Our first stop near Springsure.
Camped beside the Jordan River at Jerico.
Allan gest personal with the "Tree of Knowledge", Barcaldine.
A water hole in front of another watering hole, the Tattersalls Hotel. Our stopover in Winton is unscheduled as a result of a failed wheel bearing.
From Winton we head to Bourke & Wills Roadhouse and camp overnight before continuing onto Lawn Hill the next day, however on reaching the Gregory River we decide to pull in and check out this riverside oasis.
Sunset at the Bourke and Wills Roadhouse.
We manage to find a waterfront spot to camp beside the Gregory River.
Adels Grove is our base camp for the next couple of days. Located 10km from the Lawn Hill Gorge, Boodjamulla National Park and 50km from the world heritage Riversleigh Fossil fields it is an idyllic location for exploring the spectacular landscape, flora and forna of the area.
Lawn Hill Creek at Adels Grove.
Water lilies, Lawn Hill creek.
Enjoying a campfire "red".
Lawn Hill Gorge.
Indarri Falls, Lawn Hill Gorge.
Indarri Falls, cascade over the tufa formations in Lawn Hill Creek.
Indarri Falls.
Indarri Falls from the lookout on the clifftop above Lawn Hill Creek.
Lawn Hill Gorge escarpment.
Livistonia Palms reach skywards.
Taking a break in the shade as we head to the upper Gorge.
At the Upper Gorge lookout.
The view from the Upper Gorge.
Canoeing up Lawn Hill Creek towards the Gorge and the Indirri Falls.
Curious Archer Fish approach the canoe.
A splash of colour in the bush.
An enticing boudoir of a male Bowerbird featuring white decor.
A Great Bowerbird.
A Grey Shrike-Thrush.
A Gilberts Dragon soaks up the heat on a sunny rock outcrop.
A green tree snake pauses to check us out as we pass below his vantage point.
A (Slater's) Ring-tailed Dragon soaking up the rays.
Black-throated Finches forage of seeds.
A Crimson Finch
A female Fairy Wren.
A day trip to the World Heritage Fossil Site at Riversleigh, the following outline is and extract from the Queensland Parks website:
Located in the south-eastern section of the national park is the Riversleigh World Heritage Site. It is one of the most significant fossil deposits in the world and the richest known fossil mammal deposit in Australia. It has revealed records of Gondwanan life forms which existed prior to the break up of this ancient continent.
D Site was one of the first major fossil deposits found at Riversleigh and is the only publicly accessible part of this World Heritage area. Its fossils are from the late Oligocene period, dating back 25 million years. Turtles, fish, snails, crocodiles, lizards, pythons, birds and many types of mammal fossils have all been recovered from D Site.
The view eastwards from the hill above the Information Centre, mid-foreground (looks like a boulder) gives an idea of the vast open savanna wilderness.
The limestone rock outcrops of the Riversleigh area house the largest mammal fossil site in Australia.
That intrepid explorer, "Timmsy" surveying the countryside.
This limestone outcrop provides an ideal vantage point over Riversleigh and the surrounding landscape.
Cheryl checks out the Information on the Mega-forna fossils of the site..
The shin bone of 'Big Bird"
Big bird's fossilised drumstick and gizzard stones.
Once limey mud at the bottom of an ancient lake the weathered surface now exposed to the weather makes for interesting shapes.
A fossilised section of a freshwater crocodile's rear limb.
Fossilised remains of a turtle, a section through its shell.
Gregory River crossing near Riversleigh.
Budgerigars and doves flock to the Gregory River crossing to quench their thirst.
Gregory River camping area, arguably one of the best freedom camping spots in Queensland and amongst our top ten (that we've been to) in Australia. We take a break for several days to relax by the waters edge.
We arrive early and snag a prime waterfront position.
The running stream is clear and clean enough to wash in.
An ideal way of passing time, floating downstream in the cool clear waters of the Gregory River.
Totally relaxed.........
Campfire magic........
A Restless Flycatcher darts through the bushes searching for insects.
A pair of Whistling Kites nesting in the gum trees above us.
A Great Bowerbird shelters in a nearby Pandanus Tree.
A Grey Kangaroo pays us a visit.
We visit Bourketown situated on the Albert River, roughly 30 kilometres inland from the Gulf of Carpentaria and explore the historic area before continuing towards the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The memorial to the Anzacs of WW1.
On the jetty at the Albert River.
Our rigs are ready to roll onto our nest destination.
The sign to the Landsborough Tree, the site by the Albert River where explorer William Landsborough established a depot camp while searching for the missing Burke and Wills expedition in 1862.
The first boiling down works was established in 1867. The plan was to cure beef in brine for export to Batavia.
The Bourketown Bore - original records state that the depth of the bore was 2,304 feet with a flow rate of 155,560 gallons per day. It's unsuitable for drinking, domestic use or irrigation.
