Des & Bev's 4th big lap of Australia 2015

Helicopter pilot wife's story

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-07/pilbara-pilot-remembered/6680854

You might already have this ABC item.

To Fletcher's Creek

Saturday night 8th August 2015.

Fletcher’s Creek. 40 km north of Charters Towers.

Yesterday we had travelled 420 km from Leichardt Lagoon to Mt Surprise. To day we travelled 367 km.

Had a nice roast pork and vegetables lunch at the Three Rivers Hotel at Greenvale (well known by the Slim Dusty song written by Stan Coster.)

Then for dinner tonight it was beautiful Barramundi supplied by Pat & Wayne. Thanks guys, it was great!

I will try and download Bev’s pics from today and attach a pic of the Sausage tree at Greenvale.

Here is hoping that it will go out.

Des.

More from Mount Surprise

Saturday 8th August 2015

Planet Earth Adventures CVP

Mt Surprise.

Brrrrrrr! 7 degrees this morning! Not used to this! Nice sunny day with no wind so looking good. Had no wind yesterday either.

$17 per couple here with power, $10 unpowered sites, with water. About 15 units camped last night.

Bed Rock CVP over the road is $28 powered site, $26 unpowered. We did not need a swimming pool or games room so gave them a miss.

Have a nice day down south.

Des & Bev.

Mount Surprise

Hello from Mt Surprise!

We arrived here at 5.10 pm. Spent some time looking at the great rock & mineral display at the Ted Elliott rock show at Georgetown. Cost $8 each and is a huge & interesting display.

For those contemplating travelling in this area. As water is usually a problem, I thought that I might mention that drinking water is available behind the Information centre at Georgetown, and in the park on the corner opposite the pub in Croydon. Toilets also in the park.

The water at Normanton is really surprising as it is so clear and has no strange taste. It is available near the dump point at the council depot & near the toilets behind the Information centre. The reason we were surprised at the quality of the water is that we walked to the weir on the Norman river close to where we were camped at Leichardt Lagoon for the last 7 days and it looked pretty yuckey! It is pumped to Normanton where it is filtered and treated before being distributed to the town and also pumped to Kurumbah.

We were advised to buy fuel at Georgetown as it was cheap at $1.44 per ltr. Ha, ha! It is only $1.41 per ltr at Mt Surprise. Oh well, thems the breaks.

Bye for now,

Des & Bev.

Croydon

Hi,

This and the other 2 email were sent from Croydon.

Our next town will be Georgetown, maybe tomorrow yet, as we might camp at the Chamberlin Chimney, 20 km this side of Georgetown.

Mt. Surprise will follow that and Greenvale, 3 Rivers Hotel, and Charters Towers.

Must roll along now.

Des.

PS Will catch up on those other email, and add more photos when we get home and use the fast and unlimited broadband.

Normanton

30th July 2015

Normanton. Qld.

Nothing really exciting today. Just the usual wide open spaces of nothingness. A little bit more shopping in Cloncurry this morning before heading up the Burke development road and stopping opposite the Burke & Wills Roadhouse for lunch. We had decided to camp at the Bang Bang roadside rest area but on arrival figured that we could be in Normanton by 4.15 pm, so carried on to stay in the caravan park with the lovely swimming pool which was very refreshing after the temperature having reached 31.5 as we neared the town. By being in town tonight we can re-fuel in the morning before going 24 km south to Leichardt’s Lagoon to stay with Pat & Wayne for a short spell.

I have been trying to think what I had written in the email that got lost a few days back. One thing that I do remember is that I had attached a pic of a bird that Bev had taken in one of the irrigation channels at Kununurra. What she didn’t realise what was in the photo until we down loaded the pics was quite a large fresh water crocodile. I will try and get this email to go out with that pic attached.

We might not have any phone signal for a few days now, so everyone will get a rest from my stories.

Best regards from Des & Bev.