Cloncurry and Mount Isa
The drive to Cloncurry was uneventful. We stopped at Burke and Wills roadhouse for fuel and lunch. The day before we had trekked out to Burke and Wills' camp 119, their most northern camp. No one is allowed to camp there now, that's what happens when you make camp and leave blazes on trees, bury camp ovens and generally make a mess of your camp. Thanks Burke and Wills. On their way back down, evidently, they opened a roadhouse and that is why they died because there was no passing trade. Australian history according to Nicholas.
After a tour of Cloncurry we settled on Oasis van park for one night on an unpowered site. We had the pick of the area and backed up to a picnic table and sink. As we setup another couple arrived, then the hordes rolled in. We were all set and took off into town (two on scooters) and when we got back we were completely boxed in! The whole area was a wash with campers. Good thing we weren't leaving at the crack of dawn. Because some people didn't go to sleep well we all got up early and went back into town to the bakery for bread and coffee. When we got back most of our neighbours had moved on and when we left there was no one left there.
It was a very short drive to Mount Isa, in fact we didn't actually make it to Mount Isa. We stayed on West Leichhardt cattle station about 30km before Mount Isa. What a treat to stay at such a beautiful place. The others staying there were very welcoming and very nice people also. After setup and lunch we tagged along with David and Noel who were going out to check stock, start a pump and drop out salt and copra. We tagged on to the 2 mile dam (named because it is 2.5 miles from the house) then on to a bore and tank to start a pump to refill the tank to water the stock. Unfortunately a calf had died since the men were out the day before so we towed the calf away from the herd. West Leichhardt is a station of some 500000acres usually carrying 10000 head of cattle but has not had their usual rainfall for more than two years and most dams are completely dry and there is little or no feed for the cattle.
The girls riding on the back of the ute during our farm tour.
Friday morning the cattle in the muster yards were being checked and weighed ready for sale. Each cow has an RF tag in its ear which gives them weight history over its life. The buyer flew to West Leichhardt in the afternoon to complete the deal before loading into a road train for a drive to Alice Springs. Our family headed into town to do some shopping for Chantelle's birthday and to go on an underground mine tour. It is a falsehood that it is cool underground, it might be cool for the first 2m but beyond that it was getting pretty hot in the mine. The big mine at Mount Isa is so hot the copper that they dig out is red hot! The guide that we had was a real character. Shane was calling ladies "sheila" and telling the most inappropriate stories for tourists. The tour was without incident, which was fortunate because they had over booked the tour and the minimum age was seven (Bianca is six). Shane had a collection of vintage mine equipment which he operated and even got some kids to have a go. Our girls had a go of a pneumatic drill and he found a piece of ore for the kids. Well worth doing.
After the mine tour we had, what we hope, will be our last experience with the QLD Parks booking system. As it is so nice staying on West Leichhardt we would like to stay longer and move our stay at Lawn Hill to a little later. No can do. After wrestling with QGOV website for a while all we could manage is cancel one night at Lawn Hill, but that does get us four nights in Isa and three still at Lawn Hill.
At night the BBQ is lit and Ron (owner) offers pork chops or steak from the cool room to all to eat. Nicholas cooked up some pork and it was truly delicious. They self prepare their own meat and the cool room is well stocked. There is a 3mo goat (named Billy) running around the property that will find its way to the cool room. This will be sooner than planned if he continues eating the strawberry patch, jumping on cars, escaping over the cattle grid or butting unsuspecting young guests.
Billy the adventurous goat! The girls adored him except when he used them to practice his newly acquired head butting skill!
Saturday was Chantelle's birthday (see separate post) and we had bacon and eggs for breakfast, party food (including cake) for lunch then out for dinner in town. After breakfast Nicholas, Bianca and Chantelle went out with David and Michael to fix a pump and check cattle. A bore pump had come loose of its cable down the bore and required a new cable. The water was only about 15m below ground and there was a hole in the pipe also. Nicholas had some self-fusing tape which fixed the hole as well. The pump, working again, was started and the cattle had a good supply of fresh water. The water from these bores is very tasty and no smell like some others.
Mean while back at the ranch Angela and Chelsea baked and decorated a birthday cake for Chantelle. A very yummy sponge with iced flowers on top.
Let them eat cake!
For dinner we headed into Mount Isa to eat at the Rodeo Bar and Grill. Pretty good food for out this way. To help dinner digest we took a walk around town before driving back to the farm.
Sunday we had a slow day around the farm. The three girls did bark painting with David. They did a really good job and the paintings will adorn a wall at home when we get back. They also spent several hours playing under the sprinklers, a lovely treat in the hot weather. Dudley gave each of the girls a slab of Gidgy tree to sand and polish. This is an extremely hard wood that is felled as fodder when needed.
Monday we moved on to Lawn Hill. It was sad to leave the station.
JRL - today we tow with a Landrover, tomorrow a Porsche!
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