15 November 2016 - Quilpie to Windorah

A cool sunny morning greeted us as we packed up for our 250km journey to Windorah. We enjoyed our stay in Quilpie and the caravan park contributed to that.  It was clean and well maintained.  Last night we had a perfect view of the super moon.

141116 Our brilliant super moon

We are now well and truly in the Channel Country.  Apart from a sign telling us so, there were many signs, which read something like “30km of channels ahead”.  The channels were evident where the road was widened or an occasional bridge appeared. However, most noticeable were, the elevation of the road, an increase in the greenery and the presence of large river red gums.  The road itself was very good and there was no gravel.

We began to see, for the first time, red sand hills.  They are of varying sizes and were generally running NE/SW at that point.  There was not much elevated countryside, apart from one little hill and, as we have now come to expect, it was green.

151116 A lone hillock, a sentinel looking over the channel plains

151116 Typical of the Cooper Creek channels

151116 The first sizeable red sand dune

151116 Lunchtime 50km from Windorah.  There were not many
stops for travellers and none was what you might call hospitable

Wildflowers were present along the roadside and into the bush.

 

151116 A light dusting of "snow" on the fields

Our path crossed the true Cooper Creek.  It is a spectacular creek and maybe Sturt should have named it Cooper River in hindsight.

 

151116 Cooper's Creek Bridge sign 

151116 The Bridge

151116 Upstream from the Cooper's Creek Bridge

151116 Downstream from the Cooper's Creek Bridge

151116 Another view of the bridge.  Cooper's Creek take 1.  
In flood, the water rises to a level near the treetops

151116 Cooper's Creek take 2

151116 Cooper's Creek take 3

151116 River gums on the bank of Cooper's Creek

151116 How Cooper's Creek was named.  Sturt did not see it in
flood or he may have called it a river.

We are still not sure whether it should be Cooper’s Creek or Cooper Creek.  Each term seems to be used interchangeably.

As we approached Windorah, we passed Ergon’s Solar Project.  It must be said the solar panels needed a clean, however it is still working in spite of the dirt on the panels.

151116 Explanation of the Solar Project

151116 Ergon's Windorah Solar Farm.  Note the bright light 
at the focal point of the mirrors - concentrated rays of the sun

151116 One of the panels up closer

Windorah is a small country town.  The Shire inspector told us the population was around 75.  Maybe some of the houses are not lived in.  There was not much to see there but they have been working on the construction of an authentic historical home, called Whitula Gate. It is nearing completion but they tell us it is a slow process.

151116 We have arrived

151116 The main road into Windorah

151116 Whitula Gate

151116 Self Explanatory 

161116 Yes, it is occupied at Windorah

Windorah is the final town before Birdsville but we will probably bypass Birdsville this time, as the road has been damaged during the recent heavy rains. It is 400km both ways so the distance is not to be sneezed at.

The temperature reached a comfortable 30 degrees today - very pleasant.  The sky is oh so blue - and cloudless.

Windorah’s water is from the Cooper Creek.  It is clarified, filtered and chlorinated.  It is quite a change from bore water.

The graziers still have problems with wild dogs killing lambs.  When they shoot the dogs, they hang them in a tree, in the hope other dogs will get the message.

151116 One of many we have seen, just hanging around

Late in the day we decided not to go to Birdsville, so tomorrow we will head off to Longreach.