http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Colin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Colin en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:46:25 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:46:25 +0000 June 24 Wednesday.Filmed around Boulia this morning and set off south around 1000. The road follows close to the track that Burke Wills travelled. As the day wore on my time was taken up with keeping the car on the track away from deep wheel ruts that gave the differential a hard time. Got through some small wet spots but in the end become hopelessly bogged up to my axels in water. My own fo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432836.html June 23 Tuesday.Had a look around Cloncurry and a museum that had a few Burke Will exhibits which included Burkes water bottle and part of the tree marked with roman numerals 121 indicating that Burkes expedition had passed this way. Had an interesting talk with the curator. It started to rain on my way out of town and decided not to take a dirt track into Mt Isa but followed the sealed road http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Boulia/blog-432835.html July 1 Wednesday.560 kilometres today as you can see Irsquom putting in the long drives again mainly because Irsquom finding very little that interests me. Weather very cold overcast and its also raining. Didnrsquot stop until Forbes where I spent a couple of interesting hours looking through a pioneer village. Had some lunch then off south again to a place called Narrandera. Here I once http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/blog-432854.html June 30 Tuesday.There wasnrsquot much to film well not much that interested me. Itrsquos funny that while the rough roads are wrecking my car Irsquom always wondering what is going to fall off next I do enjoy the experience. Itrsquos not always good sometimes itrsquos very worrying. Irsquom glad itrsquos sealed roads all the way home. The cars generator light has been on for the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/blog-432852.html June 29 Monday.The wheels are fine I got rid of all the dried mud that went solid inside the rims. Left Windorah about 1000 this morning and it was a day of driving on sealed roads. Not much to see along the way although I did cross six miles of Cooper River Channels. It took a 462kilometre drive to arrive in Charleville around 400 in the afternoon. Booked a caravan for the night. My gas stov http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Charleville/blog-432850.html June 28 Sunday.Left Birdsville around 900 this morning following three 4wheel drive vehicles all towing caravans. As it turned out the first part of the trip across Sturts Stony Desert to Batoota was fairly easy with only a couple of rough spots to negotiate and we made fairly good time. The next part of the trip got a lot harder but following the others gave me more confidence to attack the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Windorah/blog-432846.html June 25 Thursday.It was still cold this morning. I found the track a little better south of Bedourie. Must have negotiated at least a half a dozen wet spots and had to get out and walk each one. The process taking off my boots and socks. If the ground was rough on my feet there was a good chance that it would be safe for the car. If it felt soft I would keep a wide birth when traversing the are http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Birdsville/blog-432841.html Sunday 5 September 2004After getting back from Beechworth I spent two nights in Melbourne before leaving on Sunday morning for a trip to the west of Victoria. Most of the day was taken up driving to Warrnambool. Booked into the City Heart Motel. The room has cable TV and the accommodation is good. Messed around on the computer for a while before ordering a meal from a local restaurant which was d http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/blog-18054.html June 15 Monday.Itrsquos 200 in the morning and Irsquom having trouble sleeping. Thinking about the great time Irsquom having travelling but also thinking about what to do when I get back to Melbourne. One of the main reasons for this trip is to clear my head of troubles and plan for the future in a relaxed frame of mind. Irsquom going through a lot of troubles with my exwife. We have re http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432620.html June 22 MondayDrove from Lawn Hill to Cloncurry with no dramas. The scenery ranged from grass plains to light scrub. On arrival at Cloncurry I went to the Lands Office to enquire about property at Burke and Gregory. For just 5000 you can buy a block in town. A building of some kind has to erected on the property within a year was the only condition. Further investigation shire rates seem very h http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cloncurry/blog-432807.html June 19 Friday.Left the Gregory River about 800 this morning. Heading west on another outback track. The first 50 kilometres were in excellent condition then the last 50 kilometres were rough and didn't think I was going to make the final 10 kilometres because it was only fit for 4wheel drive vehicles. It took me until 1030 to arrive at Lawn Hill National Park. With most of the day still avail http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432801.html June 18 Thursday.Stayed another day on the Gregory River. Did some fishing with no luck. Did a little bit of filming. Met a couple of blokes from Broken Hill and a station near Tippabara who gave me some catfish which I skinned and cooked straight away. It was so fresh it tasted fantastic. Spent the rest of the daylight hours just lazing about on the riverbank. After dark went back to Toms' camp http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432797.html June 13 Saturday.Shortest trip so far just 18 kilometres. Irsquom staying at a working cattle station called Escott. Been on some of the station tracks and they are rough ldquobull dustrdquo is everywhere. This station is open to tourist and I was sitting beside my tent cleaning my camera gear when this guy stopped and started up a conversation. He was with his girlfriend and suggested w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432610.html June 11 Thursday.Spent the night doing death rolls just like a crocodile couldnrsquot get comfortable the towns power stationsrsquo generator kept me awake. Dawn broke got up packed my swag and headed down to the station. The train stays overnight and heads back the next day. Did some filming on the way back to Normanton the driver stopped the train just to show us points of interest. A http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-432605.html June 10 Wednesday.Today in the only day of the week the Gulflander leaves Normanton for Croydon. It takes about five hours to travel the 159 kilometres. Actually I sat where the driver sits and had the video on me while he told me what the controls were. The train driver stopped the train and let us film it as it crossed a small bridge. We had another stop that day and that was at a siding called http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Croydon/blog-432549.html June 7 Sunday.Left Berkeley Homestead this morning after watching a fantastic sunrise. East along the Barkly Highway the countryside is very much like what I saw yesterday. Crossed into Queensland which comes to the grand total of four states one territory since beginning of May. Spent the day driving and designing a trailer and a business name. The scenery only gets better around Mount Isa. Wh http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Normanton/blog-432548.html June 5 Friday. Did the Katherine Gorge boat trip and was pleased I made the effort. It is such a popular tourist destination which for me was spilt by too many people. The next time I do this area I will do the walks. Up to this point I hadnrsquot seen any kangaroos in the ldquotop endrdquo but two appeared in front of me this morning. Had some tough water buffalo meat for dinner tonight. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Katherine/blog-432544.html June 1 Monday.This morning I decided to head down to Pine Creek. I stopped for petrol at Cooinda but had to wait an hour before the power came on to make the pump work. I also managed to get a chance to say goodbye to Linda again. The East Alligator River crossing was made without any problems but at the next river crossing I had to help a vehicle that got stuck. The drive to UDP Falls was past m http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/blog-432540.html May 28 Thursday.Picked up Linda from the YWCA and then headed out to Kakadu. We found aboriginal art painted on rocks this area has some fascinating scenery. There is a lot to see but wonrsquot be able to see the two large waterfalls 4wheel drive only. So at this point it looks like we will only be doing walks. Saw a crocodile for the first time in the wild and spent time in the main town o http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Kakadu-National-Park/blog-432408.html May 27 Wednesday.Had a bit of a look around Darwin. Sent another batch of transparencyrsquos back to Melbourne and wrote a letter to the children. Irsquom now travelling with an English girl that I met at Catherine. English girls seem to be everywhere in Darwin. Didnrsquot do any filming while I was in town. Went for a meal with Linda and headed back to the caravan park around 730. Spent t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/blog-432406.html