25 June - Mt Isa Tourist Spots

25 June 2016 – 176 012

Mt Isa Tourist Spots

Today started with a hike up to Ray Donaldson Memorial Lookout which provided a view over both Mt Isa and the countryside toward Cloncurry, and a lovely walk. 

Next stop was the Underground Hospital – this was built by the miners during World War 2 after Darwin was bombed in anticipation of air strikes on Mt Isa, but was thankfully never used. It included general wards, maternity and nursery wards as well as storage in three connected tunnels; and is directly next door to Mt Isa base hospital for quick evacuation. 

http://www.undergroundhospital.com/

Adjacent to this is a restored tent house – these had raised timber floors, a timber frame, canvas walls and roof underneath a second corrugated iron roof; Mt Isa had many of these through until the 1960’s. 

And then we went shopping on “Rodeo Drive”…. at the chemist, probably the only time I will shop on Rodeo Drive! 

This afternoons fossils were at the Riversleigh Fossil Centre which had a variety of megafauna – some animals that are very like their modern relatives, and some that are just plain strange.  Hayden had a great time uncovering a fossil in the sandpit using scoops and brushes. 
https://www.mietv.com.au/Outback-at-Isa/Riversleigh-Fossil-Centre.aspx

 After dinner we headed to City Lookout for sunset and a night view over the mine – it does look a bit like a ship at night with its funnels and multiple levels of small lights like portholes.

Week 1 from Hayden

Hayden (10 year old boy)

17/06/16
Mum and Dad picked me up from school.  We took some selfies before we left.  We then drove to Tiaro and stayed in the free campsite, it was almost full.  We set up in the dark.

18/06/16
We set down in the dark and left at 5:30 for Maryborough to do parkrun.  I came 26th and Dad came 27th.  We then left.  When we were driving we played a game called the trivia game.  The council had put questions on signs and we guessed the answer, another sign would tell us the answer.  We stopped at a small rest stop on the highway to have morning tea then we drove to a small service station 50km south of Rockhampton to top up fuel and have lunch.  We then drove to Blackwater in the hope of a shower, no luck. After that we drove to Emerald and are staying the night at Emerald Cabin and Caravan Park.

19/06/16
I woke up at 7:00 to have a snuggle in bed with Mum and Dad.  Mum's birthday.  It rained and rained today, it stopped at 11:00 and the showers stopped at 1:00.  I finished my English for a Purpose book.  We also went to Emerald Baptist Church.  It is a small community at the church, we sang some songs and had communion.  When we got back we had lunch.  Me and some boys fed rainbow lorikeets.  We took turns in shooing the other birds away.  Feed them 2 1/2 pieces of bread.

20/06/16
We packed up early in the morning and left and drove to Winton via Longreach.  I saw my first red road.  We arrived at 5:30 and set up.

21/06/16
We went and saw the Dinosaur Stampede.  I think I discovered an Iguanidon footprint amongst it.  I bought a badge and a stamp.  We also saw a Musical Fence and I played it really well.

22/06/16
We drove from Winton to Richmond via Hughenden

23/06/16
I slept in to 7:30 today.  We went to Kronosaurus Korner.  We watched a video about sea dinosaurs.  They gave us an audio thing that you pressed the number of the display and it told you about the display.  There was an almost complete Kronosaurus fossil.  Then we went to a fossicking site to try and find fossils.  We then drove from Richmond to a free campsite 61km from Mt Isa.

24/06/16
Today we drove to Mt Isa and set up absolutely everything.  We went and did the Hard Times Mines Tour, we went 20m underground in the special gear.  I learnt rock bolts are 20kg and can hold up 15 tonne of rock.  We got to use a rock hammer! We saw the hall where the miners ate and we had lunch there, I ate six sandwiches and a pastie.  We came up to the surface in a Toyota.

Day 8 24/06/2016. We have been underground.

