Thurs, 4th Oct, 2018 Haddon Corner to Bush camp by Diamantina River, Birdsville, Qld (sightseeing)

6.30am 17 degrees. I opened the door and the sky is clear and blue and no wind yet.

Took another photo of our camp area and zoomed in on Haddon Corner.

Had breakfast and the wind is picking up again. Packed up in the warm sunshine.

Took some ‘sunny’ photos of Haddon Corner. South then west.

Very nasty prickles.

Back out to turn north again through the flat gibber stones. Met the Birdsville Developmental Road which is still dirt.

Cuppa at Deon’s Lookout – much nicer than last time as we were blown to pieces then. Such a lovely view.

Took a video and tried out the Tablet for panorama photo. I think my little camera's photos above still take great photos.

The young man the lookout is named after.

Chatted with another couple from the Sunshine Coast who have had 6 weeks exploring. Lots of cars heading east from Birdsville.

Back down the ‘Jump Up’ and continued west.

Across Brown Creek then up the dirt road to Betoota as we didn’t go up there last time. Spotted a cairn on the top of this hill.

Into Betoota township.

The Hotel reopened in August.

Info from the Diamantina booklet – “Betoota is 70 metres above sea level and has an annual rainfall of just 300ml. In 1885 the Qld Government set up a customs post here to collect tolls for stock as they travelled to South Australia. The toll station operated up until Federation in 1901. Betoota was also once a Cobb & Co change station. In the 1880s three hotels were established here, along with a police station, store and post office. The last-standing hotel was a favourite spot for tourists until it closed in October 1997. The publican then was Simon (Ziegmund) Remienko, who was the sole resident of Betoota for many years and was once stranded on the Birdsville Track for 18 weeks with his truckload of eight tonnes of beer.”

Went in to enquire about the $5 tour. 

The chap behind the bar vacuuming up some more dirt from yesterday’s storm said they have quite got the liquor licence sorted so if you do the tour you are given a complimentary drink. We paid our money and chatted with him – missed his name but he is a builder from Windorah. He said he is happy to retire here and help his friend – better than the building game. He said the hotel was bequeathed to the owners of the Birdsville Hotel. Rob Aiken had been visiting here for many years and wanted to buy it for a while. Last year he got a call and his dream has come true. Since then it has been a lot of hard work and rules and regulations. Amazing what the Council were making him do – out here in the middle of nowhere!! He had to resurvey the whole township first and then do road works! They rewired the whole hotel and put in toilets etc. He said when Rob came with his young son years ago when Simon owned it there was just a big hole in the ground for the toilet. His son had gone to the toilet when Simon said not for little ones then they checked and he had fallen in the hole but luckily was hanging on the edge – poor kid would have been traumatised for life!! Rob is from Loganville near Brisbane and had just left to go to Bathurst as his panel shop is involved with the Supercars.

We wandered through checking out the photos and memorabilia.

It can get very hot here – 47 degrees.

Lots of floor cleaning needed to be done but the walls only needed a wash down.

Steve checked out the gas work.

Outside we walked down to check out Simon’s memorial plaque.

I wonder if this is the Yellow Bus that was on the map near Cameron Corner.

There are some archaeology scientists from the University here and their tents coped a battering in the storm so most have moved in to the pub’s verandah.

Lots of people stopping to take the ‘tour’. Chatted with some guys who have just done the Colson Track from Innamincka to Alice Springs then back via the Simpson Desert. Across from the pub is an old wagon and tractor and looks like an information board to be erected.

Steve reckons this looks like a good camper – roof pushes up for the bed and door drops down to be the steps. Two big doors on either side for kitchen and storage.

We continued along the track then back on the Birdsville Rd to Serpent Hill to have lunch. A couple pulled up in their van heading east. He got out his drone and sent it up for a high view of the hill. The wind was blowing hard so it was amazing to see how well it coped with the wind. Dave and Anita are from Wagin, WA and have been on the road two and half years and loving it. We chatted for over an hour then said our goodbyes, hopefully we will meet up with them in WA somewhere. I forgot to take a photo of the serpent again so managed half of it as we headed off.

