Brisbane to Charters Towers

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October 22nd 2012

Published: October 28th 2012

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MargAndRob

Day 1 Camp at Binjour

We set off from Brisbane with the plan to travel via Binjour Range, Biloela, Rolleston, Virgin Rock, Emerald, Charters Towers. Folk we met in the free camp at Binjour range had just come from North West on this rout and reported that the road from Moura to Rolleston was still in bad shape and under repair.

So we adjusted the plan and travelled through Dululu to Blackwater, Emerald and then on to Charters Towers.

Generall the drive to Binjour via Gympie went well but there were bush fires burning behind Gayndah. The smoke was carrying north on the breeze and gave some colourful effects at sunset. Too much smoke for a good sunset photo.

Day 2 we drove on our revised route more north than west, still plenty of smoke around but getting less. We stopped for the night at the Durangi Camp spot (Donations at the Information Centre) in a dusty but otherwise spacious and popular park. There is a rain forest being grown in the park drawing water from the Dawson River and it is looking good, particularly when flood lit at night. Just short of Duaringa we came accross Mr Emu and family. Dad looked

Day 1 Smoky Sunset at Binjour

left and right before crossing the road. However, he did hold the family long enough for us to get a photo. Once they move, they are rather like an oversized road runner and go for it without looking anywhere but straight ahead.

Day 3 was a little more adventurous with Marg driving between two grass/bush fires that stopped trains and traffic. The heat radiated off the bush fire was very noticable so we scurried through under direction of the fire warden.Talking of trains, the coal trains on this line are numerous and very long. Marg said she counted 100 coal wagons, probably about 3500 tonnes of coal per train.

We also encountered a police escort who stopped traffic and moved us off the road to allow a wide load to pass. When we say wide, we mean very wide! Not sure what the machine was - maybe a huge tractor of some type from one of the mines. You can see from the photo that the wheels have been removed, so it would have been even more frightening if it was fully shod.

The rest of the journey to Emerald was fairly good, and we camped under

Day 2 Lawgi Hall

Lunch stop and in need of a pit stop

the railway bridge at the edge of town. This was a busy little corner overnight with a great cross section of society sharing this beautiful spot.

The Botanical Gardens at Emerald are worth a visit. They are extensive and divided into various types of trees etc. Where we were parked it was a tropical theme. On the other side of the river there were several different temprate zone styles of vegitation.

Day 4 we drove through from Emerald to Charters Towers and booked into the Family Parks camping ground for 2 nights. The drive was mostly un eventful except at one of a number of road work areas. Many of these outback works have the traffic controlled by remote trafic lights. Marg was stopped at the front of the queue for quite a while, and eventually thge lights went green. She was about to pu;ll forward when she saw a road train still heading south, so she waited. Unfortunately, the two goons behind us though she had dropped off to sleep and gunned it around us, just to be confronted with this road train. They dived off the road out of harms way, earned a glare from the

Day 2 Lawgi Hall Park

Plenty of space here to stop or sleep.

truckie, and Mar mentioned something abouit licenses being free with wheetbix a few years back.

Day 5 was a sightseeing drive around Charters Towers starting at Tower Hill with its panoramic view over the district plus the ruins of the old gold mines. Seems mining could start here again. The seams are rich and deep, but pumping water prevented the old timers keeping going. Watch this town for future opportunities.

Charters Towers has retained and maintained the majority of the old time buildings. At its peak, 22000 people lived here. Today just 12,000. They are mad/bad drivers - could be tropo brain syndrome! Any way, take a risk and a camera and enjoy the history and buildins that have been maintained and still used today. New life, modern use in old clothes so to speak.

Find out the story of Anna and her lime hair treatment. Study the various murals and sculptures around town.

There's enough to keep you busy for a couple of days.

Additional photos below

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Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name...more history

Day 2 Mr Emu and Family

Mr Emu hatches and looks after the young for 18 months while Mrs goes off and has a good time. Mr Emu was guiding the family accross the highway to a recently harvested wheat field.