is now complete.
Jump to the Next Chapter - Chapter 7
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| Our approx route so far |
Do we have photos of you dancing Ned!!!
ReplyDeleteNo dancing photos.
DeleteLoved hearing about adventures & especially liked the details about the date farm. What were the different varieties like?
ReplyDeleteThere were 10 female varieties and 2 male varieties. All had the texture and taste of dates, but there was a wide variation in sweetness, texture and strength of flavour. Some melted in your mouth, others were more robust. They also make a date syrup, apparently great for cooking.
DeleteWill have to pay a visit, thanks!
ReplyDelete