Still gibber stones but now sand ridges appearing that we are rolling over – road quite bumpy.

Up Currie Jump Up then across Cuppa Creek where we camped the last time. Missed two desert dragons warming themselves on the track. Four emus were by a dam.

Across the Diamantina River. Did some sightseeing last time we were here so have seen the Burke & Wills Tree and the old crossing.

Into Birdsville. Stopped for a cuppa at the Anzac Park – lovely green grass. A cairn about Sturt as well as the war memorial ones.

Birdsville

Birdsville originated as a depot for surveyors working in the Simpson Desert on the SA-NT border and was known until 1882 as Diamantina Crossing. E.A. Burt is credited with opening the first store and the locality became known as Burtsville. Burt humbly objected to the name which was subsequently changed to Birdsville.

Robert Frew owned the first hotel. He also had the leases of Cadelga, Pandi Pandi and Haddon Downs Stations. While on Pandi Pandi he found a skeleton believed to be that of Burke’s horse, Bobby, which carried Burke across the continent in 1860-61. By the 1890s the town had three hotels, three general stores, two blacksmith shops, a school and a population of about 90 Europeans and 180 Aborigines. Now there is just one iconic hotel left – the Birdsville Hotel.

I walked down to the ruins of the Royal Hotel to read the information plaque.

In the opposite direction was the ‘old’ Hospital which has a small museum inside.

John Flynn’s in his Dodge Four called ‘Super’ in 1924.

Rev. Fred McKay sends a message on his portable pedal wireless receiver while the billy boils.

Through town and up the Eyre Developmental Road to check out the Waddi Trees.

Waddi Trees (Acacia peuce)

This tree is thought to be remnant of the ice age. Its foliage is prickly, particularly when small and the wood is very hard. The adult tree can grow to heights of 13 to 17 metres. Seed pods are large, flat and oval shaped with seeds 5 to 10mm in diameter. It has straight trunks. Only three stands of these trees are known in Australia. The largest is near Boulia and covers around 100 square km. A stand on the road 8 km north of Birdsville is the easiest for travellers to see. Growth of young trees is slow and may be only 30cm a year. It is estimated that mature trees may be about 500 years old. Until recently the Waddi Tree was eagerly sought for fence posts and building timber but their rarity has now been recognised and efforts made to protect them.

Drove back to town – great aerial shot.

Across the drain where the water travels down to the Billabong from the artesian bore.

Great entrance sign.

The artesian bore that provides the town with water.

The OBT group have arrived and moved into the van park. One of their group has had a bad trip – his Range Rover is on the back of a tow truck.

The other entrance has the horses racing towards the race track which is on the other side of the Diamantina River. The Birdsville Races are very popular too.

We went back to the river to camp for two nights then will book in the van park so we can watch Supercars. I had rung up and the lady said they had a great camp kitchen which was air conditioned and had a big TV and that her husband said he would be busy cleaning it ‘all day’ on Sunday.

Still a few campers along the bank which is up high from the brown river. The chap with the camper we liked is set up by the bridge.

Drove past the windmill which this camping area is named after.

Found a nice spot which is protected from the strong wind as there are plenty of trees around. It even had a fireplace ready for Steve. Set up camp.

Our route for today.

Steve went looking for firewood while I rang Mum and Dad. Val home but still quite weak. Rang Jon to tell him about our golf fun. No answer from Dan so left a message. Steve rang Malcolm back – got the flu after he and Kerry went and watched the AFL grand final in Melbourne. Kerry very happy as her WA Eagles won. I got a lovely text from Melissa and Nina with a photo of them with Mum and Dad after their visit.

Good phone reception here so was able to upload my blog and check the emails etc. Sent David photos of the engine we saw in Innamincka – he wants us to put it in the truck for him!!

Rang Margaret and Bob – been busy pruning and it is cold there. Rang Erica and Terry too.

The wind has settled so got the vegies cooking in the fire. The flies are bad but at least we can have dinner in peace as they have gone to bed. Had a nice hot shower then played some Skipbo, had coffee then bed.