Wed, 27th June, 2018 Gravel Pit 35km south of Longreach to Graves Hill Fossicking Area, near Sapphire, Qld

1.30am light rain.

7.15am sun coming up, 14 degrees, mostly clear sky.

8.30am 20 degrees – jumpers off, yeah.

Forgot to take a campsite photo this morning as it was too dark last night so I snapped a photo as we were leaving. Not very exciting but it was perfect for a late stop.

Into Longreach on the one lane bumpy bitumen through unfenced pastures. Lovely old homes.

Topped up with fuel 159.9c/l near the old railway station (1916).

Got some vegies etc then had a cuppa in the park. Jeff rang so we caught up on his news as he is in Meekatharra now.

Past the Qantas Museum then the Stockmen Hall of Fame with its huge windmill which we visited with the boys in 2003.

Heading east on the Landsborough Highway – smooth two lane bitumen. Travelling beside the railway line that has tracks!!

Through Infracombe but didn’t stop to check out the ever growing museum of old machinery beside the road.

I found the photos we took in 2003.

Continued through open grazing country. Lots of dead roos on the road so lots of wedgies, hawks and crows to deal with.

Through Barcaldine. There is a huge thing over the top of the Tree of Knowledge now. Nearly missed getting the tree which died in 2006 when someone poisoned it and has since been preserved and returned to its spot.

The healthy tree we saw 15 years ago.

Through town, across the railway line to have lunch in the rest area.

Further along we passed a huge paddock full of solar panels.

Spotted an emu. The clouds are coming over again.

Taller trees as we enter the Central Highlands.

Trivia question to keep drivers awake - ‘How many shearers were jailed during the 1891 strike’ – Steve said 100. Then the next sign said it is greater than 10 so we figured it wasn’t 100. The answer was 13. That didn’t see very exciting.

Someone has been dressing anthills with t-shirts and caps.

Back across the railway line into Jericho. Cute little town – nice mural on the toilet block and it has an outdoor cinema. A simple outback pub. Back across the line again. Funny little detour!!

Onto the Capricorn Highway now with altitude of 444 metres as we climb up and down in the Great Dividing Range. Long straight road.

Next trivia question ‘1^st symbol of the Greek Alphabet’ which we got as Alpha. The clue was ‘name of the next town’.

We then tried to work out the rest of the alphabet but gave up and went onto the airforce one – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Gamma, India, Joker, Kamma, Lima, Mother, Nova, Oscar, Peter, Queenie, Romeo, Tango, Xray, Zulu – almost had it. Well that passed some time.

I googled the NATO Phonetic Alphabet when I got home which is Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, Xray, Yankee and Zulu.

Heavier clouds over the mountains in hiding the sun. Through Alpha Creek which is dry. Very friendly people travelling on these road – they all wave regardless of towing a van etc.

Straight long road. The Spirit of the Outback passenger train passed us heading west.

Across a wide flood plain area of Balyando Creek. Pulled into a rest area near it where Major Mitchell had passed through in 1846.

Lovely mountains are coming into view but shrouded in cloud.

Next question – ‘what dam does Alpha water flow into’. Turns out to be Burdekin Dam near Ayr – had to get my map out to check that out.

Steve spotted some bottle trees. Managed to get one as we whizzed by.

Climbing up through Drummond Range. Railway line on one side and road on other side of the creek. Highest point 535 m.

Stopped at the lookout in the misty rain. Looking down on the rail line and the overpass traffic bridge below then where we are headed into the mist. Smells like the Tablelands.

Across Railway Creek at 396m. Back beside the railway line again at 348.

We were looking for somewhere to top up the water tanks on Wikicamps so I told Steve to turn into Bogantungan which is a railway siding where there is a free camp spot and a water tank. A few homes are still here.

The drizzle got a bit heavier and someone was parked right next to the water tank. I jumped out to take photos of the railway station etc and found out about the big train crash that happened near here in 1960. Amazing photos and amazingly only 7 people lost their lives. Interesting to think there were 28 hotels here.

Back down to the rolling hills (300m). Drizzle all the way to Anakie. Another home slowly dying.

Turned up the track towards Sapphire then into Graves Hill Fossicking Area. Lots of little leases along the track.

Unfortunately they must have just had a good shower of rain and we picked up all the rocks as we went up the hill to where Erica and Terry are parked with their caravan.

A few kangaroos were out in the grass.

Spotted their car and pulled in, rolling up all the little rocks onto the tyres.

 They were very happy to see us and are looking very cold. Just when we were hoping for warm weather!!

Erica reckons we will have to check out tyres for sapphires!

Set up camp beside them.

Had a great afternoon chatting. Managed to get a fire going in Terry’s ‘pig’ and heat some shower water. Had dinner inside their van as it is quite chilly and dreary.

They went to bed so Steve and I had a cuppa outside and played Skipbo – I won for a change.

Erica had put out some vegie scraps and a potoroo and a possum came in for a snack. I put our vegetables up into the truck!! Closed up the doors and into bed with a light drizzle coming down again.