Rolled into Cairns at around 2pm. A long drive, but an enjoyable one. John and I drove to Tamworth on the first night and had the delightful company of Matt, Alex, Millie and Ivy to cheer our spririts for the long journey ahead. Thanks guys!
Day 2, we made it our of Tamworth and on to the Qld border at Goondiwindi. Classic town. Continued on to Roma via Miles. Mining trucks and types are in abundance in this town. the wonderful Lana at the Roma Motel ensured that we got a hot meal at the local even though we rolled in around 8.30pm.
Day 3, A good drive from Roma to the tiny town of Clermont, 20 km south of the Blair Athol Coal Mine. The motel room was possibly used as asett for Pricilla Queen of the Desert, and gave John flashbacks to family driving holidays in the 1960s. It would be fair to say there was little to hang around for, so we set off before 6 the next morning.
Day 4, big drive on some amazing Austrlian roads. We continued on the Great Inland Road, seeing our first real road trains and experiencing for the first time the one lane highway , where you have to drive two if your wheels on the shoulder when passing other vehicles. Exciting at times! Vry few stops on this way, although we had a couple of hours very fine detour into the Carnarvon Gorge National Park. Walked into the gorge, seeing amazing fauna, and Aboriginal rock art in the Baloon Cave. Superb. Continuing to Charters Towers for a well earned rest, once the second largest town in Qld after the gold rush, and then on to the Undara National Park, where we slept in old converted railway carriage! Fantastic. Great food and interesting walk around the lava tubes this morning.
Day 5, Sunday Undara to Cairns through the winding lush roads of the Atherton tablelands. Volcanic red soil from grass Savannah - quite a contrast!
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