On the Road and at Home: Cooktown Memories - 2013 - Blackall to Winton- DAY 18- 20

DAY 18 -20

Blackall to Isisford, Longreach and Winton

We left Blackall and headed to Isisford, about 200 km, it was quite warm and we found the road quite undulating and had to get off the bitumen when the large trucks came towards us as there was not enough room for both vehicles and we give the trucks the space they need. We arrived in Isisford around lunch time and had a drive around this small town and decided to camp in the free camping area on the banks of the Barcoo where we were able to get some shade.

Welcome sign

Banjo Patterson features on several murals in the town with his poem Clancy of the Overflow

The Oma Waterhole

The Oma Waterhole is about 10km out of Isisford and is like an oasis, there is free camping too but we had already set up in Isisford so enjoyed an afternoon by the waterhole watching the pelicans and other birdlife.

An eagle's nest at Oma Waterhole

We found this little museum in a back street and it was interesting to read about the town of Isisford.

Camping on the banks of the Barcoo River

The Barcoo River is almost dry

Isisford has a population of only 250 people but it has a lot to offer tourists and we enjoyed visiting the various attractions, the one that surprised us the most was the Barcoo Fossil Museum which was built as an extension to the Cafe.

We went in for a coffee and found this amazing new building added on to the shop.

We discovered fossils found in the area and the oldest fossil named the Isisfordia Duncani, the ancestor of the modern crocodile.

We had a great couple of days in Isisford and our camp site by the Barcoo was very friendly and we had Happy Hour by the campfire with some of the neighbours

After a couple of days in Isisford it was time to move on to our next destination of Longreach, only a 2 hour drive away.

Longreach

It was now getting warmer, 28C, so we decided to stay a few days in Longreach in one of the caravan parks, so we could have our a/c. After checking them out we booked into the Top Tourist park for 3 nights. The laundry was priority so while I organised that, Ron set up the van and checked out a few minor jobs needed after being on the road for nearly 3 weeks.

Longreach Stockman's Hall of Fame

Inside the Hall of Fame

We spent a few hours at the Stockman's Hall of Fame as there was so much to see and read, but we were able to go back the next day to finish our visit which was great.

Free camping on the Thompson River

After our tour of the Hall of Fame, we drove out to see the free camping area on the Thompson River but we were pleased that we decided to stay at the caravan park as the river area was very crowded.

The next day we headed out to the Qantas Museum and again were really impressed with the displays and we were able to go on the Simulator for a WW1 plane, not sure that I passed that one but Ron was pretty good on it.

Back in the town we had another walk around and the photos are of the Longreach Railway Station which was pretty impressive.

Our time in Longreach went very fast, but we did do a lot while we were there and so we hooked up the van and headed to Winton, about 200 km northwest.

Winton

There was a lot of roadkill on the way to Winton and the roadside was scattered with Mitchell grass and small trees.

There were several caravan parks in Winton so we had a quick look at them and decided to go to the Matilda caravan park. Our site was at the back of the park with not much room between the vans, and it was very dusty, but as the country was in drought we were not surprised to find it so dry.

Matilda Caravan Park

We wasted no time and headed out to the Age of Dinosaurs about 10km from Winton, and arrived just in time for the last tour of the day.

The tour started with a short video and a tour of the laboratory where some volunteers were cleaning the fossils and others were recording details etc. After this tour we were taken upstairs to a special humidity controlled theatrette where fossils were displayed and we were able to hear a scientist give information about the work done in the laboratory.

We were absolutely amazed at the size of this tourist attraction and the work put in by volunteers and the scientists who put in so much work to make this available for visitors to see and appreciate. I didn't even know that we had dinosaurs in Australia, we were never told about dinosaurs in Australia when we were at school and I don't think many children today are taught about Australian dinosaurs. What a shame that their education does not include this.