The stretch of Highway One between Kununurra and the turn-off to Wyndham was a long series of road works but not too many traffic lights. The bush was a little greener here with blossom appearing on some trees. At the junction we joined the Great Northern Highway heading southbound. We stopped at the Doon Doon Roadhouse for a break. It has a little bit of everything you might need for your journey including some new and secondhand books. Further on hills appeared and the landscape became drier and rockier.
We passed the sign to a mine which my road atlas said was ‘Argyle Diamond Mine: no public access’. Most of the small creek crossings on this part of the highway are single track bridges. However, at Bow Bridge a new bridge and road access is being built. We stopped for lunch at a rest area and for the first time in the last couple of weeks, were not pestered by birds, just a few flies. Many of the trees surrounding the area had peeling bark and James suggested it might make and abstract painting. I only have a sketchbook and a few pencils with me on this trip and I might get started on some ideas.
Not long after the lunch break we passed this cow sitting by the road.
Halls Creek is the only sizeable town on this stretch of road. Its population was only just over 3,600 in 2016 of 70% are indigenous. On Christmas Day 1885, a prospector found a huge gold nugget here. The subsequent gold rush was very short-lived but the Visitors’ Centre still has a leaflet on tips for gold prospectors. The town is the administrative centre for the locals and the surrounding cattle farming region with a hospital and police station in addition to a school and some shops and churches. There is also an indigenous art centre but unfortunately this is closed at the weekend so I could not visit it. If you have a 4WD vehicle with high clearance e.g. A Toyota Landcruiser, you can drive the 52km from the highway north of Halls Creek into Purnululu National Park or drive 200km south of town on the Tanami Track to the Wolfe Creek Crater. Other options include rather expensive helicopter or plane flights over the National Park. We had decided to have a fairly lazy day so drove the 6km on the Duncan Road to China Wall. The last 1.5km is on gravel but easily accessible with 2WD.
China Wall is a vertical layer of white quartz which in places is 6m high standing above the surrounding land. The section near Halls Creek can be viewed from the path in the wet season but in the dry season you can walk right up to it across the creek.
There were a several wildflowers in bloom in the bush.
Heading back into town there was a long queue at the filling station as some of the pumps were out of order but the shops were open so we got stocked and prepared to continue our journey the following day.
Month: September 2018
Around Australia: into Western Australia
We had planned to have a slightly later start as Kununurra is only 140 miles from Timber Creek and we gain 1.5 hours with the time difference. However, the family in the room next to ours got up very early and very noisily so once we were up and breakfasted, decided to head off. Just west of Timber Creek are outlooks over the town and the Victoria River. Some are orientated west and east so that you can observe sunset and sunrise. I was just happy to have an elevated view after many miles of flat bush.
Baobab trees began to appear amongst the vegetation and we saw a couple of flocks of white cockatoos and one tree with larger black parrots on it. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to stop safely for photography as we were in the midst of yet more roadworks. This is another section of Highway One which is being upgraded along with some new bridges over the Victoria River. As we headed towards the border with Western Australia, the Pinkerton Range was on our right. Further on sandstone escarpments emerged.
At the border, we had no problems with the quarantine check as I had downloaded the customs document before I left and kept it on my laptop. It has some very helpful tables for each border crossing about what can and cannot be transported.
A little further on we passed Mount Hensman. Crossing a creek called Golden Gate Creek made me briefly think that that in the surrounding landscape I could be in California. At Kununurra we stocked up on supplies and fuel before driving down to Lily Lagoon, part of the Ord River system. I saw a few birds.
A Comb-Crested Jacana on the lily pads
A Straw-necked Ibis
A Masked Lapwing
and some raptors still to be identified in a tree. Too far away to photograph, a pelican landed on the water and other birds were fishing. A couple of boats cruised past, there were other boat ramps on the shore and fishing huts on the water, so I I suspect it can be much busier at times. We had hoped to have our lunch on a viewpoint by the river but it was being upgraded so we moved to another spot beside the lagoon for our picnic before checking into our hotel. We had driven 156 miles bringing the trip total to 5,106.
