Mary Kathleen

Mary Kathleen uranium mine

Golf/Bowling club

Swimming Pool - check out the tiles in photo above

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Today's drive was just 56km East from Mt Isa to the ghost town of Mary Kathleen.
It was once a thriving community of 1000 people - established after July 6 1954 when uranium was discovered. The mine & township were named after the wife of Mr McConachy who died a short time before the discovery. (He was one of the mining syndicate owners)
In late 1983 the contract for uranium oxide was filled and it was decided to close the mine and disband the township. In 1984 the township was auctioned off and all the remains are the road systems and concrete slabs. Most interesting is the Golf/bowls club and the Swimming Pool, but there are still footpaths, guttering and remnants of the town centre and fountain. The tennis courts still have markings as does the basketball court. Incredible really.

Tripping around Mt Isa

Mt Isa at sunrise 

Lake Moondarah near spillway 

Lake Moondarah

View from Wallaby Walk

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We've spent yesterday & today checking out Mt Isa.
For those interested you can do an underground mine tour for 2.5hrs (not my thing - if I was meant to be underground I would have been a wombat). However still lots to see and do. The city lookout gives you a great view of the whole town and how overwhelming the mine is in the background. Shopping isn't too bad with all the major name shops & supermarkets. Lake Moondarra is 16km from town and is the towns main water supply (with good water skiing and fishing). Whilst the School of the Air is located here, it was first established at Cloncurry to the east of here.

Dajarra

Whilst we actually went through this little town on Friday on our way from Bedourie to Mt Isa - we didn't realize until today the history of the place which is a shame.
Today there is a basic very old & decrepit service station and post office, along we a few old houses (probably 2 streets) and a dusty park which offers free camping. Yesteryear Daharra was the largest trucking depot in the world. The area trucked more cattle than Texas in the USA. Drovers would bring cattle from as far away as Western Australia to put them on the train at Dajarra. Then came road trains and soon the town just became a memory. We should have stopped & looked around.

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Onto Mt Isa

Brolgas in the Main Street of Boulia

View from the Main Street of Mt Isa

After a night in Bedourie we were back on the road to Boulia, however once we arrived there decided to give this little gem of a town a miss and headed into Mt Isa. Boulia has a fantastic museum if you are ever going through.
After Boulia you started to see the landscape change from Gibber desert and channel country to much hard/bigger rocky landscape and hills instead of sand dunes. Coming into Mt Isa from this direction is pretty amazing to see.
Accommodation hard to get in Mt Isa with school holidays just starting. Who would have thought it would be a tourist destination. Here till Monday and then they want our spot.

Birdsville to Bedourie

Camels at Birdsville Bakery

Carcoory Ruins

Bedourie Pub

We headed off from Birdsville along the Bilby Way to Bedourie not sure what to expect. The channel country was again amazing to look at and we would love to see it after rain when there is pasture. About 81km from Birdsville is the ruins of Carcoory homestead. Owned by Sir Sidney Kidman the homestead was abandoned in the early 1900's after drought and the death of over 400 bullocks. Imagine waking up to the view of nothing every day.
Next stop was Cuttaburra crossing on Eyre Creek. Yippee there was water and some beautiful bird life.
Once in Bedourie we stayed in the 'caravan park' if you could call it that but we did get the use of the artesian spa - 40degrees so only in there for 10 minutes at a time. Fantastic though! Great little pub to have a drink in & got talking to the German backpacker working there. Took the job without realizing how remote. Works 6 hrs/day - 7 days a week and gets food, accommodation (pretty bloody basic too) and a couple of dollars hour in hand. She wasn't going to stick it!!

Photos Birdsvillr

Top of Big Red sand dune 

View top Big Red

Says it all really

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Birdsville

Fishing on Diamantin River

Birdsville Hotel

Birdsville Racecourse

Looking across at racecourse

Today we spent looking around Birdsville and just relaxing (well as much as one can when they have a million flies hanging off them). Birdsville iconic Hotel is impressive and the local bakery sells beer, cheaper then the hotel. Caravan Park was ridiculously expensive considering there isn't a blade of grass so we are bush camping on the Dimontina River (no fish yet) on the edge of town. Big Red tomorrow!

Birdsville

A day spent getting to know Birdsville. We've been camped near the Windmill on the edge of town & it's a great spot for free camping. Caravan Park in town in bare dirt & $40 night. Not worth it. Beer at Birdsville Hotel is $7 can XXXX but only $5 at the Bakery (yes bakery is licensed). Went out to the Big Red sand dune today. Didn't think it was so big until we watched someone trying to drive up it. We weren't able to as you have to have a Sand flag and we don't. Oops must get one for next trip.
Great town & worth a Visit,

Windorah to Birdsville

Chanel country 

Rob enjoying view

Gibber desert 

Now who's washing the car & van??

