We arrived in Charters Towers from Tennnant Creek after 6 days of travelling. It felt the same as crossing the Nullabor though towns along the way are closer together and there is definitely more drinking water around. (The water from the artesian wells in Julia Creek was the best I have ever tasted.)
The Queensland border is just before the town of Camoweal. We travelled from there through Barkly Homestead, Mt Isa, Julia Creek, Hughendon, Richmond and finally Charters Towers on the Barklay and Flinders Highways. Many of the towns that we passed through often appear rundown though always have a heritage hotel for a cold beer - and a caravan park. The landscape along the way is known as the Tablelands. No other name would suit it- flat, flat, flat for kilometre after kilometre. So flat and boring that I didn't even take out my camera. It's also amazing that we didn't hit any cattle, sheep, kangaroos or wild pigs. There are hundreds of these dead animals lying along the edge of the road.
We spent 2 nights in Mt Isa as we needed a food shop. Everything in our little fridge was starting to smell!! Mt Isa is a mining town with visible evidence of stacks, mine-shafts and mine dumps. I don't think the air is the best to breathe! It also reminded me of Crown Mines where I had grown up.
I can't help noticing all the wide-brimmed hats that so many people wear here in outback Queensland. Must be the stockmen in them -after all, this is cattle country that we have just passed through! The Queensland drawl is something else quite different for us, mate.
We are now in the most beautiful caravan park in Charters Towers relieved that we won't be travelling back over the Tablelands in a hurry.
