Onwards and Upwards towards Darwin

Porcupine Gorge at Hughendedn known as Australia's "Little Grand Canyon"

Charlie with "Mutt" the Dinosaur - whose "Mutt"?

Jane with wine glass, bottle of wine and chips heading off to another Happy Hour and successfully growing her bum for the pink checked shorts!!

Charlie talking (yes he does!!) to another fellow caravanner at a free camp spot at Fountain Springs just outside of Mount Isa

Another view of Porcupine Gorge Hughenden

Charlie in the Funny Dunny "Dump Dunny" - Use your imagination!!

Well I think my wonderful Daughter-in-Law Sandy affectionately known as Dilly has sorted out this blog spot for me so that you can read, enjoy and make comments!!!!

After leaving Fletchers Creek at Charters Towers which is a wonderful spot for free camping we headed towards towards Hughenden stopping at Campaspe River free camping spot.  Actually this sounds familiar - I think I've written this before but never mind, I've got plenty of time to do it again!!  We then stopped at Hughenden caravan park where we met the Basil Fawlty of the caravan park world himself - Different!!  Stayed there for 2 nights and did some sights including Porcupine Gorge in Porcupine National Park which is knowns as Australia's "Little Grand Canyon" with its cool clear flowing creek, towering cliffs of vibrantly coloured sandstone.  It apparently spans hundreds of millions of years of geological history.  You can camp here as well and the camp area is lovely.  Driving through the National Park you can easily imagine the dinosaurs roaming there all those millions of years ago.

We also looked around the town of Hughenden and came across Mutt the Dinosaur!!!  Glad he was only a statue!!  On leaving Hughenden we called into Richmond and had coffee at the lovely Lake Fred Tritton and then went on to Cloncurry and had a look around the John Flynn museum.  Really interesting place and quite humbling to read about all the wonderful people from years ago who set up The Royal Flying Doctors Service.  We also met up with Di and Kev again (people we met at Campaspe River and also Hughenden - happy hour friends).  We are all travelling to Darwin and its true you meet the same people time and time again.

From there we went towards Mount Isa but as it was getting on in the afternoon we decided to free camp about 40 ks out of Mt Isa at Fountain Springs. We got there about 2 pm and there were already a lot of people there - obviously we are all trying to save some dollars and offset the cost of fuel (or wine!!).  By 4 pm the place was packed but it was good with everyone swapping tales of where to go, where to buy fuel etc. and just being happy and drinking more wine!!

We only stayed there one nights and then went on towards Mt. Isa and we called in at Mary Kathleen which is an old uranium mine and also ghost town.  We took the caravan in and had a look around the old ghost town - apparently the town"s buildings were all sold but you can see some remains and all the roads and streets.  You can also free camp there which would have been lovely - just sharing your spot with the cows and wildlife. 

On from there to Mt. Isa where unfortunately a small roo jumped out across the road and we hit it but luckily didn't do any damage (lucky for us that is not the poor roo) so its off to find out how much for a roo bar as this was the middle of the day!!  Currently we are still in Mt Isa as we are having the 100,000 k service done on the car (gulp, gulp) can anyone lend us a few bob?  Also off to Auntie S's for dinner tonight so yum, yum.

Anyway that's all for now - going to stay in Camooweal tomorrow for a few days as we've been told about a lovely free camping area there by the river and billabongs so Charlie might be able to catch some fish which will save money so that I can buy more wine!!  Adieu from the Wandering 2's.