Day 5: Tourist Day Mt Isa

Friday 29/06/2012 Day 5: Tourist Day Mt Isa

Late start, we all slept in till 8am. Last nights laundry needed to be dried because we ran out of $1 coins!. Amanda and I updated the blog whilst doing Laundry!. Amanda & Amy dropped Les & Ryan off at Lake Moondarra for a fish. We fished from 11.30 till 15:00. The only fish we saw was a Alligator Gar eating our discarded bread. There were lots of power boats on the Lake whilst we were fishing. Amanda & Amy went shopping and visited the information center. Amanda stocked up at Coles and got lost several times had to use the GPS to get back to the Caravan Park. Amanda accosted a poor elderly customer at Bunnings because no one would help her. We needed a fitting for the hose connection at the Caravan Park. Ryan got his wish, we had Beef Stroganoff for Tea.
We managed to find the town lookout and got photos as the sun went down. The male toilets hot water systems have failed and Ryan & Les had to go to the Workers Camp next door.
We filled up the 2 Jerry cans ready for our trip into NT.

Day 5 Stats:
Distance 110km, Duration: NA, Weather: Beautiful

Lake Moondarra

Mt Isa Day/Night

Day 4: Wanora Downs to Mt. Isa

Thursday 28/06/2012 Day 4: Wanora Downs to Mt. Isa

Woke up this morning and there was heavy mist and thick fog. The southerly wind turned it into rain.  Packed up again in the rain!!! Amanda to drive and made our way to Kynuna. Didn't take long to pass through Kynuna not much there.  Next stop was Mckinlay where the Walkabout Hotel is.  Had a quick look and took some photos and went to the toilet near the Council Library. Had some morning tea.  Off to Cloncurry. Topped up fuel at Cloncurry at the Caltex  a lady come out and filled the car for us she was very nice.  Went and parked around the back of Woolies and had lunch in the park. Arrived at Mt. Isa at around 14:00 and went straight to Caravan Park and set up.  Used the caravan mover to back the camper between two caravans. Went straight to the showers and cleaned up. Did some washing and bought Macca's for the kids dinner.

Day 4 Stats:
Distance: 388km,cDuration: 6hrs 4mins, Weather: Mist/Fog Start, Dry Finish - Cool Overnight


Leaving Wanora Downs

Walkabout Hotel McKinlay

A big truck misses a caravan

Entering Mt Isa

Day 3: Barcadline to Wanora Downs

Wednesday 27/06/2012 Day 3: Barcadline to Wanora Downs

Rained over night.  Managed to pack up before it rained and we were off at 7:50.  Passed through Longreach and looked at the School of the Air and Qantas Museum from the car because it was raining heavy. Our first phone coverage since Roma was 50km either side of Longreach. At Ilfracombe we saw the Machinery Museum. Had a pit stop at #358 Chorregon Rest Area to change drivers. On to Winton where there is no rain it was like a dust bowl!!! Top fuel up and stop for lunch.  Went into the Searle general store in the main street.  Amanda forgot John's relation's name and was to shy to say hello.  Saw the Bango Patterson Memorial and had lunch at the bakery and on our way. Drove through some road works and arrived at #364 Wanora Downs Rest Area at 14:00. We were the first one's there, so we picked our spot and set up. It was in the middle of nowhere between Winton and Kynuna. Overnight there were 4 caravans and 2 cars. When the road trains went passed the earth moved. 

Day 3 Stats:
Distance: 392km, Duration: 6hrs 10mins, Weather: Mixed. Wet start, Dry Finish

Searle General Store


Leaving Winton

Wanora Downs

Day 2: Mitchell to Barcaldine

Tuesday 26/06/2012 Day 2: Mitchell to Barcaldine

Rained through the night. We packed up in the rain and left at 07:56. Arrived at Augathella at 10:20 for Morning Tea. Had lunch at Blackall at 14:00. Topped up fuel at Blackall.  Passed through Tambo, looks like a nice spot. Arrived at #345 Barcaldine Showgrounds at 16:00. Rained all day!! Had a quick look around, and went to the Tree of Knowledge before the rain set in.

