The Joy is in the Journey

 Fri 2nd July The weather is overcast and gloomy but the good news is we have heard that Darwin has reported no more Covid19 cases, and so the lockdown will be lifted at last. We have been thinking of our family and friends experiencing it for the first time.  We turned off the Savannah Way and onto the Great Inland Way heading for Charters Towers, considered to be where the outback meets the tropics. We know very little about the place other than many of the students who passed through Katherine School of the Air, came to boarding school here. The trip was uneventful with just a quick stop for fuel at Greenvale ($1.46). We moved on from C to D and the first track was a Rod Stewart hit 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy'. Conditions did improve and by the time we got to town it was fine enough for Eric to have a hit of golf while I went into town for a look see. I was immediately struck by the architectural reminders of the booming goldrush era, somewhat like Ballarat and Bendigo where

The sunset over Georgetown was just magic last night (sounds like a song title). Eric's new thongs were almost twice the price but they are double pluggers! When did you last see a pair of them? On the other hand fuel was the cheapest we've seen since leaving home ($1.42).  Armed with a one month fossicking licence for all of Qld ($10.65) and a pick, I am ready to find my thunder rock. First stop O'brien's Creek, just a short drive out of Mt Surprise. A quirky little town with some quirky sights. 30th June Mt Surprise is a very small town between Georgetown and the Undara Lava Field. It is also only 45 kms from O’Brien’s Creek Fossicking Area. Today I tried my luck fossicking for topaz. I had been advised that I could hire a sieve and get all the advice I needed from the manager of the camp out there. Unfortunately, today the office was unattended; probably doing a tip run I was told. Not much help, we’ve just driven 35 kms on a dirt road and I have no idea what I’m loo