5 (feels like 1) – 24 deg C, a few clouds about, but
otherwise sunny with a rather stiff ENE
Although it was not the coldest morning we have encountered
on this trip, we only got out of bed just before 7am, a little sleep-in for us!
Whilst Greg went for a walk, Wendy arose at a more sedate pace, had a coffee,
then started the pack-up procedure. We left the free camp just before 9am only
to stop again in Quilpie at the grocery store, fuel station and finally the
dump point and potable water tap. Those tasks complete, we were on the road,
another new one for us, about 9:40am. We really enjoyed the scenery today, so
stark, but changing all the time. Some of it reminded us of the goldfields of
WA.
We pulled over for mornos at a gravel pit about 30km south
of Quilpie just over the Bulloo River and south of the Wikicamps listed Tarynya
Hole. We were the only ones there and only one other traveller, another caravanner,
passed by on the road. We followed them all the way to Toompine where they turned
off. The Toompine Pub was known as a pub without a town, but now it appears to
be no pub and still no town.
Onwards we travelled and instead of turning right to Thargomindah
(we were there for two nights only 12 months ago), we turned left. We found the
Lake Bindegolly Bush Camp, set up shop just before 1pm, had lunch then a little
rest. We then went for a walk out onto the dried mud flats surrounding the
lake’s edge. It was amazing to see the numbers of different footprints in the now
dried mud. Some looked like elephants but were probably camel, while others
looked like emu, or were they Bindegolasaurus? We had fun making up the various
possibilities.
We returned to the van to give the drone a fly, a good way
to confirm that we were the only ones in the whole camping area, which is about
two km long. It’s still blows us away that we can sit out here alone, in the
middle of nowhere, while Wendy prepares dinner with all the modern conveniences.
We enjoyed our own happy hour admiring the cloud formation that appear to be
the result of a front coming over from the West. Another camper arrived just as
we were sitting down to dinner.
After dinner we intended to do a bit of stargazing as the
temp outside wasn’t too bad. However, there was a reason the temps were higher;
cloud cover, so there goes the stargazing. Which is a real pity as there was
going to be a meteorite shower happening tonight starting about 11pm. There’s
another opportunity in August so we’re hoping for better luck then.
Another fantastic day in the great Australian outdoors.
Where else would you want to be?
