Carnarvon Gorge – Charters Towers

Heard so much about Carnarvon Gorge so can’t wait to explore. We have booked into the Big 4 Breeze. 40kms into the park, through a creek, over a rocky creek bed and we finally arrive. A lovely site against the creek. Neighbours from Gold Coast both sides. Here for 2 nights so a big day tomorrow, walk over to the reception area and watch a video of the park and gorge and few tip bits to enjoy our stay.

All geared up for our walk decide to do the 11.7kms walk. Not sure about Cameron but he says new knees should be good… we will see..

Visit the info centre and then start. The bird life is amazing, plenty of singing and flight around thoroughly enjoying the chorus.

Walked through 3 different creek beds some easy to traverse but others a little more difficult so glad for our sticks for balance.

The Amphitheater is our first to visit, and the furtherest for us. Well what can I say, yes spectacular. Quite some effort to actually reach the theatre, metal stairs to climb and it is quite cold walking through the crevice to the amphitheater.

Amazing how the sandstone has worn away to create such beauty. Wouldn’t want to be caught in a downpour as water flows down walls and out the crevice we had come through. Lunch sitting a chatting with fellow walkers. Interesting from where they had come and how far they are travelling some just here then back home others out west to Charleville and Quilpie.

After a rest, you had back the way you came, so over the creek beds again, balancing act again. We enter the turn to Moss Garden, more creek beds to traverse and rocks & stairs to climb, around a huge fig tree with its roots winding down the rock face and we are there a Grotto! Quiet & peaceful with water plowing over the rocks and the drips from the moss on the wall.. absolutely beautiful.

Spend time just sitting and listening to the water and birds, so peaceful.

Back to camp after catching up with a family on the road from Western Australia on a 11 month sojourn. Home schooling their children 7 & 10. Both parents are Paramedics. Time to pack up and and move to our next camp. We pass a memorial (wreckage of c748 Dakota aircraft on route from Darwin to Brisbane) erected by the Scouts & Venturer group of Roma, no survivors, 16 died.

We passed crops that are being feed to cattle and were interested to see what they were. Stalks in rows, Leucaena.

Pulled into Rolleston needing to fuel up as no fuel at Carnarvon Gorge. I headed to the Ladies and Cameron went wandering and for such a small town I lost him but unfortunately not for long. Essentials of bread & milk and on the move again.

Springsure a cattle town and some gem fossicking.. A Info centre in a Woolshed. Lunch and on our way.

Emerald is to be our stop for the night but as we are driving in there is a group of caravans parked against pipes into town and we are not so sure of a camp site. Rang around and sure enough no place so a suggestion was Capella some 50kms down the road. Memories of flying into Emerald some 16 years ago when Elizabeth (pregnant) & Jez lived in Blackwater and working in Coal mining.

Leaving and heading to Capella rang to make sure they had a site. 4:00 pm a late arrival for us but as we travelled an extra 50kms to find a site. Could have free camped but washing was a must so needed a park.

A lovely little town. Jodi, the park owner, informed that a happy hour at 5pm and a singer tonight.

A walking the afternoon past the Anzac memorial and light horseman.. Very interesting. Great metal work especially the horse.

Went for a drive to Tieri,the mining town ( population 732) a service centre for local coal mines and saw on the road a crop of brown seed and wondered what it was Cameron thought it could be sorghum and he was correct.

Starting our drive today early as big day 422 kms, and of course started to rain. Along the way we saw a conveyor belt along the side of the road leading from a mine.

We are heading into Clermont as need to refuel again and of course look around.

Charters Towers here we come!!!