A relatively late start from Yaraka this morning. We stopped to fill our drinking tank and topped up one of our non-potable tanks before paying our camping fees at the hotel. $6.00 for two days of camping is hard to believe.
We were now entering the Channel Country. The first 36 km was a good dirt road with such good conditions that we didn't need to reduce our tyre pressures; mind you, we weren't in a hurry, so we sat comfortably at under 60 km/h. The remainder of the trip, as far as the Retreat property, was 50 km of bitumen. We passed Welford National Park, where we had previously camped on the Barcoo River, surrounded by its magnificent river red gums. Three-quarters of the Channel Country lies in Queensland, with the remaining part spilling over into sections of South Australia and New South Wales.
The principal towns are Windorah and Birdsville, situated in the arid floodplains of the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers, as well as Cooper Creek. When these catchments receive enough rainfall, their floodplains flow into Lake Eyre.
Today's drive is less than 200 km, and we are headed to camp on the banks of Cooper Creek, 12 km south-east of Windorah. We enjoyed camping here in 2012 and have decided to spend the night again.
At the intersection near the Retreat property, there were two options: take the better road or follow the minor 55 km Hammond Downs road, which was the shorter route. Of course, we chose the shorter option, which turned out to be a pleasant drive through two station properties, with cattle surrounding waterholes and large mobs of emus that would run in all directions as we approached.
We were now entering the Channel Country. The first 36 km was a good dirt road with such good conditions that we didn't need to reduce our tyre pressures; mind you, we weren't in a hurry, so we sat comfortably at under 60 km/h. The remainder of the trip, as far as the Retreat property, was 50 km of bitumen. We passed Welford National Park, where we had previously camped on the Barcoo River, surrounded by its magnificent river red gums. Three-quarters of the Channel Country lies in Queensland, with the remaining part spilling over into sections of South Australia and New South Wales.
The principal towns are Windorah and Birdsville, situated in the arid floodplains of the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers, as well as Cooper Creek. When these catchments receive enough rainfall, their floodplains flow into Lake Eyre.
Today's drive is less than 200 km, and we are headed to camp on the banks of Cooper Creek, 12 km south-east of Windorah. We enjoyed camping here in 2012 and have decided to spend the night again.
At the intersection near the Retreat property, there were two options: take the better road or follow the minor 55 km Hammond Downs road, which was the shorter route. Of course, we chose the shorter option, which turned out to be a pleasant drive through two station properties, with cattle surrounding waterholes and large mobs of emus that would run in all directions as we approached.
Upon arriving at Cooper Creek, I parked on the main road and walked down to the spot where we camped on our last visit. Unfortunately, there were already several vans parked there with the best view of the creek, so we headed into Windorah to empty our toilet cassette and then into town to buy fuel at $ 1.57 per litre.
On our way back to find a spot to camp, we briefly stopped to chat with fellow BT owners Jeanette and Jeff, who joined us later and camped nearby. After I started our fire, they joined us for a drink before we were joined by another Bushtracker couple, Maria and Bruce, who had parked across the road from us.
Our new Easy Burn fire pit was christened tonight, and we cooked our meal over the coals, which consisted of fillet steak, onions, sweet potato, and zucchini. We ate inside before adding more wood to the pit and sitting outside with another glass of red wine before retiring.
On our way back to find a spot to camp, we briefly stopped to chat with fellow BT owners Jeanette and Jeff, who joined us later and camped nearby. After I started our fire, they joined us for a drink before we were joined by another Bushtracker couple, Maria and Bruce, who had parked across the road from us.
Our new Easy Burn fire pit was christened tonight, and we cooked our meal over the coals, which consisted of fillet steak, onions, sweet potato, and zucchini. We ate inside before adding more wood to the pit and sitting outside with another glass of red wine before retiring.
A somewhat late start this morning after doing a load of washing and saying farewell to Jeannette and Jeff, along with a toot from Maria and Bruce as they headed south towards Quilpie.
From Windorah, we headed west along the Diamantina Development Road.
This road was single-lane bitumen for 110 km before we turned south-west onto the Birdsville Developmental Road. The bitumen ended 10 km later, so we stopped to lower our tyre pressures before continuing.
A couple also pulled up after driving from Birdsville this morning in a single-axle, supposed off-road van. He mentioned the road was in terrible condition, but if I sat on 80 km/h, I could hop over the corrugations. Mind you, his tyres were at 45 psi, and he had already wrecked two tyres that morning. We also observed that his pipe fittings underneath the van were all broken and hanging loose.
One of Jeff's mates drives trucks back and forth from Birdsville, and he told us the road was very rough and corrugated. It was just our luck to learn that road crews would be working on the road before the Birdsville Races in early September—but not for another week.
Well, I must say his mate's report was accurate. The conditions for the first 100 km were quite poor and very ordinary. Besides the corrugations, the surface was covered with rocks, and the numerous floodways were particularly rough.
Our plan was to camp at Deon's Lookout for the evening, but the site was very exposed, and the winds were nearly cyclonic. So, we decided to leave and drive an extra 20 km to camp in the ghost town of Betoota.
From Windorah, we headed west along the Diamantina Development Road.
This road was single-lane bitumen for 110 km before we turned south-west onto the Birdsville Developmental Road. The bitumen ended 10 km later, so we stopped to lower our tyre pressures before continuing.
A couple also pulled up after driving from Birdsville this morning in a single-axle, supposed off-road van. He mentioned the road was in terrible condition, but if I sat on 80 km/h, I could hop over the corrugations. Mind you, his tyres were at 45 psi, and he had already wrecked two tyres that morning. We also observed that his pipe fittings underneath the van were all broken and hanging loose.
One of Jeff's mates drives trucks back and forth from Birdsville, and he told us the road was very rough and corrugated. It was just our luck to learn that road crews would be working on the road before the Birdsville Races in early September—but not for another week.
Well, I must say his mate's report was accurate. The conditions for the first 100 km were quite poor and very ordinary. Besides the corrugations, the surface was covered with rocks, and the numerous floodways were particularly rough.
Our plan was to camp at Deon's Lookout for the evening, but the site was very exposed, and the winds were nearly cyclonic. So, we decided to leave and drive an extra 20 km to camp in the ghost town of Betoota.
Another cloudless day with 11 degrees inside the van this morning, but the diesel heater quickly raised the temperature to 18 degrees. At 7:00, a slight breeze was already blowing as I stepped outside to take some photos, so I was glad to return to the warmth. My eyes were watering from the cold, so I can only assume the temperature outside was around 3 to 5 degrees.
We were completely surprised by the condition of the road for the next 40 km. It was more like a bitumen surface, and we comfortably sat at 70 km/h, but the road soon changed, and we reverted to yesterday’s conditions, except the floodways and corrugations were much worse.
We arrived in Birdsville just around midday and drove into the front of the hotel for a photoshoot before setting up camp several kilometres south of town. There is another Bushtracker parked several hundred metres ahead of us, but the occupants are out for the day.
We were completely surprised by the condition of the road for the next 40 km. It was more like a bitumen surface, and we comfortably sat at 70 km/h, but the road soon changed, and we reverted to yesterday’s conditions, except the floodways and corrugations were much worse.
We arrived in Birdsville just around midday and drove into the front of the hotel for a photoshoot before setting up camp several kilometres south of town. There is another Bushtracker parked several hundred metres ahead of us, but the occupants are out for the day.
After setting up, we headed into the Birdsville Hotel for a beer before going to the Bakery, where we both had another drink with our pies. Ros chose the chunky beef, and I thoroughly enjoyed my camel pie.
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