Day 24 - to Camooweal and beyond - Unfinished Business

May 24, 2023

Day 24 - to Camooweal and beyond

After a big plate of porridge stuffed with sultanas and a couple of cups of tea, I was on my bike and headed for Camooweal, 85 km away, by 8.15. I pushed hard and got there by midday. Again the birds were brilliant - squadrons of budgerigars and raptores, including a brown falcon that tracked me for a km. There were a few flowering eucalypts plastered in lorikeets and honeyeaters. But none of these made me smile as much as a passing caravan on which was painted "Quality of life investigaters".

This morning I passed the turnoff to Riversleigh, the famous fossil site

Unfortunately, I saw a dead wedgetail; they just don't get into the air quickly.

A dead wedgetail eagle. The close relatives of the golden eagle feed on roadkill and become victims themselves

💭Thousands of termite mounds. They're Australia's main herbivore!

I found Camooweal rather depressing. It had a sense of hopelessness, at least for me. There’s no real shop. I paid $6 for a can of baked beans in the post office. I went into the fancy looking pub and came straight out again unsure of whether it's a pub or casino.

I found these water tanks rather artistic

With conditions so good there's a lot of movement of livestock across W Qld.

That's 53 m of roadtrain loaded with cattle

I crossed the river leaving Camooweal and from there it was just 12 km to the QLD-NT border and the mandatory red tie photo. I stood among toilet paper and broken glass as the bullet- riddled sign peered down on me. Welcome to the NT!

The river at Camooweal - lots of waterbirds and a couple of brolgas. The sign has gone so I must look up its name. I did not see a dry creek or river today

It was a long way across Queensland. Main difference: the number of flies.

There was hardly a tree after Camooweal but once again I found a small cluster of them that gave me a sheltered site and a cooking fire. I could live with 147 km for the day.

Today's ride: 147 km (91 miles)
Total: 2,808 km (1,744 miles)

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John GrantI've got very strong memories of that country just across the boarder. So flat and open, it's easy to feel lonely, it must be like cycling at sea !
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10 months ago

Ian WallisTo John GrantJohn
Pleased to revive your memories. I am cycling through in charmed times. There's even flood damage on the road and any patch of water has white necked herons in numbers I've seen rarely. The place is alive and that makes cycling easy for me.
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10 months ago