A trip to Darwin and Back. One of which I have fond memories – particularly Katherine Gorg.
Paul
Other Trips: Dec’72, Feb’73, Dec’73
Date: August 4, 1974
Place: Toowoomba
Weather: cold
Left Toowoomba at 8:30 am and stopped for morning tea at Miles and then to Dulacca for lunch. Saw wattle trees in full bloom on the way. We stopped at a caravan park at Charleville. It was quite cool.
5th: Had morning tea at Tambo, lunch at Barcaldine and was surprised at the number of hawks flying around. We stayed the night at Winton and had dinner at the motel.
6th: On our way, we passed through Cloncurry, where we could not get any meal, so we went to Mount Isa and arrived at almost 2 pm. We had lunch and booked into a motel between Barcaldine and Cloncurry. The hawks were in flocks. I have never seen so many. We spent the afternoon driving around. We had passed through a bush fire licking on the side of the road before Mount Isa.
After drinking a cup of tea left about 7 am and had breakfast later of bacon and eggs cooked by Doug on his gas primus. The weather is very pleasant. We had a cup of tea at Barry’s Cave and bought sandwiches and later stopped and had a cuppa tea with them. We intended to stay at Elliott. When we saw the place, it did not appeal, so we went on to Dunmarra, where there was a Shell motel, and stayed the night
7th: (again?) After breakfast, we left for Darwin. We stopped at the Elsie cemetery on the way and then booked in at the motel. We spent the afternoon driving around and went to Nightcliff.
8th: Spend another night at Darwin, and it’s my birthday. Besides many other pleasures, Doug and Betty took me to Peppys for dinner, and the waiter was very shocked when he dropped my dinner on the floor behind me.
9th: Betty Paul and I spent the morning walking around town while Doug had some business. I bought Bernice a souvenir.
10th: Stayed the night, and next morning we drove all around before leaving for the Darwin rural caravan park 13 miles away at 5 pm. Allen Gibbons called for us and took us to the wildlife reserve, where we saw plenty of wallabies, buffaloes and thousands of birds. Saw thick shrubs of boronia. We stopped at the Humpty Doo hotel for a drink and saw a very large pair of buffalo horns. On the way back, Doug got out of the car and photographed a buffalo who stood for him to do so.
11th: Took our time driving to Katherine stopping to photo and anthills rocks and boronia. I was surprised at the number of shrubs in flower – white, yellow, and pink at the motel, after lunch of buying the steak and onions and cooking it yourself. Doug did ours. Doug Betty and Paul went on a trip to the Gorge as it was a boat trip included I stayed and read, wrote and rested. We again barbecued our tea as it was Sunday and no staff.
After leaving Catherine, we went to the Cutter Cutter limestone caves, which are fantastic, then drove to the old Mataranka Homestead and walked to the thermal springs set among a growth of palms, gums, etc. lunch at the Homestead and then on to Dumarra for the night.
Then onto Camooweal for the night. We travelled about 500 miles that day.
Our next stop was Hughenden. We passed through Julia Creek and Richmond. I have seen vast areas of burnt grasslands. We had morning tea at Charters Towers on our way to Townsville, where we stayed the night at the Shoredrive motel. Drove all around the following day and up to Castle Hill before leaving for Mackay. We passed through Proserpine and Bowen to stay the night at the Coach hotel. We rang the Abrahams, but no one answered. We left early the next morning and on to Rockhampton. We stayed at the caravan park 8km from Rocky. After lunch did a tour of Rocky and then the following day visited Wally Nichols at Yeppoon. In the afternoon, Doug and Paul went on a drive looking for veteran cars. Betty and I played scrabble.
In the morning we went to the shops, and I bought Betty her present. Leaving Rocky to pass through Mount Morgan, Biloela, Monto, and Gayndah stayed at the Manda Inn.
From there, we drove to Bundaberg, where we stayed at the Ramble Inn.
Thursday 22nd: Left Bundaberg through Gayndah, Murgon, Nanango, Yarraman, Cooyer, Crows Nest at home to Toowoomba. Doug Betty and Paul stayed until August 24. Another very pleasant holiday.
