Welford and Idalia National Parks Once more across the Barcoo (with water) and we were in Welford National park. We tried to follow some tracks to a waterhole and a lookout that were on some National Park brochures but to no avail. It seems that National Parks have been closing some of the tracks and scenic routes - is this cost cutting we wonder? Certainly there were no signs and we ventured up some tracks that only seemed to peter out and give us an uncomfor...

Stonehenge, Jundah and Windorah The tiny burg of Stonehenge has a population of around 30 so a couple of streets it about it. A helpful person in the information centre which was also the council office, the store, the library and internet centre, chatted to us about the local area's attractions which amounted to a lookout from a jump-up and a waterhole (dry at the moment). The lookout did indeed afford excellent views to the horizon all around and also offere...

Ilfracombe and Isisford Just a few kilometres east of Longreach is the little town of Ilfracombe (population less than 100) whose claim to fame, according to the tourist brochures, is its Machinery Mile, a long outdoor display of farm and other machinery lining the highway into town. Sound riveting? Well, in fact it was one of the more interesting things to see. The local history society has put together a fascinating selection of old graders, bore hole digge...

Longreach We had planned to stay at a free campsite we had heard about near the banks of the Thomson River just outside Longreach for at least one night before heading into town proper. But the sight that greeted us was too ghastly to contemplate. Hundreds of caravans squeezed into a dusty site with only two toilets in a small block could only be called a slum. Just about anything was preferable so we checked into the Longreach Tourist Park, a vast sprawling p...

21-24 July 13 Our first night in Winton at the overcrowded Pelican Caravan Park had us cheek by jowl with grey nomad caravans and trailers. Its only saving grace was that it was just down the road from the Tattersall's Hotel where we all got together for our last meal with the Hay River group. But it gave us time to wash ourselves and our clothes, and have a sleep-in for the first time in weeks. Well, a sleep-in until the caravan next door decided to turn on i...