Around Australia: Darwin to Timber Creek
We retraced our steps from Darwin to Katherine to pick up the Victoria Highway towards Western Australia. Out of town we passed yet another cattle muster point but this one was full of cows waiting to be loaded up to the road train. I wondered how far they were going and in temperatures in the high 30s, how much water they will have. Back home there is a campaign to reduce the time and distance live animals are transported when they could be slaughtered closer to their source and we have good refrigerated transport. Trucks are an improvement on the days when cattle had to be driven large distances to market. Some of the old drove roads in Scotland are long distance walks. This morning’s coffee stop was at Adelaide River in a quirky café. After topping up the caffeine levels, I nipped to the toilet and this notice raised a smile:
Coming into Katherine we could see a large amount of smoke hanging over the area and hoped that our road would not be closed by bush fires. Fortunately, it was not closed but we did see several small fires still smoking along the way. The termite mounds are smaller out here. We had lunch at a rest area observed closely by a magpie who had to be shooed away from stealing our food a couple of times.
Highway One is in the process of being upgraded in several places between Katherine and Kununurra. Some parts are complete but others still underway. We wasted about 30 minutes sitting at three different sets of traffic lights. I did spot some colourful vegetation out of the window at one red light.
There are large cattle stations and on a hot day, dozens were crowded together under the trees, trying to get some shade. There were large numbers of crows and raptors at every dead wallaby on the road, some a little reluctant to move as we drove past. Red sandstone cliffs appear near the Victoria River and then the road enters the Judbarra/Gregory National Park. Apparently, the name is in the process of being changed. We passed two memorials today. One to Noel Buntine who seems to have been a local cattle transporter and road train pioneer and one to T.C. Durack who I am still trying to place. Eventually we arrived in Timber Creek. When I checked in at the store next to the hotel, I discovered that the receptionist was from Liverpool. Our good fortune continues, as another guest wished to extend his stay and not move out of the room we were due to be in, we were upgraded to a motel room with a bit more space. She also told us that while they no longer feed crocodiles in the creek, we might see some around 5pm. We did not but did see lots of fruit bats hanging in the trees and another small bird which I will identify when I have a bit more wifi time as I had to leave my bird books at home.
Today was payday so the bar was full. The hotel, motel and campsite tend to dominate the town but there are locals here as well as workers and travellers. The bar/restaurant have rather utilitarian décor, vaguely reminiscent of some of our older prisons but there were some interesting old photographs on the wall of the local area and community. Today’s mileage was 368 miles and the total so far: 4,950.
Around Australia: From the outback to the city and the ocean
Having spent a few days in the outback it was time today to return to the city and the ocean. Our motel was just off the highway in Katherine, so we were on our way fairly quickly. Highway One was fairly quiet although we did see our first four tanker road train and there were the inevitable roadworks. Our coffee stop was in Pine Creek at a café where a cat was sitting outside the door ready to greet us. Further on in the town is a railway museum. It was closed when we passed by, but I had a brief look around. Inevitably the gold rush was the reason the railway opened in 1889. It was extended to Katherine in 1917 but never got as far as Alice Springs. When a nearby mine closed in 1976 the railway closed. In 2004 the Darwin to Adelaide line opened which we must do at some point.
There are a couple of locomotives in a shed. As it was closed I had to take photographs through the wire enclosure.
We continued north into a more rocky and hilly landscape. Just after Hayes Creek, the option to divert via the Dorat Road to Adelaide River where it rejoins Highway One. It was even quieter and the termite mounds even bigger. Some were almost 3 metres tall.