Artesian water flowing uncapped since 1897.
Checking the temperature (68 deg C) of the Bourketown Bore
Bourketown Bore's artesian water, full of all sorts of minerals, flowing out on the ground, creating a very unusual environment in the flooded acres.
Leichhardt Crossing, an ideal overnight stopover between Bourketown and Normanton, but be aware of estuarine crocodiles.
Leichhardt River looking upstream from road crossing and falls.
Our Leichhardt River campsite.
Sundowners on the banks of the Leichhardt River.
Beside our campfire with a full moon rising above the Leichhardt River.
Cockatoos take flight.
Birdlife abounds
A Black Necked Stork (or Jabiru)
We drop in to Karumba for a couple of nights to check out this fishing village on the Gulf of Carpentaria befort heading onto Normanton. From Normanton we head eastwards along the Savanna Way making our way to the coast on our return journey to Gladstone.
Enjoying sundowners on our arrival in Karumba.
Pink highlights the clouds as the sun sets beyond the shipping channel at Karumba.
A tinny speeds past on the Norman River at Karumba.
Cheryl is excited to see the live Barramundi.
Feeding the Barra by hand is a finger counting experience.
We encounter a family of Brolga on the side of the roadway.
The Purple Pub catches our eye as we drive into Normanton.
The purple theme continues inside.
Krys - the Savannah King - largest authenticated crocodile ever shot (The 8.63 metres long replica is a full size model).).
The jaws of death.
Twelve Mile Lagoon reflections, lilies and wildlife.
Magpie Geese move amongst the waterlilies.
BBQ Barramundi is on the menu tonight.
Sunset over the lagoon provides a spectacular colour palate.
Trees fringing the lagoon are silhouetted in the last golden rays of the day.
Our trip east takes us through the historic goldrush town of Croydon located in the heart of the Gulf Savannah. The town is one of the termini for the Gulflander, opened for the gold rush in 1891, now operating as a tourist railway between Croydon and Normanton.
In the gold mining days Croydon, like all gold mining areas had a large population of Chinese settlers.
Croydon images are displayed in monochrome to evoke a mood of the township in it's pioneering heyday.
Continuing on the Savanna Way towards the coast we detour at Georgetown to visit Cobbold Gorge, Queensland’s youngest gorge, set amongst an ancient landscape. Here we explore this fascinating area including the villages of Forsayth and Einasleigh and Copperfield Gorge.
Climbing to the top of the gorge.
A worn depression and grinding stone in the lee of this rock overhang, evidence of earlier occupation by Aboriginals.
Some Aboriginal rock art encountered along the way.
A worn depression and grinding stone, an ancient mortar and pestle.
The gorge, Queensland's youngest is unique, as it narrows to just two meters in places.
Circular sink holes in the gorge formed by centuries of swirling erosive action on the sandstone.
A view into the depths of one of the sinkholes worn into the sandstone.
Here lie the remains of John Corbett - allegedly murdered......
Back at the base of the gorge we take a cruise up Cobbold Creek to experience the gorge from water leve.
Ferns cling to the surface as groundwater seeps from between the sandstone layers.
Evidence of the geological processes are clearly visible in these spectacular cliffs, which are 19 metres high from the waterline to the top of the escarpment (30 metres from the bottom of the water to the top of the escarpment).
A freshwater crocodile basks on the rock ledge as our boat glides silently past.
A fern garden overhangs from the sandstone pocket.
Spectaculy formed rockface shapes are excentuated by light and shade as the midday sun peeks into the narrow opening.
Light reflected by the waterr's surface projects a lacelike pattern on the rockface.
A Golden Orb spider spins its web on the rock face also.
Seemingly defying gravity, this Green Tree Snake effortlessly moves about the vertical face.
Relaxing by the infinity pool after a day of exploration is the way to roll.
Caravan parking and amenities are first rate.
We visit the main attraction in Einasleigh, the pub.
A step back in time inside the Einasleigh Hotel
A vintage motorcycle is overtaken by time and nature.
Copperfield Gorge.
Copperfield Creek's sandy beach as it emerges from the gorge.
Impressive rock forms of Copperfield Gorge.
We arrive on the coast at Alva Beach before making our way home via Kinchart Dam, Eungella National Park and Bedford Weir.
Sunrise over Alva Beach
Finally a tropical oasis for a campsite.
Kinchant Dam.
A fitting end to a memorable trip.
Finch Hatton Gorge.
Filtered light patterns dance on the rocks below.
Water ballet performed by Pelicans, Bowen.
The finale....... a dive for the fish.
Peacock and Peahen roam the shores of Kinchant.
Laughing Kookaburras perform for food at Finch Hatton.
One of the many Platypus spotted in Eungella Creek.
A White-necked Heron (also known as Pacific Heron) at Bedford Weir.
This Platypus puts on an extended show for us, obviously undaunted by our presence on the lookout above the creek.
