Roma – Sunday

Part 1 -Injune

There were a lot of very stiff and sore people about this morning so it seems the unfit get caught out often. We’re fine but maybe in 48 hours the stiffness will set in. Maybe.

It’s a lovely sunny day, I’m sitting at the Info Centre in Injune and Alex is down the road guarding the Bush Mechanic’s ute. I don’t use that term disparagingly, he really is a mechanic who works out bush at a mine site but when his mum (the cook at the Roadhouse) heard that we were looking for a mechanic she contacted him and he came in to help us, even though it’s Sunday and he was on his way back to work. (The reason we need help is that  a very nasty clunking noise was coming from the camper wheel when I reversed into a parking spot.) He’s searched through his supplies but can’t find a bolt we need so he’s gone to a friend’s place to see if he can get one. We’ve lost the bush from the brake mechanism, the very bush the Caravan service guy took so long to get in Adelaide. The disappointing thing about this scenario is that the things he’s “fixed” have all had follow-up issues so we’ll be finding a different caravan service place. The good thing is the Bush Mechanic says it’s the best made camper-trailer he’s ever seen!

Injune is a nice little place, there are laser cut sculptures of local people lining the street with their stories told on a nearby plaque. I’ve enjoyed reading their stories. Cowboy hats and mining vehicles are abundant here.

Part 2 – Roma

BJ, our Bush Mechanic, was very disappointed he couldn’t get the necessary bits to fix the camper but he got us on the road again using cable ties and a bit of wire. The only time he showed any frustration was when the last split pin broke hence the bit of wire. We’re now in Roma, BJ gave us the name of someone who should be able to fix it. Because we want to get to the place early we decided to take a cabin at the Caravan Park. There was a Country and Western singer performing in The Bull Ring but he’s already left and it’s not even 6:30.

The Cook can relax a bit tonight, he has plenty of light and space as well, I’m sure, there will be a few cooking programmes on the TV to get him inspired!

Oh my goodness, he’s using what he calls “a tool of the devil” ie the microwave!

Foot Golf? these “goles” are along the Adungadoo Pathway, Roma.

Duck Pond near our Caravan Park.

Plaque accompanying the memorial Bottle Tree

One of the memorial Bottle Trees in Roma.

Meeting BJ was serendipitous for us.

Steam Train at the old Injune Station

Old style Parcel Post

What can happen when the desire is there.

Still standing

Felix Varcin, one of the Injune personalities.

 

Carnarvon Gorge – Saturday

I can hardly move! Last night we listened to an employee of the Resort as she talked about the various walks in the gorge. One of them was an all day effort 22kms return which we knew wasn’t a good idea for us. The most sensible idea seemed to be to do an alternative 14 kms return – I don’t know how much of that was UP STEPS but it was TOO much!

Wisely Alex thought we should go to the farthest attraction then walk back calling into the others. We walked the 7 kms to the Art Gallery which had the largest display of ancient Aboriginal Art that I’ve ever seen.

Returning from the Art Gallery when we crossed the creek there was a lovely secluded little beach where we decided to stop and eat our lunch. It was truly a magic spot, if the weather had been hotter I would definitely have been unable to resist a swim in the perfectly clear pool.

The next point of call was the Amphitheatre which involved lots of climbing, the last section up ships’ ladders. Photos don’t do justice to the amazing place, it was awe inspiring. Coming back down meant walking backwards down the ladders, nerve wracking stuff.

The Moss Garden was next, more climbing UP my legs were protesting but I persisted and was rewarded eventually with a superb view through the Moss Garden, over a pool and out to the massive gorge walls beyond.

I stupidly imagined that after the Moss Garden we were nearly back but I’d forgotten just how far we’d walked before we came to the start of the attractions. I was just about staggering by the time we got back to the car. Alex’s FitBit says we did 29,000 steps, 21.44 kms and that involved 95 flights of stairs!! I’m shattered and wish there was a nice spa to loll in instead a shower with water saver showerheads and unpredictable temperature control.

A Mango and Macadamia Icecream followed by a lovely dinner of steak and salad has capped the day.

Platypus

I love this, parent and child print done thousands of years ago.

The Art Gallery

Lunch by the pool

Canarvon Gorge

Kookaburra watched us eat lunch.

Not a gargoyle, a treegoyle.

The Amphitheatre

Exit from the amphitheatre, first ladder is behind Alex.

Sugar Gliers “bleed” these tress to get the sweet sap.

The Moss Garden

Canarvon Gorge – Friday

Because we were only travelling about 250kms today we knew we had plenty of time to look around Emerald and we started with the old Railway Station, it’s very elegant. You always hear about the railways opening up the Wild West of the USA but I’ve never thought that applied here in Australia but it seems that is what happened, at least in the eastern states. Emerald only developed because of the railway. It got its name because of the lush vegetation but at the moment the only lush areas are irrigated.

Walking across a park we were confronted by the biggest easel in the world, on it is a representation of a Van Gogh, Sunflowers painting. I loved it but we were completely bemused about the reason for it until we read that sunflowers used to be grown in the area. It seems a shame to me that beautiful paddocks of sunflowers have been replaced by ugly mining operations. Going from Emerald to Springsure we passed a massive conveyor and a line of wagons waiting to be loaded with coal from the Minerva Mine.

We decided to spend some money at the “Corrugated Cuisine” eatery we’d seen advertised but the business was defunct. It seemed such a shame. The Rolleston townspeople had put a lot of work into a park, renovated interesting old buildings, provided parking for travellers but the only place to get anything to eat was the service station/general store which didn’t have much at all.

Our campsite here at Takarakka Resort is nice and wide, the facilities are good and there are walking tracks starting at the campsite. We had a little chuckle when another camper was telling us about the awful site they had at Emerald, right beside the toilets and they’d booked 10 weeks before. Ours was great and we didn’t book. Not only that but she bought a sandwich in Rolleston and it was stale, we came after and got a nice fresh one. Seems like when you’re camping everyone gets stuck by the toilets or dump point sometime.

Emerald Railway Station

Looking out from Emerald railway Station

The biggest easel in the world!

A dragonfly we rescued, warmed and set free.

A l-o-n-g line of coal wagons.

Great welcome to the town.

Living in luxury …. for a while.

Echidna

Kingfisher