Day 18 - Cania Gorge to Home

The advantage of staying in a cabin is that there is so much less packing up to do, so I was away at about 7:15am, back to the “main” road and then into Monto. Except I never got there. My phone came alive when it got a signal so I thought I should use the GPS to avoid getting lost.

Unfortunately Flossie had a fit of the vapours and took me on a “short” cut. It may have cut a couple of kilometres off the route but on a very minor road that was very slow. It was pouring with rain and some of the creek crossings were covered with water which I took very carefully indeed!

Eventually I got to the real main road and saw a sign to Brisbane which was encouraging. It seemed a very long way but I did finally reach the M1 and crept past Brisbane through the everlasting road works. And then home!

A very good trip of about 5,200kms altogether. The high points were the two gorges, Atherton, Cooktown and Chillagoe caves. The low point was ... well, if you’ve been reading this you don’t need me to tell you!

Day 17 - Cania Gorge

After a good night’s sleep I had breakfast and then drove off to the Picnic Area from where all the walks start. The previous day when I was checking in I said I wanted to walk. The lady at the desk took a look at my obvious antiquity and told me to go to Dripping Rock and the Overhang. This is described as “a pleasant, easy walk.”

I started off to do as she recommended but then branched off and added in Dragon Cave, Bloodwood Cave and the Gorge Lookout before getting back on track. It was all very picturesque and pleasant walking. The Gorge Lookout was a bit steep, but to a conqueror of the Boolimba Bluff in Carnarvon it was not insurmountable! Dripping Rock and the Overhang were good to see as well.

I got back to my cabin and decided that coffee was called for and I had an uninvited but not unwelcome guest.

After a lazy afternoon I had my dinner, which was a monstrous steak – it didn’t look that big in the supermarket – watched a bit of television, which convinced me that Foxtel is better than free to air, then went to bed.

Day 16 - Rockhampton to Cania Gorge

This was a short and interesting trip with hills, bends and all sorts. There was quite a section where the speed limit was 40 kph – and rightly so!

Also a lovely view point complete with shelter and tables where I stopped for lunch. Then I pressed on to Cania Gorge park. This is a National Park with a Big 4 Holiday Park which is technically not in the National Park but it looks as if it is and the National Park is just across the road.

It is a very nice campground which has plenty of camping sites and quite a few cabins. It has a swimming pool and water park, jumping pillows and kangaroos or wallabies wandering around grazing. Just down the road is Cania Dam which is quite a large lake with boat ramps, picnic tables, barbeques, etc.

I think it is an easy drive from home but I will confirm this after I have driven it on Friday!

Day 15 – Townsville to Rockhampton

My original intention was to spend the night in Mackay and then go on to Rockhampton the next day, but I was in Mackay by about 12:30 so I did some quick mental arithmetic and rationalised that two tent sites cost about the same as on cabin - so I drove on to Rocky.

It was a long drive – 716 kms – but uneventful and I got here by quarter to five.  With no tent to put up it was straight into my motel type room and then a pleasant sit outside with a fortifying beverage. The publicity for the park claims that it sits on the Tropic of Capricorn so I enjoyed my last moment in the tropics for a while!

The other advantage of cutting a day out of the trip is that my next stop will not be over the weekend and I can get another cabin! They were all booked for the weekend.

Day 14 - Chillagoe to Townsville

I followed Brett’s advice on route and went through some beautiful countryside, dropping down to the coast. Lovely rolling hills, green green grass and trees. It was winding and steep so not a very fast road.  I got to my campsite in Townsville in spite of the fact that the only sign for it on a divided highway was beyond it and said “Back 100m”. A long U turn and I found it.

I put up my tent for the first time since Carnarvon. I was a bit anxious because I had used it as a buffer between Adelie’s 4X4 and my back door. I had visions of all the bendy poles in the bag being broken into little pieces! But it was all fine.

The campsite was wedged in a triangle between the main highway south and the main road into Townsville. The north south railway line was just behind the highway! After the peace and tranquillity of my previous places it was very noisy. I also found that the site I had been allocated was directly under a street light! Not a good night’s sleep.