We saw some kangaroos grazing in the bush but all too soon we were back on the main road. A sign to a place called ‘Tortilla Flats’ raised a smile. After Mount Dam the water pipe ran alongside the road. Bad signage nearer Darwin meant that we missed our exit but third time lucky we were on the correct road and off to the airport to dump the rental car. Some bizarre rules mean that we could not keep the same car all the way around according to the offices in the UK and Sydney. The woman in the Darwin office thought that we could have had a rolling contract. Anyway, it is pleasant to be car-less for a day and hopefully we can re-negotiate the fee we are being charged which is for those dropping off at a different destination. Whichever car we have, it will be returned to Sydney where we started. One bit of good news is that when we checked into our hotel, we got upgraded to a suite with an ocean view! The following morning, en route to the Botanic Garden, I spotted an Avis office in town. While James went in to switch the car pick up to that office I explored the Catholic Cathedral opposite.
We walked the just under two miles to the Gardens and enjoyed being back in a green oasis after the dry outback.
Unlike the last one we visited, the epiphytic greenhouse was open and gave me some ideas to try with my orchids and some of my succulents if they have survived my absence. After a cold drink at the cafe it was time to walk a little further to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. One of the exhibitions was 66 out of the 300 entries for the Telstra National and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. There were other galleries of art work and I particularly liked some of the linocuts and wood engravings and hope that these will inspire me to get back to my art over the winter.
There were other very colourful works as well as galleries devoted to the geology and natural history, Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day in 1974 which I remember being reported on the TV and some early 20th century history of the Territory. After walking back to the hotel (with a diversion to a cold beer) it was time to relax with the AC on. Later on we found Darwin’s bookshop: Readback Books and Aboriginal Art Gallery. As usual when travelling I have to restrict myself and we bought one novel which we can leave behind when finished. I overheard the proprietor telling another customer that her main business was the art gallery and the books were a hobby. Sunset is later up here but it was so cloudy little could be seen. Today was the autumn equinox and a full moon. However, we could not see the moon for cloud so here is last night’s almost full one.
Around Australia: Tennant Creek to Katherine
We spent one night in Tennant Creek in a motel at the edge of town. The town was originally built around gold mining but that was short-lived. Around half of the town’s population are of indigenous descent. Unfortunately, it has most often been in the news due to crime and alcohol problems, the most recent horror being the rape of a two year old girl. I had not read about this before I arrived but had noticed the active police presence on the streets and it is the first motel we have stayed which had prominent notices about CCTV at the reception and about not letting people you don’t know into your room. Our experience was very positive, and I was glad to read in the Guardian about moves to solve some of the community problems. The restaurant in our motel was closed so we had our evening meal at the sports club. Most of them will allow people living more than 5km away and who have photo ID to register temporarily and use the bar and restaurant. It is also a good way to meet some locals. Tennant Creek does have a museum and art gallery devoted to indigenous art, but we did not have time to visit them. I did appreciate this street art.
In the morning we carried on northward on the Stuart Highway, passing a manganese mine and still in dry country with little wildlife to see as much of it is nocturnal. Further on, as vegetation started to appear, we passed a group of cows by the road and then an Australian Bustard. I still have not managed to get a photograph of one despite spotting a few. Dressed up termite mounds continue to be found along the highway. The craze started around five years ago and is mostly done by tourists. The first town we reached, Elliott, had a big sign on entry announcing all the facilities in the store including coffee. However, that was not on offer when we stopped. We had our lunch in the shade of a tree opposite the Daly Waters Pub, mobbed by a flock of Apostle Birds. The pub claims to be historic having had a licence since 1893 and the place Amy Johnson landed in 1930 having flown from the UK to Australia. Inside there are huge amounts of memorabilia from visitors.
Nearby is The Stuart tree. He or one of his party is said to have carved the letter S into the bark on his journey from Adelaide to Darwin. There is no written corroboration of this in his journals.
Nearby is the site of the old telegraph station. As we continued our journey to Katherine, the temperature rose to 38 degrees. In the evening the almost full moon was framed by palm trees.
