Karumba, Qld

Normanton is 198km north of the roadhouse and we were on good road still, our first excitement was a 'roo that nearly took its last hop, and that was before we hit the outskirts of town. And then there was the emu, which we hadn’t seen for months. This one was on the other side of the road looking away out into the bush. We slowed and then slowed some more. True to form, at the last possible second it turned and took two skitterish emu steps right in front of us. Note: Two tonnes of caravan pulled by two tonnes of metal doesn’t actual stop all that quick even from 40kph. We missed the damn thing luckily but it’s a bit unnerving. At the 50km mark we hit our first taste of developmental road, just on the approach to a crest. Oh joy, no road and no view of oncoming traffic. The moment passed and we got used to the game and the new rules, which in practice are more like a game of chicken: last on on the road holds the tar. Unless the oncoming is a road-train, in which case you get the hell off and stay of until its gone. We get off. Didn’t have the pleasure of a road-train in either direction, which I’m pretty happy about.  Came across more 'roos and emus, and then a big flock of Brolga on the side of the road.

Finally made it into Normanton, checked out the Gulflander train schedule, and then pushed on toward Karumba. Lots and lots of Brolga, must get some shots on the way back. I thought we must have taken a wrong turn. I held up the glossy brochure of Karumba, and looked in vain for the lush green trees and cooling grass. Karumba has a reputation as being ‘the’ fishing town, inhabited mostly by a horde of Victorians that come here every year and stay in the same place for 6 months. It can be a bit off putting, so we’ll have to wait and see what sort of van park we find ourselves in. Mind you, it looks better than the other one at the Point.

Park seems ok enough, we are right next to the ablutions block, but under a tree with some shade from the afternoon sun and the pool looks inviting enough.  Booked a train ride for the morning and sunset cruise for tomorrow.

Just had to go to Karumba Point and stare out over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Had a wine in the wine garden of the Sunset Tavern, it seemed the thing to do.

Snap

Gulf of Carpentaria, Karumba, Qld