We have finally arrived at the Gulf of Carpentaria after visiting Mount Isa. You;d only visit Mount Isa to say you've been there. The mine is literally in the main street.

The big highlight was taking a cruise out into the Gulf from Karumba to watch the sunset. I have attached a picture. We have now seen sunsets over the Gulf, the Great Australian Bight, Mindle Beach at Darwin and Broome while sipping on wine and nibbling cheese and biscuits.

This blog entry is from the Georgetown Library in Queensland. See if you can find Georgetown. The library doubles as the Visitor Information Centre and mineral display, TerrEsstrial. It is open 7 days a week, 9 hours per day with one staff member. And we think we have it hard.

I've also included a picture to give you an idea of how far Mt Isa is from everywhere and how the mine is in the cntre of town. That picture is taken from the main shopping centre. The mine entrance is about 200 metres from the shops.

We're off to the Undarra lava flows today for a couple of days then eventually heading towards Cooktown.

so fary we've met lots of interesting peole. I'm surprised that there is anyone over 55 left in the cities. We're all having a great time spending the kids inheritance. I'll need to get back on the libary roster after 6 October just to start saving for the next one.

Will send another message in a couple of days.

Just a quick posting. We are at Kurumba, right on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Spent a night at Mount Isa. It really is just a big mining town, then up the road for a night at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. We really were in wild west country out there. It's amazing how much the country side changes. Around Mount Isa and Cloncurry it is very rocky with lots of red soil. As we drove up to Burke and Wills the country became very flat and shrubby. The closer we got to Normanton and Karumba it turned into flat, sandy savannah country. There is no beach at Kurumba, just flat mud. No chance of swimming, the place is full of crocs.

No photos today as this is being sent from an internet kiosk. Later in the week we should be able to add photos, especially when we get to Undarra.

On the way across to Normanton we saw a huge flock of brolgas drinking at a waterhole on the stockman's route at the side of the road.

tonight we go out on a sunset cruise on the gulf. It is supposed to be quite spectacular. Hope it matches the sunsets at Broom and Mindle Beach in Darwin. Then dinner at the open air tavern here at Karumba. It's still really hot. We have meet some fascinating people, including a bloke from Altona whose brother Paddy still works for council, in the depot. His name was Joe McGarry. Some of you may remember the McGarry'a. LIke us they are travelling around.

Just about out of time. Will write soon. How about some emails.

This posting comes to you from the Julia Creek Library which also doubles as the Tourist Information Centre. We have just spent the night here after coming across from Hughenden. The country is very flat and dry but then you come across the unexpected such as Porcupine Gorge outside Hughenden. It is called Australia's little grand canyon. It reminded me of coming across the Grand Canyon in America. Everything is very flat, then all of a sudden is this amazing, deep gorge gouged out over millions of years. The country must look amazing up here in the wet when all the rivers and creeks are flowing through these gorges and the land turns green

We have just travelled through Dinosaur country. Get the kids to google Lark Quarry near Winton to get information on the dinosaur stampede. We saw the fossilized footsprints. It's amazing. Apparently this site inspired the stampede scene in Jurassic Park. If you have seen that with all the little dinosaurs being chased by the big one, well that's what the footprints look like. There are thousands of footprints embedded in the sandstone where the small ones tried to escape thae large one.

The weather has started to get much warmer since we left Longreach. We are now in shorts and t-shirts.

I've attached some more photos. In Winton a man called Arno has created a wall out of junk. See if you can find the typewriter amongst all the other stuff. There are another 14 photos of this wall. It is quite long. Michele might like the school rules for parents. Maybe they could introduce them at Deer Park West. We found these in Barcaldine. Found another country fire escape at Barcaldine at the Shakespeare hotel.

This is a dial-up connection. Will add more photos at the next stop as it is taking about 5 minutes to add each photo.

Send us some messages. We want to know what;s happening back in Melbourne and Wahgunyah. I've figured out the perfect Father's Day present for your father. The boys can put together the barbie and we can have a big barbie when we get back.

