Log Seventy Six – The Migration North Continues…

18 June 2021

It’s been a while since I last wrote. This lapse is largely due to the remoteness of this country and the lack of or very slow internet access. We are however now in Normanton and reconnected with the rest of the world.

Since my last post we have travelled to Mount Isa and then north to Adels Grove and on to the Gulf country of crocodiles, tiger prawns and barramundi.

Mount Isa

It’s a serious jolt when you leave the wide open, empty country with the odd small town of a few hundred people and to suddenly arrive in a place with traffic lights, intersections, people and a choice of shops. Mount Isa is the biggest inland city in Queensland, anything else of any size is on the coast. It’s an underground mine that places this city where it is.

The mine produces lead, silver, zinc and copper. It’s huge. The mine is 2,300 metres deep and the underground roads big enough for huge trucks cover some 1500 kms.

Mount Isa was a great place to resupply before we get into even more remote country so a day was spent shopping and another washing clothes.

The Cashless Society

You pull up to the only fuel point for 100s of kilometres, you need to top up as you have another 200kms to go before you might get fuel. “Sure we have fuel, do you have cash? The internet is down.” It might be called a town but it’s more an intersection than a town. There is a pub and a tin shack that is the coffee shop, there is no ATM here. It’s the pub that sells diesel. A quick search of our wallets and yes we have cash! A salient reminder to always have some of the folding stuff and not to rely on technology out here.

Easter Eggs

I know its mid June but you can still buy Easter Eggs in the supermarket at Normanton. Just thought you needed to know.

Some Signs from Out Here

Wedge Tail Eagles

Can any bird lovers please explain why wedgies always turn to fly in front of the oncoming vehicle. They might be feeding on a road kill kangaroo and facing the side of the road and the bush. When they see the oncoming vehicle they turn and fly across your path. So far we have missed all offending eagles but one just cleared our UHF aerial.

Change and New Owners

Some years ago we visited Adels Grove. It was a very popular camp with a restaurant, large deck area and lots of tours on offer. Since that time the restaurant burned down, the original owners sold the business and now after one other owner the place is falling behind. No longer is it the remote camping resort it once was. Maybe the new owners will save the day, lets hope. The staff certainly want it to succeed.

Sometimes it’s not smart to go back, remember and celebrate what was and don’t let the what is get you down.

Selecting a Camp Site

I have said before reversing a caravan is a spectator sport, not one for the faint hearted. On this trip we have observed a traveller that took camper placement to a whole new level.

It seems the two factors that can impact on the ability of some people to locate their camp are choice and judgement.

You check in and are told you can put your camp anywhere you like; now you have choice! A simple, you’re on site 21 is easy, there is no choice. Now you have to drive around and around to find the best location for your camp. Good enough won’t do, it’s got to be the best site because it’s your choice.

Judgement comes into play if you are travelling with others who you fear will judge you on your choice of site.

You are now in a world of hurt which was amply displayed by our neighbour who spent at least an hour before he settled on the same site he selected at beginning of his quest. He drove around the 5 acres of the Grove four times before he selected a place next to us. I would add the Grove was 70% empty when he started his quest but next to us was where he had to go.

He then proceeded to reverse onto his chosen spot many, many times. On several occasions jack knifing the camper. In frustration he would pull away do another circuit of the campground and start all over again, trying to place his small camper on that same piece of ground. The patience of his partner or wife was truely laudable. Never did she utter a raised voice or a profanity that we might expect from 99% of people in the same situation.

The driver and guide were communicating via UHF radio which might have allowed some people to listen in on their conversation. You have to understand entertainment up here is pretty scarce.

This poor guy was given choice and then his family was going to catch up with them the next day. A disaster waiting to happen. His family of course camped nowhere near him but close to an area filled with a large camping tour group. With such a wide open and empty country why do people need to camp on top of each other!!

In deference to Einstein and based on my observations of this poor man’s effort I have developed the following formula on time taken to settle on a site. Where:

T is the Time taken to settle on a site

C represents Choice which is based on the size of the camp ground and the number of sites available

J represents Judgment and the likelihood you will be judged by others who have some influence over you.

My Formula:

T = CJ²

And so we can see if you have no choice and C=0 or there is no judgement and J=0 then you will have your camper settled in no time at all.

Maintenance and Life on the Road

The road out of Adels Grove carries road trains and campers of various assortments. The road is about 80km of dirt and gravel some of which was very good and some was deeply pitted with sharp potholes excavated by Roadtrains. That’s the background to my next story.

I heard a subtle change in the road noise from my tyres. I stopped and checked. All ok, car and van tyres looking good. I continued another 200 metres and then it happened, the rapid expulsion of air from a tyre, I had a puncture.

I pulled off the road on to a flattish spot knowing a jack was about to be deployed. After some frustration and the use of the torch on my iPhone I was able to get the spare on the ground. The wheel nuts on the stuffed tyre were loosened.

Suddenly ‘Phil’ pulls up and offers assistance. Something about having problems in this country, everyone stops to offer assistance. Phil got straight out of his ute and came over to assist. Four hands and two heads made all the difference.

In no time the broken tyre was removed and spare fitted. Yes, the tyre pressure in the spare was checked. The stuffed tyre has a large split across the tread. There are no pictures as I was not in a place where I thought, oh let’s get some photos. Fortunately the stuffed tyre was on the shady side of the car.

Spare fitted and stuffed tyre mounted where spare goes. A rudimentary wash and we were back on the road. After expressing our profound thanks Phil headed off towards Adels Grove, our paths never to cross again.

The question now was where do we get a new tyre. We stopped at Murrays, the best coffee in Gregory Downs and started with the phone calls to tyre retailers within 200 kms. The choice was drive back from where we had come and wait two days or drive on and wait until next Monday. We decided to drive on. We also decided it would be smart to avoid dirt roads until we have a spare. So here we are in Normanton waiting for Monday. We do have another spare tyre on the van but I don’t want to push my luck.

I dropped by the Normanton tyre place just to make sure the tyre was on order. Without prompting the tyre guy anointed me with my nick name from High school days, oh the memories. This is the fun of travel to remote places. He tells me to drop by at 9.00am on Monday and that the tyre should be on the truck from Cairns on Sunday night. Here’s hoping it turns up on Monday, regardless, up here you just go with the flow. Om…..