2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Wed, 26th Sept, 2018 Moonstone Hill campsite, Blackbraes National Park to Broadwater Waterhole, Thomson River, near Muttaburra, Qld

Woke to the birds singing. Clear sky, light breeze and a bit brisk – 15 degrees at 7am.

Cleaned our moonstones.

Back to the main road. Mr Roo was guarding the entrance but he let us pass eventually.

Past the turn off to the old Blackbraes Station (now Ranger Station) and volcanic crater. Leaving things to see when we do Queensland in detail in a few years time.

Dirt road has lots of big bull dust holes but otherwise not too bad. Steve spotted some brolgas in the bush.

Bitumen again past Chugleigh Station where Erica and Terry go fossicking. Back on the dirt again.

Pretty Plains Station are moving their cattle down the road literally. We stopped and let them come around us. Took a video and lots of photos. There was one chap on a motorbike out front with another bloke and a young girl riding the horse on one edge. Finally they all passed, there is a fence on edge side of the road so they can’t wander too far. Another chap on a horse was rounding up the slow pokes.

Continued on to the station turn off and there were more cattle waiting in the yards.

More cattle in yards as we continued south.

As we dropped down at hill edge I got two texts through for a moment when the signal came through on the phone – haven’t had any service. One each from Erica and Mum. Will call them later when we have full service again.

Bitumen again as we drop down to Gorge Creek. We are overtaking someone hence we are on the wrong side of the road.

Then we turned off to Porcupine Gorge National Park and two kilometres to the campground.

Made a cuppa and rang Mum and Erica as we have good phone reception here. All good. Greg is going to take Mum and Dad up to Millaa on Saturday for the Millaa Reunion.

Walked out to the edge and read the info about the Pyramid walk down into the gorge.

Further along was the Pyramid Lookout. Lovely breeze as it is quite hot now.

Walked back through the campsites.

A new walking track heads off from here, 2.65km return. Haven’t spotted an ‘porcupines’ but Steve thinks he found spots where they have been digging.

Lovely vantage spot looking up the gorge to the Pyramid.

Zoomed in on the Pyramid and then further along the next gorge.

Walked further around for another great view. Looking back the other direction. Bigger pool of water there.

Then around and up to the Pyramid again.

A willy willy in the distance.

Back to the truck then back out to the main road. Checked out the Whistling Bore. Not making any sound. I put my hand over the hole on the other side and it sounded like my kettle when it is just about to boil.

Further along we turned off to check out the southern Porcupine Gorge Lookout. The Gorge is 27km long – big walk to see it all.

Wheel chair access track with a wooden platform at the end. View from the platform.

As it is well back from the edge we walked closer to get a better view down into the gorge.

Zoomed on the rock formations below where the water has carved holes.

Steve walked further along and found a better vantage point with a view of the sandstone cliff face too.

We can see some fish swimming in the water.

Back to the main road again. Spotted a sign which was a ‘point of interest’ about the cutting we just drove through.

Next one was about the mailman who was killed here.

This is Bottle Tree Hill. When we got to the top we can see why it is called that.

Nice view. We are still 500m above sea level.

Next point of interest was at Eagle Hawk Lookout. The beginning of Porcupine Gorge – out there somewhere.

A grave we passed could be two people.

We drove back to get a photo.

As we went to turn back around I spotted a pig on the other side. He was standing under the tree – bit blurry as Steve was moving the car. When we stopped he looked up then turned away and ran off.

Slowly dropping down, now 400m elevation. Across Porcupine Creek – dry, wide and sandy.

Across the grid of the old rabbit/dingo fence.

I had seen on Wikicamps about Belemnite Fossils and Erica had mentioned it. We spotted a car stopped and realised what they were looking for. She showed me what they had found – a good complete one and lots of bits. Thank goodness she knew what she was looking for.

I wandered around picking up bits.

Steve wandered further along then over the road and came back with a ‘ladybird’. Will have to keep it for Jon.

As we were getting in the truck he picked up a nice full fossil. Added it to my collection.

Past Mt Beckford Station where sandalwood grew and was cut and sent over to Asian countries. Spotted some camels there too.

Into Hughenden for a late lunch by the Flinders River which is Queensland’s longest river.

Lovely murals on the toilet block.

Dry river but a lovely green park with big shady trees.

At the other end I read about the history etc and the lady that started the park.

Across the bridge – a huge windmill on the other side.

Old Masonic building then the Grand Hotel (est 1912) – looks like it is getting refurbished.

Windmill shelter in town with info about the Great Artesian Basin and drilling to get to that water.

Noticed this sign across the road.

‘Hughie’ is a replica of Muttaburrasaurus Langdoni found near Muttaburra to the south. He was a land living, plant eating dinosaur who roamed the earth 100 million years ago.

Drove around town looking for fuel. The 24hr one was broken so went up the ‘hill’ to the United to fill up. Further up the hill was the ‘Lights on the Hill’ servo opposite the Cemetery (earliest grave there is 1884) but it was being refurbished. So much for my Fuel App.

Checked out the historic Coolabah Tree by Station Creek. The blazes are hidden as the tree grew a layer over them but they have made replicas of them. The shearing one is from a tree 2km downstream.

Headed out of town on the Flinders Highway then turned off and headed past Mt Walker.

Onto gravel heading to Muttaburra. Open grazing land for cattle. Black soil country – don’t want to see any rain now. Steve remembers when we were heading to Adelaide for the Aust F500 Titles and we took a shortcut down a black soil road to Wilcania. A big storm hit us – first it was a massive dust storm then the rain came down. Very slow going after that.

Into Barcaldine Shire – road now has a better gravel base. Still open grazing land. Saw a few roos, hawks, brolgas and cattle.

20km north of Muttaburra we got back on the bitumen. More scrubby trees here, 200m elevation. Lots of kangaroos about.

Checked out the sculptures from the 2004 Muttaburra Sculpture Festival. Very good shearer and sheep using old bits and pieces.

Another couple.

Through Muttaburra which is the geographic centre of Queensland. The town’s famous moment was when a local grazier, Doug Langdon, found the fossilised skeleton of a dinosaur. More to explore here and there is more dinosaur info in the Interpretation Centre.

Spotted this cute sculpture of Mr Emu and his chicks.