The following morning we had arranged to go on a boat trip up Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park. There are 13 gorges between Arnhem Land and the sea but boat trips only cover a few. We chose a two-hour cruise of the first two gorges but three hour and breakfast/sunset cruises are also available. Canoes can be hired and in the wet season power boats are used. Our cruise took us past 17 Mile Creek which flows into the river and is often used by the Jawoyn people for fishing
and then through the sandstone gorges:
There is a 400m walk between the first and second gorge where we boarded another boat. The path passes some rock art. There is a lot in Nitmiluk some only 150 years old, others thousands of years old. We saw one example:
Having cruised around the second gorge we returned to the first, keeping an eye out for freshwater crocodiles. Unfortunately, the water temperature is quite high at the moment so they do not need to lie on the rocks to get warm and we did not see any. Back at the Visitors’ Centre for refreshments I had a look at some of the local paintings on display and for sale. One local artist often works in the centre.
James also spotted this dragonfly sitting on a door. I have not identified him yet.
So for, the total mileage is 4,358 miles. We only drove 41 miles to the gorge and back today but the previous day’s total was 422 miles. Tomorrow we continue north to Darwin.
Around Australia: Into the Outback
A cold beer watching the sun go down over the sea followed by locally caught barramundi fish and chips was almost the perfect evening if such a thing exists.
We enjoyed relaxing because we have a few long driving days ahead. After Normanton, Highway 1 is gravel and no car hire company will let you drive long distances on gravel. For us, hiring a 4WD for this would be costly so we have to divert inland for a while and sample more of the outback. Carpentaria Shire describes itself as the Outback by the Sea.
We left the Karumba landscape behind, passing a couple of Brolgas en route.
After a fuel stop in Normanton we carried on south on this Route 83 which is also known as the Matilda Highway and runs from Karumba to the New South Wales border. It is another development road with some single lane sections and plenty of road trains. There were frequent signs warning of flooding and it must be impassable at some points in the wet season. After crossing the Flinders River, we passed through dry grassland with the large seed heads of grass blowing across the road reminiscent of tumbleweed. Burke and Wills Roadhouse at the junction with the Wills Development Road was a good coffee stop but also provides a lot more. I was slightly surprised to hear three men who were eating a huge plate of chips, chatting in Punjabi.
Continuing south, rocky outcrops and hills started to appear.
After crossing the Dugald River we passed a huge zinc mine which only achieved commercial production earlier this year. The road then passes by a few hills and descends into Cloncurry.
Cloncurry has been a town since 1884. Two of its claims to fame are as the birthplace of the Flying Doctor Service and the destination of the first Qantas flight. The surrounding area is mainly devoted to cattle farming now but between Cloncurry and Mount Isa is Mary Kathleen, the ruins of a uranium mine and community. Mount Isa is another town which grew up because of mineral deposits in the area; mainly lead, copper, silver and zinc. This lead to concerns about lead levels in children 10 years ago and now pollution is very closely monitored. The town is still dominated by the huge mine chimney. The bottle shop there is also the largest we have seen so far. The following morning we were back on the Barkly Highway, out of mining land and again in beef country. There was even a Drovers’ Museum in Camooweal, our coffee stop. The sign stated that the town was at 236m altitude and the population was 310. Shortly after Camooweal we drove into Northern Territory and gained 30 minutes due to the time difference. Here we were in dry grassland.
70km later we passed the first cyclist we had seen since leaving busier towns and the tourist zone. We had driven 276km before crossing a watercourse that had any water in it despite the road going over several rivers and creeks. Before we got to the Barkly Homestead Road House, the bush and termite mounds had reappeared. At the road house was a sign asking customers to forgive them for their higher prices. They explained that they had to generate their own power and it took 5,000 litres of diesel per day to do this. Standing there in sunshine and wind, I did wonder why they were not using solar/wind power.
We continued towards Tennant Creek. The roadside was littered with fragments of tyres and there were frequent skid marks. Some wrecked cars and lots of oil drums were left rusting by the road. We saw one more recent car that had left the road and were just wondering whether anyone was in it when we saw a notice: ‘police aware’.
