After leaving Mum's we headed up the Kidman Way and stopped our first night beside the water at the Griffith Wilow Park Rest Area. We arrived to rain but that stopped for us to get outside for cannaloni for dinner. The night was mild. The following day we travelled 482km on great roads. Weather is getting warmer. Lots of goats on the road and verges. Pulled into the Kinchela Rest Area about 30km south of Bourke. Heaps of off road parking out the back in the gravel pit. Steak and salad potato for dinner beside a nice open fire.

Drove the next day into Bourke and had a look out at the weir before heading through Cunnamulla onto Wyandra. Had roadworks, parts of the road was very bouncy. Lots of emus, we had one road runner that we nearly collected but he picked up his pace and DABUS was braking. Plus heaps of roadkill. Stopped the night at Wyandra Campground after 395km.

We drove 402km to the Barco River Rest Area in Blackall, where there is a huge campsite right in the heart of town with a $8 honesty box. Started the next morning with a dip at the Balckall thermal pool. A great place to visit and at only $2 per person. Water temp was 35 degrees. Then off to find the Black stump. So we are now officially driving beyond "the black stump" We then drove on the Outer Barcco tourist drive stoping at Isisford then onto Longreach where we went through a breathalyser, questions were asked abouth the windscrren, rego, licenece details etc. We pulled into Dingo Creek Down for the night, caught up on some washing, tackled the flies untin the sun went down. Cooked up a beautiful roast beef for dinner, only two other vehicles are in this rest area.

The next day we drove 449km, it was an easy drive with both of us sharing the driving each day. Enjoyed the scenery whilst listening to podcast - casefiles and Australian true crimes. Thanks Mel & Dave...... we are now addicted to listening to them. Hardly played any music as we are loving the podcast. Went thru another breathalyser today but got waved on as one cop alread had four cars pulled up. This was right outside the crocodile Dundee pub. Hot day driving , tackled flies again until sunset, the stars were amazing and we saw a light flash, horizontally across the sky. Stopped the night at Fullarton River North Rest Area.

Today we drove 373km with a cloudy day, easy drive. Road around Cloncurry and Mt Isa was hilly, curvy and skinner roads that we had been travelling on. Stopped for lunch and some shopping in Mt Isa. Arrived at Camooweal, heaps of campers, drove to second billabong and decided to stop for two nights. Fish and chips on the open fire.