Day 13 – Cooktown to Chillagoe

I set off early – back up the hills I’d come down yesterday, then on to Mareeba. There I filled up with petrol and sent a text to Brett to tell him I was about to plunge into the black hole of Optus non-coverage and should be with him in 2 hours.  Who is Brett? He is a friend of Kay and Hannah and is a ranger with the National Parks in Chillagoe.

It was quite a good road most of the way but degenerated into gravel at odd moments. But it was good gravel! I got to Chillagoe and went to my cabin that I had reserved the day before. It was basic, very basic. The lady who managed the reception was the sourest person you could wish to meet – never cracked even a smirk never mind a smile!

She directed me to the camp ground and told me to go round the big tree to my cabin. The campground is covered by very big trees so after circumnavigating most of them I came to a cabin the had a number on like mine, I moved in.

Then I went off to meet Brett which I did, then back to the cabin for a bite of lunch before driving out to the cave that I was going to tour with Brett as guide. This involved a short drive out of town then met up with the rest of the party - seven in all. Brett told us about the geology of the area and then led us into the cave. It was vast and fascinating. We all were given torches and at one point we switched them all off – total blackness, not a glimmer of light. I can imagine how horrific it might be to be stranded down there. I made sure to keep up with the party!

After the cave tour I went back to my cabin, wrote up the story of the caves and lost it somewhere, then went down to the pub where I met up with Brett and we went off on a tour of some of the tracks around Chillagoe to old abandoned mine workings and the sort of roads that I was glad I was in Brett’s car! We then picked up Amber, Brett’s wife, and went up to their sunset spot up a hill and into an overhang looking out over MMBA. Watched the sunset with a few cold beers and then went back to my place where we had dinner. It was surprisingly good and served by the woman who still didn’t smile. A very enjoyable day.

Day 12 – Atherton to Cooktown

This was an interesting drive! Starting through the rain forests around Atherton then getting drier and hilly. Very good road with viewpoints at intervals where there was something to view. I stopped in one of them to have a snack lunch then pushed on to Cooktown. I had a quick look round town and paid homage to the statue of Captain Cook (who was actually only a Lieutenant) then went on to my reserved cabin. This is a budget cabin – in deference to my children’s inheritance – but was well appointed with everything except an ensuite bathroom. The amenities block is all of 10m away so that should not be too much of a hardship!

Then I explored Cooktown. Went up the top of the hill overlooking the sea and tried to imagine what Captain Cook must have thought when he was marooned here 247 years ago. He had discovered the Great Barrier Reef by running into it and badly damaging the Endeavour.  My stranding 3 days ago was quite worrying because I did not know if there was anyone around to help me and I didn’t know exactly where I was. In contrast Cook knew there was nobody within thousands of miles to help him and had no idea how he was going to get home even if he could repair his ship.

The fact that he did fix his ship and did find a way home is greatly to his credit – and I’m sure to the relief of his crew! I had half thought that after Cooktown I might go North up Cape York to visit Coen where Geri started her teaching career. After my recent experiences of gravel roads, I was a little cautious and I enquired of the locals in the camp site. They were quite clear – don’t do it! I was easily convinced. So I’ll just have to take Geri’s word for the wonders of Coen!

I also went down to a lovely little beach with miles of beautiful sandy beach and an azure sea reaching all the way to South America. But a prominent sign advising strongly against swimming or even going close to the water because of the crocodiles! A sign like that easily convinced me that I would take some photos then go back to my lair!

Day 11 – Atherton

This is beautiful country reminiscent of Inyanga. Green rolling hills, forests and birds. Unfortunately by the time I had washed my clothes, then dried them and unpacked and repacked the car I only had energy left to go to the shops to replenish my larder.

I was looking for something interesting for my smack lunches when I saw a selection of antipasti. It was a bit expensive but I thought why not? It turned out to be even more expensive when I unpacked the shopping back at my cabin – I had mistakenly picked up two trays of antipasti!

A lazy day before setting off north again – on main tarred roads, preferably with signposts!

Day 10 – MoN to Atherton

It was a long night and at first light I started walking back to the buildings where I’d turned back. Along the road my spirits were lifted when I saw a vehicle coming towards me. I jumped into the middle of the road and waved my arms like a dervish. The very nice lady in a four by four ute stopped and listened to my tale of woe and then took me back to my car.

