Reid River Rest Area

UA big day...460kms! Woo hoo. I am a little weary. The kids were amazing.

We stopped for a wee stop at Charters Towers & got chatting to a truckie who was originally from Forster. He is working for a company trucking molasses for stock feed. The poor buggars don't have enough to feed their cattle so they are mixing molasses with whatever they can find to feed them. We told him we'd driven from Clermont and he said "that's a shit road". You're not kidding! It was boring & in bad repair.

The kids had sandwiches in the park but had spotted a McDonalds sign. After lunch I grabbed them a frozen coke each. Their excitement was gold. I must say my coffee tasted fabulous. I've had some terrible coffee in our travels. 

Even the clouds look different closer to the coast. 

Is that tree covered hills that I can see!

Our roadside stop for tonight. The freeway on one side & the train lines on the other side. I don't think anything will keep me awake tonight. The best news...I have service so I got to talk to Michael. 

Townsville tomorrow :-))))

Theresa Creek Dam

Another solo day. I even pulled in to a smallish service station & filled up with diesel :-)

Jericho train station...

Drive in

We passed through the great dividing range which was so beautiful!

We've had nothing but waves & friendly faces all through outback Queensland but today we hit Emerald. Driving solo, with four kids on board & a foolish truckie decides it would be a fabulous idea to tailgate me. I was doing about 95km/h. I immediately turned to channel 40 to let him know when he was ready to overtake, I'd back off. He didn't answer & then dad caught up. He told him to back off! I could not see his headlights in my rear camera...idiot! Anyway, he got past & I was relieved. 

Sunset over Theresa Creek Dam. Although the water is a little low it was still pretty. $15 per site. There was grass but you weren't allowed to camp on it.

Early to bed for my bickering children xxx

Longreach

We had a lovely few restful days after school finished for us. Morning errands & afternoon swims! Yesterday was the last day of term & it was fabulous. We chilled out all morning & then packed a picnic in the park. The Corellas are stripping every tree in town & the grass is absolutely covered in kangaroo poo.

The kids had been nagging me all week to go to the library so we did.

It's amazing the facilities that some of these towns have. We only shared the library with a handful of people & were even offered iPad & free Wi Fi time.

The kids were in heaven! Much more space than our current home.

Today we left Longreach for my second solo voyage...this time we're headed to Townsville to pick up daddy.

The first town we came to was only 25kms up the road but we stopped to take a look because it was so interesting.

This is a park full of old machinery & cars. It was called Ilfracombe.

This is a beautifully restored cottage. Each room is set up in real historical theme. 

The roadkill is ridiculous. I have never seen so many kangaroos, both dead or alive, in my life. 

We've decided to keep moving because we got to Barcaldine & it was only 10.30.  This little town is called Jericho. There is a camp by the river for a donation. 

The kids love the look of the water but not to swim.

Poppy donated his hat to Isaac & Keira has claimed mine because I don't wear it :-) I haven't hit anything today either!

Longreach

Today we were lucky enough to be passengers with Kinnon & Co aboard their original Cobb & Co coach. We followed some of the original coach route. 

We arrived for a real tent show. It was very entertaining & the boys ad-libbed most of the show. They were enjoying themselves as much as we were.

We enjoyed a country style smoko. The kids had scones, lamingtons & pikelets (from an automated pikelet machine). It was fabulous. 

We were ready to jump aboard the coach for our ride.

Look at me! I look like the special adopted relative. Those bonnets are not very flattering.

Actually, I think nan looks even prettier.

A big thank you to Uncle Rees & Aunty Sarah who organised this outing & Richard from Kinnon & Co for hosting us. 

It's a must do if ever you're in Longreach. It would have been perfect if daddy was with us. The young coach driver was hilarious!!!

Longreach

What a lovely place! Out for an early morning shuffle...cars give way, people wave & say good morning. 

Today daddy leaves again so we have another busy morning. We're off the Stockman's Hall of Fame. There is loads to see. Great displays full of collection pieces.

What an awesome building.

This was a travelling store, fully stocked with anything you could need in the day.

This is a photo with Jigsaw the Brahma bull. He's a big boy. Great show! Loads of animals & interesting information about life as a stockman.

Home for lunch & a dip in the pool & then off to the airport....again!

Here we go again. Michael's five day trip has turned into twelve. A big catchup week of school & then we move on to pick him up in Townsville. There were tears all round this time. Rees & Sarah ended up doing an airport pickup so they got to bid farewell. 

Nan & pop are off to Smithy's dinner tonight so that should be fun. My mission is to get the kids to bed early so I can have the TV (this never happens) :-)

Longreach

We wake nice & early to meet Sarah & Rees in Winton for a coffee & son pick up before we head off to Longreach. We are getting to know their tour & have become known as "the stalkers". 

Off to Longreach we go. 177km of kangaroos (both dead & alive). Wow! I can see why they cause so much damage to the land.

Longreach is a lot prettier & greener than I expected. All the roundabouts are hedged and there are some beautifully renovated old Queenslander homes.

A set up, lunch & a quick shower. Rees & Sarah have organised a tour & dinner for Michael & I at the Qantas Founders Museum. Nan & Pop are babysitting....legends!

The kids came to meet Sarah & Rees in their break. We actually looked through the museum, then we were taken for a "jet" tour. We were taken through the 747. It was actually donated to Longreach when it was decommissioned. It would still be worth 6.5million dollars just in scrap metal.

Then inside for dinner in the museum. It was quite beautiful. It was lovely to spend some time together before Michael leaves us tomorrow. Keira is having a sleepover tonight & was sitting with her bag in her hand when we got home. Thanks to Rees & Sarah & nanny & poppy for a lovely evening xxx

Dino Day

Wow, wow wow! 

Years ago Michael & I saw a documentary on the Queensland dinosaur finds & swore that one day we would visit. Today was that day!

Lark Quarry....home of the only dinosaur stampede recorded on the planet!

There are over 4000 footprints. The area is quite small. It is only 26 metres long but it is believed that it extends for a further 500metres. The only reason that they haven't continued is that the cost has already surpassed 40million dollars. You can't imagine a time when these monsters roamed the earth.

This is a photo of the crew from the lookout at the quarry. We jumped aboard uncle Rees' bus with his 9 guests. The kids were incredible & many people commented on their behaviour. 

Charlotte managed the climb up on her own :-) little monkey!

Home for a lunch & swim to re-charge the batteries.

The final stop on our dinosaur trail is the "Age of Dinosaurs". We spent the first 30minutes in the collection room where we saw the most complete dinosaur skeletons that have been discovered. We then headed to the laboratory where we saw how the bones, once found, are then treated and pieced together.

You can actually visit and volunteer your time (for a fee) and be hands on, either digging at the site, or processing the bones. I would love to do that one day!

What a fabulous day! There are possibly millions of bones left to find.

A big thanks to Uncle Rees & Aunty Sarah for letting us jump on board. It would not have been a pleasant journey by car. Neville the Devil is fabulous :-)