Hughenden

We stopped for lunch at Hughenden at the quirky FJ Cafe. Food and coffee were both good and great value.

Mount Isa to Richmond

Richmond was our first overnight stop after leaving Mount Isa. The caravan park had no powered sites so we opted for the free RV park. There was more room than in the crowded caravan park even though the only facilities were potable water and a dump site.

The main attraction in Richmond is dinasaur and other fossils. The information centre has this large statue of a Kronosaurus. Squillions of years ago the area around Richmond was a sea so many of the fossils are of fish.

The unusual round rocks at the RV park are known as moon rocks. Every 2 years there is a moon rock throwing competition during the fossil festival.

Mount Isa

We have done the washing, will wash the Jeep, and have given the dogs a run in the terrific off leash dog park just along the road near our caravan park. It was shady and free of prickles.

We also found a great store called Worn Out West. There were lots of customers getting their gear for the rodeo which is in a couple of weeks. We will miss the rodeo but couldn't resist updating our outback wardrobes.

Tomorrow we will continue travelling east towards the coast.

Camooweal

Camooweal is a small town of less than 300 people about 20kms the Queensland side of the NT/QLD border. Mount Isa regards Camooweal as a suburb and claims the 188kms of Barkly Hwy between the two places is the longest main road in the world.

We had dinner at the Post Office Hotel and stayed at the hotel's caravan park. There was not much to see during the drive from Renner Springs and the only places to stop were roadhouses.

The Threeways Roadhouse is at the intersection of the north south Sturt Hwy and the western end of the Barkly Hwy. We turned east and the road signs reported the distance to QLD.

Before we could refuel at Threeways we had to hand over ID which was returned when we paid for our fuel. Apparently many vehicles have driven off without anyone paying for the fuel.

Queensland

We have crossed back into Queensland and are spending the night at Camooweal.

Grey Nomads

Most of the people travelling in caravans, campervans, mobile homes or converted buses could be considered to be grey nomads. Most are retired but some look for local work. Our neighbours at Lake Argyle had been there for 9 weeks doing housekeeping in the villas. We were chatting to them after they came to congratulate us on our well behaved dogs!

We have seen a few Asian travellers but otherwise the demographic is white Aussies and in this large population only the men can drive! The vast majority of grey nomads travel as couples. A few travel with friends but each couple has their own vehicle and caravan.

Most travellers are friendly and behave appropriately, but we have had a couple of strange encounters.

At Kununurra Anita was cooking dinner outside our van and had the TV on the 7pm ABC news. A sole female traveller in a campervan asked her to turn the TV down. Anita obliged even though she couldn't hear the TV herself when outside. She was not so obliging when this woman told her to turn out the light she was using to see her cooking and let her know it wasn't even 7.30 and her request was unreasonable.

Yesterday morning at 5am the couple next to us made a lot of noise packing up. We were already awake but were not impressed when they reversed their motor home out of their site and the loud safety reversing beeper woke up anyone who had still been sleeping.

While the wine label is catchy, the contents of the bottle were not up to the expectations created by its origin being McLaren Vale.

Renner Springs

We drove on to Renner Springs and set up camp at the roadside caravan park. This is just a one night stopping place and everyone backs in and leaves their vans connected to their vehicles.

There is some sort of spring but the water is murky and green. There is also a 17m swimming pool but it has an unattractive greenish bottom and
wrigglies in the water. Noone was swimming.

I asked the young Englishman who served me what enticed him to be working in a place like this. He said it was to get a second year on his visa. I couldn't help thinking that was akin to blackmail, but the workforce in these remote locations is mostly young Europeans so the policy it is working.