Today we set off from our free camp to Townsville. We stoped in Charters Towers to get a coffee and some hash browns for the kids. Chaters Towers is a very tidy regional centre. We felt like we where back in civilisation, normal shops and no more red dust, bull dust, red kangaroos, tumble weed or dirt roads. It was with mixed emotions we left the outback. It draws you in and embraces you. It apeals to you through our pioneering history and you feel proud, like you've found a sense of identity that as proud Australians we all look for. But then it pushes you away just as quick. You question whether you could live in it and why those who do live and work in it do. It's an experience I'm pleased we could give our kids back in 2015 and now in 2017.

From Charters Towers we made our way to Townsville. The first thing we discovered is this is no rural centre, it's a city. It's also the first time we have found the tourist information centre to be in the city with no caravan parking. Very frustrating. It's a heck of a city to be stuck in towing a large caravan when there is a triatholon on.

We phoned a couple of caravan parks only to discover they were full. The day was turning a bit sour now. Mandy then gave the Big4 caravan park a call, which is a little way out of town, but we secured a site. The kids were very happy as it has a pool with water slides.

The afternoon was spent in the pool with the kids, grocery shopping and relaxing. Not sure what the plan for tomorrow is at this stage.