After a great nights sleep , we get up at 7:30 , big day ahead of us , we fiddled about gettig everything ready . We left the park at 9:45 and hit the road .
Driving down through Elliot ( the main drag ) , we reached the 80 zone and slowed , there was a grid ahead - one each end of town to keep the cattle out presumably - We crossed the grid , slowing further , then turned off the highway and headed down the 10 klms to Longreach Lagoon - our destination for the next couple of nights .
We had scoped the road yesterday to see whether it would be suitable for us , and decided , yes , what the hell , this will do us - it was only corrugated , sandy and in some spots narrow as well !!!
Off we went , there was a camper who’d just came out and was blocking the road - as you do - they had a local council truck behind them and us in front - no one could go anywhere till he moved - which he did eventually . Off down the track we met another couple of vans , no bother , everyone went past easily , the track gradually narrowed - now it was getting interesting . Each side of the track was sloping down to the road level , it was getting sandier , and the angle on the side was at least 30 degrees . Around another corner and there was an off shoot for one lane , so we took it , while the van on the other side had plenty of space . Down the track a bit further and we had everything - sand , steep sides , corrugations and not enough room for 2 vans to pass - what did we get - a car & van and another car & campervan . I got off as far as I dare , stopping to let the others go past - the ute & van was going sideways as he attempted to get off the road a bit , he squeezed past , then stopped , the vans were going to hit !!! While he stopped , I reversed back to clear the situation - about 100m to a wider section where everyone could go past - this is fun !!!
The road cleared and off we went again , the ute was handling this with ease , so was the RV - the independant suspension was soaking up the corrugations , and tracking really well behind me !!! We passed a couple of more vans leaving , before getting to the camp spot - someone was where we thought would be good , so we went down a bit further to the right , parking and setting up in no time - we were only 10 m from the water !!
We looked at each other , sitting in our camp chairs , and thought , what to do now - it was 10:45 am - we’d driven our 11 klms for today - no roadtrains , no vans , no animals , and it was still to early for lunch !!! We read a bit , went for a walk , talked to the neighbours from 50m away , then came back and had a BBQ lunch .
All cleaned up , we got into the swimmers , got the kayak off the roof and hit the water .
Paddling into the breeze was the smart option - that way you get the tailwind on the way back - the lagoon stretched around the corner , up another straight section , around another corner , then looked like it was going to split into two sections parallel to each other - it would have when there is more water - so onwards we went for another kilometre , before turning and coming back .
There is prolific birdlife in the lagoon , cormorants , pelicans , kingfishers , kites & hawks , with the occasional heron , brolga , and jabiru . Water fowl , ducks , and little divers were also present .
We made it back , after about an 8klm paddle in time for a beer , cheese & bickies and a relax under the awning , whilst all the late comers arrive and find a spot to set up for the night . Sunset should be spectacular , with the sun setting over the lagoon .
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