She could not get past me to pull me forward and there didn’t seem to be much point in pulling me back so I got my rolled up tent out to the car and using this as a buffer between the back of the car and the ute, she pushed me out onto solid ground. I was not lost – this was a road to Georgetown. But the sign had neglected to mention that it was only suitable for tractors, Centurion tanks and large heavy four by four utes and not for Kia Ceratos!

Back at the farm we discussed with her husband and they agreed that I should go round the long way. But the long way was about 300kms and I did not have enough fuel. So they gave me a 20litre jerry can of petrol, drove me back to my car, helped me tip it into the tank and then refused payment of the petrol. What a great couple! Thank you Adelie and Eddie!

After a gentle ride to the end of their property, which is a cattle station probably about the size of Wales, I got to a T-junction and turned left as per instructions from Adelie. This was a quality gravel road that went on forever until I reached Forsayth and then Einsleigh where it turned back to being a tarred road. So on to Georgetown.

Filled up with petrol and asked the way to Atherton – I’m not getting lost again – then drove onward, ever onward. A good road most of the way with occasional bits of single lane tar. Just like Rhodesia years ago! Arrived at Atherton about 4pm and there got messages from the the previous day worrying about why I had not arrived! I upgraded to a cabin and booked for two nights. After last night I need a bit of pampering!

Time for an upgrade!

Day 9 – Charters Towers to the middle of nowhere

My intended destination was Atherton in the hills behind Cairns. Flossie told me to go the coast and then drive up the Pacific Highway. But I’ve done that before, so I decided on the alternative route inland. Flossie told me how to get out of Charters Towers and then told me to continue straight for 220kms. So I did.

I came to a fork in the road just as a monstrous road train bore down upon me. My concentration on avoiding the monster meant that I did not study the road signs but Flossy had said continue straight so I did. After a while, as the road became a gravel road, I began to suspect that I might have gone wrong. But no problem I thought - I’ll just turn right at the next opportunity and I’ll join up with where I was meant to be. Of course my internet coverage had ceased a few kilometres outside CT so Flossy was silent.

I turned right and drove on. The road got more and more minor, there were no signs to anywhere and my only map showed what I was on as a dotted line. When I admitted to myself that I was now lost, I decided that I should head for Georgetown which would then put me on a major road to Atherton. I came to an intersection where there was a sign to Georgetown. Not exactly a major road - in fact a farm track! - but I followed it.

It got steadily worse, but I’m no quitter so I pressed on. I came to a series of creek crossings. The first was rocky but I crept across slowly then came to the next two which were sandy so I rushed at them more boldly and managed enough momentum to get through before I bogged down. Then I came to a group of farm buildings so I got out and had a look for a human – something I hadn’t seen for the past two hours. There were none and the gates leading on were all closed. I decided that the sign I was following had lied. So I turned back.

Through the first creek crossing and about seven eighths of the way through the second when I became bogged down in the loose sand. I had a few attempts to go backwards and forwards, each time getting in deeper and deeper. So I gave up and sat in the shade waiting for someone to come by. It was now nearly 5pm and nobody came. Then I heard footsteps in the bush and out came a Brahman bull about the size of a house! He was followed by some more so I decided it was only fair to get out of their way and I retreated to the car. It got dark and I had an uncomfortable night. But I did have food and drink and I even thought of putting up my tent but I thought of the bull and decided I’d stay in the car.

My night's accommodation

Day 8 – Charters Towers

My first task was to do some washing, so I went down to the laundry and put in everything I had, except what I was wearing. I haven’t checked the park’s rules but I suspect that someone might object if I wandered back from the laundry with nothing on!

My exercise for the day was to the laundry, back from the laundry, to the laundry to move clothes from washer to dryer, back from the laundry, to the laundry to take the clothes out and then back to the cabin. Not quite the same as climbing Boolimba Bluff but still needed a sit down with a cup of coffee to recover!

Then into town to buy some provisions and have a look around. The shops are the same as everywhere and the town looks like a movie set for a film about the 1950’s. My brief encounters with the locals gave the impression that the gene pool in Charters Towers is quite shallow.

I came here because the name has long fascinated me. Now I’ve been here so it is ticked off the to do list!

Day 7 - Carnarvon to Charters Towers

Next morning it was still raining with occasional breaks, so I took advantage of one of the breaks to demolish my camp in record time and get it all put away before I or the stuff got too wet. Then by 7am I was in the car and driving away. Farewell beautiful Carnarvon!