Fairly close to our destination when we saw two dead cows by the roadside. Unlike other roadkill there were no crows or raptors feeding on them. I can only assume that the lack of water was responsible for the lack of birds. The total mileage for the last two days was 839 miles bringing the total so far to 3,895, a little more than the length of the Lincoln Highway we drove in 2016.
Around Australia: Daintree to the Gulf
We left our motel in the rainforest and crossed the Daintree River on the ferry again. It runs from 6am to midnight.
There is no mains electricity north of the river and solar power and generators provide what is needed. Back on the road to Mossman we were accompanied by electricity cables. We took Highway 44 from Mossman to Mount Molloy, a road that winded uphill to Mowbray National Park. The first gap in the hills providing a viewpoint, also provided a gap for the power lines and had a plaque commemorating the date the gravel road was completely bitumen: in 1982. At the second viewpoint which had a somewhat better view, we met a guy walking his dog who said that this was the first cloudy day for months.
Mount Molloy was named after a farmer who found the copper out crop while searching for a stray bullock. We joined Highway 81 near here which is also known as the Mulligan Highway. The road was named after James Venture Mulligan who found many of the mining fields in Northern Queensland.
We drove through bushland which had been on fire very recently, some logs were still smoking. We passed Lake Mitchell and arrived in Mareeba. Appropriately it was coffee time. Mareeba has arabica coffee plantations and 70% of Australian coffee is grown here. It was also the place where the world’s first mechanical harvester was developed. The biggest crop used to be tobacco but now there are mango, banana, papaya and nut orchards and a liqueur distillery and a tea plantation. It has a reputation as a bit of a cowboy town and you can certainly buy all your gear here and attend the annual rodeo. The travel agent was advertising trips to Calgary Stampede. There were also a couple of holistic and natural therapy shops which might be bucking the trend.
At the southern end of the town we re-joined Highway 1 now the Kennedy Highway and continued to Atherton. It has a population of more than 7,000 and sits at 752 metres on the Atherton Tableland. Atherton was noted for production of timber and tin. At one point it had a large Chinese community who worked in gold mines in the late 19th century until the gold ran out. Some turned to timber and market gardens and their temple has been restored. The road continued climbing up the slopes of Mount Hypipamee and over passes at 1008m and 1113m. Just before Ravenshoe, we passed the appropriately named Windy Hill Wind Farm which we had seen in the distance earlier and the first we had seen in Australia. Ravenshoe is Queensland’s highest town at 913m. From here, Highway 1 is called Savannah Way. We were surrounded by bush littered with red rocks. At Mount Garnet we had lunch watched by a couple of magpies and these birds:
Further west the rocks were lighter and then black. Near Forty Mile Scrub we saw our first road train with three trailers. All the others we have seen so far, have had two trailers. At the junction with Highway 62 Highway 1 became Gulf Developmental Road. I had wondered what this was and soon discovered it. Our road soon began to have single lane sections.
Just before another one, we spotted a truck ahead, so we stopped at the end of the two-lane section and waited for him to pass. Just as well, as he was carrying explosives! The bush now had what looked like the tops of rock pinnacles sticking out of the grass.
Nearer to Karumba some of those near the road had been dressed with clothes or painted. The temperature had topped 34 degrees that day and our mileage so far had reached 2572 miles when we reached Georgetown where we were spending the night. This is just over the length of Route 66 driven five years ago. The next morning we woke to a blue sky and set out on a quiet road. We did not see another vehicle for the first 48 km. We did however, see a cow cross the road:
followed by several wallabies, an Australian Bustard and a snake. We also interrupted numerous raptors who were feeding on dead wallabies. We drove over the Gilbert River which was completely dry except for one small pool. Croydon was the coffee stop and it has some older buildings. Gold was discovered here in 1888 and there are said to be some deep seams that have never been excavated.
Further on we passed three guys rounding up cattle with motorbikes. Quad bikes would not get around the bush here. After crossing the railway we entered Carpentia County which has a population of only 2500. Normanton was a supply stop before lunch at Mutton Hole Wetlands. In the wet season numerous birds are here but the only water was on the river and some small pools. These crows watched us as we ate.
