11 November 2016 - Noccundra to Quilpie

We must firstly acknowledge that today is the eleventh day of the eleventh month and we remember those who died in war, while defending Australia’s  way of life. 

111116 Today's trip, follow light brown line from Noccundra
to Eromanga and Quilpie 

*111116 George and the smaller Jane saying goodbye
at the Noccundra Hotel

On a less sombre note, last night we had the Mother of All Storms and we were treated to a magnificent display of lightning, thunder, and some not insignificant wind.  This morning the whole place was washed yet again and the countryside looked pristine.  The brumbies looked good but the sheep looked as if they needed a good wash.

111116 Brumbies on the highway near Noccundra

111116 "Lookout, sheep on the road"

Today we covered 288km, as we journeyed from Noccundra to Quilpie via Eromanga.  The road was bitumen all the way.  The only off-putting aspect was fear of meeting a road train and having to get off the, at times, narrow roads, knowing the edges were water soaked, soft and quite dangerous.  This was apart from putting mud all over the tyres and under the mudguards when we took off again.  Unfortunately our fears were realized but, then, fortunately, we did not get bogged and there were spots where water was still lying on the road, which provided tyre and mudguard cleaning opportunities.

We were surprised to see that the storm had covered the whole area between Noccundra and Quilpie.  Water lay along the roadside at times, which suggested the ground underneath is still moist.  There was some hilly country on the way although we were still definitely in Channel Country.

111116 Water at the roadside

Eromanga was the only small town we passed through.  At the 2011 census Eromanga had a population of 400. However, the town of Eromanga itself has a population averaging from 30-40.  It is famous for opals, dinosaurs and oil.  Eromanga’s oil fields produce 1.5 million barrels per year.  Inland Oil Refineries have an oil refinery in the middle of town.  Their distillate was $1.28/l, which is cheap for out here.

111116 Cheap for out here

111116 iOR Petroleum - refining local oil since 1986

111116 The Inland Oil Refinery Pty Ltd story

Eromanga's latest and most exciting claim to fame is the significant paleontological discoveries of Australia’s largest dinosaurs on a property near Eromanga. Several dinosaurs have been unearthed and the area is being heralded by scientists as the most exciting and prolific dinosaur site in Australia. The bones and other exciting discoveries are displayed in the Eromanga Natural History Museum located on Dinosaur Drive.

111116 Dinosaur and babes at Eromanga

111116 Eromanga Bore No 2

111117 Eromanga Bore No 2 story

111116 Not quite making the grade at Eromanga
- not half mast but half flag

111116 The Royal Hotel in Eromanga

 "Opalopolis" another name for Eromanga

Eromanga and nearby fields produce boulder opal, an unique type of opal which is found attached to a host rock, ironstone. Boulder opal is unique to Queensland, and occurs in deposits in weathered sedimentary Cretaceous rocks in a large area of western Queensland.

Much opal mining in Queensland is carried out in 'open cut' mining operations, which is vastly different to shaft mining.

The Queensland opal fields are within a belt of deeply weathered Cretaceous sedimentary rocks known as the Winton Formation, which extends in a north-westerly direction from the New South Wales border at Hungerford stretching west of Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Longreach and Winton to Kynuna, a distance of about 1000 km.

111116 Leaving Eromanga

111116 A "Noddy" alongside the highway

We arrived in Quilpie in the early afternoon and undertook some retail therapy.  Our stocks are depleted, after being in the bush so long.

Tomorrow we plan to undertake administration duties firstly, then catch up on the outstanding blogs and find time for a rest.   It’s tough work out here in the west!.