Home Run

We Decided to head home but originally we were going to head over to Bundaberg but the Fireman at Sapphire told us it was unadvisable that we go. Unfortuntaly everytime we go on holidays it appears something happens that is beyond our control to cause issues. But hey who can complain really we got almost 2 weeks on the road stress and trouble free with no mobile signal most of the time and met some awesome people. Glenn met some Brothers I think he met them in Winton and we tag teamed them down back to Brisbane. Our last catch up with them was at Kilcoy, they stayed in the park just on the way out of town and we continued to Stanmore and then headed home. We arrived home at around 9:30pm

Wuruma Dam

We spent our last night on the road at Wuruma Dam in between Monto and Eisvold. It was pretty low we had to drive a fair way in away from the toilets to get close to the water there were about 4 other vans and motorhomes there camping as well.

Carnarvon Gorge

We stayed at Takkaraka Resort at Carnarvon Gorge the smoke from the fires burning everywhere around us ruined view. It was beautiful but I think if there was no smoke it would have been mind blowing. We walked in 20 km and saw Cathedral Cave unfortunately we ran out of time to take all the side tracks on the way back and I ended up with massive blisters on the front of my feet. Which was a little sad but we have decided we will go back another time and stay for longer.

Sapphire Fossicking

Today we went down to Blue Hollow to try our luck at finding some Sapphires, the guy there gave us a run down on what to look for we stayed and looked around for a couple of hours and then decided to try our luck in Rubyvale. So we bought a bag for 25 dollars at a place called Little House of Gems and did a bit of fossicking there we found some Sapphires it was great because now we know what we are looking for. But it got late and we had to leave. We stayed in The Blue gem Van Park last night. Ladies in the store we very nice and the amenities were great there was a shelf and a rack in the shower where you could put your towel etc and it was very clean.

Tonight we are staying in Rolleston 100ks outside of Carnarvon Gorge. We were visited by the dog down the street earlier he sat just behind me for a while which was nice but made me a bit home sick because I am missing our dog.

Longreach to Sapphire

Ilfracombe Machinery Mile there are so many different types of machinery on this mile they also have a collection of bottles there as well.

This is the tree of at Barcaldine. We stopped into Barcaldine for lunch at a place called Roses and Things they have over 800 rose bushes and it was a nice place to sit with beautiful green grass. One thing I have noticed out here is even though you are in a desert there is no real shortage of water so they sprinkle pretty much anywhere any time wouldnt that be nice. We were sitting at the Winton Pub the other night and we could here the sprinklers ticking I miss that sound.

Lark Quarry

Driving into this place you feel as though you are on to something really special. It is flat most of the time out here but as you come in to Lark Quarry you see Mesa's all around you. This is the place that Steven Speilburg modelled the stamped in Jurassic Park on. It is amazing to think that millions of years ago there we Dinosaurs right there. The big paw prints they are of T-Rex and they are 51 cm wide.

Winton Opalton Winton

Another fantastic day today, we took a drive out to Opalton and fossicked for Opals. We found some they are lying on the ground everywhere. We did not find anything substantial but we got a couple of little pieces nothing big enough to make a pendant with. On the way back we stopped in to have a look at Lark Quarry it was 5pm so it was closed.

Longreach to Winton

This is the cabin we stayed in in Longreach it was small but had an ensuite and a kitchenette very comfortable.

Another 180ks up the Road we arrive in Winton

This is Arnos wall in Winton. It has been made out of rubbish.

This is Dinosaur country it was taken at the top of the Mesa (Plateau) at the Age of the Dinosaurs

This is George and he is holding a toe. If you ever get a chance to come to Winton definately go to the Age of the Dinosaurs is totally worth the visit. We got to see Banjo and Matilda.

This is a sunset photo at the National Park

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Longreach

The Qantas Museum

The Stockmans Hall of Fame

Starlights Lookout

This is a Plains Turkey

And some wild pigs

We have also seen, Goats, sheep, cows, snakes, blue tongue lizard, frill neck lizard, Goanna, Heaps of Emus, Kangaroos, Wallabies, plains turkeys, pigs, big eagles, crows, pee wees, parrots, galahs, geese

This is the Lilly Lagoon.

This is the Weir at the Thomson River

Tambo to Longreach

Friday 16th October 2009


This is where we had dinner on the 15th October. The owner was nice to talk to as well. This pub is in Tambo. Nice meal.

This is what we woke up to. We camped just outside of Tambo and the cows were wondering around outside.

This crossing was in the middle of town. Tambo Teddies are Teddy's made out of sheep skin.
There are animals every where this male emu had to look after 7 emu chicks there were 4 with there dad and another 3 across the road on the other side they ran in front of us.
This is the Blackall woolscour it was built to clean the wool aparently wool is 40 percent lighter once washed. They used the hot bore water to was the wool. This is the famous Jacki Howes grave site he was aparently from Warwick originally.
This is the Black stump and we can now say we have been on both sides of it.
This is a replica of Jacki Howes first Hotel he bought and a statue.

This is the lord jones wier outside of Barcaldine. This grave was just outside the toilets.

Eagles Nest Bar & Grille - Dinner

I would like to thank a resturant in Longreach called the Eagles Nest Bar and Grille. They cooked us a wonderful meal after the cattlemans bar and grill near the stockmans hall of fame refused to cook us dinner even though according to the brochure they closed at 9:30 pm and we arrived at 8:20pm.

They say things happen for a reason and they cooked us an excellent meal.

Finally on The road

At 4:51 AM Tuesday 13th October 2009 we finally hit the road.

Our first stop was my Aunt and Uncles farm at Brigalow. We went over to see my cousins at the other farm and we and we ended up staying the night.

Meadowbank -12km West Warrego Highway Roma

On Wednesday 14th October 2009 and headed into Chinchilla to see my grandmother. We stayed for a couple of hours and then headed off towards Roma. We decided to stay at a farm 12ks outside of Roma called 'Meadowbank'it was $10 per night for a unpowered site or $15 for a powered site. There was hot showers and a toilet block. The Owner also has a Museum with all sorts of things and a homestead. We didnt go through because we left later then we had planned

Roma to Tambo

15th October 2009

This is the biggest tree in Roma and this is Glenn pretending to dig up the oldest tree in Roma.

This is a picture of the oldest winery in Queensland it is called Romavilla.



This is the long straight boring roads you travel to get out here.



This is the Roma cattle sale yards.