On the road to Karumba we were out of bush into grassland. A large folk of Brolgas were by a roadside ditch.
We soon found our motel by Karumba Beach.
The mileage today was 239 bringing the total to 2,701.
Around Australia: Cardwell to Cairns and the Daintree Rainforest
We were in Cardwell on a Friday and our hosts said that they always got fish and chips for the evening meal if we wanted to join in. We agreed and had a very pleasant meal with them (both New Zealanders) and another guy from New Zealand who was working in Australia. The next morning, we were back on the road through banana plantations. The bunches of fruit were all covered with plastic bags which we presumed were either to protect from pests or prevent them from ripening too early.
We passed Mount Bartle Frere which at 1622m is Queensland’s highest peak. In 1942 a USAAF plane returning to base at Charters Towers encountered a tropical storm and crashed on the mountain killing the seven crew. In Babinda, we could not resist following the sign for Babinda Boulders and there is a memorial for the crash there. Swimming is allowed at the first pool next to the carpark and there is a walk to a couple of viewpoints where swimming is forbidden.
We were continuing on Highway 1 (The Bruce Highway) to stay with friends near Yarrabah, a 20km detour off the highway. Their house is right on the beach and we had a great walk and clamber over the boulders with them and their dogs before dinner. This was the first beach on the east coast that I have found sea glass on.
The next morning, we all had breakfast on Cairns esplanade. On the way there we passed numerous classic cars heading in the opposite direction for an event. There was a charity walk taking place on the esplanade, but we managed to find a quieter café eventually.Before leaving town, we stopped at Rusty’s market. Many of the stallholders are Hmong people from Laos. There is an amazing selection of fruit and vegetables and also jewellery and some crafts. I topped up my coffee supplies at this stall.
We then left Highway 1 to divert to the Daintree rainforest via the Captain Cook Highway to Mossman which for much of the way follows the coast. Just before Mossman we diverted to Port Douglas for lunch by the beach. Continuing north from Mossman there is eventually a turn for the Cape Tribulation Road and the Daintree Ferry. On the winding road to our destination there was a lookout (Walu Wugirrica) over the rainforest to the Alexandra Range.
We spent Monday exploring a little of what the Daintree National Park has to discover. The Discovery Centre was our first port of call. Elevated boardwalks run through different levels of the rainforest from the floor to the canopy. A 32m high tower gives the topmost views. and is also used to measure carbon flux by researchers at James Cook University.
The species of fig tree here (Ficus virgate) has very small fruit compared with my commercial variety Brown Turkey at home.
As we had a few longer driving days ahead we walked the nearby Jindalba (Kuku Yalanji for ‘foot of the mountain’) Long Loop trail which is 2.7km. There is a shorter boardwalk. The trail is way-marked and there are a lot of tree roots and rocks, plus a few fallen tree trunks to step over and some creeks to cross. There are a few short steep ascents and descents so sensible footwear is advised. Don’t go in your flip-flops. We were very pleased to get see an adult Cassowary and a youngster before they disappeared back into the foliage. Unlike most birds, once the Cassowary eggs have hatched, the male takes responsibility for caring for the young until they are 16 months old. I did not get a good shot of the adult but here is the youngster:
As we are almost at the end of the dry season there were a lot of fallen seeds and fruit on the ground and fungi on tree stumps. After finishing the trail, we drove to Cow Bay Beach for our picnic lunch. It was another almost deserted beach and this lizard was sitting on one of the trees. Saltwater crocodiles mean that going into the water is not allowed. I did some beachcombing while James rested, finding a couple of pieces of coral and looking at all the Bubble Crab holes on the sand. On other beaches I have seen them emerge in the evening.
There is so much more to see here but we had the press on with our journey the next day.
