We were on the road early, our plan was to stop at Toompine and stay behind the pub, free camping if you buy something from the pub, we planned to buy a meal. The roads were still wet and lots of water on the side of the road.
When we got to Toompine it was total chaos. A tar loop road in with vans and cars lined around the edge, some doubled up. Extremely muddy off the edges, no one was camping out the back. It looked as if some were camping in the front. People wandering all over the road in front of us complaining they cannot get out because people had parked them in. So, we got out of there quick fast heading towards Quilpie.
It was like this most of the way to Quilpie.
Most of the road from there was single lane bitumen. So you had to get a couple of wheels off the edge to pass anyone. Luckily for us we had a tow truck in front that people pulled right off the road for, so we did not have to get off ourselves. That is until several road trains came. One was a total cowboy. We hardly had time to get fully off the road on what we hoped was firm enough ground when he came flying through. I just made it off before he flew pass me, not slowing at all. Tell you one more foot over and he would have hit me. Another road train slowed down and was more considerate. We were glad to hit some wider road.
It is unbelievable how much water is sitting around. The plus is it is so green and the wildflowers were starting to come out.
A jump up.
At Quilpie we took the opportunity while we could and did some washing at the laundry mat. We also just caught the visitor centre open. She told us all the free camps had been closed due to being too wet and water on the roads. But the council had opened up the parking area at the racecourse for people to free camp. Suited us, wonderful bitumen, no mud or water.
There are a few things like this in the main street.
Nice dry area for the night at Quilpie.
We started heading east now towards home. Breaky was at Foxtrap Roadhouse Cooladdi. An interesting little place. Camping is available at the back of the roadhouse. Cooladdi (meaning black duck) was once a thriving railway town with a population of 270 that supported a butcher, school, police station, post office and boarding house. Now the Foxtrap Roadhouse is an all-in-one store, motel, pub and post office. Now a population of 2, one of Australia’s smallest towns.
Love these old country towns, you see some unusual sights.
We spent a night at the Rock Pool at Charleville.
Live long and Prosper. 🖖🏿