Day 24 Mt Isa to Gregory

Today was a day of driving, 450 kms with only a couple of brief stops. The road was well surfaced but single track for some of the way. At one stage we could hear irate drivers on the radio because they couldn’t get past the long line up, I think we were about car number 3 and as soon as we could we pulled over and let those behind us get through. They didn’t get far though because a Nissan Patrol was the first car and it kept it’s pace and place it was easy to see how angry drivers become dangerous drivers.

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At one stage we were driving along when Smart Alex saw someone stopped beside the road ahead of us and said they’d probably stopped to get a photo of an eagle. They had, and were happily filming it with a drone!

After a brief stop for drinks and some fruit we continued on until the Burke and Wills Hotel where we intended to camp for the night. We changed our minds when we saw the number of caravans and campers already in the Pub campground and those lined up at the fuel pumps. Gregory became our stop-over place. We’re happy with our free camp spot in amongst trees and not too far from the public toilets, coffee stop and pub but we did find a super place after we’d set up. Free camping is allowed beside the river and it was a beautiful spot but you’d have to get there very early and find a site where you couldn’t be blocked in. It’s Rafferty’s Rules with people coming down to the river towing big caravans and with no idea what is ahead of them so I’m relieved we didn’t set ourselves up in there. The town toilets would be the closest ones for all those people without their own.

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There were lots of little birds coming to tins hanging in Murray’s Place where we sat and had drinks. The Raptor was at the riverside camping area.

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The warm underblanket has now come off the bed and so has the top blanket, we’ve been HOT today! Summer clothes on tomorrow.