Hayden and I had a late start to the day and we packed up camp and drove only 60 km to Mount Isa. The country side change greatly after Cloncurry. It is mountainous, and very ruggered now, and many contrasting colours of red rock, black tree trunks and green foliage.  After a visit to the information office we checked into the Big 4 for 4 days for the price of 3. We plan to have at least 1 school day, and also it gives us time to clean, shop, wash etc. Today we spent around 2 hours out of a 3.25 hour of a mine tour underground. The ex-miners showed us a lot of the mine equipment and how to use it etc, and some informed us of some of the history on the Mount Isa mines. Hayden really got into the tour, and the miners loved his energy, and his afternoon tea appetite! It is a shame we couldn’t go into the real mine, however someone sued them once, so that is no longer possible. I do love that the miners put in time for free to build a new small mine just for tourists coming to the town to be able to see.

Dad

Day 7 23/06/2016. Dinosaurs, no marine fossils.

First. Great game last night. 15 people crammed into a camp kitchen with 4 Blues supporters as fodder. This morning started with a late rise, and then off to the Kronosaurus Korner Museum in Richmond. The museum was very good, however you had to listen to an audio device that was held to your ear. Each section was extensive, so my interest failed a little, and my arms killed being in the on the phone state for almost 2 hours! The amount of fossils however was vast and very well displayed. We then drive 12 km out of town to free fossil hunting are, and spent around 45 minutes pretending we knew what we were doing. We did find plenty of fossil shells, and Hayden spent the entire time excavating a large rock / “fossil”. After a quick fuel stop and lunch in the park we headed west and put down some more km. We are now in a free camp site 60km from Mount Isa. The park is full with the grey nomad’s. Tomorrow off to Mount Isa and a few days in a van park so we can restock with food, see some sites, do a shake down including washing, and at least a day of school for Hayden.

Dad

24 June - Underground Mining

24 June 2016 – 175 947

Underground Mining

This morning we packed up and headed into Mt Isa.  We have booked in for four nights at the Discovery Big 4 Argylla.  
https://www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au/caravan-parks/queensland/mount-isa-argylla
We did a full set up with awnings, table, chairs etc since we will be here for a few days.  I gave the van a good interior clean and did two loads of washing.  After lunch we ventured underground on the Hardtimes Mine Tour at Outback at Isa.  https://www.mietv.com.au/
https://www.mietv.com.au/Outback-at-Isa/Hard-Times-Mine.aspx
This was a three hour tour led by a former underground miner into a replica underground mine.  After kitting up in hard hat, overalls, boots and miners lamp we descended in a “cage” to 20m – this is nothing compared to the current lowest levels at the Mt Isa mine, 1980m.  The tour guide, Ian, then explained the various processes involved in underground mining – how the broken up ore is “mucked” out; how the walls and roof are reinforced with mesh, rock bolts and resin; how the raise borer creates the vertical holes for ventilation; how the holes for the explosives are patterned, created and charged; how the charges are fired; and the process repeated again and again. Each person had a turn on one of the big drills, with assistance.  Some of the machinery was started up to give an idea of the noise and vibration that is experienced working in this environment.  Next stop was the crib room for afternoon tea, before heading back to the surface in a Toyota.  All round an interesting tour.

Mum

23 June - Marine Fossils by the Hundred

23 June 2016 – 175 577

Marine Fossils by the Hundred

This morning we had a leisurely start with a sleep in for the boys, while I watched the beautiful colours of dawn over the lake from my bed – it is a tough life!

After breakfast we went for a walk around the lake (1.2km circuit), before heading off to Kronosaurus Korner.  We spent two hours at this extensive collection of marine fossils. These were well displayed and accompanied by both information signs and a self-guided audio track. Some of the skeletons on display were amazingly close to complete – in particular the Kronosaurus queenslandicus (a marine reptile) and Minmi paravertebra (an armoured dinosaur) giving a real idea of the size, shape and structure of these ancient creatures. I found this and the Lark Quarry Stampede the best of the Australian Dinosaur Trail.

http://www.kronosauruskorner.com.au/
http://www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com/

After lunch we headed west again, stopping for the night at Fountain Springs Rest Area, about half way between Cloncurry and Mt Isa – a very popular spot filled almost to capacity.

Mum

Day 6 22/06/2016. Dinosaurs! Yes Dinosaurs.