I reached the main road without incident but had seen a small group of emus foraging in a field next to the road. On the road just before Rolleston my phone which had been lying dormant for 5 days suddenly went berserk and 65 messages came in!

I headed North towards Emerald. I had thought that I would stay in a caravan park at Clermont that night but after replenishing my supplies in a huge Woolworths supermarket in Emerald I decided to go further and to blow my kids’ inheritance by having a cabin instead of a tent for the night.

North of Emerald there is not much in the way of civilisation before Charters Towers so I pressed on to there. When my phone had come to life I had phoned a campsite there and booked myself a cabin. The journey was long and not very exciting. On the wild life front, a kangaroo had hopped across the road in front of me and I had slowed down – luckily because the second kangaroo followed his mate and was very close in front of me!

I also saw a goanna crossing the road and then an Australian Bustard came out of the bush and stopped to look at me right in the middle of my lane! Stupid bird. Fortunately there was no other traffic so I was able to swerve out of its way.

I got to Charters Towers about 4.30 after nine and a half hours of driving, checked into my cabin and relaxed! I had no clean clothes left so I had to do some washing the next day. I spent a bit more and booked in for 2 nights. Lazy day tomorrow.

Day 6 - Carnarvon Gorge

I’ve been told not to bang on about the weather but I must tell you of a dramatic change overnight. It clouded over and got quite chilly. Chilly is a relative term but whereas the previous days had reached temperatures of 33 to 37°C, today it only managed to get to 12°C!

This sudden shift in the weather removed my major reason for not climbing up to Boolimba Bluff, so in the cool weather I set off to do just that. The start of the climb is down the main track but near to the camp. At the bottom there are warning signs about the severity of the track and how it should only be attempted by the physical fit and experienced. I decided that on the basis of my excess of experience I could ignore my lack of physical fitness and started off.

After a little bit of steep stuff there was a level section for a while and then I came to the real deal. Another sign warned me about how dreadful it was ahead, so I ignored it and carried on. They were right. It was even steeper than I remembered from my earlier visit. On the way I met some other teams coming down, including a couple of similar age to me and we agreed that although we recognised the need for gravity, why did there have to be so much of it?

Puffing and panting I reached the top where there is a flat walk to the view point. The view makes the puffing and panting worthwhile! As I was admiring the view and contemplating a sit down to enjoy it, I felt a few spots of rain. Now the weather forecast had predicted storms with 40 - 80mm of rain.

With the thought of slipping and sliding down the track in the wet in my mind I gave up the idea of a contemplative sit and think time, and headed off down. I was very slow on the way down and my knees - which are definitely past their use by date - complained the whole way. After the few spots, the rain had gone away and I made it safely but exhaustingly back to the camp. My neighbours on both sides at the camp site had decided to pack up a day early and leave before the storm hit. Wimps these Aussies!

The rain started at lunchtime and went on and on. Nothing dramatically heavy but steady and constant. I retreated to my tent and spent the afternoon in the restricted confines. Late I fitted my table in there as well and cooked and ate my dinner indoors! It reminded me of camping in my schooldays in Britain where the rain was almost guaranteed.

Day 5 - Carnarvon Gorge

On a walk on the Nature Trail. This is a short walk along the creek near the camp. Very pleasant and peaceful – until I disturbed a family of kangaroos grazing on the bank of the creek. Daddy, or it may have been Mummy, gave a bark of warning and the two younger ones hopped away across the track, while Mummy and Daddy carried on having their breakfast.

There are competing herds of kookaburras around the camp who fight to see which of them can make to most noise just before dawn every day! On the way back from the Nature Trail I met up with the concert master.

After that little walk I had a real rest day – sitting in the shade, reading my book and thinking about what to do and where to go when I leave here on Monday.

Day 4 - Carnarvon Gorge

I went to bed and lay there with only a sheet over me, it was still very hot! Then in the night I progressively pulled on one, then two sleeping bags!  I got up to find that the fridge had settled down to its new environment and diet and everything was nicely frosted up.

