Judy & Brian Tour Oz

  Cunnamulla Qld July 9th 2024 Woke up to bright sunshine and a fast clearing caravan park. We didn’t join in the exodus immediately, choosing to take our time before heading out into the fray. As it turned out, we had a great run across from Bourke to Cunnamulla, only thing of note was the 10,000 caravans going in each direction. The road was really good for a long way and then turned a bit rough before we hit the Queensland border. Found our van park easily enough and it turns out to be very pleasant. Clean, quiet, dry! Cunnamulla is everything that Bourke should be: alive, clean, catering for the tourist. Welcoming even. They have spend the town’s wealth on the newest facility: a hot springs centre right in town on the banks of the Warrego. We went and checked it out, and checked ourselves in straight away for tomorrow, not going to lets this one slip by! Warrego River. Cunnamulla Qld Later in the afternoon I took myself off to do the Riverside Walk, from the visitors ...

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 ...

Time to mosey on up the road. You hitch the van on, pull out straight onto the Mitchell Highway and maintain speed for the next few hours. We stopped after 250k at the first town, Cunnamulla, in Qld, (not the first name, that would be Engonia or Barringun) for an early lunch and because we just had to have a break. The driving is flat and mostly straight through scrubby country. The only noticeable thing is the fauna wandering along the road: sheep, goats, cows, emus, roos, pigs. The raptors were having a field day, selecting only the most ripe and juicy while ignoring others. In Cunnamulla we had toasties and coffee and took time to snap the world famous Cunnamulla Fella (what? you've never heard of him? shame, shame shame). Nothing for it but to push on up to Charleville, another 200 or so kays up the road. I have to say that the roads at this stage are far better in Qld than NSW, but no lessening in animals looking to be the next Eagle Boys meal. Somewhere back near Bourke we en...