We spent a second night behind the North Gregory Hotel. Up at 6am to leave at 7:45am, as they were about to open the road to the Australia Age of Dinosaurs Nature History Museum. We unhitched the van at the start of the road, and I did my best 4WD’ing through the still flowing creek. Well it was a little bit of fun. The museum was good, with 2 parts to the tour. One to the museum part and one tour to the work shed, which I preferred. The tour did not go to the depth as Eromanga, however it is a busier facility. It is well worth the time if you enjoy Dinosaurs and fossils.  We then drove for 2.5 hours to Hughenden, to the Flinders Discover Centre. This was a simple browse by yourself open building, with a mix of history and fossils. It was basic compared to Winton’s attractions. We then drove to Richmond, and spend the night by the lake. It is a beautiful stop, and we hope to complete our Dinosaur experience here. I plan to watch the game in the camp kitchen tonight!

Dad

p.s. Photos to come in the next few days

Day 5 21/06/2016. Dinosaurs, well sort of.

After a great night’s sleep, we were up and off to the Dinosaurs Stampede diggings. It was a 110 km drive each way, half of which was gravel. With all the rain there were a lots of detours and road works, so we did a bit of off-roading on this trip. The car is brown now. Hayden enjoyed the drive out, as I was driving so we had a little bit of water and mud flying around! The stampede site was quite interesting, and of course the local employees made it better with their passion. 3,300 dinosaur foot prints in one area of rock. Hayden’s interest once again kicked in and he asked the guide lots of questions. The country side around the centre was also stunning. After lunch we visited the musical fence, and let Hayden loose for 30 plus minutes. We have decided to stay another night in Winton in the hope that the road to Australian Age of Dinosaurs Nature History Museum is open tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Dad

p.s. Photos to come in the next few days

22 June - Dinosaurs Galore!

22 June 2016 – 175 217

Dinsoaurs Galore!

First stop today was the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum – the road reopened this morning after ten days of closure due to the wet conditions and damage to the road works that were underway during the “dry season”.  
http://www.australianageofdinosaurs.com/

The Prado went through its first creek crossing since we have owned it – well done Drew!  This museum involved two tours, one of the laboratory which was very similar to Eromanga Natural History Museum, and one of the collection area, which while it had more bones than the Eromanga Natural History Museum I did not feel was as viewer friendly. 

The Age of Dinosaurs Museum has most of two dinosaurs – Matilda, a sauropod, Diamantinasaurus matildae; and Banjo, a smaller carnivorous dinosaur, Australovenator wintonensis. 

The views of the surrounding countryside were amazing! Truly beautiful country!.  Heading out of town we went fossil fossicking – we found many shells and Hayden felt he had found something far more interesting!!  Who knows what we really found. 

Next up we drove the 200+ km to Hughenden on the Kennedy Development Road to the Flinders Discovery Centre.  This included a life size skeleton of the Muttaburrasaurus – thankfully he was a herbivore.  There was also short film on the geological formation of the nearby Porcupine Gorge which was quite interesting. 
http://www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com/hughenden-local-attractions

Then on to Richmond, the third town on the Australian Dinosaur Trail.  We are camped for the night at Richmond Lakeview Caravan Park with beautiful views of the lake – lovely pink shades at sunset.  We also saw amazing flocks of birds circling around before settling in distant trees, making it appear the trees had turned white there were so many birds on them.
http://www.richmondlakeviewcaravanpark.com.au/

Mum

21 June - Stampeding Dinosaurs!!! Run!!

21 June 2016 – 174 997    

Stampeding Dinosaurs!!! Run!!

Alarm to wake us at 6am.  Heading to Lark Quarry Conservation Park this morning – 110km from Winton, half bitumen and half dirt; unfortunately the bitumen half was having roadwork done on the low points during the “dry” season when the recent rains came through, the road was open only to 4WD as the high clearance was needed to get through the detours on the road work sections. 

