Ribs n rumps enroute

I may have mentioned the many animals we have seen along the highways and byways of this trek but they fade into insignificance when compared to the cattle drives...

Between Ilfracombe and Longreach (check your atlas) we encountered a herd of cattle being moved down 'the long paddock' (aka stock route, aka The Matilda Highway). There were two Jackaroos (cowboys of the male persuasion) on motorbikes/dirtbikes and two Jillaroos (you get my meaning) on horseback accompanied by a few cattle dogs.

The travel was slow going as we 'nudged' our way through the throng of cattle and horses. We were most impressed by this large mob totally under the control of these 4 drovers and their dogs. Ol' Have a Chat (Eric) chatted up one of the Jillaroos through the car window to be told that the herd consisted of 1700 cattle and a number of spare horses. 1700 cattle. 4 drovers. 3 cattle dogs. You do the maths!

Lots and lots of hot water

This part of Australia is known as the Great Artesian Basin. The basin covers the area from northern New South Wales to the tipof Queensland in the north.

This basin is reported to be larger than 170,000 Sydney Harbours!!!!

We don't see any running water - it is all underground AND very very hot - ranging from 35C to about 75C . The land is flat, there are no dams about - all the water comes from bores that can sink to 3,000 feet. 35km out of Barcaldine is a large station called Barcaldine Downs. In 1902 a bore was sunk on this property and since that date it has produced 750,000 litres of water per day at 58C. This water then travels through 30 miles of pipes and services dozens of paddocks throughout the property.

We have so far enjoyed hot mineral baths at Moree and Mitchell and look forward to many more.

While in Blackall we visited a steam driven woolscour using hot water from it's own bore.

Cattle Country

Cattle Country

We have been away now for nearly 2 weeks and the weather is slowly getting warmer and the days longer. The mornings are still very cold 2-5C but the days are around 22-25C. Spent an hour this afternoon listening to a local talk about Barcaldine and the surrounding area drinking "billy tea", eating damper and enduring bush poetry. One of the most impressive encounters has been with these monsters of the road . Road Trains...are about 160feet long and are not slow vehicles.

As can be seen with the photo of "Tilly" in the middle of the road, Some of the "highways" are only one lane wide..... if you meet somebody coming the other way you both move off the road , leaving only 2 wheels on the bitumin.... When you have dozens of wheels like these guys and maybe carrying 160 head of cattle , weighing many tons , we slow right down to let them pass. The other day we had to pass one of these trains travelling in the same direction......we had to wait till we had a clear Km in front and it seemed to take ages to get past him.

On Our Way

We left Sydney 10 days ago and this is our first atttempt at our blog.

Our plan is to head north through central Queensland and eventually end up on the coast at Mission Beach south of Cairns. We plan to travel for about three months.

So far all is going well. We have particularly enjoyed Kapunda Fishing Camp near St George and the photo will show you why.......

We spent 3 days on a cattle station near Charleville and got to know the owners after a day's tour of the workings of the place. Real hardworking, down to earth Aussies running 33,000 acres of hard country. Our camp included a 24 hour campfire and happy hours that lasted all evening. They work hard BUT they play harder! See our campsite visitors and view the road in.