We’re awake at 7:15 with the sun just coming up , another cool night , but only down to 9 degrees overnight .
Breakfast out of the way , we were in full stride on our normal pack up routine , till —— the neighbours started to chat !!! It happens every time , you are in the middle of doing things and the questions start - where are you going , are you on the road full time , what’s for tea tonight ???
It wasn’t that bad , she was a lovely lady , and we chatted for about 20 mins before we finished the pack up . Water tank full and all hitched up , we headed around to the showground to the dump point to empty the tanks prior to driving up the highway .
Today we were off to Camooweal , 189 klms away , then continuing on to Barkly Roadhouse , 269 klms away , so it was a reasonably big day .
We left The Isa at 9:45 heading northward , we found more ridges of orange rock , fringed with patches of spinifex grass and scattered trees . Gradually the road turned to the west .
The photos today are mostly mobile - taken as we drive - to stop and take photos , turns into a chore with the RV on the back - by the time we slow down , find somewhere big enough and stop , the position to take the photo is hundreds of metres behind us .
The scenery changed every 20 to 30 klms , we came to a point when we ran out of the hills & ridges and then the plains appeared , scattered trees - nothing taller than about 5m , then on to grassland - something we had imagined it would be like a bit earlier in the trip . They don t waste money on many corners up here - the most direct route is the straightest after all !!
We went through some grazing country - it had been grazed all right - there was nothing but red dirt , stones , rocks & trees , don’t know how the cattle survive this !!!
Before lunch we had arrived at Camooweal . The speed limit had reduced from 110 back to 100 , then 80 , then 60 as you rolled into town - not too much town really - a couple of petrol stations and a pub , a scattering of houses and a police station . The house that stuck in my head the most was constructed of corrugated iron - roof and walls , doors and windows - windows were propped up with sticks !!
We wheeled into the service station beside the hotel and filled up - $1.70.9 / litre of diesel - still cheaper than petrol though .We parked around the corner and jumped into the RV for some lunch , it was 26 degrees , but in the RV it was nice and cool despite being shut up for the past 2.5 hrs .
Driver change , Lyn took the wheel to take us into the only territory we havent been in - the border was only 13 klms away - we breezed past and entered the Northern Territory for the first time . The speed limit was now 130 klm/hr , it was hard to get Lyn to back off the accelerator - she was going for it !!
Dont be silly , we sat at 90 klm /hr for the next 2.5 hrs .
The roads in the Territory also are very straight and disappear off into the distance , and just when you think you might get a corner over the next hill - no chance , the road continues into the distance , straight as a rifle barrel .
The striking difference to Queensland roads , is the lack of road kill . In Queensland , you generally couldn’t drive more than 100m without seeing something on the road , in the Territory we finally found some dead cows beside the road , but not one kangaroo . The other difference is the green grass growing happily on the side of the road , back toward Camooweal & Mt Isa , you are lucky to see grass , let alone the green variety !!
The soil colour has turned from orange to a deep red / burgundy colour . Then as you are comfortable with the scenery , you come over the crest of a small hill and the trees disappear and you are on a large grassy plain - as far as you can see in every direction there is grass with a few trees here & there , it is a really big picture in front of us - horizon to horizon with nothing blocking your view and an enormous blue sky .
The grasslands gave way to scrubby trees , with low growing wattles and some grevilleas here & there , it was an entertaining drive .
Continuing on we arrived at Barkly Roadhouse at 2:30PM - we had gained half an hour when we crossed the border - topping up with diesel again ( $1.88.9 / L ) before deciding to continue on .
Passing one free camp on the way , we pressed on another 115 klms past Barkly , before stopping at 41 Mile Bore - a rest stop & free camp about 70 klms from Three Ways - where the Barkly and Stuart Highways meet . Not a bad days drive - 574 klms . A big day , but one that seemed very easy to us , we arrived reasonably fresh !!!
We wheeled in and drove round slowly so as to not make too much dust . There were already about 30 vans & motorhomes in place - we were late , we got there at 4:30 !!!! We didn’t unhitch , just put the stabiliser legs down and the slides out , just had to step up to sit in the armchairs - watch your head !!
Beer o’clock , cheese & bickies was the go , before another beautiful sunset decided to grace us with it’s presence .
The cloud formation we had been watching as we drove , now was turning pink , then orange , then red . After the sun goes down , the sunset intensifies , with the glow left over gradually sinking on the horizon , the dark blue of the night sky pushing it away till tomorrow.
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