We left the donation camp at Wyandra at 8:20am heading for Cunnamulla. The road was particularly ordinary for most of the way, with little to no verge, and very lumpy on occasions. As we weren't in a hurry we drove a little slower. Add the extraordinary weather, and it made for slow drive to Cunnamulla. We arrived a tad before 10am, too early to check in to the van park, so pulled up outside the Tourist Info Centre and brewed-up in the van. We arrived at the van park just before 10:30am and were told to "come back at 11am as we are still cleaning and some people have not yet left". No worries, we toured a bit of the town, with the van on the back and decided that we should just go and park up outside the van park. At 11am, we walked back into the park hoping to check in. Nope, "we are still trying to sort out sites and what we have available, so please come back at midday." OK.
Back to the vans to plot the next move after Cunnamulla, taking into consideration the deteriorating weather. Back to the office at 12pm, and we didn't even make it all the way, when we were told "don't come any further, we have no sites left." Wendy: "But I made a booking for two powered sites two days ago?". The lady, "Did you pay?" "No, because you said it was not necessary." "Well, other people have paid online and we have to prioritise them. The weather has caused all sorts of issues, and we can only do what we can. We have no further vacancies." After a group discussion we decided to head back to Charleville.
Off we returned from whence we had come. We stopped on the outskirts of Cunnamulla for lunch to go, and in Wyandra for an afternoon brew-to-go. As we were nearing Charleville, Greg asked Wendy to check if there were any free camps on the Quilpie road that would be suitable to stay at instead of a van park. Wendy found a Gravel Pit about 5km West of Charleville. The beauty of travelling in a well-equipped, self-contained box, is that you can pull up anywhere and make it home
After refuelling and restocking a few grocery items, we headed out of Charleville, on the road to Quilpie. This is a road we have done before, however, we have some mail to collect at Quilpie. We are also hoping the weather will improve, but that's out of our control so it is what it is.
The gravel pit has a nice covering of gravel (what else) much more solid that anywhere we have seen in many days, including van parks. It is quite quiet, dark and we could actually see some stars and the moon trying to shine through the clouds. Just maybe we'll see the sun.... on day. It also stopped drizzling just after 6pm, bonus! However we've never begrudged the farmers out here of this lovely rain; after so many years of drought, how could we.
We did manage to have pre-dinner drinks under Bob and Noeleene's awning before retiring to our home for dinner.
Wyandra camp this morning
Wet and soggy on the road
Two very lucky emu
Cunnamulla water tower
Camp Gravel Pit, about 5km West of Charleville; at least it was mostly gravel and therefore mostly solid underfoot
