Charleville Qld, May 31, 2016

Charleville Qld, May 31, 2016

Pretty much a repeat of yesterday’s travel, a 250km run from Bourke to Cunnamulla, lunch in the only cafe in town and the afternoon stint of 200km up to Charleville. Somewhere north of Bourke you cross into Queensland and immediately loose the 110km limit, back to 100km. Not that I care, I’m happy around the 100kph +10-5) mark, it’s just that nothing changes: not the road, not the land, not the speed of the people using the road... and yet one government thinks 110 is too fast and slap a 100 limit on. Actually, 20km or so over the border and it went back up to 110, and again, nothing changes.

That was almost the highlight of the trip. The real highlight and point of discussion was the carnage on the road in the form of road-kill. Roos, emus, pigs, you name it. It kept me awake weaving in and out and around the carcasses, i sure wouldn't want to actually hit one at that speed, dead or alive. I have to assume it’s trucks at night that do the damage or else the place would be littered with dead cars a well. Mind you, the emus were everywhere, and in big mobs. These things are so unpredictable you just have to be ready to take evasive action all the time.

Made it into Charleville unscathed and have settled into Bailey Bar Caravan Park. Don't ask me why its called Bailey Bar, I can only vaguely remember something about it once being a dairy or something and am a) too tired and b) too lazy to go to the office and find out. And besides, the campfire entertainment is getting started, they have a roast lamb on-a-spit for $23 that looks a lot like the aforementioned road-kill and country music, I might just sit here and play on the inter web for a while.  OMG, is that yodelling?

I just looked up our blog entry from 2013 when we were here last and laughed my head off; everything is the same, including the road-kill and with the exception of the w***** with the Christmas music blasting out isn't here [Praise the Lord] and being a Tuesday, there’s no footy match to go and watch instead.

Sadly it clouded over on the way up here so the star gazing at the info centre has been cancelled and the once free self-guided ‘secret’ tour is now a pay-as-you-go tour and having done it before, I opted out.

Bourke NSW May 30, 2016

May 30, 2016 Bourke NSW

A 'transport' day today as we move further out to Bourke, a small run of a mere 475km, the last 200 of which is dead straight.

Personally, I couldn't see any difference, apart from the surrounding landscape, of this road between Nyngan and Bourke and the much vaunted 'longest straight road in Australia', between Balladonia and Caiguna on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia. That little strip is only 146km long before a bend looms into view.

Bourke finally hove into view and as, in itself, it has little attraction, we drove straight through and onto 'Northy' as they have labelled North Bourke, which is where Kidman's Camp is located. We have been here before and this is a nice place, lots of green grass in the middle of the dessert, and you pick your own site. Why am I surprised that the place, while not jam-packed, is getting to its capacity of some 300 guests, mostly in vans.

Judy 'at home', Kidmans Camp, Bourke NSW

This is how you look and feel after 6 hours in the saddle, roaring across the wide-open spaces of the outback. Kidman Camp, Bourke NSW

Black Cockatoos. Bourke NSW

The only attraction is to wander down to the banks of the might Darling and watch the replica Paddle Vessel Jandra return to its moorings at the end of its twice-daily cruise.

Modern day PV Jandra, a replica of an 1869 paddle boat. Darling River Bourke, NSW

Just looking at the slow-moving mud puddle that is the Darling River, it's hard to believe that in the late 19th century, others like it used the Darling as a highway from Mildura to Brewarrina (north of Bourke) carting wool and wheat to market.

The most endearing relic of the era is the 1883 moveable platform bridge, the oldest of its type in Australia. Just like the river, it's day has passed and now we fly over the river on the modern concrete construction high above any recorded flood levels.

1883 bridge over the Darling River, North Bourke, NSW

Forbes NSW - May 29, 2016

Forbes May 29 2016

Day one and heading out for Darwin again. Had the normal run through to Boorowa where we made stop for lunch and a ‘visit’ to the local conveniences. Then up through the beautiful bit of country to Cowra, turn left, turn right and out across more river plains country to Forbes.

Thought we’d try the Big 4 this time through and it’s a seems a really nice van park. I feel right at home in Forbes; as well I might as my mother is recorded as having been born in this very street, Flint Street, but I have no idea where, and her mother was born just outside of town at a property called Yarragong. I have not been able to find such a place in my searches, so I’ll probably drive right by it on our way out tomorrow.

Back on the road again....

Cheers all, Brian & Judy