Birdsville 2013 - Day 2

Sorry if you've been waiting for an update, we didn't have Internet where we camped outside of Windorah on Thursday night and it was a bit busy when we  arrived in Birdsville yesterday.  So, here we go:

Thursday 28/3/13
Up about 6am, because the 2 wigglers were ready to get up.  It was still pretty dark, Craig made coffee and unbeknown to me, I was supposed to bring our MYOB hard drive because Craig had a quote he needed to re-send to a client!  I'm a mind reader.....  We sat down and got the quote out of the road first thing (I mean who wants to work on their holiday, seriously).  Boris made another friend while we were busy with work stuff (the resident black labrador), they had a great play together, he was covered in slobber but had a great time.  Decided we'd try the recommendation for Breakfast at the Fox Trap Hotel west of Charleville at Cooladdi.  so we packed up and were on the road again about 8am.



Packed ready to leave Charleville

Nearly hit 2 roos this morning, luckily Craig managed to slow down and just missed both of them.  Saw wild goats, emus and the most gorgeous Wedgetail Eagle this morning (no photos, the driver won't slow down or stop me :( ).....
Stopped for that breakfast at Cooladdi and we both agreed it was very nice.  Craig had a chat with a truckie who was there for brekkie also.  We caught up with him later on down the road and he was very nicely called us up on the radio to tell us when it was good to go around him.  We're still on dirt roads this morning, one lane as you an see from the photos.  The landscape around us though is so green and constantly changing - we have an amazing country.



The road from Charleville to Windorah
 (east of Cooladdi)

This is a small truck that past us.

More of the road east of Cooladdi
(very long and straight)



Fox Trap Hotel

Fox Trap Hotel - not much to look at, but
a great breakfast.

So not a lot of traffic on the road from Quilpie to Windorah today.  Staying at the free camp tonight on the Cooper Creek, about 12klms east of Windorah - flushing toilets, camp right on the banks of Cooper Creek, dogs allowed and campfires - what more could you ask for.  Arrived about 2pm found our campsite and OMG is all I can say when we stepped out of the car  -  THE FLYS were like a blanket.  Got back in the car and drove around the have a look see at the rest of the campsites on both sides of the Cooper for an hour, then went back to our selected campsite and first thing Craig did was get a smokey fire going.  No flys on you when you stand in the smoke, leave the smoke covered in a fly blanket - made having a beer or wine very challenging.  Just as well we packed the fly nets - you look ridiculous but it saves your sanity.  Take the flys away and it's a great place to camp.  We've been told the flys are around because of the heat and rain that has come through, camp near water and there's lots more flys.....  wish we had of known that earlier!

This part of the highway to Windorah
(west of Cooladdi) was so green.

That straight road still to Windorah

Campsite on the Cooper Creek
12klms east of Windorah

Boy tried some fishing this arvo - no luck with that, well except that he caught a tree and lost his lure (not completed he was able to retrieve the lure).  5.20pm we got some neighbours and Craig threw out the yabby traps to see how that would go.  Flys are still thick and it's really hard to write my journal with them buzzing around me.  Bring on sunset, I'm completely over the flys now!!  Will have a later dinner tonight I think, to make sure we don't have extra protein in our dinner.  No internet or phone coverage, I won't be updating the blog tonight.

Craig attempting to catch fish...

Boris cooling off in the creek



It's an attractive look!

Not the best looking head gear, but
it serves a purpose

Yabbies, he actually caught about 1/2 a dozen yabbies!!!!!!  They are entree tonight - done in Garlic is the call.  Craig checked the traps a bit later after dinner and got about 3 more, which are sleeping in the freezer now for a snack when we're in Birdsville.



The Yabby catch

Something that was beautiful last night was the full moon.  Forgot to say, while we were cooking dinner the wind gusts started, they were that strong the galley door was blowing shut while we were cooking!

We'll call that a day shall we.

Birdsville 2013

Right, Birdsville here we come!!! 
6.30am and we're off and on schedule!!!  First stop fuel down the road from home, then onwards to Charleville.  Stopped at Blackbutt 8:45am for breakfast at the bakery, comfort stop for everyone....
9:15am both the Magellan & Hema GPS's are yelling at Craig to turn right to Dalby after we'd passed Yarraman and yet he continued along the road we were on....  And yes, we had to do a U-Turn!!  Won't mention what was said in the car.

Cooyar to Yarraman Road

 Going through Chinchilla was interesting, Police had both sides of the highway shut down and pulling everyone for license checks & RBT - yes we passed and Boris got a few pats from the Officer and he asked Boris to blow into the "bag" - Boris declined and sat down between us :)
12pm stopped at Miles for lunch & got some fuses for the cigarette lighter in the truck - apparently I made it blow a fuse while fiddling with the USB charger :O Everyone's fed, watered, toileted and we're off toward Roma.
Arrived at tonight's destination Charleville about 4.30pm, staying at Bailey Bar Caravan Park.  A very friendly Julian greeted us at Reception (Julian & Wendy own the park), we were given a booklet on Charleville and a page of vouchers for around town & a very good suggestion for breakfast tomorrow morning at one of the voucher places.  Boris even got lots of pats from Julian and a souvenir (beacuse nobody buys their dog a souvenir on their holiday, so these guys have created a little tag for your dogs collar as a souvenir of their travels - how cute is that!).  Boris has his on already!

So we found our site for the night, met the neighbours in the process and had a chat.  Had their audience and others while we opened up the camper - collective comment "is that it, you're done, setup!"  Answer:  Hmmm Yes.  Continues chatting with neighbours until about 6pm (they have come from Tweed Heads and Kempsey today).  Just sitting out the back of the camper in the shade relaxing with an afternoon drink - it's 6pm and 31 degrees C, quite pleasant really because it's a dry heat.




Bailey Bar Caravan Park

Chatting with the neighbours heading to Birdsville as well
 



Our Camp

Our little Boris

6.20pm approx and what do you think pulls into Roothy's Milo 4wd rolled into Bailey's Bar C/park!    (on a trailer) shhhh.  Took a few photo's as you do, no Roothy in sight tonight.



Roothy's Milo at Bailey Bar

Milo on it's way to Birdsville

After all the excitement, we talked to our mate in Vietnam (Zam who we crossed the Simpson Desert with in 2007), just finished dinner, feeding Boris and cleanup and a little relax before a good night sleep for our next leg tomorrow.

Hilux Update

Just a little update on our Hilux, we've added a few things to it.  Craig has designed and built driver & passenger side fwd & aft undertray tool boxes, a 70lt water tank, an undertray draw all made from fibreglass and a carbonfibre rod holder.  He has also installed our old 170 Lightforce lights which attach to the rod holder and a 40" LED light bar on the roofrack, and for some extra light at the rear we have 2 LED lights which are attached to the water tank & side tool box that act as our reversing lights but can also be turned on separately to light up a late night camp setup. Oh, we have also replaced the steel rims with some alloy rims.  Take a look at the photo's on The Chariot page (if you like the tool boxes, water tank, undertray draw or rod holder drop us a message, because Craig will make to order and colour for the boxes). Cheers.
Forgot to mention, the boxes & draw are water & dust proof!