This trip followed another trip that the club had taken that finished at Lara Wetlands.
Lara Wetlands is just 28 km South of Barcaldine on the Landsborough Highway, they have an amazing thermal Artesian mineral hot pool which you can swim in.
After leaving Lara Wetlands, we head back to Barcaldine, Illfacombe, where we did the machinery mile. As we were heading into Longreach, we noticed a man riding a bull, just had to get a photo of that. we then headed to Winton were we visited the Winton Diamantina Heritage Truck and Machinery Museum, the musical fence, and the birthplace of Qantas.
Hughenden, we visited the Flinders Discovery Centre and saw Mutt (Muttaburraurus). We stopped for a coffee at the FJ Holden Cafe, and I can highly recommend it if you are ever in Hughenden. Then we drove the Basalt Byways Tourist Drive and did the 6 lookouts at Mount Walker. At Richmond, we visited Kronosaurus Korner, which is a marine fossil museum which is named after the 11 metre long marine reptile Kronosaurus queenslandicus which has a full-size replica installed outside the museum.
We then headed to Julia Creek, where we met Donald, the Julia Creek Dunnart, and on to Cloncurry and Mount Isa, where we visited the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre. Then onto Camooweal, which is the last town in Queensland before you head into the Northern Territory.
In the Northern Territory, we went to Barkly Homestead, Kunjarra (Devil’s Pebbles), Tennant Creek, where we visited the Overland Telegraph Station and Lake Mary Ann. Karlu Karlu (Devil’s Marbles), Wycliffe Well (the UFO capital of Australia-sadly now an abandoned town). Barrow Creek Telegraph Station and then into Alice Springs, where we visited the Telegraph Station, Anzac Hill Lookout, John Flynn’s grave, and some of the historical buildings.
After leaving Alice Springs, we spent a night at the Henbury Meteorite site and walked around the crater early in the morning to avoid the heat. On our way to Yulara, we stopped at Erlunda Roadhouse, Mt Ebenzer (another abandoned town), Mount Conner lookout, and Curtain Springs.
Yulara has another brilliant coffee shop Kulata Academy Cafe (they support Indigenous trainees in hospitality careers), drinks were amazing, and staff were helpful and friendly. We got to explore Uluru and Kata Tjuta. We did Uluru at sunset one night and did walks around both areas. A scenic helicopter flight over both was a highlight.
From Alice Springs, we headed straight to Marla (South Australia), onto the Oodnadatta Track where we stayed at Oodnadatta, William Creek, and Maree. At William Creek, we did a scenic flight over Lake Eyre North, which was 1% full but had 60% coverage. Maree, we stopped in at the hotel to have a look at the Tom Kruise museum room.
We arrived at Farina for a couple of nights, exploring the lovely old buildings. Copley to try their quandong pies, Parachilna, then to Wilpena Pound where stay about 5 night to explore the area. We do Brachina Gorge, Bunyeroo Gorge, Morlana scenic drive, Parachilna Gorge and Blinman where we did a mine tour. We also did some walks to Hill Homestead and Old Wilpena Station.
We then headed to Hawker, Orrorro, and then Peterborough, where we did the Steamtown Heritage railway centre and made a special stop at Bob the Railway Dog (Bob travelled the South Australian Railways system in the latter part of the 19th century). Then to Burra, Morgan, Waikerie, Barmera, and arrived at Renmark, where we looked at the Argo barge, Chaffey Homestead (Olivewood).
We arrived at Loxton and of interest was the Tree of Knowledge, which had the levels of the floods the town had over the years. The biggest flood was in 1956 and then followed by last year’s one. We headed home once we left Loxton with one night at Charlton.