I am so far behind with our blog that I feel I must apologise to our readers for the huge gaps between travels. The content exists but unfortunately the author has not been able to put it all together with the appropriate pictorials. So I shall now attempt to update our readers with our ramblings in 2018 and maybe provide some catch up posts at a later date for the missing travels.
TOOWOOMBA to MAREEBA ----- 14th May to 1st June 2018
Yes, we are on the road again with 'Ada' the Avan, 'Peter Prado', and 'Theodore Teddy'. This time we will be travelling west before trekking northwards to Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands where we will be housesitting for six weeks. Mrs OWO will be keeping a daily journal in order to keep up with the blog entries as many of the places to be explored will have no internet access and the blog can only be updated when there is a strong signal. So posts will be dated accordingly.
Monday, 14th May --- departure time 9.15am
Finally, after all the health dramas of the past month, we are able to start our ramblings again.
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| Fisherman's Rest |
Our first stopover was Fisherman's Rest, just 5kms west of Mitchell. We camped here in May 2017 (see catch up post for more). This is a lovely peaceful free campsite on the Maranoa river. A lot greener and more water in the river this year after late summer rains in March/April.
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| Maranoa River |
Mitchell is a lovely country town about 450kms west of Toowoomba. When we arrived around 3.30pm there were only five other vans camped right down on the river.
Tuesday -- We planned to spend the morning in town at the artesian spa baths followed by lunch at the local coffee shop. Unfortunately we didn't know it was a public holiday for the Mitchell Show Day so everything was closed. So we just enjoyed a relaxing day back at camp beside the river.
Wednesday -- As planned we packed up Ada early ready to travel on to our next stop at Quilpie. Well plans change quite regularly for the Rambling Retirees especially when the OWO offers to take his lady to the artesian spa baths before leaving the area. Thank you OWO. That was just what the doctor ordered. Feeling refreshed and ready to travel again we finally left Fisherman's Rest at 11.45am! Only two hours later than planned. There'll be no stopover at Quilpie tonight as it's more than five hours drive from Mitchell!
The joy of our rambling is that we can be flexible and after studying the map and a little reassessment of our plans we decided to make our stopover at the Coolladi Fox Trap roadhouse, west of Charleville. Another free camp spot recommended on Wikicamps.
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| Foxtrap Roadhouse |
Leaving Charleville we joined the Diamantina Developmental Road. This is the longest road in Australia -- 1347kms between Charleville and Mount Isa. Interestingly, Coolladi is the smallest town in Australia with a population of 3 and its own postcode. There is nothing here except the roadhouse run by mother and daughter --- it's a pub, a restaurant, a local store, and a post office.
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| The Foxtrap Bar |
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Fox Trap Roadhouse camp area
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Fascinating history too. Camping is behind the roadhouse with loads of firewood supplied for the firepits, and there are showers and toilets for campers use at the roadhouse. Glad we were "forced" to stay here!!
