Finding new campgrounds……..

We didn’t stop in Charters Towers but drove through to find our home for the next four nights.  About 20 km past the city we stopped at Bivouac Junction.  This is a great little campground on the banks of the Burdekin River.  It has power and water and a very reasonable price and it was a very laid back place to spend a few days while we looked around this area.  It was School holidays here in Qld but it never filled up too much.  

While here we had a few drives into Charters Towers to shop and we found a very nice little cafe in the Stock Exchange Arcade.  This wonderful arcade was designed by Mark Cooper Day and built in 1888 by the Sandbrook brothers of Sydney.  

The next morning we returned to the city to visit the markets at Centennial Park.  I think we have been spoiled by all the markets we attend at home as this one was very ordinary.  In fact the best thing about it was the artwork on the public toilet in the park.

From here we went back into town to shop but found Woolworths does not open on a Sunday.  Foodworks pay someone to sit at the Woolies entrance all day and redirect them to their shop.  We didn’t bother and went home instead.

The next day we decided to explore further afield and drove out to Ravenswood about an hour away.  This is a working gold mine that is edging closer to the town every minute.  Ravenswood itself is almost a ghost town now with only a few residents left permanently.

A Post Office/General Store, two pubs and a church are all that’s left.  The old Courthouse is now home to The Historic Society and Museum and was a great place to check out and learn something about the history of the town.  Looking at the town now it is hard to imagine that during its boom era the town had over 50 pubs and a population of over 5000.  The 2016 census tells us there were 255 residents but I think that too has shrunk now.  The mullick heaps, the old shafts, the chimneys, the rusting machinery and the historic buildings make it an informative journey into a once booming gold mining town.  Though now even some of those landmarks have been lost as the current mine eats up more of the towns edge.

The next day it was time to leave Bivouac Junction and head over to Clare where we were to meet Pat to camp at Deep Creek Vietnam Veterans Campground.  We arrived together and soon settled in.  On the way in we heard on the radio that Townsville had gone into a snap 3 day lockdown so I guess we are staying a couple of extra days.  

With only one or two other campers here it was a very pleasant place to stay and enjoy the peace and tranquillity.  Set among the cane fields we got to see the cane trains running up and down the line a few times each day.  Most days these trains had over 100 carriages behind the engine and there were still many fields to be harvested while we were there.

While there Bill took his camera for a walk and came back with our first crocodile of the trip.  Sunning itself on the banks of the Burdekin River it was certainly a reminder of why you don’t go walking along the edge here.

The next morning it was time to pack up and leave this lovely place.  Pat drove straight home to Townsville but we drove into Home Hill first then Ayr to pick up some bread.  The huge bridge across the Burdekin as you arrive in Home Hill is a very intricate structure and from the bridge you can the stumps of two previous bridges.  I don’t think this one will disappear any time soon.

From here we drove straight into Townsville to Pat and Sandy’s place where we were staying the night and enjoyed the afternoon on the verandah with their daughter Vicky and grandies Oliver and Isla.  Thank you once again for your wonderful hospitality and delicious dinner and breakfast.  You truly spoilt us.

Leaving the next morning we drove to Ingham where we stayed two nights at Tyto Wetlands.  As always we enjoyed our stay here and Bill had plenty of opportunity to get into the wetlands with his camera.  

The next morning we packed up and made our way up the highway to climb the range up to the Atherton Tablelands where we were hoping to stay and get some washing done before heading further north.  We arrived at Milla Milla and true to form as soon as we arrived in the caravan park in Atherton it began to rain.  I persisted and did the washing hoping it would clear overnight but this was not to be so the next morning it was off the line and into the dryer.  Once that was done we ventured out I search of coffee and found a quirky new cafe hidden behind the shops.  It was called Petals and Pinecones and a real great little find.

The next morning the rain was even heavier and Bill was in full wet weather gear as he prepared to leave the park.  These are the times that I’m really pleased I’m on inside duty!  We had been hoping to go to Julatten today but had not heard back from Carol at Feathers and Friends so made our way towards Mareeba where we stopped for a coffee.  It was here that we got a call from Carol who said they were booked out this week but we could go in next week.  So we had a few days to kill.  Seeing as we were here we booked into the Mareeba Rodeo Grounds but more about that later.  At least the sun was shining again.

until next time…….