The journey from central NSW to Charleville in southern
QLD was long, hot, flat, with roadworks and smelly artesian water! We spent 2 nights in Mitchell next to the
local river (we won’t talk about the fishing).
Our next stop was Charleville, where we found the cold water tap
(artesian) was hotter than the hot water tap!
The temperature started to climb into the mid 30’s and it didn’t take
long to find the local swimming pool.
Our next major leg was from Charleville via Windorah to
Birdsville – what spectacular country, apart from the severe heat it was extraordinarily
beautiful. It is amazing how much water
is still in this semi desert-type country.
We later read up on the Great Artesian Basin and the Lake Eyre Basin (do
a Google, it’s amazing information). The
average size of properties in the Windorah area is 1.2 to 2 million acres with
1 head of cattle per 80 acres. We
actually wimped out at Windorah and stayed in an airconditioned room behind the
pub – shame we can’t do that here in Birdsville – this heat is making
everything melt.
The trip from Windorah to Birdsville took us on our first
serious dirt road for about 280km since picking up the camper. Got to say the road was extremely good and we
had no problems, but the temperature jumped to just over 40 and we had the a/c
on full bore. We were going to stop half
way to Birdsville and thought twice as the temps continued to soar; so we
stayed in the comfort of the airconditioned car and pushed on. We used a lot of fuel and the Prado was
finding it tough. In the last leg we got
around 18lts/100kms.
The road to Birdsville crossed a fairly diverse range of
country; one minute it was totally flat and brown, the next you’d drive over a
pimple of a hill that came out of nowhere and there were green rolling fields
and flowing creeks! Then there are the ‘overtaking
areas’ – the runways from the Royal Flying Doctors. If you’re ever out this way, make sure you
look into the skies front and back as you drive down the 2km of runway.
We arrived at Birdsville mid-afternoon to find the
campground was flat red dirt, 41 degrees with a million bush flies! We immediately put the CT up while we were
still coolish from the a/c, but that didn’t last long – both of us nearly collapsing
from heat stroke. Then to the pub, where
we wallowed in the cool beer and cooler temperatures.
Today was spent just trying to stay cool. I can’t believe just how hot its got; and
unfortunately, its going to stay over 40 for the next 2 days, before coming
back to the low 30’s by Thursday. So,
before the 4WD Action team and the rest of the crew get here on
Thursday/Friday, we’re going to probably spend all our time in the pub staying
cooooool.
On the road to Birdsville.
Flat and hot!
We said we wouldn't talk about the fishin!
Where does it end!
Da flies, da flies . . . . .
Birdsville street map
The Birdsville billabong
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