Emerald

Winton - Emerald:  15 August [623 km]

[Note:  The distance from Winton to Emerald is 601 km;  the additional 20 km was to get us to our caravan park.]

What a surprise:  we woke to see all this fluffy stuff in the sky.  Apparently it is called ‘cloud’ but we have not seen anything like it for so long!  We had a longish day ahead travelling the Matilda and then the Capricorn Highways – and driving along the Tropic of Capricorn as well.  Our first stop was in Longreach:  we had spent some days here six years ago, so we didn’t spend much time here today. 

We did see the marker for the Tropic of Capricorn and we stopped to look at the Qantas planes.  We saw the Qantas 707 which wasn’t here during our previous visit, but it will have to wait till another visit for us to walk through it. 

We then manoeuvred around extensive road works as we drove to Barcaldine.  Last time we were here, the Tree of Knowledge had just been poisoned (and it died soon after).  There is now an extra-ordinary exhibit – incorporating some of the Tree – on the site where the Tree was growing.  [Question:  What is, or was, significant about the Tree of Knowledge?]

At this point, we left the Matilda (or Landsborough) Highway and started on the Capricorn Highway.  We were now in new territory for us.  This road was generally of a low standard, although some remedial road works are underway, and it also became quite twisty and hilly as we journeyed east.  The very small towns of Jericho and Alpha slipped past and we arrived in Emerald by mid-afternoon. 

We then took the road south to Lake Maraboon.  Our caravan park is located just above the shore of this Lake and our cabin looks out over the Lake.  A great spot.  We settled in and enjoyed a home-cooked dinner.

Lake Maraboon (Emerald):  16 August

The next day dawned bright and sunny (all the smoke haze of the previous day had dissipated somewhat) and we drove into Emerald to look around.  Emerald was a very bustling town with lots of activity everywhere.  Apart from normal commercial activities, it is a key point for trains transporting coal to the Queensland coast:  we saw one very long coal train with two engines at the front, then a lot of wagons full of coal, then another engine and then more wagons full of coal.  The coal industry in this part of Queensland is very big business.

Our first stop was the visitor centre – with some very helpful staff:  the building is made from hay bales.  Right outside is the Centenary of Federation Mosaic Pathway and this leads to the Big Easel on which rests the largest Van Gogh Sunflower in the world.  [Question:  Where is the original of this famous painting?]  We then walked to the historic railway station – with its beautiful and elaborate wrought iron lacework and pillared portico.

After some lunch and a bit of shopping – to stock up for our trip to the remote Carnarvon Gorge – we returned to our cabin for a relaxing afternoon and most enjoyable and relaxing dinner at the park’s restaurant. 

Trip summary (Brief)

As we reach the point where we really turn south (we’ve only been drifting south since we drove to Edith Falls.  After all, we are still in the tropics!):

·         We have driven 4,484 km since leaving Broome on 2 August

·         We have driven 12,876 km since leaving Canberra on 12 June

·         We have now visited NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland

·         Our most expensive petrol has been at Fitzroy Crossing at $1.99/litre. 

Even though we are kind of on our ‘home stretch’, we are still having a superb adventure – and there is more to come as we travel through the Central Highlands of Queensland and through northern NSW.