Wow I'm impressed with today's drive. We came through Strezlizke Desert and then Sturt Stoney Desert. The Channel country and Gibber flats are amazing. Not a single animal all day. They tell me they destocked 2 years ago due to the drought and I guess even the roo's have more sense.

Windorah

Windorah Solar Farm

What a fantastic idea!

Windorah Community Centre - check out footy field 

Windorah is just a small town of approx 70 - 100 people. They have a solar farm which provides daylight power for the town. They are not on the grid so rely on diesel generators otherwise. Fantastic idea! There is 1 police / 1 ambulance office (who doubles as district nurse), 5 children at state school and an amazing community centre although I wouldn't like to play footy on the field. This week they are hosting District School Sports Carnival for school of air.

Into Windorah

Quilpie to Windorah

Cooper Creek near Windorah

Cooper Creek

After a peaceful night on the side of the road we headed into Windorah. The landscape changed into mostly Gibber rock country until approx 20km from Windorah when we hit channel country and black mud. Coopers Creek was flowing well and there were many campers around the road & creek. However the mud made it hard to even walk anywhere although just a few cm down it was bone.

Camped between Quilpie & Windorah

Campsite north of Quilpie 

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Cunnamulla to Quilpie

Cunnanulla to Quilpie

Just bare dirt 

We set out from Cunnanulla on Saturday morning headed for Quilpie. The area is so dry (except for the 50ml they have just had which closed a lot of unsealed roads). Mostly Mulga scrub and an amazing amount & variety of wildlife. If anyone tells you Kangaroo numbers are down - then they haven't travelled this stretch of road. We were lucky to get over 70km/hr due to these Australian icons. We also saw Goats in the hundreds, Emu's, Wild Pigs, cattle & sheep.
Quilpie didn't appeal and we were advised not to busy camp near town so we continued towards Windorah. By 4pm (100km from Quilpie) the roo's were so thick we pulled over and camped on the side of the road. So quiet & peaceful.

Tips

If you are taking bikes make sure you have the best Thorn proof tubes in - cat heads are a killer out here and it explains why you don't see many kids on bikes.
Food not too badly priced but pack every spare nook with personal items such as shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, tissue as that stuff is really expensive.
Most butchers will vac pack meat - ask for this.
We have found that remote towns get a delivery once a week for fruit & veg. Find out which day - as this is the best time to buy.


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Cunnamulla

Cunnamulla Fella (or is that Robert)

Robbery Tree (poor choice even 100yrs ago)

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So... You don't really need to spend too much time in Cunnamulla. But they do have the 'Cunnamulla fella' which as Bronze statues go - is pretty damn awesome. They also have the Robbery Tree which I'll let you make your own decisions about. Some great old homes and buildings but the town is dying from the extended drought. So sad.
We have been so cold here today that we have decided to head North from here. Probably Quilpie tomoz and then depending on roads working our way to Mt Isa.

Bollon to Cunnamulla

Bollon to Cunnamulla after rain 

Mud flats near Cunnamulla

Warrego River at Cunnamulla

We left Bollon this morning after a fairly big night celebrating NSW win in State of Origin. Go the Blues!
Hard to believe the wildlife on the sides of the road today. There were Kangaroo's, Emu's, Sheep, Cattle & Goats plus plenty of bird life. Wow so much to look at! With a couple of inches of rain there was plenty of water on the mud flats and going off the edge was a no no. Some of the goats had little kids and lots of twins - would love to have one.
Cunnamulla is a pretty quiet little spot and looking forward to checking it out more tomorrow.

State of Origin

Bollon Hotel on State of Origin II 

Go the Blues!!
We enjoyed a great night at the Bollon Hotel with locals & fellow travelers. As is want to happen there was only 3 blues supporters amongst the 'crowd' but hey we WON! Classic old pub (built 1950's) and great food!

Bollon

We are now camping on the river bank at Bollon. Checked out TV reception at pub first to make sure we can watch footy tomoz

Unique Eggs

We woke this morning to rain which is so desperately needed in the area - lovely to see. Packed up & ready to go we stopped in to view Unique Eggs at St George. Stavros (Greek guy) carves emu eggs with these amazing designs and then lights them up to show the designs. So clever! Apparently Emu egg shells are made up of 9 layers and no egg has exactly same color. Each layer is also different and the colors change with the age of the egg.

St George

Quiche

St George - sit up bench (hard work)

Cheap housing

Having a great few days at St George. A lovely little town and people very friendly. I've made my first Quiche in the Webber and really impressed. We've been walking around the town and there is a great walking path along the river with exercise equipment although I'm not too sure about the sit-up bench. Also looking at Real-Estate - maybe we should all be buying out here. 20% return!!