Will send another posting in a couple of days. We are off to Mount Isa today and hope to be in Normanton on the weekend.

We've just spent two nights in Longreach. Visited the Stockmans Hall of Fame and the Qantas museum. There was a lot to take in, but it was fascinating. It's not until you are out here that you realise what a big, inhospitable place this can be, so I can only imagine what it was like for the pioneers, especially the women that came out with them.

Barcaldine was fascinating. Went to the Australian Workers Heritage Centre. There is a sapling growing from the original Tree of Knowledge. What's left of the tree after the poisoning has been sent to Brisbane to try and regrow something from it. It's so sad to think that there is someone out there with so little regard for the history of the country that they could do something like that. I wouldn't have even thought that John Howard would have been able to do it (but maybe Wilson Tuckey). It was disappointing as I have waited years to have the opportunity to come up to this country and I had always planned to sit beneath the great Tree of Knowledge.

We are now in Winton and tomorrow go out to visit the site of the dinosaur stampede. Then off to Hughenden and Richmond for more dinosaur exploration. I'll post dinosaur pictures later in the week. On the way to Cloncurry we will stop at the Walkabout Hotel, made famous for the Crocodile Dundee movie.

We've heard that Cloncurry only has 40 days of water left and what is there isn't much good. It will be interesting to see how a largish outback town is coping with so little water.

This posting is being sent from the Winton Library. Almost every little town has a library of some sort. I have been collecting their brochures. It has been surprising how sophisticated these little outback libraries are when they have so few resources.

Will post another message in a couple of days.

Charleville to Barcaldine

Our 2 days in Charleville were spent discovering the wonders of the Outback. On our first night we went out to the Charleville Observatory. Out here the skys are clear of pollution and the observatory has 3 12" telescopes. I can't remember the last time the Milky Way was so clear. It was breathtaking. The nights are really cold out here, but we were well rugged up. Jupiter showed up clearly through the telescope and it was amazing to see, and realise, that Alpha Centura, our nearest star, is actually 2 stars.

At the historical house museum we were entertained by an old local playing the autoharp. Hopefully the video I have attached works.

Take note of the fire escape at the Hotel Charleville. I wonder if it meets OHS standards. The hotel has burnt down twice in the last 100 years.

Tonight we are in Barcaldine where the Great Shearer's Strike of 1891 led to the creation of the Labour movement that has given us the working conditions we have today.

We're well and truly into road train territory. The picture gives you an idea of how big they are.

We have just been entertained by a bush poet/storyteller while enjoying billy tea and damper with all the other grey nomads in the caravan park.

After Barcaldine we are off to Longreach for a few days and then to Winton to visitor the dinosaur sites.

Hi everybody,

We are now in Charleville. We have had an eventful trip and can tell you that Charleville is the safest town in Australia. Ron lost his wallet this morning. As you can imagine we freaked out, reported it to the police and the bank. As we came out of the bank a man walked past and looked at Ron strangely. He had found the wallet and was just about to take it to the police. Needless to say we were over the moon and everything is now sorted. Lesson to all men - don't carry your wallet in your back pocket.

Charleville has been lovely, we are having 2 nighjts here and staying in the historic Hotel Corones. It's a bit run down now, but during the hey day of the pastoralists it was the place to be seen. Underneath it's shabby looks you can see the grandness that once existed.

Last night we went to the Skywatch Observatory and spent time out under the stars looking through the telescopes. The night sky is so clear out here. It's been a long time since we've seen the Milky Way so clearly.

We're off to Barcaldine tomorrow and then to Longreach for a few days.

We are having a wonderful time, especially now that we have the wallet back.

Melbourne to Bourke

Spent sunday night at Hillston and then headed up to Bourke. Couldn't believe how hard it was to get accomodation. We were only able to get one night. Had a lovely little trip on a paddle boat along the Darling River. This message is coming from the Bourke Library. It is small but very good.

Off to have a cuppa on the banks of the Darling River.