DAY 32 MT ISA (CLONCURRY visited)

---

Left the camper in Mt Isa and travelled the Overlander’s Way on the Barkly Highway on an excellent sealed, double lane road. The scenery was the best we had travelled through. Undulating, very rugged, highly vegetated hill country. Cloncurry advertises itself as, “The Friendly Heart of Outback Queensland”. It proved to be so as all who we met were indeed friendly. From our readings we learned that in 1861 Burke and Wills with King and Gray (Australian history so rich) were the first known Europeans to come to the area on their ill-fated expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We continue to marvel at their courage. No fear Galway men. Entering Cloncurry, one crosses two long, high bridges over the water filled Cloncurry River.

We visited the original QANTAS Hangar (still in use) at the aerodrome where, “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service” is still displayed above the hangar door. The first passenger was Alexander Kennedy when it flew from Longreach to Cloncurry on 3^rd November 1922. It was in Cloncurry in 1928 that the RFDS was first established by John Flynn due to its proximity to the mining camps and scattered pastoralists’ road and railway workers. He combined aircraft, radios and medicine to provide a mantle of safety for inland people. In my opinion it is close to being the most respected organisation in Australia. It is the most comprehensive aeromedical emergency and health care service in the world, spread over 6.9 million square kilometres.

Dame Mary Gilmore (OBE), famous Australian writer and journalist who contributed greatly to Australian literature (prose and poetry) rests in the Cloncurry cemetery, interned in the grave of her husband. She is featured on the Australian $10 note.

Returning to Mt Isa took quite a while as we deviated off road to visit various beautiful water spots nestled in valleys. Many people were camped in these areas. We met and struck up conversation with Di and Dick (Antique Teenagers), both in their 80’s and tough as nails, who have been free camping along the way. The beautiful Lake Moondarra was the final visited area only 13km out of Mt Isa. To us it was a very miniature Lake Argyle (Kimberley’s WA). No doubt, during the hot periods it would be well used, catering for skiing, dragon boats, canoeing and lazing about. The shoreline is well endowed with shelters and bbq’s.

We have readied ourselves for tomorrow’s trip to Barkly Homestead in the Northern Territory where we will free camp in the bush somewhere.

Another fulfilling and learning day.

---