23rd June
We left Emerald on Sunday morning and headed along the Gregory Developmental Road to Charters Towers 471kms away. 471kms is not a comfortable distance for Ross and me, so we had decided to stop at a free camp 112kms from Charters Towers. You know the expression "the world is becoming smaller and smaller' or something like that. Well this was proven to us in an extraordinary way on Sunday. About 200km out of Emerald Ross's mobile rang. It was a good friend of his who had worked with him at Transfield. Peter had retired well before Ross did and bought a Winnebago,. He didn't travel a lot because his very elderly mother lived with him and his wife and they could only get away when they could find someone to be with her or could get her a respite placement. he was always in touch with short emails or jokes. It was Peter, just touching base with Ross and saying hello. He said, where are you? Ross said, travelling on the Gregory Developmental Road He said, so am ! He said, where did you spend last night? Ross said Emerald! he said So did we! Ross said where abouts are you? Turns out they were 40kms further along the road than we were. We kept driving and I said to Ross to pull over at a truckie rest stop and there was the Winnebago, along with a friend and his wife and their caravan. He and Ross hugged each other. It was really the most amazing coincidence. A small world indeed! We all stayed the night at the free camp a little further down the highway. We had a happy hour with plenty of laughs. Peter carries a tap on a pipe stand with him and when free camping he hammers the tap in to the ground and waits for someone to fall into the trap. keep in mind these free camps are usually in the bush in remote areas with no plumbing. No one fell in to the trap, but it was a funny idea. We booked in at a park we stayed at three years ago, not much has changed. It is a very pleasant relaxed atmosphere at this park. This morning we had scones, jam and cream with billy tea cooked on the camp fire for a gold coin donation to go to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
After morning tea we went into town and had a look at the historic Gentleman's Club which dates back to the late 1800s.
Later in the day Ross and I got out our game of Klops.Google "Klop game" to have a look at the game.
Ross won the two games that we played then some ladies came to see what we doing and I asked if they would like to play. So the four ladies and I played a game with many laughs. Ross retired from the game and left us to it. Three weeks gone already!
June 24th
Said goodbye today to Peter, Margie, Will and his wife. We drove to the Burdekin Weir 17km out of town, where the sound of the water running over the slipway makes it a very peaceful place. The weir is Charters Towers main source of water and regardless of drought Charters Towers water supply is assured. The Burdekin is second in importance in Australian rivers to the Murray. We enjoyed a picnic lunch of fish and chips in a nearby park, then we came home to try out some new chairs we bought that looked really comfortable, but they don't work as well as we thought, so now it seems they are going to be a continuous nuisance for the rest of the trip.Just as well under the bed has a large capacity as that is where those chairs will live till we get home. I can see them down by the pool or out on the grass in summer where we could recline in comfort with a good book.
Some last minute shopping today 25th and a lovely roast cooked in the electric frypan for tea- very tasty indeed and two extra meals as well to be eaten on Saturday night.
26th June This morning we left Charters towers and drove to Taylors Beach about 25km from Ingham for two nights. About 180kms into the trip we needed a cuppa so stopped at Bluewater rest stop which is also a free camp maintained in pristine condition by the local council. Unbelievable amount of caravans etc, camped there in a very pretty peaceful spot. Pizza for tea tonight! Then on Sunday we go to Innisfail for seven days, lots to see and do there.