I feel sorry for all those poor Victorians who are shivering through the cold, wet southern winter. While the nights in south central Queensland have been in single digits, the days have in the mid twenties and sunny. The whole area we have been traveling through however, is suffering a severe, prolonged drought. Good rain is desperately needed so while I'm loving the clear skies and amazing starry nights my heart goes out to the farmers who are doing it really, really tough. Every day on the road we come across herds of cattle grazing the Long Paddock (the edges of the highway) as there is no grass on many farms and while those who have sown crops are praying for rain it is evident that it's already too late for some. Australia, the government and the banks must support the people on the land or many will go belly up before the rain eventually returns. Then where will we get our food?
It was yet another warm, sunny day when we packed up after five nights at Carnarvon Gorge. The Gorge, Jenolan Caves and Blue Mountains were on my bucket list before I left Yarrawonga back in May, and they did not disappoint. All three a must do! Karen had booked her Isuzu in for a service at Emerald on Thursday morning so we had two nights to play with before getting there. We headed north on the Carnarvon Highway with no set plan in mind and by 11.30 arrived at Rolleston where Karen needed to refuel (the 95 litre tank in my car has 30 litres on hers). Lots of travelers stop at Rolleston as it is renown for it's coffee cart in the park. It would be a pretty little spot if it was green and the river that runs through it was full - but no - not even a trickle in the creek bed. The park was surrounded by maybe a dozen or so caravans with quite a long line of people waiting to order their lattes or cappuccinos from the very busy barista lady. That led to lots of travel story swapping and people wanting to pat James and Ellie. The coffee was bloody good too!
From our research we thought the area around Springsure seemed quite interesting and there were a couple of free camp options or the showground. It was only 70 km further northwest. We passed up on one possibility a few kilometers before town, the road in looking very rough, and went straight to the showground. It had power, water, shade, a great view of the local landmark, Mount Zamia which is floodlit at night and it was a short stroll into town. Aside from a bloke in a camper it was empty with heaps of site choices all around the arena. It also had a clean laundry with a couple of machines that only required $2 for a load. Sweet! Decision made. We pulled up in the shade of some trees leaving the vans hitched and threw a couple of loads in the machines. Late in the afternoon the chatty lady caretaker drove up and collected $25 from each of us for the night's stay.
SPRINGSURE SHOWGROUNDS gets a 4 from me. The sites, amenities, proximity to town and attractions in the area make it worth a stopover. It's dog and fire friendly and the Rock lit up at night is pretty.
We ended up staying two nights at Springsure. A slow amble around town and a visit to the information center on Tuesday morning prompted us to unhook my van so we could explore the area in more depth. We drove up into the Minerva Hills National Park to the lookout over town. The road was atrocious and I crept the Jeep along keeping fingers crossed that I would not break something. There certainly was a great view.
Virgin Rock, so called because of it's resemblance of the Virgin Mary cradling baby Jesus, forms part of Mount Zamia. We checked out the local cemetery and golf course on the way to the viewing area and another free camp spot below it which was tiny and right on the highway. The showground was a good decision! Cemeteries in old country towns are interesting. There always seems to be heaps of headstones dating back to pioneer days when death often came at an early age. It makes you feel quite sad. The golf course looked in pretty good nick given the drought. Its the only course I've ever seen with a railway line running right through it's centre.
Rainworth Fort Complex is probably the area's most historically significant attraction. It consists the original stone fortress, the relocated Cairdbeign Homestead and the school. The fort was built in 1862 following the massacre of 18 Europeans by local Aboriginal tribes the year before on a nearby property. It was primarily a food store for staff and families living on the 100,000 acre cattle station but could also be used as a safe haven. It was well worth the 10 km trip out of Springsure. The ninety-three year old lady who takes the $10 entry is pretty interesting as well.
Our next stop, Emerald, (so named for the green pastures that surrounded the town when it was established in 1879) was a bit under 70 km north. It was a really cruisey run that had us setting up on the $8 per night free-range camping area at Emerald Tourist Park well before lunch. While we were not hooked to power or water there are fantastic facilities and the option to fill our tanks with water and use the power in the camp kitchen. We faced the vans in to each other so we would always have shelter with the awnings out, and by parking a car at each end we created a sort of courtyard area for James and Ellie. Our first night we sat by the communal fire with the puppies being entertained (I use the term loosely) by a fellow traveller/singer and dining on fish, chips and calamari cooked at the onsite Yabbie Trap.
