Six and a half years ago I used this title for the north coast tour that I did on BBII. Little did I know at the time how much life was soon to change for me. I’ve just finished another 6 days on the road but it has been different in every way than my January 2010 effort and, despite being on 4 wheels and not two, it has been better in many ways.
We left Cessnock early last Saturday morning, heading north west in the general direction of Mount Isa, our first major destination on the trip. Denman, Merriwa, Cassilis, Coolah and Binnaway. The road surfaces throughout rural NSW are appalling so it wasn’t a surprise to hear an alarming clonking noise from the left front suspension just before we got to Binnaway. A stop and a close inspection underneath the van didn’t reveal anything damaged or broken but, from then on, any largish bump on the left hand side would show that the noise was still there.
At Coonanbarrabran we stopped and called the NRMA. The patrolman arrived almost straight away but, despite a lap around the block and an even more thorough inspection, he couldn’t find anything wrong either, advising us to just monitor it and push on hoping that it would be OK. Saturday was a long day, needlessly so, probably, and we travelled through Narrabri, Moree and on to Mungindi, where we stopped and camped for the night beside the river in the free camping area. 755kms in a day was not on the plan but neither had spending three days getting repairs done in the Hunter Valley been.
It was still raining when we awoke in the morning and the river had risen considerably during the night; the access road was looking pretty dodgy, too, so it was out of there as fast as we could go. Thankfully the rain soon cleared to patchy showers but pushing deeper into Queensland showed just how much rain they had had. Minor roads (and even some major ones) were flooded and closed and the paddocks on both sides of the highway were awash with water. Floodways still had rain flowing across them and the water tables on both sides of the road were filled with run-off. The road is narrow, has a 110km/h speed limit and there was no possibility of getting off the road if a breakdown occured or if one of the legendary Queensland road trains happened to be taking up too much of the other lane. To do so would have meant being bogged irretrievably in the glutinous red clay.
Despite the potential for disaster, the rain (200mm in the last two weeks at Blackall) had a positive side in that the countryside was ridiculously green and remained so for the whole of the rest of the journey. In some places the paddocks and the vegetation were so green that you could easily have mistaken it for the east coast highways and landscape.
The highway is long, very long and features very long straights that can mesmerise you if you just focus on it; at one stage I spotted a road train in the distance going our way and I could see that we were gradually gathering him in. It took 15 minutes to catch him and get into position to pass and he had been within sight the whole time. It took several minutes more before an overtaking opportunity became available as the highway is crowded with trucks, road trains and hundreds of cars towing caravans. Let me tell you that the leisure inbdustry is doing well. As far as the road itself is concerned, it seems the Queensland government is allocating millions to roads because the highway was great, all the way.
From Mungindi we passed through St George and on to Roma, our next overnight stop. We camped at minimal cost at the Showground and there met up with my good mate, Dave Thompson, who had been pursuing us all day after setting out from his daughter’s place at Tamworth. We travelled together for the rest of the journey and it was great having him and Sue for company as they have done this trip 8 times and knew all the good sites, the good camping places and all the tourist highlights. The site of the Winnebago and the Minibago travelling together caused many smiles. Roma is a beautiful town and we soaked up a bit of its history before we headed out. At Roma we joined the Warrego Highway heading west and again it is long, straight and potentially boring. But it was fascinating. There was a multitude of wildlife, furred and feathered and, sad to say, much road kill as well.
The landscape continued to be green, prompting Dave to say that, in 8 years of travelling the road, this is the first time he has seen it so. We didn’t go into Charleville but cut off the corner of the triangle and headed for Blackall. Again we free camped and took in the sights as well as stocking up with some supplies at the IGA. Petrol was consistently priced all the way, around $1.29.9 for unleaded and around $1.40 for Premium which we used despite it being dearer. There is no doubt that the touted benefits of PULP are no illusion. About 4mpg better overall consumption for each tankful is benefit alone but the performance and smoothness gained is palpable.
Barcaldine is a pretty town and we headed on through Longreach and free camped again about 40kms north of town. The soil was sandy and the trees were a bit black and daunting but it was quiet, the facilities were good and the company was great.
From there it was through Winton, stopping to photograph the amazing mesa formations at about the half-way mark and then into Kynuna for the night. We stayed around the back of the appropriately named Blue Heeler Hotel (again, minimal charge – I think $18 for the campsite and full use of the shower and amenities block.)
The landscape was still green and lush and constantly changing. I expected long runs of straight boring road bordered by red dirt plains as far as the eye could see. The road was straight but the scenery was magnificent. Stoppage at Cloncurry to see the inspiring John Flynn Place museum and the equally beautiful Chinaman’s Creek Dam picnic site then onto the Flinders way for the run into Isa. The dirt road into West Leichardt Station has not been graded since the last rains so access is by 4WD only so the plan was to stay at Fountain Springs free camp site about 60kms out of town and then into Isa the next morning. The camp site was already crammed with caravans and RVs when we arrived so we didn’t even slow down.
Then, as a last surprise, we climbed through the mountains into the city. My impression of Mt Isa has always been a city on a flat, barren, featureless plain. Of course it is called MOUNT Isa but somehow that fact seems to be overlooked. The mountains are magnificent and the climb up to the city is worth the wait.
By now I knew that Thommo had gotten the sniff of Isa and he was determined to make town so we pressed on. The road to West Leichardt looked VERY slushy as we passed by so it was into the city to the home of one of Dave and Sue’s friends who have a large block and had offered us camping place until the road is graded and suitable.
So, here we are, 3196km later and looking back on a truly amazing 6 days on the road. Would I do it again? Hell, yes. It was truly awesome.
Please check out my Facebook album for the photographic record. It is a public album and non-Facebook members can view it.
dunc says
you 2 are definetly seeing some wonderful country up through that way.Some of the roads will probably always be in poor condition as they just dont get funding at all .Good to hear there is a bit of green showing through the landscape up there because they sure do need some good news .Keep the reports and pics coming when you can.
Phil Hall says
And yet, despite all that, Queensland roads are much better than NSW ones.