Tag: blogging

Places, QldLeave a comment

The Isa

Itching for Hitching

Mt Isa in Queensland is not an old town but a fascinating one. Lead was discovered here in 1923, so there aren’t the heritage buildings and traditional outback pubs that define other towns. Surprisingly the City of Mt Isa actually includes the ‘suburb’ of Camooweal, 188 kilometres away. The road connecting the two towns is locally known as the “longest main street in the world.” The mine provides a dramatic backdrop to the city and the view of the city lights from the lookout is a treat at sunset. We spend the morning driving around Mt Isa’s residential streets looking … Continue reading The Isa

Caravanning Hints3 Comments

Trip Planning

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Half the fun of a long trip is in the planning and especially on a wet Boxing Day at home. We use a combination of sources once we’ve decided on a destination or direction. I keep an ongoing spreadsheet of places that sound interesting that we’ve heard or read about. I also mark them as Favourites in WikiCamps so that they stand out on the screen and are easily searchable once we’re on the road. Then with the aid of maps, WikiCamps, the internet and the latest Camps Australia Wide we build the route that we’d like to take. We … Continue reading Trip Planning

NSW, PlacesLeave a comment

Sofala

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We leave the Castlereagh highway at the tumbledown town of Ilford, NSW and head off through the hills on what is unromantically named Tourist Drive 4. TD4 is a hilly road winding through brown farmland with sheep and the gum trees are adorned with mistletoe. We drop down a steep hill and find ourselves in the village of Sofala, it is Australia’s oldest surviving occupied gold mining town and there is still a little prospecting done here. It was also used in the 1974 movie “The Cars That Ate Paris”. We park the rig and walk as the street is … Continue reading Sofala

Caravan Parks, Qld, Top SpotsLeave a comment

Evening Star

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Evening Star Tourist Park is a working station and caravan park a mere nine kilometres out of Charleville, Qld and when we call in (winter 2014) it is managed by cheery Neil and Dot. The place is so good we book a second night as soon as we’re set up. It’s as neat as a pin with a real bush feel. There are spacious gravel sites and ensuite amenities surrounded by red dirt and mulga scrub. There is a licensed bar and camp kitchen that is run by Lenny the muso and his wife Annette who is the camp cook. … Continue reading Evening Star

Qld, WildlifeLeave a comment

Wet Emblems

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It is winter 2014 and we’re in Longreach in Western Queensland, there are clouds gathering, rain is forecast but the locals are reluctant to talk about it. They’re in the midst of the worst drought in 100 years. Overnight it starts raining and hasn’t let up all day. The red dust has turned to slippery, sticky mud. I can now see how the unmade roads around here quickly become impassable. Any wonder it was the birthplace of Australia’s iconic airline Qantas. Just turning the car around at the end of a residential street we churn up ruts in the mud. … Continue reading Wet Emblems

Farm Stays, WALeave a comment

Nambung Station

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I think I found Nambung Station on the internet while researching our WA trip. It was only 22kms off the main highway along a very good dirt road. As we drove through Moura I rang ahead just to make sure that they were still accepting guests. When we arrived the manager Sonia greeted us warmly with a freshly baked cake. The camping area is large, flat and well grassed. Water is available and a dump point, there is even an airstrip. I’d like to see Big4 and the other formal parks try to match that. From our caravan we could … Continue reading Nambung Station

Farm Stays3 Comments

Farm Stays

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There are so many options when caravanning and camping, Caravan Parks, National (& State) Parks, Free Camps, Showgrounds and Farm Stays. There is nothing quite like a Farm Stay. For a reasonable fee hundreds of farmers across Australia offer basic camping facilities and provide city folk with an insight into what life on the land is like. Or more specifically what life in their part of the country is like as conditions vary so much across Australia. Every property is as different as the farmers themselves and the facilities they offer vary too, but that is part of the experience. … Continue reading Farm Stays

NSW, Places, Point of InterestLeave a comment

The Buster

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Its mid winter and we find that the two council caravan parks in Woolgoolga are almost full with southerners.  But at least we can squeeze into Woolgoolga Beach Caravan Park. As it’s only an overnight stop we would much prefer to have a drive through site but beggars can’t be choosers. We are put at the very corner of the camp beside the intersection of two shopping streets and there are no fences. In fact we could pretty much crawl across the street to the pub or shout our coffee order to the cafe beside us. A guy walks past … Continue reading The Buster

Places, Qld3 Comments

South Johnstone

Itching for Hitching

In north Queensland we had passed an intriguing pub at South Johnstone but couldn’t park the van. Being only a short distance away we decided not to let this one go. Next day we cross the South Johnstone River on a large causeway style bridge with no rails, these things freak me out. The thought of rushing floodwaters and crocodiles is enough to give anyone a thirst. South Johnstone has a large sugar mill at the south end and the South Johnstone River at the north end. In between there is a narrow road, about six empty “shops”, the Criterion … Continue reading South Johnstone