EMERALD TOURIST PARK scores a 4.5. It's a steal at $8 per night unpowered. You get everything the $33 powered sites get except power and water to hook up to. There's heaps more space than the powered sites and it has one of the best camp kitchens I have ever seen. The owners and staff are amazing.
Next morning we dropped James and Ellie off at a local dog groomer so they could be bathed and clipped, then checked Karen's car into Isuzu for a service. With a bit of time up our sleeves before collecting the kids we popped into the Tourist Info Centre (where there is a fabulous metal sculpture of an Emerald Dragon), then drove out to Fairbairn Dam. At 17% full it is a rather abysmal sight.
James and Ellie were very happy to get back to camp. Karen and I were not quite so happy with how they looked. James at least will hopefully remain burr-free now that all his soft locks are chopped off. Karen did her own touch up job on Ellie to soften the harsh Schnauzer cut she'd been given. We weren't sure the $70 each was such a bargain!
Karen wants to get a GA handicap which she can apparently do by joining a golf club (there are a couple of online options) then playing 54 holes with someone one who has a golflink number marking her card and submitting her scores. With the Emerald Golf Club around the corner we threw our clubs in the car and were on the course by 9am Friday. The dogs were left tethered outside to the vans. We figured if we broke the round into two we could get back to them for a few of the hotter hours in the middle of the day and resume the game late afternoon. That worked fine. The course was pretty dry and rough in spots but the greens were good and quite fast. We had fun and Karen got the first 18 under her belt.
Emerald's BBQ & Beer Fest was an event we thought could be interesting. It was on Saturday 11am till late. Karen was really looking forward to it. Maybe learn some camp cooking tips, browse the stalls, enjoy the entertainment etc. We turned up a tad after midday and it was like watching grass grow. After a tasting platter lunch (average) and a drink we went back to the vans. It seems the action happens much later in the day. When we got back we were earbashed with the camp bozo thumping his music out from his nearby tent. Enough of Emerald we agreed and booked Sunday night at Rubyvale Caravan Park in the sapphire gemfields region just 60 km away.
It was fantastic to get back to the 'country '. Emerald was a bit like the burbs. We stopped at Sapphire a few kilometers before Rubyvale late Sunday morning where there was a market and bought James and Ellie hats. They loved them!
Rubyvale Caravan Park was like an oasis in the midst of fossiking mayhem and chaos. And there was a pub across the road and horses in the paddock behind us to boot. Sunday bliss!
It was yet another warm, sunny day when we packed up after five nights at Carnarvon Gorge. The Gorge, Jenolan Caves and Blue Mountains were on my bucket list before I left Yarrawonga back in May, and they did not disappoint. All three a must do! Karen had booked her Isuzu in for a service at Emerald on Thursday morning so we had two nights to play with before getting there. We headed north on the Carnarvon Highway with no set plan in mind and by 11.30 arrived at Rolleston where Karen needed to refuel (the 95 litre tank in my car has 30 litres on hers). Lots of travelers stop at Rolleston as it is renown for it's coffee cart in the park. It would be a pretty little spot if it was green and the river that runs through it was full - but no - not even a trickle in the creek bed. The park was surrounded by maybe a dozen or so caravans with quite a long line of people waiting to order their lattes or cappuccinos from the very busy barista lady. That led to lots of travel story swapping and people wanting to pat James and Ellie. The coffee was bloody good too!
From our research we thought the area around Springsure seemed quite interesting and there were a couple of free camp options or the showground. It was only 70 km further northwest. We passed up on one possibility a few kilometers before town, the road in looking very rough, and went straight to the showground. It had power, water, shade, a great view of the local landmark, Mount Zamia which is floodlit at night and it was a short stroll into town. Aside from a bloke in a camper it was empty with heaps of site choices all around the arena. It also had a clean laundry with a couple of machines that only required $2 for a load. Sweet! Decision made. We pulled up in the shade of some trees leaving the vans hitched and threw a couple of loads in the machines. Late in the afternoon the chatty lady caretaker drove up and collected $25 from each of us for the night's stay.
SPRINGSURE SHOWGROUNDS gets a 4 from me. The sites, amenities, proximity to town and attractions in the area make it worth a stopover. It's dog and fire friendly and the Rock lit up at night is pretty.