I had breakfast then set off for a walk along the gorge. I had decided not to go very far so I headed to my favourite bit – the amphitheatre. On the way back I branched off to see the Moss Garden. Both of these side gorges are in deep shade and were quite cool but the rest of the walk was anything but cool. When I got back I checked with my car which told me that it was 36°C.  A 10 km walk up and down hills in mid 30’s temperatures is not good for me! But I’m glad I did it – this is really a splendid spot and I always enjoy it. But tomorrow may be a rest day!

I had planned to go up Boolimba Bluff which is a long and very steep climb up to the rim of the gorge. There are magnificent views from up there but I am not going to do it in this weather.

Day 3 - Injune to Carnarvon Gorge

After a very good night’s sleep I woke and discovered that I had not been burnt alive during the night. So I got up had breakfast, paid for my stay – it is a self check in honour system – then dismantled my camp and packed the car. After a quick shower, I was on the road by 8am and headed off north.
The first km or so was through the fire area which was still smoking in parts. Then quite an interesting drive through varied and increasingly hilly country to the turn off to the gorge. I knew from previous visits that the first part of the road was surfaced and then the last 20 kms was a gravel road usually in very bad condition.

At the point where I was expecting the dirt road there was a sign where some government department was boasting that it was upgrading the road. Ha! I thought ... by when, I wonder. To my amazement the road was beautifully tarred all the way to the National Park – what a joy after the anticipation of slithering and bumping around!

I found my campsite and established the camp then sat in the shade and replenished the essential fluids lost in perspiration with a cold beer. The fridge was reluctant to transfer from electric to gas operation and it’s very difficult to tell if it really is alight or not. I’ll wait till dark then I can check.

Of course no internet coverage since Roma so I’m writing this offline and will try and upload when I next get to “civilisation”.

Day 2 - Toowoomba to Injune: 453 kms

When I put the tent up it was a calm warm afternoon. The ground was pretty hard so I didn’t bother with too many pegs or guy ropes. As the sun went down the temperature plummeted and the wind started. The result was that for the night I was not really cold but not really warm either and my flappy tent flopped and flapped in the wind. So I did not have a good night.

I got up early this morning and used the luxury of the ensuite bathroom to have a cup of rooibos followed by my usual breakfast of bacon, egg and sausage with coffee. Then I hit the road and was leaving Toowoomba by 8am. The road from Toowoomba to Roma is not very exciting and it is riddled with roadworks and ridiculous speed limits for road works that aren’t there. But I reached Roma by 12:30, filled up with fuel (cheaper than Brisbane), pulled into the shade of a tree and had my snack lunch.

The temperature, which in the middle of the night had been 11C (feels like 9C) was by lunch time 39C and after lunch driving north it rose to 41C. Along the road signs had warned that Fire Danger was rated at Extreme. When I arrived in Injune, my night stop, there was a pall of smoke just outside town. I found my preferred camp site but decided to just sit and relax before establishing camp. A policeman arrived and told the few of us who were there to leave and wait in the town till they had put the fire out. It was very hot and boring sitting around doing nothing. Eventually they reopened the road so I came back and established my camp. There is no internet signal here so I’ll try and upload it when I get somewhere there is. If you never read it it’s because I’ve been burned to a crisp in the night!

 

Day 1 - Home to Toowoomba: 158 kms

Having decided to stay the first night in Toowoomba so that the journey to Injune would be 150kms shorter and more relaxed, I planned to leave at 11 and on the way through Capalaba I would visit the bank to get some change. I know the bank in Toowoomba but I took a wrong turn and had to go round the block to try again. After a couple of further wrong turns going round the block I eventually found the shopping centre that my bank is in.

Or was in.

The building that was the bank a couple of months ago is now a gutted empty shell! Maybe my bank has gone bust! I'd better get out of town!

An inauspicious start for a long journey when I can't find my way through the town where I shop regularly! After that all went well and it was an easy drive to Toowoomba. The campsite is a luxury one where I have an ensuite site for my tent.

Introduction

I'm off again on another trip. This time it's a mixture of old and new. First destination is Carnarvon Gorge where I have been twice before - this is the old.

The new is that I'm going in my new car, with a new computer which works on a new operating system that is supposed to be easy to use but I still don't know how it works! Also I have a new phone and internet provider that this literary work has to pass through.

So anything can happen.

What may be a small complication is that I have no idea where I'm going after Carnarvon! But neither have you, so come with me and we'll explore together!