Well we pick up our intrepid adventurers in the little town of Injune not too far north of Roma where we last left them. When asked at the tourist info what there was to do in Injune the answer quickly supplied was 'Not much'. The town acts as a stopover point for Carnarvon Gorge and apart from spending $41 a night for a site at the caravan park (holiday resort??) just on the edge of the National Park itself, it is about as close as you can get to stay. Well we were happy with our digs because at 10pm that night my mate Shane (Ziggy) roared into town in his big Mack truck on his way from Rockhampton to Geraldton (just a little drive then!)

We picked up a couple of beers/ciders (thanks Shane!) and sat around the van drinking and chatting til the early hours. Shane had moved his semi to the road in front of the van park by this stage and so when Jude woke up in the morning he was tickled pink to see a huge truck just waiting for him to jump up inside and explore. An absolute treat to catch up with an old friend and hot on the heels of the catch up from Sandy & Dave we were feeling a bit spoilt for company.

It poured with rain after we had both turned in and of course it was the one night I didn't pack up chairs, table, pram etc so all nice and wet in the morning. Still it gave me a new way of packing things that didn't involve getting the van too wet and every situation is a learning experience around here. We had to say goodbye to Shane as he headed South and we continued on North (FYI by Wednesday he had reached Geraldton WA and we had managed to make Sapphire.)

Our next stop was Springsure but in between these two places was the afore-mentioned Carnarvon Gorge National Park. Everyone we spoke to both before leaving home and since travelling had agreed that this place was spectacular and a must visit. The detail we didn't get down to until we got a lot closer was that the walk along the Gorge was 9km and pretty tricky to do and all were agreed that doing it with Jude was just not going to be a possibility. When I got to the tourist info place in Injune they thought no differently but when I pushed they did say that there one or two other walks that were shorter and possibly do-able with a 2-year old. Oh well, so we wouldn't see the Gorge but I am sure the rest of the place would be worth the effort. (I should mention here that the main reason my original itinerary came as far East as Roma was to include Carnarvon Gorge! - not that I would have missed a minute of the trip East with Bev & John)

Well it seems that some things are just not meant to be. The amount of rain we had the night before and then all morning as we drove towards the Gorge decided everything for us, as the last 20km into the park is a dry weather only dirt road. With the range rising up on our left-hand side we took the 30 odd km of bitumen road as far as it went and were rewarded with wildlife of all descriptions including bustards, sulphur-crested cockatoos and families of brolgas (as well as the ubiquitous 'roos, emus and cattle).

Into Springsure and I decided to camp at the Showgrounds and what would they happen to have on that weekend but a Campdraft which Jude and I spent most of the next day watching; me enthralled with the skill of the horses 'cutting' the cattle and Jude just stoked that there were 2 other kids there for him to play with.

A couple of misadventures that afternoon; let me just say

1.its important to have a 'the drive is the purpose' mentality when you go 32km out of your way to see a historic site just to get stopped by a 'road closed' sign at the last 1.5km and

2. Sometimes when you enter a National Park and there is a notice that says the road is not maintained often you should take that to mean 'its not really a road at all after the first couple of kilometres just cleared rock with a smattering of gravel to make it extra slippery and nowhere to turn around'. Especially if it is a local farmer that has suggested the place to you, glanced over at your camper and said 'Oh yeah, your van should be able to make it up there I reckon.'

A couple of nights spent in Emerald which is nice enough before being told that yet another National Park was inaccessible for the age-challenged and that the Mine Tour I wanted to take Jude to at Blackwater (hadn't read your suggestion yet Craig but was intrigued nevertheless) was unable to operate for the next week because they were doing something too technical for me to remember but weren't allowed to have anyone on site. Never mind, off to the Gem fields via Capella which was not a long drive and we arrived in Rubyvale mid-afternoon and checked into the local caravan park and set off to explore with Jude pushing the pram (as is his wont). Naturally he decided that he didn't want to go the same way as me and took off running down a dirt road and my many calls (yells, screams, threats) went ignored until he came up to a house with dogs barking in the yard (thank you dogs). This is not a one off occurrence - the joys of walking with a two-year old.

The next day we headed the 5 or so kms into Sapphire where we looked around a couple of gem shops, drove out to the fossicking grounds and then in the arvo I splurged and bought a $10 bag of 'wash' at a place that had a mini playground to keep Jude amused and spent the next hour searching for rough sapphires. I knew I was going to find some cos they guarantee it when you buy the bag but there was still a little thrill everytime you found that slightly shiny stone and held it up to the sun and realised that, yes, you could see right through it. Good job I had Jude with me cos I think I could have spent a whole day at it.

Well we are nearly caught up now, though who knows when I will get to post this. All that is missing is the night we spent in Barcaldine and the 2 nights (one of which is now) that we stayed at Muttaburra. Quite amazing to be in such a tiny little town in such an out of the way place, tho back in 1908 it was thriving and had 7 pubs. Today there is only one.

And just to explain that dinosaur reference, this is the place where in 1963 a local musterer (who still lives in town) stopped for a drink of water and stumbled across the most complete skeleton of a dinosaur found in Oz (or at least this type of dino anyway). Just 2km away from a town that has been lived in for over 100 years!!

Keep looking folks; you never know what you might find. xx