- July Blog -
Sunday 31st July 2016
This time we’re in Mount Isa. Who would have thought there was so much to see and learn about just in this small area of outback Australia! The Hard Times Underground Mine tour is a beauty. Our tour guide Bill made the trip underground fun and informative, and I enjoyed scaring myself looking for ghosts in the tunnels 😉 Mount Isa certainly is an interesting place, and takes on a whole new perspective from the lookout at sunset, with the beautiful lights from the HUGE mine!
Saturday 30th July 2016
We're in Cloncurry. Gem central! After checking out the Mary Kathleen Museum with plenty of local history and an incredible gem collection on display, we headed over to the John Flynn Royal Flying Doctors Museum to learn about this inspirational man and his vision, and the incredible people who made it happen, and continue to make it happen. Sensational!
Thursday 28th July 2016
Today highlighted for me how it can be the unexpected events on a trip like this that can be the most memorable and special, because we discovered something wonderful that had us changing our plans on a whim and getting our hands dirty!!
Richmond.. part of the Dinosaur Trail our here in mid-west Queensland. What a sensational place! We stopped in at Kronosaurus Korner, as we’d seen on the tourist brochure, thinking it would be a quick stop on our way to our planned destination. Nope. We spent hours here, then discovered they run guided fossicking tours in the nearby quarry, and we were there just in time to sign up! The museum is full of fascinating and mind blowing fossils and artifacts, which were great to see and learn more about, but I must say, getting into the dirt and digging around for 100 million year old fossils yourself, that’s a fun way to spend the afternoon! Our guide said we would find fossils without having to go to much effort, and he was right! Fish fossils, sharks teeth, a turtle bone, belemnites.. and nearby other successful fossickers were digging up a fossilised dinosaur skeleton. How humbling..! What a day!
Wednesday 27th July 2016
What a day.. Porcupine Gorge! Hughenden offers a great little self guided information sheet at their Information Centre, which provides points of interest for travelers on their way to the Gorge. The Gorge itself is stunning. The highlight for me was the baby turtles and swimming in the waterhole at the base of the Pyramid (which has to be seen to be believed.. incredible!).
Tuesday 26th July 2016
Yes, we’re definitely in mid-west Queensland, the temperature is increasing, the dust is increasing, and we’re finding DINOSAURS!! We’re on part of the Dinosaur Trail out here in Hughenden, and I’m very excited to be seeing some of the amazing fossils and finds out here in what was once an inland sea. The museum here at the Information Centre boasts some incredible artifacts, fossils and gems, and is worth a visit. Plus we met ‘Mutt’, the replica Muttasaurus local to these parts hundreds of millions of years ago!
Monday 25th July 2016
Exploring more of Charters Towers today, such an interesting place! The Venus Battery tour was our first stop, where we learned more about the Gold Mining history of this little town, then over to the Miner’s Cottage for a personal tour and tale from the owner, Alan. Queensland has such a diverse and interesting history, we’re really enjoying learning all about the people and places up here!
Saturday 23rd July 2016
Spent today in Charters Towers, an historic little town that has beautifully maintained heritage and a unique history that is clearly celebrated. We enjoyed the Zara Clark Museum, drove up to The Towers Hill Lookout, and strolled down the Main Street with their beautiful old heritage buildings. There is plenty more to see and do around here, we’ll be back for the Historic Tour on Monday (Matt is too scared to do the Ghost Tour), plus a visit to the Miners Cottage.
Matt: Did you say ghost?
Thursday 21st July 2016
We’re officially heading west! Stopping for a couple of days just outside of Charters Towers, at a little park called the Burdekin Duck Roadhouse.. no ducks, but a well priced and pleasant place to base yourself to explore around the area.
Wednesday 20th July 2016
Well, looks like the Hinchinbrook Island Adventure will have to wait.. So, time to keep moving! Back into Townsville for a stop off before we finally start to head WEST!! Townsville is such a great little town, I’m happy to be back for another visit. We’re in a free camp tonight, Bluewater Park – very popular, but good facilities and alongside a lovely little creek (with crocodiles apparently, although I didn’t spot one!)
Tuesday 19th July 2016
Well, its still raining.. all up and down the Queensland coast. We’re booked to start the Thornbourne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island for a three night hike from tomorrow, but unfortunately it looks like we’ll be putting that off for our next Australia Loop Trip!
We’re staying in Cardwell though, just in case a miracle occurs and we can get ourselves over to the island.. But when in Cardwell, do as the locals do.. We’re checked into the Cardwell Central Backpackers with the International Working Backpackers, an experience that had us reminiscing about our backpacking tour of Europe in 2010! Then off for dinner at the highly recommended Pub down the road for a beer! Nice!
Monday 18th July 2016
Overnight and this morning, the rain gods have been working overtime! We nearly floated away in the weather, so grateful for our trusty CUB waterproof hard floor trailer, we managed to stay dry despite the downpour!
Sunday 17th July 2016
Our stay at Fishery Falls Holiday Park has been nice, although the weather hasn’t been overly kind!! Tonight we joined the other travelers for a communal BBQ and campfire. We love joining in on these whenever we can, it’s a great opportunity to chat to fellow travelers about their trips, get tips for places to see and interesting things to do, and also to be inspired by the stories of others.. particularly those committed to long term travel! Cheers!
Matt: The movie was a cracker!
Sunday 10th July 2016
White Water Rafting!! What a sensational day! We took a tour with Raging Thunder today for an adrenaline pumped adventure on the Tully River. The grade 3-4 rapids were challenging, but our team on the raft were great fun, and our guides were so helpful and took such good care of us, we had a fantastic time!
The landscape through here is so beautiful and unique, what a great way to see it from our little raft with a great team and in between heart-in-throat excitement, cruising down the river!
Matt: If you want heart in mouth action, sit up the front.. What about how we managed to sink our boat!!
Monday 4th July 2016
Another exciting day exploring this incredibly diverse area. We took a drive up to Kurunda, a lovely little town in the hills, where you can check out Baron Falls and the beautiful gorge. The town has some fantastic markets, plus a walking path that circles the town centre and takes you through some interesting and varied terrain.
Matt: Next time we get the train 🙂
Friday 1st July 2016
Today we made the trip to Cape Tribulation. After crossing the ferry, we drove around to the beach and did the boardwalks. Everywhere you go you can see warning signs for crocodiles, and we know that very recently in this area a woman lost her life to a crocodile, so we are in super-careful mode, but so far no sightings. We did however see some goannas, a sea snail in a very fancy shell, and try some incredible ORGANIC ice-cream (much better than a crocodile sighting!)
