MOUNT ISA to ILFRACOMBE

8^th August, 2013

There we were – hurtling along at an incredible 70 kilometres per hour – making our way through the corrugations towards the main highway leading to Mount Isa – when we rounded a corner and joined a large herd of cattle being mustered along the track. 

Cattle muster

It was a real family affair with Mum, Dad and the kids plus a few stockmen moving the cattle from the outlying paddocks to a corral near the homestead.  It took us quite a while to make our way through the herd and we chatted with the drovers as we went along.  The drovers tried urging the cattle out of the way but they stubbornly refused to budge off the road and kept pace with us for a couple of kilometres.

Joining in with the herd ...

Ahh well!  Life is a little slower out here and there’s something iconic about cattle being mustered in the outback.

After a stopover in Mount Isa to restock, refuel and re-gas we decided to take the road less travelled and headed south to Boulia.  Now we were entering the land of the Min Min Light – a strange light that at night sometimes follows travelers for long distances.  It has been approached but never identified.  There have been many sightings and stories about the Min Min Light over the years and the town of Boulia has kept the legend alive.  Boulia is also home to the ‘Red Stump’ – a sign that there isn’t much further west except the Simpson Desert.

 

As we have no intention of crossing the desert (this time) - we turn east and follow the old Cobb and Co route through a rugged landscape.  Not much vegetation around and although it is supposed to be good beef country we can’t help wondering how the cattle survive.  We free camp overnight and stop beside a lonely grave near the site of the old Min Min Hotel.

Grave at the old Min Min Hotel site

A sign fills in the story behind the grave and the hotel and a stockman’s encounter with the Min Min Light.

 

We continue east and stop at Cawnpore Lookout in the Lilleyvale Hills.

Mitzi and the Van at Cawnpore Lookout

From the lookout we can see the road ahead – stretching eastwards between the rocky outcrops.

The view east from Cawnpore Lookout

Fifty kilometres further on we arrive at Middleton Hotel built in 1876. 

Middleton Hotel

The hotel was one of nine changing stations for Cobb and Co and is the last building left standing on the Winton to Boulia run.

We have only a hundred kilometres left before we arrive at Winton.  We have free camped for three nights in the land of the Min Min Light and apart from the brilliant stars in the Milky Way we didn’t see any signs of the mysterious light.  Perhaps we were fast asleep when it came around …

It was time for Mitzi to have her 60,000 kilometre service – so we booked her in at the Mitsubishi  Dealer in Longreach.  We arrived late in the afternoon on the outskirts of Longreach and headed for a free camp area on the Thomson River four kilometres out of town.  Oh My God!  The dusty parking area was brimming over with caravans and campers.  We slotted in at the end of the line and settled down for the night.  There were over a hundred rigs – bigger than most of the caravan parks out this way.  As we were booked in at the dealer for early in the morning we only needed somewhere to sleep and at 7.30am we packed up and headed into town.  We found a good spot not far from the workshop to unhook the van and at 8.15am Mitzi was at the dealers.  The supermarket wasn’t far away so we took the opportunity to restock and by lunchtime Mitzi was all done and we were on our way again.  We’d travelled this road last year and decided to stop at Ilfracombe (30 klms east of Longreach) and stay a couple of nights at the caravan park where we could catch up with some household chores.  While we were there we drove down to the ‘12 Mile’ to have a look at the art of ‘stone pitching’ – a wonderful example of nineteenth century bush craftsmanship.

 

As we wander over the flagstones we are in awe of the work that must have been involved to transport these rocks to the site and then place them into position.

Stone Pitching at the 12 Mile

It is over a hundred years since these rocks were laid and they are still in place.  Amazing!

Stone Pitching at the 12 Mile

Back at the caravan park we were relaxing and watching the world go by when a bevy of emus strolled past.  They wandered through the park and then crossed the road

Emus going for a walk at Ilfracombe

where they diligently inspected the corner of a neglected garden.

Ok Ok - stop pushing!  Everyone will get a chance to have a look ...

You just never know what might pass by out here ….