Day Fifty One - August 26th, 2013
Mt Isa to Brunette Downs

We woke early to be out of the campsite by 8.15, and did a quick whizz around Coles and Kmart to stock up on cheap produce. Elly bought a pair of jeans in case we make it to the homestead at Brunette Downs tonight. It is the largest station in Aus with 110,000 heads of cattle spread out over 12,000 kilometres squared. A friend of Elliot's from polo at home worked there for a while and put us in touch with the owner. It will make a nice change from a campsite!

The stretch of road was long and boring, even the trees have deserted us. We saw a few cattle just outside Mt Isa (which we weren't sorry to see the back of), but after that it was pretty barren. We filled up with fuel and had an ice cream to try and cool off in Camooweal, and passed a sign telling us there would be no fuel for another 230km. Yikes.
Soon after, we crossed over into the Northern Territory. I can't believe we've only covered NSW and QLD so far, and barely scratched the surface!

We made it down the long fuel-less highway, and pulled in at the Barkley Roadhouse to fill up. We bought an enamel mug to commemorate the 'first and last pub' in the Northern Territory.

The only bright spot on our horizon was passing a French couple coming towards us on a custom made tandem bike. We stopped and gave them water and some chocolate biscuits and offered them some sunscreen. I can't imagine how hot they must be! We don't use the aircon in the Landy, and even having the windows open, the car is still an oven! We had a little chat and were glad to help them in a small way. They've cycled over 35 counties in total, but say its very rate that anyone in Australia stops to even say hi.

We made it to Rockhampton Downs before it dawned on us that we should have tuned at the Barkley Roadhouse to take the right road to Brunette Downs. After a discussion about whether we should turn back or press on to Three Ways, we decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up, and with no signal on our phones to let the owners of the homestead know that we would not be able to make it, decided to turn back and do the hour drive we had just covered in the opposite direction.

We started to fear the sun would disappear on us up the drive back and along the stock road from the Barkely Resthouse. Tensions ran high as I didn't think it was a good idea to have turned around at all. We were driving blind, as the map only had a small marking saying "Brunette Downs". We didn't know if that was the area where everyone lived, or just where the vast land belonging to them started. I did get a bit snappy, as I tend to do when faced with change at the last minute, and we followed a road train for miles in a charged atmosphere of me sulking and Elly hoping against hope that he would be proved right, and find the ranch. The cattle roam freely here, and with the road train ahead of us like a great battering ram, we honked them off the road. Finally, after over an hours drive, with thanks to God from us, we found the turn off to Brunette Downs. Along the dirt road we went, passing a solitary kangaroo. We made it to the low lying white buildings and found someone to direct us to the office. Everyone drives utes with several motorbikes strapped to the back. We met Amanda Johnson, and she very generously showed us to the camping area and said we didn't owe her a penny. She's also going to see if there's anyone who is free to take us out for a 'sticky beak' in the morning.

We pitched our tent on the small caravan sites used for visiting family and friends of the workers, and took in the view. A little way from where we are sleeping is a modest hangar with a light aircraft inside, and a landing strip. Kangaroos are everywhere, and are not afraid of our presence. I think we might hear a few scratches on the tent in the night. We whipped up supper, both being ravenous from the long day in the car (funny how sitting still for 9 hours will do that) and then braved the basic yet hot and powerful shower stood in corrugated iron. I managed to use the loo even with a little green frog sleeping peacefully on the ledge!
The stars are out in full force, and are as clear as they were when we were on the boat. With the hum of the generator, we are ready to be lulled off to sleep. Goodnight from true outback country!