Day 126: Tue 24 Aug - Kumbia to Home, 252 km; total towed: 16 919 km; total driven: 19 338 km

9-23 deg C,  rainy and miserable until we got to the Maryborough exit

It was a wet start to our last morning on the road. We couldn't even get a walk in. So, we were heading for Kingaroy at 7:15 am. We stopped at Wooroolin for breakfast and couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab a coffee from the Butcher's Café.  This was where we has mornos on Wendy's birthday about four months ago.  The coffee is still good.

Onwards we travelled through Wondai, Murgon, Goomeri, and Kilkivan. Because it was raining and we have stopped at these places many times before, we didn't stop at all.  It wasn't long before we were home on the Hippo Farm (about 11:15 am). And, then the fun began.

Fridge/freezer was unpacked pretty quickly as they were a bit bare. Then came clothes, bathroom, pantry items, etc. Sheets and blankets have already been washed and dried, ready for the next trip.

Tomorrow we shop for supplies, wash the clothes and towels, and then set about cleaning the caravan and Cruiser inside and out. Mind you, due to the rain today, the outside of the van doesn't look too bad.

 

A big thank you to our neighbours for collecting the mail and checking in on the place now and then. We are so lucky to have them.   Thank you also to our neighbour down the road for mowing and keeping the fruit flies at bay by feeding the cattle next door fallen fruit.  As soon as they saw us arrive home they immediately started calling at the fence for their fruit.  

Over the next few days we will post our highlights. lowlights, and general comments on this trip that was a little longer than four months. Considering the border closures and all, we have only arrived home 22 days earlier than originally planned.

A very wet Kumbia this morning

A very wet drive home today

. 

Day 125: Mon 23 Aug - Bollon to Kumbia, 497 km; total towed: 16 667 km

18-28 deg C, a lovely sunny day with a stiff tail/side wind for most of the day

Left our great little free camp at 7:25 am, heading for St George, another new road for us.  What a shocker, we would go as far to say that like many roads out this way, it's a disgrace.  When you consider how much money this region contributes in taxes and royalties (oil, gas, mines & agriculture) to the QLD economy, if we lived here we would be really disappointed.  Need to send some road engineers over here from the WA to teach them how to build roads.  It wasn't a huge day as far as km go, but towing a van nearly 500 km over such a rough road was draining.   However, we eventually made it, although well shaken!

Arrived at St George just in time to do a little shopping, a little wander and have mornos at a great local bakery.  Appetites satisfied, we left St George, heading for Moonie and beyond. This road was a little better than the one from Bollon to St George, but not by much. We didn't stop in Moonie this time, (which is basically a roadhouse/pub) but have done previously and threatened to when next we have to travel this way.  Although we did stop at Dalby (stayed here many times before) to refuel and have lunch.   Set off again in the direction of Kingaroy to find an overnight stop. 

We finally made camp at Kumbia, at the Apex Park donation camp. It has two sites that can connect to power, but as we don't need power nor water, we parked elsewhere. It does have toilets and showers, and a very fast Telstra connection.  Although we had driven this way many times, we've never stayed overnight here.  Well done Kumbia.

Our last night on the road and we are a bit sad, but also excited to be getting home after a little over four months away. All going well, we should be home by lunch time tomorrow.

Early morning at Bollon

Camp Bollon

Runner Ducks on Wallam Creek

Crossing the Jack Taylor Weir at St George

St George

A few murals at St George

Drive scenery today - lots of Wattles putting on a flower show

Catholic Church, Kumbia

Kumbia Hotel/Motel

Kumbia overnight spot

Day 124: Sun 22 Aug - Thargomindah to Bollon (another new road), 377 km; total towed: 16 170 km

10-32 deg C, another sunny day

After a little sleep-in and walks, we were heading out of Thargomindah about 8:30 am, with the main aim being to find gas. When we drove through Eulo, we noticed the cafe/store had a swap and go for gas, so made a stop. While we we there we also just had to have a coffee and a muffin, well it was morning tea time after all.  An interesting little town which deserved a walk around.  

Onwards to Cunnamulla where we stopped to visit the Information Centre, in particular the Artesian Time Tunnel. All the displays in the centre are very well done, and the short film about the Great Artesian Basin is also well done and easy to understand. After the visit, it was time for lunch and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try a camel burger at the cafe. The burgers were good and the meat did not taste much different to your ordinary beef patty, but had a little more depth in the taste.  Not as gamey as kangaroo though. After a short walk around the place, we headed off once more on our journey East, just a little closer to home.  

Because we now have gas, we don’t need a caravan park and decided that the Wallam Creek camp ground at Bollon was perfect.  On-site toilets and free hot showers not far away in town.  There’s plenty of water in the creek at present so the bird life is abundant, including a few very friendly feral ducks and geese.  We were set up overlooking the creek by 3:30 pm. After a cuppa, we explored the small town, which didn’t take us very long at all.   We both really love these tiny towns which go out of their way to cater for the ever increasing nomad population of this country.  

The moon was still up this morning

A lot of information

Truckies showers and toilets

A pet kangaroo

Thargomindah street art

Pub where we had our meals

Historic house at Thargomindah

Bulloo River reflections

Eulo servo/store/cafe

Diprotodon at Eulo

Eulo War Memorial/Cenotaph

Eulo Queen Hotel

Cunnamulla

Cunnamulla Artesian Time Tunnel

Displays in the Cunnamulla Info Centre

A sheep waiting to be shorn

Shearing shed model

Shearer's quarters model

Cunnamulla murals

Wallam Creek

Bollon War Memorial/Cenotaph

Bollon pub