TOD Tour 2.0 Day 26 - Community Dinner

Community dinner, Julia Creek style

Thanks to modern technology, while Sue wandered about the town, I went to the library and completed and then lodged our tax returns. I had packed any paper work I might need before leaving and despite spending a week or more worrying about the task, it was relatively easy. Now I have closed down my business, Six Nines Imagery, I filed what will be my last tax return.

That done, we spent some time planning our next moves. Owing to our late departure from Tamworth - nearly two months beyond our original schedule - our original plan to "go over the top" will place us in jeopardy from an encroaching wet season, so we will now go north upon reaching the Territory and soak up the top end, before heading south to all points to Adelaide. Once we get there, we'll make the next decisions about whether we go west to WA or east to Tasmania. Either way, we'll be back in Tamworth mid April.

The next few weeks will be spent going up to the Gulf and Karumba and then returning back to Cloncurry, Mt Isa and on to Barkly Homestead.

Our stay in Julia Creek was rounded out with the weekly event sponsored by the local council, called the Community Dinner. On Monday nights in the tourist season - late Autumn to early Spring - the caravan park hosts a dinner put on by a community group to raise funds. For $15 you get a two course meal, with generous helpings and the company of travelers and members of the community. Tonight our dollars went to a small arts community based at Nelia population seven. You might remember Nelia as the village where the train fell of the tracks during the February flood which devastated the area. The local mayor spoke - reluctantly, believe it or not. His other role for the night was to drive the community bus and bring people from the RV park on the edge of town. It was a very relaxed night chatting with fellow travelers. Tonight they fed 87 folks but last Monday night it was 170, as Ian McNamara (Macca) was present.

Roadhouse digs tomorrow night.