The location was beautiful with a great mix of soil colours with red mesa rising from the surrounding floodplains.  The track way shows footprints of one theropod (horse sized meat eater) and many many coelurosaurs (chicken sized meat eaters) and ornithopods (emu sized plant eaters) who apparently stampeded away from the approaching predator. This site is the only evidence in the world of a dinosaur stampede, with more than 3000 footprints – it is pretty amazing to look at this where it actually happened! 
http://www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au/

 

 We also did a short walk around the surrounding countryside and looked up close at the spinifex – I had been looking at these beautiful green soft looking mounds as we drove out from Winton – up close these are actually quite spiny and anything but soft, despite their appearance.  I tackled the drive back to Winton – this was my first experience of this type of driving; quite corrugated in some spots and very soft mud in others – our Prado has had its mud Christening. 

Mesa

Spinifex Mounds

After lunch, we had a walk around the town centre of Winton before heading out to the Musical Fence.  This is a tuned fence that can be played as a stringed musical instrument; there are also a number of “drum sets” made of a great variety of items, mainly metal, but some plastic. Hayden had a lot of fun making a lot of noise!! http://www.experiencewinton.com.au/places-to-see/-/asset_publisher/123iOYcLufeV/content/musical-fence

Unfortunately the Age of Dinosaurs Museum was still cut off due to the recent rain – maybe tomorrow??

Day 4 20/06/2016. Keep rolling.

After a slow and very cold start to the day we packed up and headed west. We did very little apart from drive from Emerald to Winton, via Longreach. Winton being our first planned stop for the trip. Along the way Hayden did some more maths work, and listened to a few books. Tracy decided that sleeping was better than driving so I did the lion’s share of driving today. Today was cold, with the cars thermometer only reaching 19 degrees Celsius. Beside the road was holding a fair bit of water, however the floodways were dry by the time we got to them. Hayden also saw his first red bitumen road. The road from Emerald to Longreach was always up it seemed, and the country opened up as the day progressed. Camped at the North Gregory Hotel. Tomorrows plans, ‘Dinosaurs’.

Dad

Day 3: 19/06/2016. It raining, its pouring. Happy Birthday Tracy.

We had already decided to postpone Tracy’s Birthday, but happy Birthday Tracy anyway. Well at least she got to sleep in. As forecast at 3am the first drops of rain started to fall, and by 5am the heavens had opened. The storm is weak for a Sunshine Coast family, however some of the other park quests from interstate didn’t think so. The van isn’t 100% water proof we found, however a well-placed piece or 2 of gaffer tape should fix our issues. We made the decision to stay 24 hours longer in Emerald, as from Monday on it is predicted to be sunny and fine. Tracy and I took the opportunity to reorganise the van and car a little, as we don’t have things bedded down quite right yet. So poor Hayden settled in for his first day of school for Semester 2, 2016. Well sort of, he did a marathon run at “English for a purpose”! He also completed some math tasks. The rain stopped around 10:30am, however showers came and went over the next 4 hours. When the rain stopped Hayden managed to have some fun feeding the lorikeets in the van park, and he and I played handball for 30 minutes. Just to be a pain we had a 15 minutes’ rain storm at around 6pm.

Dad

20 June - On the road again...

20 June 2016 – 174 388

On the road again…

This morning we did a slow pack up, everything still being very wet, including our washing from yesterday as it rained again during the night, although nothing like the day before.  We set off for Longreach, I drove for a few hours and when we swapped I fell sound asleep in the passenger seat for 1 ½ hours!! Drew drove the remainder of the day. We took regular breaks and got into Longreach mid afternoon – we headed to the Tourist Information Centre to find out whether the places we wished to go in Winton would be accessible or whether roads were cut – conclusion one open and one closed; so we decided to go onto Winton.  Lots of water beside the road and a little across the road between Longreach and Winton, I suspect early in the day this would have been much more.  We are staying at the North Gregory Hotel van parking area, $10 a night for the family, including access to toilet and showers.  It is quite a nice little area out behind the pub.
http://www.northgregoryhotel.com/

Mum

Day 2: 18/06/2016. Run, run, and drive, drive, drive.