We ended up staying two nights at Springsure. A slow amble around town and a visit to the information center on Tuesday morning prompted us to unhook my van so we could explore the area in more depth. We drove up into the Minerva Hills National Park to the lookout over town. The road was atrocious and I crept the Jeep along keeping fingers crossed that I would not break something. There certainly was a great view.
Virgin Rock, so called because of it's resemblance of the Virgin Mary cradling baby Jesus, forms part of Mount Zamia. We checked out the local cemetery and golf course on the way to the viewing area and another free camp spot below it which was tiny and right on the highway. The showground was a good decision! Cemeteries in old country towns are interesting. There always seems to be heaps of headstones dating back to pioneer days when death often came at an early age. It makes you feel quite sad. The golf course looked in pretty good nick given the drought. Its the only course I've ever seen with a railway line running right through it's centre.
Rainworth Fort Complex is probably the area's most historically significant attraction. It consists the original stone fortress, the relocated Cairdbeign Homestead and the school. The fort was built in 1862 following the massacre of 18 Europeans by local Aboriginal tribes the year before on a nearby property. It was primarily a food store for staff and families living on the 100,000 acre cattle station but could also be used as a safe haven. It was well worth the 10 km trip out of Springsure. The ninety-three year old lady who takes the $10 entry is pretty interesting as well.
Our next stop, Emerald, (so named for the green pastures that surrounded the town when it was established in 1879) was a bit under 70 km north. It was a really cruisey run that had us setting up on the $8 per night free-range camping area at Emerald Tourist Park well before lunch. While we were not hooked to power or water there are fantastic facilities and the option to fill our tanks with water and use the power in the camp kitchen. We faced the vans in to each other so we would always have shelter with the awnings out, and by parking a car at each end we created a sort of courtyard area for James and Ellie. Our first night we sat by the communal fire with the puppies being entertained (I use the term loosely) by a fellow traveller/singer and dining on fish, chips and calamari cooked at the onsite Yabbie Trap.
EMERALD TOURIST PARK scores a 4.5. It's a steal at $8 per night unpowered. You get everything the $33 powered sites get except power and water to hook up to. There's heaps more space than the powered sites and it has one of the best camp kitchens I have ever seen. The owners and staff are amazing.
Next morning we dropped James and Ellie off at a local dog groomer so they could be bathed and clipped, then checked Karen's car into Isuzu for a service. With a bit of time up our sleeves before collecting the kids we popped into the Tourist Info Centre (where there is a fabulous metal sculpture of an Emerald Dragon), then drove out to Fairbairn Dam. At 17% full it is a rather abysmal sight.
James and Ellie were very happy to get back to camp. Karen and I were not quite so happy with how they looked. James at least will hopefully remain burr-free now that all his soft locks are chopped off. Karen did her own touch up job on Ellie to soften the harsh Schnauzer cut she'd been given. We weren't sure the $70 each was such a bargain!
Karen wants to get a GA handicap which she can apparently do by joining a golf club (there are a couple of online options) then playing 54 holes with someone one who has a golflink number marking her card and submitting her scores. With the Emerald Golf Club around the corner we threw our clubs in the car and were on the course by 9am Friday. The dogs were left tethered outside to the vans. We figured if we broke the round into two we could get back to them for a few of the hotter hours in the middle of the day and resume the game late afternoon. That worked fine. The course was pretty dry and rough in spots but the greens were good and quite fast. We had fun and Karen got the first 18 under her belt.
Emerald's BBQ & Beer Fest was an event we thought could be interesting. It was on Saturday 11am till late. Karen was really looking forward to it. Maybe learn some camp cooking tips, browse the stalls, enjoy the entertainment etc. We turned up a tad after midday and it was like watching grass grow. After a tasting platter lunch (average) and a drink we went back to the vans. It seems the action happens much later in the day. When we got back we were earbashed with the camp bozo thumping his music out from his nearby tent. Enough of Emerald we agreed and booked Sunday night at Rubyvale Caravan Park in the sapphire gemfields region just 60 km away.
It was fantastic to get back to the 'country '. Emerald was a bit like the burbs. We stopped at Sapphire a few kilometers before Rubyvale late Sunday morning where there was a market and bought James and Ellie hats. They loved them!
Rubyvale Caravan Park was like an oasis in the midst of fossiking mayhem and chaos. And there was a pub across the road and horses in the paddock behind us to boot. Sunday bliss!
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