Mt Coolon, Birralee , Bowen and to Townsville

We left Carnarvon early and managed to make it comfortably to Emerald where we spent the night in another of those wonderful state run campsites. Then on next morning
to Bowen right on the coast but via some v remote country passing by the Belyando Crossing and Ibis Creek where M and I have such lovely memories of our 2 months there with Bruce and Delia 35 years ago.

1 The Mt Coolon pub ( Ibis Creek's ` local ) - hasn't changed one bit. Not much of a welcome !
2 The ringers' quarters at Birralee - where , 45 years ago, and on my gap year, I stayed when working for Pioneer Sugar Mills who owned this magnificent cattle property 20 K west of Collinsville. Tried to trace old ringer pals including Wally Grucock who fleeced me regularly at 3 card brag - I found his brother.
3. Breakfast by the pool at this campsite at Bowen - the sea again after what seemed like months in the bush.
4 Bruce and Jeannie Pott - a v experienced equine vet in Townsville for whom both Meghan and Duncan worked. Their daughter Jane visited us at Parkley Craigs.
5 Binnie outside her Townsville house and the garden where we spent 3 nights in our tent.

Carnarvon National Park

After camping at Injune campsite , we managed to get an early start arriving at the beautiful National Park before 8. Set up tent in the most comfortable of campsites and hiked way up the Carnarvon Gorge tsking in aboriginal art all the way. Had 2 days and 2 nights there before setting off for Collinsville and the coast.

1 Note the joey's leg - looks uncomfortable and dreadfully hot , but it seems to work and Mum gets around pretty well.
2 Aboriginal art going back hundreds and perhaps thousands of years.
3 Gorgeous swimming hole - otherwise billabong - temp - well ... not unlike the Lui ! Too cold for M
4 Spectacular view from high above the gorge
5 Gum tree perhaps 500 years old

Charlotte Plains to Miles

Photos from bottom
1. Leaving Reid & Robyn on the deck ` upstairs ` at Charlotte Plains
2. M with Alice and my latest 2nd cousin twice removed ( M has diff getting head round that one ) Tia.
3. M, Ted and Ann before canoe trip on Dogwood Creek right on their own property Mirrabook.
4. 3 generations , 2 nd cousin Ann ( Chookie ) with Alice and Tia.
5 Chookie and I in one canoe ( tipped with interesting results !) and M and Ted in the other ( far more skilled ).
A lovely stay in Miles ( and a great Historical Soc museum ) before heading for Carnarvon National Park

Charlotte Plains - camels

Photos from bottom up
1 M boarding small boat with Warrego River guide Lisa at start of 2 hour trip viewing a wonderful assortment of wildlife.
2 A couple of kangaroos viewing us quizically - for Gaby's benefit particularly.
3 Start of our evening and overnight Charlotte Plains camel wagon trip with CP resident cameleer Willie. Robyn offers these trips to ` homestay ` guests and Willie and a few ( in this case 7 ) of his trusty friends. He's worked with camels for 30 years catching them wild from the Simpson and other desert areas. Remarkable .
4 M making yet another 4 legged friend. Clearly an understanding here.
5 Willie explaining one of the finer points of camel wagon management and his extraordinary experiences.
6 Reid joins the 3 of us for breakfast after a night in swags under the stars by the artesian bore. Willie , also a hotel chef in earlier days, cooked us a superb dinner the night before including fresh water crayfish ( yabbies ) caught in the bore drain.
7 M getting a lesson in breaking an egg with one hand . Breakfast at 5.30 was porridge , lamb chops , fried eggs and damper with syrup. Needed it ! Went straight from there to muster Sawpit paddock ( 6,000 acres and 1600 sheep ) with aid of gyrocopter hired by Reid for the day .

Day 3 - Charlotte Plains - cattle

Photos from bottom
1 Reid and G starting the muster of the 10,000 acre ( about 15 square miles ) Tolonga paddock , full of molga trees and spinifex grass - both good cattle fodder.
2 Reid and M. M celebrating finding the first lot of cattle.
3 & 4 G nudging along ( hopefully in right direction - always had compass to hand ) 40 or so head of cattle .
5 Reid and M surveying the scene at the far end of the paddock and about 14 miles from the homestead.

day 1 , part 2 at Charlotte Plains- sheep

Phtos from bottom
1 Rustom at work after mustering a few of the 8,000 sheep on the 70,000 acre property.
2 M also at work and learning form Rustom.
3 How not to train Rustom !
4 M on motor bike . In fact she rode a quad bike most of the time . Both she found noisy and harked back to the days of the horse. How bikes though have transformed the management of these properties. Just needs more practice !
5 CP shearing sheds -one of the oldest and largest in the district. In the glory days , there were over 50,000 sheep and this shed has 12 shearing bays - 6 on each side of the shed. In thise days wool fetched £1 a pound. Changed days. Reid & Robyn , apart from contracting out work during shearing and some mustering days , run the property on their own !
6 A cold stubby as sun set - about as good as it gets . Note Catherine's car in foreground . Thank you , thank you Catherine .

Charlotte Plains - day 1 & artesian bore water

Photos from bottom up
1 Sunrise from our bedroom at CP. Early starts - up 5.30 and off before 6 on 1st morning - to the artesian bore at southern end of property and about 5 miles from the homestead.
2 The bore
3 some facts - quite amazing .
4 G in the very hot water. 5 minutes is about enough.
5 Reid dredging the bore drain