Around Australia: Townsville to Cardwell
Leaving Townsville this morning, we passed the Australian Guitar Making School, which if you had asked me, I would have said it would be in one of the larger cities. The highway north of the city had an orange warning ‘caution’sign for the stretch up to Ingham. The only thing we could see that might have accounted for this was a little bit of smoke coming from the burnt bush on either side of the road. Many of the creeks we passed over were dry at this time of year and it does not take much to start a fire.
Tyto Wetlands are right on A1 on the south side of Ingham and a little oasis from the road. It is a 110 hectare area of lagoons which are home to 240 species of birds and wallabies. Walking tracks go around the area and there is a hide. You can go alone or on a guided tour. There is also an information centre which is very helpful not just on local things but the whole of Queensland. It was very quiet when we arrived, so we explored on our own and saw a few birds:
and one wallaby.
Afterwards we continued into the centre of Ingham for coffee. One of the town’s claims to fame is that the Lees Hotel was the place the poem by canecutter Dan Sheahan which inspired Slim Dusty’s 1957 hit ‘The Pub with No Beer’ was written. American soldiers in the town had drunk the place dry. Needless to say, it is no longer dry.
After Ingham which is inland, A1 swings back down to the coast to Cardwell on the Cassowary Coast. Before we got that far, we stopped at Hinchinbrook lookout. This gap in the Cardwell Range not only allows the road and railway to pass but also the power supply to Cardwell and provides good views.
We found our beachfront motel and settled in before having a walk along the promenade. There was a guy metal detecting, various dog walkers and the odd cyclist. Several homes along the sea front were for sale. Cardwell was significantly damaged by the Cyclone Yasi, a category 5 cyclone, in February 2011 and most homes had to be re-roofed and the pier re-built. You cannot go into the sea near the motel as there are crocodiles here, so far, we have not seen one.
Around Australia: Sarina Beach to Townsville
Today we woke before dawn and watched the sun rise over the sea in front of our motel room. After breakfast we had to drive back into the centre of Sarina for fuel and to see the Cane Toad statue in the middle of town. Back home, Moffat has a sheep and Rockhampton where we stayed the previous night, has several statues of bulls.
Cane Toads are native to Central and South America. They were introduced in 1935 to control insects which were detrimental to sugar cane production and to reduce the use of pesticides. They did not control the insects however and proliferated beyond Queensland where they were introduced. They exude poison from glands on their shoulders and can be fatal to domestic pets which eat them, although some birds have mastered the art of catching and eating them without triggering the poison. There have been debates about how and whether they should be eliminated but not all methods utilised have been successful. The Cane Toad has been listed by the National Trust of Queensland as a state icon of Queensland, along with the Great Barrier Reef, and past icons, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the backyard mango tree (also an introduced species). Local school children gave this toad the name Buffy.
Continuing north on Highway 1 towards Mackay, I noticed on the map that a range of mountains southwest of the city are called The Blue Mountains. I am familiar with the Blue Mountains in New South Wales but did not know there were others elsewhere. Coffs Harbour has a big banana, but Bowen has a big mango, illustrating one particular variety introduced and grown here.
Bowen also has a number of murals in the town centre, reminiscent of some American towns we have driven through. However, they are not in such vibrant colours as some of the American ones but they do illustrate the history of the town.
A must in Bowen is a drive to the top of Flagstaff Hill which gives 360 degree views. The interpretive centre is closed having been damaged in the most recent cyclone to hit the area.
There were a number of birds hanging around, this magpie obviously regularly perches on this street light.
After Bowen the surrounding area is much drier. At 1pm the temperature got up to 30 degrees. After lunch at a rest area we continued towards Townsville and again entered sugarcane territory.
We had to stop at a level crossing for a cane train to pass and counted 216 trucks.
In Townsville it was pretty windy on the strand and the beach was quiet with the lifeguards hanging around with not much to do.
Walking along the strand I spotted this sculpture: Bazza and Shazza by Jan Hynes in 2004.
A large number of helicopters kept passing over during late afternoon and early evening. A couple of them were obviously military but there were several others. I hope they stop before we need to sleep. 280 miles today brings the trip total to date to 1957 miles.