2011on the road: September 2011

Mount Isa to George Town

Mount Isa Opening of the rodeo

Hi everyone

This blog will take you to the Rodeo at Mount Isa and as far as George town via Cloncurry, Lawn Hill, Normanton on the Gulf and finishing at Georgetown, all of these places have given us warm weather this the long stays.

After leaving Boulia and a short stay at Djarra

The highlight of Djarra

Djarra camp ground

we arrived in Mount Isa some 2 and a half weeks early luckily someone had told us about the free camping at the RSL which we did for 6 days, everyone parkes in the Carpark, we were parked next to the RSL Building under the RSL sign,

Nice spot daylight 24/7

boy little did we know that the sign stayed on all night thus basically we had daylight for 24/7 so much light ,never mind close the blinds and we where in semi darknes.

The RSL only asked you had a meal so now and then and you could stay forever and a lot of people did, after 6 days we had enoegh as there isn't a lot to do in the Isa so we decided to move to Cloncurry for the Concurry Muster

The grand Parade

a smaller Rodeo

Click on arrow to see video above

and very enjoyable it was we stayed at Walls camp no power but water and showers at $15, the Muster provided entertainment and 2 days of fun at $5 for the weekend, good value.

On the sunday of ourstay in The Curry as it is named we had the oppertunity to go and see the The Ernest Henry open cut Copper/Gold mine,

Our Tour group

Open cut Copper/gold Mine

We passed the induction course and are now miners

Our next set of tyers

and interesting it was for $20 we were driven to the mine 38K away a tour and Lunch provided lots of info even to the point we had to do a intro safety course, boy if only one was 30 again these people who work here are provided Accomodation, food, transport and work 14 days straight 12 hour shifts and a 1 week off and they fly out to the nearest big city , salaries are around the $3000 a week and nothing to spend it on.

An interesting day, we moved back to the Isa RSL for a few days then into a CP which we had booked prior to knowing of the RSL.

The Grand Parade

"Dont you just love a Cowboy" (was the slogan here)

Bull Riding

Bronc Riding

Saddle Bronc riding

Other attractions railway line laying competition

The Isa Rodeo was fantastic and you were able to sit very close to the ring and see all, we spent all day there for 3 days and enjoyed it all.

Click on arrow to see video above

A light dust storm over the Isa boy was it bad

But now we are all Rodeod out for a long time to come and we moved on East to a Free camp along side the river at Gregory Downs

Gregory Downs y the river free camping

which is the storage place for Caravans prior to going into Lawn Hill National park and Gorge, great spot

Our Camp for 8 days

Nice beside the river

A fire, wine, a river, a nice dinner and the best company

our van was 2 mtrs of the river which flowed pretty fast and you could walk up river a half K and than float back great fun,

Me floating down the river

no crocs but lots of Caravans along the river spent 8 days here.

Where is the Road where is Lawn Hill?

During this time we drove into Lawn Hill for lunch at Adells Grove and the Gorge walk,

Cimbing to the top of the gorge

Lawn Hill Gorge from the top lookout

Gorge in Background beautifull

The Gorge

The Lawn Hill Falls

drove to Burketown,

Burke town on the savanna way

Oldest Pub in the out back

Not something you want to see too often (luckely minor injuries)

Leichard falls

Leichard Falls people said you could camp there but glad we didn't, to dusty and no place for a 21ft caravan.

Falls in background

Leichard river

Close up of Leichard Falls

Believe it or not, I am standing on the bitumen of the road
flood water pushed it from where you see the blue water of the river behind me

this is where the bitumen came from now repaired ofcourse

Artesion Well head in Burketown with calcium build up
temperature of water around 80C

Burketown is the hub for the fisherman as Burramundy is caught here by the ton, with lots of other species as well, however not this season it has been too cold so nobody fished.

We did stop in Burketown and had a burra burger and this was nice the road was good and not a problem bitumen most of the way.

We were reluctant to leave our spot by the river but we moved on to Normanton into the Cp for general maintenance to ourselves a well as our cloth only a couple of days as there isn't much to do here and we have been here a few times, then a short trip to

Leichard Lagoon camp ground

Leichard Lagoon 24k down the road stayed here for the Saturday night 3 course dinner at $5 up from $3 last year but just as great with the music and all felow Caravaners at the Homestead.

Liechard Lagoon camp ground was dry and dusty and hardly any water in the lagoon, and the weir No fishing (too Cold in the water for them) also there was a nature mishap a few month ago when all the Catfish suddenly went belly up and drowned, understand this was due to the water turning upside down and they all died of oxygen or so I have been told you could see it with so many dead fish and most of it had been cleaned up by the council already it did not smell nice thats for sure.

Floating Cat fish everywhere

Sunset over the Lagoon

Here also we had a litle fright as a snake got a bit too close for comfort and got as far as the A frame of the of the van,

Our Visitor a Taipan?

there were also lots of Cane Toads at night brr ugly frogs, at least in the shower you are in green frogs company when you shower at night.

Bianka relaxing in her new Rocking Chair (this is the future)

Grave of a early explorer not Inssciption which says:
" Murdered by the blacks "
can't get away with this today?

Day before yesterday did the Cobolt Gorge this Gorge is so narrow that when you travel through it you can touch the sides from a flat bottom boat but absolutely great too see,