Day 2 stats: Distance: 525km, Duration: 8hrs 4mins. Weather; Rained all day!!
1st Fuel Stop 415Km@13.65ltr/100km

Augathella

Tree of Knowledge Barcaldine Qld

Barcaldine Train Station

Day 1: Brisbane to Mitchell

Monday 25/06/2012 Day 1: Brisbane to Mitchell

Left Brisbane at 06:50, a cold, grey & wet morning.. First stop at 08:41 was Toowoomba, Amanda & Ryan visited the Shopping Center! Quick check of the levelling hooks and Amanda took over driving. Quick fuel top-up at Chinchilla and then lunch in a park in the rain. Ask Amy the new words she learnt from the Toilet door. Les took over driving and back on the road again at 12:00. Amanda drove the last leg from Roma at 14:45. Rain stopped as we headed West. Another fuel top-up at Mitchell. We arrived at #659 Neil Turner Weir Mitchell at 16:09 and set up for the overnight stay. Ryan flicked a few plastics in the river, no bites!.

Day 1: Stats.
Distance: 607km, Duration: 09hrs 19min., Weather: Rain from Brisbane to Roma.
A long Day.
1st Fuel Stop 345Km@13.74ltr/100km, 2nd Fuel Stop 285Km@13.76ltr/100km

Neil Turner Weir, Mitchell, Qld

The Dry Run

Two Weeks from Today!!

Just got back from a "dry" practice run around the Western Downs.
Left 8959km Home 9826km = 867km
09/06/2012 Day 1: Brisbane-Bowenvile. Left Saturday at 15:00 and just got into Camp 6 Site #623 Oakey Creek Reserve on dusk at 17:30. Oakey Creek Reserve
(-27.327488,151.455134). Put up the camper in the nearly dark! (Ask Amanda what this means). Great spot flat grassy ground, good clean Toilet and nice creek to fish in. Very quiet and lots of stars till it rained.

10/06/2012 Day 2: Bowenville-Moonie. Packed up & left in between showers at 09:30. Arrived at Dalby at 10:00 - filled up at Woolworth's Dalby (1/2 tank diesel). Quick snack at Macca's and on our way. Arrived at Chinchilla at 11:45. Gees the road from Dalby to Chinchilla was buggered. We had a pit stop at Chinchilla to find the CAMEC Load Equaliser's had popped out.  Arrived at Miles at 12:30 turned left into the Leichardt Highway. The road from Miles to Condamine was excellent. Went through Condamine at 13:00 into some heavy showers where we arrived at Camp 6 #596 Moonie Motel Caravan Park.
(-27.717701, 150.370038) Moonie Motel Caravan Park
The caravan park had puddles!(Ask Amanda what this means). The rain was so heavy the Homes family chickened out and got a Motel Room for the night. Had a great feed at the Moonie Road House (same complex) and a very hot shower. Early to bed listening to the heavy rain thinking how long we may be staying at Moonie!

11/06/2012 Day3: Moonie-Brisbane. Kids failed to get up early because of the "snoring" of the tired driver during the night. Packed up & left at 06:40 - Used the 24 Hour BP Fuel EFTPOS Machine  (1/2 tank diesel). The Motel didn't open till 8am because of the Public Holiday - we left the key in the 24 Hour Room Key Dispensing Machine. The Moonie Highway was OK only saw 2 Roos grazing on the side of the Road and all the floodways were clear.
Arrived back at Dalby 07:45 had another Macca's fix and phoned the Motel to let them know where we had left the key. Amanda took over as driver - it rained all the way home. Passed through Toowoomba at 09:30 and finally home at 11:30.

Tidy Oakey Creek Reserve

 Caravan Mover and Annexe Pole Carrier

Dual Battery Cable feed from the rear Anderson Plug

Day 1:

 Day 2:

 Day 3: