To Clermont

This morning was pack up morning. The usual procedure happens with numerous items being placed in their travel location. The water tanks topped up for possible free camping needs. I had my breakfast at the normal time and then spoke with Prue again on Skype.

After breakfast, things always become a big more urgent in the packing up phase. So with almost everything done it was time to pack the Karavan down. While I was doing that numerous military helicopters, Black Hawks, flew just to the north of the Caravan Park while they were travelling in a south westerly direction. I have never seen so many at one time. They would have come from the Army base in Townsville.

After I was all packed up, I left for town. I had decided that the Bravo and Karavan were so dirty that I should give them a good wash. So I went to the big car wash in Charters Towers. Those carwash pressure cleaners really shift the rubbish. Both vehicles do not look too bad now and certainly do not look like they have been to Cape York. That will be all good until I find some wet road work to make it all dirty again.

Then it was time for a muggacino and a muffin. I sat and had that in one of the cafes that had appealed to me. I caught up on a newspaper while there. When I finished I went to the bottle shop near Woolworths to get some Coronas and several bottles of cabernet merlot to take to Margy and Phil. Poor Phil broke his ankle a few days ago so I hope I can help numb his pain a little!

So I set off out of Charters Towers. I have enjoyed my time there very much.

 

I stopped for a short break at Belyando Crossing which is the entry area to the Central Highlands of Queensland. Just a busy roadhouse near a river crossing.

The countryside changed all the way to Clermont, my destination for today. On leaving Charters Towers the timber was quite noticeable, as it was most of the way. I am not sure but I think some of the country near the road may have been cleared a long time ago. Nearly all the way it appeared to be green and a reasonable body of grass was visible. There has been good recent rain as the roadside drains have water in them in a lot of places.

Getting closer to Clermont, the cropping country started to become visible with sorghum stubble in some paddocks and then some quite nice looking crops of wheat.

Then as I approached the town, the mines started to become obvious. This is in the coalfield area. I am aware of two mines just beside the town but the way mining is in Queensland I am sure there will be more not far away.

Then into the caravan park which is nice and tidy as well as very clean and is the cheapest I have stayed in so far this trip. After setting up the Karavan I went for a quick drive into the town and found a coffee shop which did not have bad coffee. After that it was back to the Caravan Park for a read then a glass of red then dinner.

So now I am moving more southerly. I am not sure of internet availability during the next few days. My next destination is roughly north east of the village of Dingo, between Rockhampton and Emerald, on a cattle property of Margy and Phil. Then on Sunday I will be in Emerald for a lunch with friends there.