We had a couple of action packed days in Townsville with visitors, Dylan, Ruth and Bones. All arrived into Townsville airport from the southern states on Friday 6th July. Dylan was the first to arrive during the afternoon and we picked him up from the airport and drove to the top of Castle Hill for the amazing view of Townsville. People walk and run up here but we were happy to drive. He camped in our hiking tent set up just outside the motorhome. Ruth and Bones arrived late e ending and stayed about 2km from Rowes Bay Caravan Park called The Beachhouse on Athens Strand. A great location and amongst restaurants, bars and cafes. Also only about 1.2km from the ferry terminal which was handy when we took the regular ferry service to Magnetic Island on the Sunday.

First though, it was the V8s on the Saturday. Thankfully, the day was overcast so it wasn’t too hot. Back to our camp for BBQ dinner.

Magnetic Island is a popular spot for locals and tourists. Only 20 minutes by ferry and you can purchase a ticket for around $20 (seniors discount) which includes return ferry and unlimited bus travel while on the island. We headed to Horseshoe Bay Tavern for lunch and to watch the V8s on the go screen. Then bus to Alma and Geoffrey Bays for a look around then back to Nelly Bay for the return ferry to the mainland. We met up with Lucy from Bristol who we met on the Whitsunday Blue for drinks and pizza. After brekkie on Monday it was farewell to the pasty white southerners.

We only travelled about 30km the next day to Black River Stadium for overnight. Then a rather long travel day along the Gregory Development Road to Undara Volcanic National Park for 3 nights. It was convenient for us to stay at The Undara Experience Lodge and Park as there are walks and tours from there which meant that we don’t have to break down camp each time we want to go somewhere. It was $99 for the three nights in an unpowered site and the tours were fairly expensive - $58 pp each tour - but as you can only visit the lava tubes with a guide, the kinda have you there! As we are now heading inland, there are plenty of free camps along the way which will help with the budgeting.

Back to the Gregory Development Road. This road is often only 1 car wide with tar and there are plenty of LARGE road trains that use it. The best advice is slow down and get off the road. There are UHF call points along the way which you are meant to announce the number of your position so oncoming traffic can be prepared. This is often coming up to corners and hills. Our call sign was, for example, “Suncatcher motorhome site 17 northbound “. Felt like a goose to begin with but it was much safer.

The Savannah Way was our next road from Undara as we headed west. Again, often just one car wide and no call signs here. Not so many road trains but plenty of grey nomads. We seem to be the only ones heading west. Plenty going the other way towards Cairns.

It was 290km to our next overnight camp at Croydon. Roy don was established in 1886 after Walter and d*** Aldridge struck gold while digging holes for fence posts working on Croydon Downs Cattle Station. In no time at all, the new town’s population had passed 6,500 and there were, according to legend, something like 90 hotels on the diggings. Gotta love a good gold rush!