16 November 2016 - Windorah to Longreach

It was another perfect day for travelling, this time for the 325km drive to Longreach.  The day warmed as it progressed and it was a warm 34 degrees by the time we reached Longreach.

 

161116 They came to say goodbye as we left Windorah.
 Very realistic

161116 Dishes hard at work as we left Windorah

It was a bitumen road all the way but the road deteriorated a little after we crossed into the Longreach Shire from the Barcoo Shire.  On the surface, it appears the Barcoo Shire looks after its constituents and assets very well.

We were heading in a more northerly direction having gone as far west as we wished. For this reason we were travelling more in parallel with the rivers, creeks and channels and therefore did not have as many crossings to navigate.  There were plenty of grids though, and we think we may have done a damage to our roll out pantry, with all the gravitational forces in play, as we thumped and bumped our way over the grids.

During the day we passed through Jundah, which is home to the Barcoo Shire and is on the Thomson River.  

161116 Thomson River at Jundah downstream of the ridge

161116 Thomson River upstream 

161116 Water tower and diesel tank at Jundah

161116 Barcoo Shire at Jundah

Another attraction outside Stonehenge was the Native Well - not large but real.

161116 Native Well outside Jundah

161116 The Native Well up close

Stonehenge was the only other town on the way.  Stonehenge is a well maintained country town.  The Barcoo Shire Council was meeting in the Community Centre while we were there.  The council moves around to different towns for its meetings.

161116 Stonehenge  Community Centre

161116 Stonehenge Hotel

Stonehenge is developing another unusual attraction.  A couple of kilometres out of town, passers by have  left addresses, name, messages etc using the rocks available on the roadside.  It extends for a kilometre and extends 50 - 100metres from the roadside.  It has enlarged since last we passed by.

161116 Self explanatory

161116 An address book example

161116 Another address book example

161116 Wow! Fancy that!

The countryside changed progressively as we went north and escaped the clutches of the Channel Country.  They did not have as much winter rain in the Longreach as was had further south, but the countryside did not look too bad.

161116 Longreach will do 

161116 Land flat ahead, road OK

A couple of videos from our afternoon tea stop follow.

                                          

The best view for today was from the Swanvale jumpup**.  To suddenly come across a panoramic view across the lowlands was as surprising as it was spectacular.

** jump-up: is a point where a road or track rises abruptly from one level to another.

161116 From the Springvale jumpup

161116 From the Springvale jumpup

161116 From the Springvale jumpup 

161116 From the Springvale jumpup

161116 View from another jumpup

The traffic increased as we came closer to Longreach, which is a sizeable town.  We are not used to “crowds”.

In Longreach, we came across a large refrigerated truck, which was selling seafood.  They were doing a roaring trade.  We are having barramundi for dinner tonight and prawns for lunch tomorrow.  Yippee!

A little bit of trivia.  We are assured by the locals that the correct name is Cooper’s Creek not Cooper Creek.  No one seems to worry about it our here.  They are too busy enjoying the results of the winter rain.  Mind you, the rains played havoc with the tourist season, and some were not too happy about that.

Administration day tomorrow.