The day started at 5am with our alarm waking us, and a super quick and quiet pack up in the dark. We had a quick drive in the dawn light through the morning fog to a sleepy Maryborough. After a quick feed and warmup, we all ran and completed the Maryborough Parkrun. It was a pretty run around the lake in Anzac park. The run was hillier and more unstable under foot than we are used to however the scenery made up for that. We all ran fairly well, and Tracy managed to run her 50^th Parkrun. We do not believe we will see a Parkrun until we arrive in Darwin in a few months’ time. Thanks Maryborough for letting us run with you this weekend. After a quick sink shower, we settled into the normal driver rotation and completed an uneventful drive to Emerald. We made a late decision to pay for a powered camp spot in town, as a large storm was predicted for Sunday, and the camp ground offered a sanctuary if required. We finished a basic setup by 5:30pm, and settled in for the night. I woke later in the night to high strength winds, so I completed a bit of tying down of the campervan. Day 2 completed.
Dad

Day 1: 17/06/2016. We are on our way!

It has been 15 months since we started physical preparation for our trip by starting to go through every item we owned, deciding if we sell, store or take the item with us. Even though we thought we started early, we ended up ready only 30 minutes prior to our set off deadline! Thus on a beautiful June day on the Sunshine Coast we picked up Hayden from his last day of school for the Semester at 3:20pm and headed north on our great adventure. We arrived at the free camp site in Tairo around 5pm, and completed a minimum setup for the night. The site was nice enough, and popular. Day 1 completed.
Dad

19 June - Happy Birthday Me!

19 June 2016 – 174 386

Happy Birthday Me!

Lots of rain during the night, a few minor leaks in the van and massive puddles in the caravan park – the rain is really really cold!  We all slept in this morning, with Hayden not stirring until about 6:30.  Mum phoned about 7am for my birthday and then we all had a snuggle in bed as outside was pouring and pouring with rain – but thankfully no cats or dogs.  I am planning to postpone my birthday to a better day.  We did a bit of rearranging and then Hayden and I went to Emerald Baptist Church – very small and quite different to what we are used to.  Back to the van, Hayden is having a school work day since it is raining.  I met up with Jane (from bookclub - who moved to Emerald 3 years ago to be with her partner) for a birthday lunch; a delicious potato gnocchi with cheese sauce followed by a chocolate brownie.  The afternoon eased to showers so a round of washing, followed by a rearrangement of the car and van – I am sure we will do this many, many times.  Hayden spent some of the afternoon feeding lorikeets and some playing a cross between AFL and Rugby League with three other boys.  There are all sorts of setups here, ranging from a converted semi trailer with a trailer behind it big enough to hold the family van (and probably a bit more as well), down to a tent trailer that can be towed by a motorbike with the gas stove and fridge in the side car!

Mum

18 June - Long Drive

18 June 2016 – 173 722

Long Drive

The alarm got us up at 5am, quickly changed into our running clothes and quiet pack down in the dark, away at 5:50.  We headed to Maryborough parkrun to complete my 50^th parkrun.  It is a lovely course along the lagoon and in a large park, but constantly up and down – quite different to the pancake flat course I am accustomed to.  http://www.parkrun.com.au/maryborough/

From here we drove, and drove and drove; heading north almost to Rockhampton before turning inland; stopping for the night at Emerald Cabin and Caravan Park.  We opted for a powered site as heavy rain was expected and the solar may not have got enough sun. http://www.emeraldcabinandcaravanvillage.com.au/

Cooked up a delicious garlic ginger chicken and vegetable stir fry for dinner.  All exhausted from our long drive – so off to bed.

Mum

17 June 2016 - And Away We Go!!

17 June 2016 – 173 588

And Away We Go!!

Everything loaded up and collected Hayden from school. We set off on our big adventure straight from the carpark at Suncoast Christian College, leaving about 3:20pm.  I got to have the first drive, driving to Tiaro.  We spent the night at a free camp behind the hotel which was good, but a little noisy from the trucks going through town.  We did a basic set up, reheated dinner and cooked breakfast ready for an early departure in the morning.  All in bed by 8pm.

Mum

The vehicle and the van