Well, here we are in Fitzroy Crossing with a little time to spare and strong internet connections so I will attempt to catch up on our activities.  It seems so long ago that I last told of all that we had been doing and I know you have been waiting patiently, so let's just see how it is all unfolding.
I'll skip over the "not much happening" bits and get to the good stuff soon.
Since Daly Waters, we have been at Timber Creek for one night.

I think I have waxed lyrical and posted photos of the stunningly dramatic landscape around here before, but these ancient red oxide rock escarpments are really something to see.

The true colour doesn't show up here, I think it is one of those things that you need to see for yourself.
Another part of the scenery that is very interesting is the boab trees which we are now seeing more and more of.

From here we crossed the WA border (the first time for us driving) after handing over our contraband at the quarantine station.  You can't even take honey over the border!
Kununurra (I have finally found out how to spell it properly) was our next overnight destination.  This was a very pleasant small town with lots more facilities than we had expected.  There was a tropical feel to the town and the caravan park, complete with cane toads and frangipani.  (I didn't think anyone needed to see a photo of a cane toad, so here is some frangipani).

Once again we managed to find a lovely place to have dinner.  I know there seems to be lots of  photos of us eating and drinking, but that's what we seem to do most of.

Next morning we made our way to the airport to meet up with the rest of our touring party.  Craig and Diane  from Drysdale came by plan via Darwin, Di's brother, Peter drove down from Darwin with Nick and Deb from Bellarine who had flown to Darwin.  We all headed for El Questro, with the new arrivals making a short  stop in Kununurra for supplies.
After we had been at El Questro for a few hours waiting for the others, they finally turned up.  It seems the Peter (the semi-local) had got lost!   Not just a little lost, but went about 100 kms towards Hall's Creek before realising he was not on the right road.  This was obviously cause for a lot of future comments!

This is the store and reception area at El Questro.  We stayed at El Questro for 3 days and there is lots to tell about this part of our journey so I'll save that for the next post.

One last thing - your fact for the day.  El Questro is a property comprising 1 million acres!  Not sure how that relates to small European countries, but it is very large!
See you soon (internet allowing). xx

Hello, my lovely blog followers.  So much to tell you since last we met, and so little time to do it.  We are currently is a bush camp between Halls Creek and  Kununurra, only bush around us and I have just discovered that I have internet access.  Not sure how that happens, but we are not far from Argyle Diamond Mine so maybe that is why.  (Apparently they don't give out samples, so we didn't bother going there). I'll have to review where we are up to before I post again.
Thanks to everyone for the lovely birthday messages on the phone and on FB.  I didn't get them until a couple of days ago as we have been out of contact for quite a while.  I had a special birthday celebration at El Questro.  I debated long and hard about putting this photo on the blog as it is probably as bad a photo as you could get, but it is the only birthday one I have, so here it is.  Make sure no little children are exposed to it as it will give them nightmares!

And to make up for that terrible one, here is one of my birthday dessert which is much nicer!

I know you are all desperately crying out "We want more", but that's it for now.  We have had some amazing experiences which I want to share with you, but no more time now.  Loving the comments from everyone.  If you can't leave a comment on the blog, email and facebook are accepted too.  Miss you all. xxx

We are out of the pool and sitting outside having a drink while waiting for dinner.  36 degrees in Katherine for anyone interested.  But, to go back to where we left off last time, we have spent the night at the oasis in the middle of nowhere, Barkly Homestead Roadhouse, where the beer was cold and the shade welcome.  Jude even managed to find a dress to buy out here.
Next stopover was Daly Waters and the famous pub.  The camping area was beside the pub this time, so we have broken the pattern of camping behind pubs.  If you haven't been there, do yourself a favour.  It is a fantastic place to visit, and the food is really good too.

There are collections of  just about everything, there isn't a spare spot on the walls, the ceiling or the posts holding up the ceiling.  It was a very enjoyable night, even though the music from the rodeo in the next paddock went on until 2,20 a.m.   And yes, I did say the next paddock, the pub is in a paddock!

Next morning we were Katherine bound, with a stop over at Mataranka to try out the thermal pools.  It was a very pleasant setting in the National Park, but the water is a bit too warm to be refreshing in these temperatures.

The park where we have been staying in Katherine is the Big 4, and it is one of the best we have stayed in.  There are lots of shady trees, a lovely pool, a bistro by the pool run by 2 very friendly young ladies and the owners are from our area - Jeff and Julie Smith.  They lived at St Leonards, and Jeff came from Inverleigh.  They know lots of people the Browns know (the Browns do know just about everyone in Victoria!)  Again, do yourself a favour if you are up this way and find this park - there are lovely cabins for those of you who don't have your own cocoon.  The park is very large, not overdeveloped, and they grown their own mangoes for the very delicious mango daquiris (don't know about that spelling) at a very reasonable $7 each at the bistro.  We thought it a good idea to have several of those, purely for the fruit content.  Dinner there was also excellent.

