The Channel Country - green and waterlogged......

We left Winton and drove back into Longreach where we stopped to shop and soon after were on our way South into the heart of the Channel Country.

We had missed these areas on the way up as the rain had closed most of the roads and it looked like we were going to have much the same problem as we head south as more rain and storms are forecast.  We'll see how we go, maybe we can stay ahead of it!

We stopped just south of Longreach at Anderson Creek for the night and then made our way and into Stonehenge the next morning.  Not quite the Stonehenge we know but such an interesting little place to visit.  A small caravan park gave us the chance to wash, fill up with water and take it easy for a couple of days.  

While it doesn't resemble its namesake in the UK this tiny town plays an important role with the Defence Departments 'Over the Horizon' radar initiative sited here.  Though it is a very long way from the ocean this system actually guards our coastline together with two other sites in Laverton WA and Cairns.  

We drove out to see the Thomson River raging through the little weir and the flood plains totally under water.  This was the only road open so we couldn't explore too far afield.

We enjoyed a fun night at the Stonehenge Hotel on Sunday night with most of the other patrons coming across from the park as well.  The lamb roast was sensational!

The next day we moved just a few km down the road and camped at the Swanvale Lookout.  At the top of the 'jump up' this rest area has great views and we watched the beautiful sunset before cooking dinner on the campfire.

We had enjoyed beautiful blue skies for the last few days but the rain was close behind and we checked as we passed through Jundah.  It was due the next day with big falls expected.  Most roads were closed so our only option was to head south to Quilpie.

And so we drove, taking the unmade road through Welford National Park.  The road was open but the park closed so we could not stop anywhere along here.  We crossed The Barcoo River running very fast just inches under the bridge.  It won't need much more rain to cover the road here.  

While this rain is proving a bit of an inconvenience to all of the travellers it is very welcome for this whole area.  The publican was telling us that the area had been in drought since 2008 and they were hoping for good follow up spring and summer rains.  The country looks amazing and we can truly say that we have seen The Channel Country at it's beautiful best.  The green plains look spectacular against the bright red soil.  There is water everywhere, rivers and creeks are overflowing and new channels carry water throughout the land.  This picture taken from the Swanvale lookout shows how green everything is.

With the clouds closing in we found a spot to camp that afternoon at Thylungra Rest Area beside Kyabra Creek.  It was dry at the moment and so we joined three other people there, all of us well out of harms way if it rained which it did early the next morning.  Just a few light showers but enough to get us moving early before it set in.

We made our way into Quilpie, checked out the museum at the visitors centre, had a little look around, caught up with emails and such, picked up some bread and headed south to Toompine where we stayed at 'The Pub Without A Town'.  What a hoot!

This little place was once a thriving community with a regular Cobb and Co coach service.  Now all that remains from those early pioneering days is the Toompine Hotel built around 1893.  It is a  great place to stop and camp at the old pub with toilets and showers, free or cheap sites, cold beer and good food.  No cooking for me tonight.  Love these pub camps!  And Puzzle the pony was pretty cute too.

We met four other couples here all hunkered down to sit out the rain.  Carol, Jim, Deb and Bob from Queensland had set themselves up early and before long we were all gathered round with Glenda and Steve from WA along with Jennifer and Steve from Port Melbourne and a fun afternoon was had as we all shared our wet weather stories.  Still not sure why the tractor is on the pole but it makes for an interesting landmark.

Most people we had met in the last few days had been trying to avoid the Birdsville traffic.  The races were on this weekend and with many roads closed it was proving to be a bit of a challenge to find a road without a constant stream of traffic heading out.  For a lot they won't make it as the roads to Birdsville have been open and closed a few times as the weather deteriorates.  We kept meeting people who had changed their mind mid journey and had come back.  Perhaps we'll try next year.  We arrived in Quilpie covered in red mud on the left side as we had to keep driving on the shoulder as the masses kept coming.

That night at Toompine the rain started and there was a little more mud the next morning.  We left early and continued on to Eulo where we find out which roads are open from there.  

The rain held off and the road was quite good and we arrived and set ourselves up at The Eulo Queen Hotel.  And then it arrived.  The rain finally caught up with us as it started to fall about 4.00 pm.  Within an hour we were flooded in and Bill, in Engineer mode again, constructed a path 

so we could get out to the loo and of course the pub!

And it rained and it rained and it rained, all night and when we got up we discovered that our 'puddle' had grown and that our path now finished mid puddle.  

Bill braved the day and discovered that 44.4 mm had fallen since 4.00 pm yesterday with about the same due today.   He decided that the ground was still fairly firm underneath so it was time to try for a hasty retreat.  There was a bobcat handy if we got stuck!  We quickly packed up and the neighbours and I watched as he jumped in the car and started to move.  

A couple of wheel spins but then he was moving forward and straight out, phew!  Another disaster averted.  I'm sure I didn't sign up for this much adventure, did I?  We had our breakfast on the side of the road.  Bill spoke to the local police and learnt that all roads were closed except to Cunnamulla so that's where we headed next.

Most of the floodways were under water with lots more expected in the next day or so.  None were deep yet so we got through easily and stopped for coffee on arrival in Cunnamulla.  

We had a quick look around before hitting the road again and continuing our journey south.  We stopped not far out in a rest area and hunkered down for the afternoon and night.  No more rain yet but the wind blew savagely all afternoon. Listening to the news we heard that almost all of NSW is under flood watch and storm warnings.  Look like we will have an interesting journey back doesn't it.  Keep watching!

Until next time........