Site Content
What a delightful drive from Broken Hill to Tibooburra, probably due to the fact that it was an absolutely beautiful day made it so. The road is sealed all the way and in great condition, apparently it has not so long ago that it was sealed the whole way.
We (my new friends and I) travelled for about 200 K's before stopping at Cobham Lake rest area, about 125 short of Tibooburra.
I just absolutely loved the scenery. It maybe isn’t everybody's cup of tea, but I loved it. I took a few photos to show you but as always they don’t show the feeling of real thing, but maybe you’ll get the drift looking at some of the photos especially if you put a bit of Hank Williams on.
One of the things I love out in this country is the rivers. They never cease to amaze me, filled with lovely river gums and sandy shores and not a sign of water, just sand where the water should be.
I spent a few months working at Broken Hill back in the late 90’s and did a tot of exploring around the area and I walked up quiet a few rivers taking photo’s and sometimes just sitting and taking in the scene. I have never seen them in flood but you can always see where it’s been and there is always appears there is a lot of water there when it does come. Likewise on this drive, I couldn’t help but stop and walk them a bit or slow right down and have a geek.
I’m travelling with Greg and Di whom I met at Broken Hill (I’ll introduce you later). Greg found a camp hidden from the road in amongst sand dunes beside a dry salt lake about 25 K’s past Packsaddle, this is the type of camping that I really love. I got out my fire pit and we sat around having a few drinks and a BBQ.
The climate has now suddenly changed as it is a lot warmer here and there are flies (I don’t think I even seen a fly at Broken Hill, but you sure don’t have to look far now). We all noticed the temperature rise on our dash readout that went from 14 to 20.
Another interesting thing about this trip was driving up an airstrip. This is an emergency landing strip on the road. It is well made wide and appropriately marked. I quickly snapped a couple of shot to show you, hope you get the picture>>>>.
20/07/20
Arrived at Tibooburra all ready to cross the boarder after fuelling up and a coffee at the road house. We deflated our tyres ready for a big trip of unsealed road ahead of us. Just out of town a young couple in a wis-bang (a small van with slide door, that’s the noise you hear at night when they pull up, wis-bang) stopped us and said that the boarder is now shut, and they couldn’t get through. Just our luck. So we turned around and went back to Tibooburra Pub and had a counter lunch. We found out there that someone had locked the gate and the local police were heading out to unlock it (the boarders weren't closed).
There is a big fence on the boarder with a gate and a sign saying gate must be closed at all times. But apparently someone decided to lock it. We were pretty glad when we finally got to drive through it.
The road wasn’t to bad from Tibooburra to the boarder, but we came to the conclusion that Queensland’s roads stink. We travelled about 300 K’s today, 250 of dirt, and I’m over that for the time being.
I was so glad to travel with Greg and Di on that road as we didn’t see many others, not even the police at the boarder to check our passes. We intended to stop at a camp about 75 K’s short of Noccundra and we did. We quickly settled down and had a cuppa and I was a little worried about the sky, as I felt we could get some rain tonight and it may mean we would be stuck there for a few days until it dried out, so we quickly up and left. We calculated that it was maybe only 45 K’s to the start of the sealed road but that turned out to be about 60. It was getting quite dark at this stage and no moon, but we finally made it to Naccundra pub and stayed at the rest area across the road. We are all feeling a bit tied and dusty, so a nice shower and an early night tonight.
Still no sign of boarder control.
Dusty work
21/07/20
Just a boring drive today if you can call it that. I still enjoyed the drive but only took a couple of photo’s as any other would have bored you. We only drove 180 K’s today as we needed an easy one after yesterday. We found a free camp at Eromanga. Greg befriended a couple in another bushtracker caravan (as you do) and we enjoyed a campfire together telling lies to on another (as you do) what a great night, great people to be with. I’m sure they felt the same about me??? We fulled up here and the price was $1.29/Ltr. Just to let you know. I seem to be getting a constant 19 Lts /100 K’s. Just to let you know, and I’m happy enough with that.
Off to bed now as I has had too many bourbons..
Dusty work
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
Dusty work
22/7/20
We dove for another 300 K’s today and stayed behind the Jundah Pub. They had free WiFi there so I was able to get some of my blog done. It takes a bit of time and it’s annoying not having my own WiFi, especially when your sitting at the bar, a man feels like a Dork. The next morning Di and I enjoyed chasing the bird life around the park taking some photos.
Hey did you get to see my video on the Broken Hill page? No one has let me know that they have even seen it yet, so disappointing as you wouldn't believe how much trouble I had to get it on for you.
I guess it was a dumb idea. Oh well too bad, at least I enjoyed it.
The next morning I had to wait around to finish my stupid video so Greg and Di headed off and I was to meet up with them at Longreach. My wife and I came to Longreach in August 2004 for my 60th. (That reminds me of the song Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine. (‘He said, I turned 65 about 11 months ago’). That’s me).
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
We met up at Broken Hill where Greg and I played golf together (very badly I'm ashamed to admit)
They hail from Minamurra near Kaima.
They were great to be with and we helped each other out a lot.
I'll miss them when we part.
When I arrived at Longreach I did a few little visits to Qantas and Stockmans Hall of Fame. Greg contacted me to say they were staying at IIfracomb some 28 K’s East. I decided to not go and went the other direction instead.
I wasn’t interested in seeing Longreach (been there done that) so we said goodbye.
Sad to see them go, I had so much fun with them. Thanks Greg and Di, and hope to catch up again someday, cheers!
What a great couple. I’m sure they thought the same of me ?????.
Winton and beyond
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
Meet Greg and Di Latimer
24/07/20
I spent some time around Winton, even had a quick nine holes at their course, flat, dry and oily sand greens, but great to let the old clubs loose again. (don’t worry Greg, I hit long and straight today, not at all like when we played, short and very bent).
Tonight I’m camped behind the Blue Healer Pub at Kynuna. A very old Pub famous for Banjo Patterson, nice beer as well.
Tonight is the first time I got the shorts and thongs out. It’s been 25* here all day and I even faced my door away from the sun to sit out in the cool. It’s now 8pm and 22*. What a difference 3 days and 900 K’s make when we were sitting around the fire and freezing.
I also got the hint for the shorts and thongs when the temp read 26* and a sign saying welcome to the gateway to the Gulf Country. I guess I’m not in Tumbarumba anymore (Sorry Bert).
A bloke said to me "It's gonna be a cold one tonight mate". He's from Bowen. I had to laugh as he's idea of a cold spell is that it's not as hot as it was before. Mine is; teeth chattering, heater blaring, gloves and beanie.