No, I haven't shrunk since I left home, it's just the photo.  And in case you are wondering, we have done some things on this trip other than visiting country pubs and eating.  Here's an example (oh, no, it involves eating and drinking too!)
Last night we had a fantastic experience, we took a sunset, dinner cruise through Katherine Gorge.  It is a spectacular natural feature of the area and seeing it at sunset was amazing.

And, sorry to mention food again, but the food they produced from the front of this little boat would do credit to any restaurant.  We started off with anti pasta plates on the table.  This was followed by absolutely delicious crocodile cream soup (who knows if it was really crocodile, it tasted good!).  Then we had sorbet to "cleanse the mouth" before our main course of barramundi or local beef.  How good is that - especially if you could see where they produced it all from.  The highlight was the dessert - watermelon, then kakadu plums topped with lemon pannacotta - magnificent!

Sorry - forgot to take a photo before we started them.

So it's goodbye to the beautiful Katherine in the morning and onward to Timber Creek, then Kununura (never sure how many ns to use there) to meet up with Craig and Di and head for El Questro.
Not sure when next we will meet, but until then we will do our best to enjoy ourselves - it's a tough life being a grey nomad.  xx

What have we been up to since Lake Maraboon,I hear you ask.  Well sit down, boys and girls, and I'll tell you.
After Lake Maraboon and the famous red claw, we headed off to Longreach via Emerald and Barcaldine.  The plan was to get there about lunch time, see the Hall of Fame, dinner at the Cattlemen's Bar and off the next morning bright and early.  The best laid plans ...  After a pleasant lunch in town, Jude and I wanted to look at a couple of shops.  Alan and Peter did what all men do when women are shopping, got lost (not easy in Longreach).  Jude and I went back to camp after looking everywhere for them and made a new plan.  Dinner as planned then Hall of Fame the next morning.

This time all went to plan - dinner was lovely and after a big sleep we visited the Hall of Fame and then headed off about 11 o'clock further west, towards the NT border. After a great driving effort by Alan and Peter we made it to the Walkabout Creek Hotel, of Crocodile Dundee fame (at McKinlay for those of you following on the map).  We set up camp in the very crowded parking area behind the hotel.

Lots more driving the next day, rocky outcrops around Mt Isa, long straight roads and hot sun.

More driving, crossed the NT border just after Camoweal.  Some excitement then - a car being pursued by 3 police cars.  Eventually passed the car pulled over about 60 kilometres further on.  We pulled into the oasis that is the Barkly Homestead at about 3.30.  Drinks, showers, more drinks and dinner in the bar, and we are all ready for another big days drive tomorrow.  From here we will head north to Cape Crawford, then turn west to Daly Waters for another night camped behind a country pub.  There seems to be a pattern emerging here!
It's all blue skies and happy campers here (although a trifle hot at times).

Now, we all know that it's a good day when you have learned something new, so here's a few things to pick from.

In 1870 Cobb and Co harnessed 6000 horses per day in Australia
We have now travelled 4,040 kilometres
The hottest temperature recorded in Australia was at Cloncurry - 53.1 degrees (not sure when, we went past the sign too quickly)
Fuel in Camoweal is $1.91.9 per litre
Peter Brown is super-competitive and will cheat to win
It is illegal in outback Australia to have more than 1 bend every 20 kilometres of road

There are hundreds of dead kangaroos on outback roads
Other dead things on outback roads are cows, sheep, emus, pigs, one caravan and maybe an echidna (not sure it was actually dead)
The speed limit on the Barkly Highway is 130 kph
People in black cars with dark tinted windows drive very fast in the Northern Territory
Policemen chasing people in black cars with dark tinted windows go even faster

I believe some people have had difficulty in trying to leave comments. A suggestion has been made that maybe only people on gmail can leave comments.  Anyway if you have tried, thanks for making the effort.

As we are heading into the wilds again, not sure when the next post will be, so until then thanks for listening, and you stay safe out there!  xxx

Our blog post today comes to you from beautiful Lake Maraboon, near Emerald in Queensland.  We have been here for 3 days, leaving tomorrow for Longreach and then onward across NT to El Questro in about 10 days time.  Internet access will be limited from here on, so make the most of this opportunity!

