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...

  Wednesday 23 rd June Already refuelled at $1.38 we were ready early to move on. Libby made the first of her bold statements for the day. ‘We’ve been parked in a good position these last few days to survey the people who empty the toilet cassettes at the dump point. To a man, they have all been men. You see, it’s your job Eric, that’s evolution for you’. So this morning what happens? We both see a woman doing the task. Immediately I decided she must have been genetically modified. Eric drove to Cloncurry which sits on the banks of the Cloncurry River. These rivers must be a sight after rains. As the passenger my mind wandered, and I considered if she could have been an avatar at the dump point.   Perhaps sent to upset the natural balance of our universe. Maybe it’s time I got behind the wheel to occupy my mind! After a quick fuel top-up ($1.50) we turned off the Barkly and north onto the Burke Developmental Rd which forms the northern end of the Matilda Way. We noticed...

 Sunday 20th The skyline of Mt Isa is dominated by mining industry and smelter processing. There are many mines in the district, but Glencore owns Mt Isa Mines which operates two of the largest.  Each one concentrates on different ore bodies; copper and zinc-lead-silver. The copper mine is the deepest in Australia with a 1,900m shaft.  The smoke stack towers 155m above.  There are a number of statues around town paying homage to the men who work down below. These two show the history from early days to contemporary. The artwork on a water tank at the main city lookout depicts local wildlife including the black shouldered kite and Kalkadoon grasswren. That grasswren is only found in this Mt Isa region.  After exploring town in the morning, we played 9 holes of golf. The weather has been bright and beautiful today, so it was very pleasant though challenging with plenty of trees but minimal grass cover. There were a number of traps to avoid including being off the ...

Wednesday 16th June The planned itinerary had us leaving on Friday but once the awning was replaced and the window fixed after last trip, we were ready to go. Unfortunately neither of us slept well last night; I know I was up at 3am amending an article for the Darwin Golf Club Newsletter. How silly is that? And as a result we didn't get to Mataranka as scheduled but pulled up in Katherine. There were plenty of other vans on the road, mostly heading north.  The last time I stayed here was June 2019 on our way home from Broome. Eric was here more recently to play the NT Vets Open. I really enjoyed the drive through the Top End where the colours were so vibrant.    Fires have recently been burning off the undergrowth so there is a black background to the vibrant green of new cycad fronds. The Kapok bush is in flower, their yellow blossoms are a sign that the mud crabs are sweet at this time.  And then there is my favourite Turkey Bush smothered in pink and you remember ...