TOD Tour 2.0 Day 8 - Rolleston to Emerald

Roma to Emerald: 492km (total 1448km)

Rain!

Unexpected pitter patters started during the early morning hours and would continue for much of the day as we shifted camps from Rolleston to Emerald. This made the pack up a little unpleasant but we took our time and shared the responsibilities. Our reward was a visit to the coffee cart in the park at Rolleston. The line ups were long but we arrived before they did.

We stopped at Springsure to look at park which is located in a long narrow band beside the road as you come into town along the Dawson Highway. We had a lovely chat with a pair of volunteers in the museum. The gentleman has spent all but three weeks of his long life in Springsure, after being born at Rockhampton. His mother was a teacher and his dad a cocky. These are the conversations we love to have when we are on the road. The lady came to Australia from New Zealand fifty years ago and agreed she would qualify as a local in another twenty years or so.

Madonna getting into
the groove

Also in the park was a stand of eucalypts planted for those who died on active service in the WWII and some large examples of petrified wood.

Of course, anyone who has been to Springsure knows the main attraction. A stop just outside of town along the Gregory Highway, a roadside stop now used as a free camp by travelers, positions you to view a large section of rock face - part of the abrupt mountains that dominate Springsure. Looking down on us was the Virgin Mary, cradling baby Jesus. I reckon you need to have a good imagination to make out the image but what ever floats your boat.

On to Lake Maraboon, about twenty kilometres from Emerald. Our campsite looks down on what is left of the lake, which is currently at around 20%.



We drove into Emerald during the afternoon, Sue gathering ideas at the information centre and catching up with some of the public art. A large metal sculpture of a dragon ( the real type not the puff type) created by a welding apprentice sits at the front of the information centre but it was the giant art easel with Van Gogh "Sunflowers" towered 25 metres above a former sports oval and is one of three by artist Cameron Cross - the other two being in Canada and Kansas. It was brilliant!

Click for today's photos

We returned to Lake Maraboon and went to the viewing platforms over the Fairburn Dam. Lots of work is continuing to make advancements to the dam after the 2008 Emerald flood as a result of the dam over spilling.

Three nights at our current spot, exploring an area we no little about.