6. The Dinosaur Way and into the Gulf catchment area.

We would like to thank all who have sent comments and emails  regarding our posts.  It is great that some pleasure is being given, and that some of the political incorrectness and accidental/deliberate  mistakes are appreciated, if not winced at.  In many cases, memories are being rekindled.

Overnighting along the Flinders Highway at Crawford Creek, we were entertained by flocks of Budgies. Beautiful, but noisy, and too flighty to photograph properly. We would have loved to have trapped and shipped some back home, but decided against this as Budgie Smugglers get such bad press these days.

Budgie watching from fly net hide before being driven inside by the incessant buzzing of flies 

Our travelling grass was easier to photograph than budgies.  We regularly swap the sides of the van for the grass, as the grass is always greener on the other side. Also far softer than gravel and cat's eyes before footwear is applied. 

The journey continues NW into Dinosaur/Fossil territory, being classified as the fossil centre of Australia, with Winton as it's capital. (We are too young to be classified as travelling fossils.)  The flies are the worst we have ever encountered, making eating outside virtually impossible.
Wilton opened it's Waltzing Matilda Centre last week after the previous display burnt to the ground. The new display is modern and high tech.  Somewhat different to Banjo's day.

As a youth, Banjo wanted to be renamed Double Bass once he reached maturity

Image of view from the bottom of  the billabong looking up at the coolabah tree; as seen by the once jolly swagman

High tech vertical lines.  Possibly representing the many lines of verse Banjo Paterson wrote?

The Lark Quarry and Dinosaur Stampede is an outstanding complex, with an air conditioned structure built over the only known preserved dinosaur stampede site in the world.
Remarkable landscape, with fly nets a must for trekking around the area.

220km round trip from Winton to the Stampede, 130km on dirt.  Dropping tyre pressure to 32lb gave a softer ride. 

Eat my dust

A vision splendid.  For the drover's life has pleasures that the townfolk never know.

Lark Quarry and Dinosaur Stampede complex

Aficionados of fashion

No flies on me!

Dinosaurs were no doubt running away from flies

The small footprints were in opposite direction to the large ones.  Best form of defence due to turning ability. 

Inflation after the dirt

It was then back to Winton and out to the Age of Dinosaurs Museum and workshops where all manner of  fossils found are being worked on.  Fossil digs are regularly organised.

Dinner.  Note fly meteor about to bring about climate change

Showing use of claws.  More effective than T Rex

Dinosaur dugout.  The workshop is full of solid molds built in the field around chunks of rock;  ready for careful extraction of the fossils with dentistry type tools.

Brass dinosaurs.  They preceded brass monkeys by millions of years before the cooler weather.

I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains.

It's behind you!!

Swimming is sadly lacking.  Virtually every town pool is closed for the winter, despite temperatures in the low 30s.  I had the honour of being the last person to swim in the Wilton pool before it closed for the season, getting into the pool an hour before close, as its only swimmer.  The water temp was 25C and beautiful.

Checking the wine is fly free

Horizon sloping down to the south as seen from Mt Walker.  Further south, the gradient gets much steeper

All down hill to Hughenden.  Kangaroo danger time.

Cloud formations during drive to Hughenden, buffeted by head wind, rained upon by low flying grass hoppers, and 210km driving NE without any bends or turns.

The long and not so winding road with stunning clouds.  Don's brother Ian took the top view of this cloud formation when flying on this day to Townsville, somewhat nearby. 

Porcupine Gorge NE of Hughenden provided the opportunity for a walk and swim.  (The gorge is similar to the Grand Canyon, but possibly wider and deeper). The layers of rock in the gorge are a geologists treasure trove with very distinct layering.
Down at the bottom, we had a swim in refreshing fresh water with a sandy beach and great back drop of the gorgeous gorge.
We needed another swim when we finally climbed back out, but opted out due to the need to walk back down.

Porcupine Gorge.  Similar to the Grand Canyon with more rock wallabies and porcupines

Swimming hole is below the pyramid structure 2/3 to the right

Geologists cooling off pool

By George, the gorge was gorgeous

Swimming pool and beach at base of Pyramid 

Incidentally, a couple of other interesting things along the way.

CARniverous cattle

Western Wandering Wombats

We were entertained for hours by this merry-go-round despite power not connected and hence lights not working.

Patch

Intertwined Ebony and Ivory trees

Richmond has a bi-annual Outback Fossil Fest that happened to coincide with us rolling into town.  Rodeo on the Friday night, Street Parade on Saturday morning, Bush Sprints in the arvo, and a Party in the Paddock together with Fireworks on Saturday night.  The whole town turned out, a great time had by all.

A lot of bull

Brilliant horsemanship by these two throughout the night.  Horse and rider acting as one

Hang on Cyril!!

Years of camera training were required to capture this blurred image.  Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

Richmond Outback Fossil Fest street parade.  Scary stuff.

Pony club dinosaur entry

Note the unsuspecting bait on line out front

Richmond State School entry 

The Richmond Bi-Annual Bush Sprints were a mix of fashion, horses and dust. Great atmosphere.
Horses and riders are restricted to come from within a 200km radius, plus have no real racing history.

Preparing to race

Fashion at the track

Fashion in the stands. Standing room only

Nearing the post

Dusty aftermath plus incredilbe excitement in the stands

We arrived in Richmond for one night and stayed for four nights.
The final two features were as follows.

Sunrise over Richmond's man-made Lake Fred Tritton.  The rule is for all water sports to be performed in an anti-clockwise direction with which we will be familiar with in a few months

Filling the overhead bucket.  The button can be pushed at anytime to operate the water park which is in an open parkland area

We now move out of dinosaur territory meandering west along the Flinders Highway and leaving Queensland's longest river, the Flinders River as it meanders to the Gulf.

Keep well and enjoy the journey
Cheers, Don and Carrol.