Leaving Adel's Grove the 12kms of poorly ungraded road has been graded after lots of complaints apparently so the road is excellent and the drive back into Gregory Downs is a breeze, we stop for fuel, the van and car got a wash and after a great lunch there we head off to the Burke and Wills roadhouse road, planning to stop in one of the 2 camp 7 overnight stops, but when we get to both of them they are no longer there, both being on river crossing the areas have been bulldozed and roadworks are apparent so we head to the roadhouse.

The roadhouse is a bit run down and the supposed Caravan area is non existant so we head across the road and spend overnight with 4 other vanners. We patronised the pub for a few and catch up on some Comm games TV.

The next day we head to Normanton and the famous Purple Pub - painted because after floods the owner was cash strapped and bought the cheapest paint he could get and it happened to be Purple - so thus the Purple Pub, one of the friendliest places to have a drink at and a meal.

Town is also famous for Krys the biggest recorded croc kill and the Gulflander train of which we both check out.

We are both really looking forward to going to Karumba and the coast and so we decided to head there ealier than our only set booking so far, we can get in at the Karumba Point CVP and so we head off with the plan of doing 2 weeks - one at Karumba Point and one at the famous Karumba Sunset CVP.

After a stock up and refuel we leave Normanton for Karumba.

from the great outdoors

Alida and Mal