Some statistics to start (Katie if you are reading this, this is just for you)

Kilometres travelled so far - 2,511.705
Redclaw caught today - 35  (picture below)
Cans drunk so far - too many to count
Chairs broken by Alan so far - 2
Longest coal train seen - 103 carriages with 3 locomotives
Distance walked yesterday - approximately 200 metres
Number of lorikeets in the park - thousands
Number of clamshells sewn (for the quilting readers) - 17

So more of the journey so far - from Injune, site of the last post, we came here to Lake Maraboon.  This Lake is reknown for the redclaw, a sort of large yabby.  People come here year after year an go home with freezers full.  There is a little community that spend a lot of time here and all know each other.  There is one couple, Max and Mary who are in their 80's, been married for 63 years and go out in their boat every day.  A lady who goes out with them sometimes told me today that if a net gets caught, Max goes over the side and retrieves it.  There's something for us all to aspire to!  Alan says he needed more than a couple of days to work it all out, everyone is very secretive about where are the best spots to get them.

This was afternoon tea today.

The park here is very enjoyable, run by Andy and Geoff who are very close friends.  Last night was sausage sizzle (donations to Angel Flight for the sausages) and then entertainment by Geoff, which included some very bad jokes and community singing.  There was even dancing by some (definitely not us), but we were singing along lustily!

Today was a craft session, presided over by Andy and his crochet work.  He was very happy to share his patterns with everyone.  For my quilting readers it was a "Stitch and Bitch" session.

Not only are the human residents in the park very friendly, but the wildlife is too.

That's your lot for today, readers, the pina colada is calling!  Love youse all  (that's for you, Aiden Andrew Peers).

Hello boys and girls, I know you've all been waiting anxiously for the first post, so here it is.
Apologies for the delay but we have been out in the wilds, beyond mobile phone coverage.
Everything is going splendidly so far, lots of driving but also lots of relaxing.  For those of you not familiar with the "beast", this is how we travel.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Day one involved a long day of driving with a planned overnight stop somewhere along the roadside.  We made it into NSW and pulled in to a little stopover as selected from the trusty free camps book.  Much to Jude's delight there was a food caravan there with real coffee.  They also served "Wally Burgers"!  I have to say, the place was called Wallendbeen so that probably explained the Wally Burgers.

Next stop was to be Mudgee for a couple of days, but unfortunately our visit coincided with the National Historic Machinery Rally (no I'm not kidding, it really exists) and there was no room at the inn (or any of the 3 caravan parks).  We remembered staying at Lake Windamere just south of Mudgee a couple of years ago so we decided to go there instead, and a bonus, there was fishing to be experienced there.  This excited Jude and I no end! Our two day stay there also involved lots of goodies for eating purchased at the wonderful Farmers' Market in Mudgee and tasting several lovely wines at the wineries.  Lunch at Oatleys Wines (Wild Oats Cafe, owned by the man who owns the super maxi of Sydney-Hobart fame, Wild Oats) where I had the best pizza I have ever had.

Goats cheese, roast kumera, roast capsicum and sweet chilli sauce!  Delicious.  (I know I said there wouldn't be any food photos, but maybe just a couple).

Next stop was at Copeton Waters State Park (near Inverell in NSW for those following us on the map) for a few days.  We had also stayed here before and it was a great place to camp. About 180 acres of parkland, but campsites with power and amenities (that means toilets for the uninitiated) and fires allowed as well!  What more could we want? Oh and there was fishing for Alan and Pete!

Beautiful sunny blue skies in the daytime and beautiful clear starry nights, although a little cold at night.  This did however give Jude a chance to wear her gorgeous pink ugg boots purchased at Big W in Mudgee for $7!  Yes, I did get some too, but mine are dull brown.

From here we parted company for a few days, Peter and Judy went to Noosa to visit friends and Alan and I headed for Emerald, more fishing at Fairbairn Dam!  After a very long days driving we are overnighting at Injune (in Queensland, north of Roma).  We'll all meet up again at Emerald on Sunday.

Having a great time so far, missing everyone at home.  Millie is behaving for the house/dog sitters, Sandra and Malcolm.  Alan wants me to include the fishing statistics so far
Lake Windamere - no fish due to blue-green algae (that's his story)
Copeton Dam - 4 yellowbelly, 3 redfin.

If you do leave a comment (and please do, we would love to hear from any of you), please leave your name so we know who you are.

I'm still practising before the serious stuff starts when we leave on our big expedition next week.  That's a good excuse to upload a photo of my gorgeous grand nephew, Paddy.

He is a very special little boy with wonderful parents.