TOD Tour 2.0 Day 31 - Clouds & Cruises

The Morning Glory

It was a day of extremes, with wonderful experiences at either end of the day.

One of the natural wonders we hoped to catch, was a cloud formation which moves in over the southern end of the Gulf of Carpentaria in the early morning, called The Morning Glory. You have to have the right weather conditions for it to happen, which the lady at Ash's explained to us. This morning seemed to fit the bill, so we were up at sunrise, which for me was no more than a daily occurrence but for Sue was a major effort.

Sure enough, a long, continuous cloud stretched from as far as we could see to ... as far as we could see! It just gradually rolled on over us and head inland where it began to dissipate. It wasn't perhaps the greatest example of a Morning Glory but it was never the less what we were hoping to experience.

We went into Karumba for another coffee at the Wild Fish Cafe. Afterwards, we watched them feeding the barramundi in the big pond at the Barramundi Discovery Centre. They cast pellets onto the water surface, causing the fish to strike at the surface. If it wasn't enough watching these big fish rolling about the surface, next came a flight of Whistling Kites - perhaps ten or twelve of them - who swooped on the surface to also grab the pellets for a feed, eating them mid flight as they prepared for the next swoop. It was an aerial ballet, choreographed by some natural instinct and complete with those haunting calls they make.

Fish and chips at Ash's for lunch and then bummed out for the afternoon.

Late afternoon, we joined a cruise by Crab & Croc Cruises, which took us the short distance back up the Norman River to the port. There was lots of information about the history of the port and the various stages of infrastructure that have supported it. During WWII, it was a base for The Black Cats, a Catalina Flying Boat Squadron and before that, Sunderland Flying Boats use to land and refuel in Karumba as part of the route from Sydney to London. They would land on the river, water taxi to the boat ramp, drop their wheels and run up the steep ramp to a hangar at the top. The Federal government constructed two large buildings for passengers and crew, with a restaurant and sleeping quarters.

We also got to watch a Jabiru (Black Necked Stork) at close quarters. on the bank of the river.

The skipper turned seaward - or is that gulfward - and we zipped out through what is still a fairly shallow channel of 4 metres deep, to a sand island 7kms off shore, where we de-camped to watch the sunset. The viewing treat was accompanied by drinks and prawns and other delicious additions. Too many cameras and with enough sunset shots, we just enjoyed the experience rather than recorded it. On the way out, we saw two fledgling sea eagles sitting on a nest originally built by an osprey. The osprey like a high nest and often pick the tops of lit channel markers.

We slept well.

Click for today's photos

TOD Tour 2.0 Day 28 - Karumba Sunset

Sunset at Karumba Point

Burke Development Road - Burke & Wills Roadhouse to Karumba Point, 269km (3828km)

We slept well on the gravel at the back of the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. Correction: the van was on the gravel. Our bed was soft and warm.

Early enough, we bid our neighbours goodbye. A Kiwi couple, they shredded a fan belt about 90ms south of B&W, owing to the failure of unit which keeps the belt under tension. That was four days ago. They were still waiting on the parts arriving by courier from Townsville, 900kms away. He kept cheerily saying to passers by, "oh well, its all part of the experience".

The road north is in better shape than it was when we toured in 1995. Back then, most of it above the Roadhouse was single lane black top. When oncoming vehicles approached, you both got half off, half each on the road. When trucks came along, you just got right off the road. Now, more than half of it has been converted to two way, good quality bitumen, with sections of one lane, however there is still about 60kms before Normanton which is all single lane. Today, no trucks!

The early stage of the drive was marked by the emergence of termite mounds in the paddocks on either side of the road. Thousands upon thousands of them. Many were about knee height but some extended to almost full man-sized. They stand there eerily like a derelict graveyard whose ancient graves are so neglected they have eroded to the point of almost human shape, perhaps more like zombies. Its quite unsettling scooting past them at pace.

The 183km to Normanton was reached in a little over two hours. As is our custom, we found a good place for hot chocolate (there is less and less decaf available), snapped a shot of the Purple Pub and saddled up for the last leg to Karumba.

The bird life started to get interesting, with large flocks of what we took for Brolgas beginning to appear in the low clay pans that make up much of the distance between Normanton and Karumba. We later accurately identified them as Sarus Cranes. Our mistake was understandable as they are very similar. However, Sue spotted two Jabiru (Black Necked Stork) and I jagged one close to Karumba Point.

We soon settled into our digs, right out at the end of Karumba Point and after setting up, did a quick drive around re-orienting ourselves and then took a drive into Karumba, itself. A few jobs done, another recky and then back to the Point.

The highlight of the day was sunset. It was beautiful in its own right, but it rekindled one of the warmest memories our children have - and us - of that 1995 Australia Under Canvas Tour. Like then, we purchased barramundi and hot chips and went to the beach to watch the sunset. It was sensational. Hopefully readers will think so too when they review today's pictures. You wouldn't think it possible to make lightning strike twice but we not only succeeded but also linked the two events.

Click for today's photos

We retired to the pub, not a hard task given that it overlooked the same scene just three hundred metres away and perched as we had been, at the back of the beach. A couple of beers and a front row seat of the last of the changing colours above the horizon would have been enough, but the Barking Owl which swooped on a moth and then sat a few metres away on the branch of a tree eating its meal, certainly put the icing on the cake.

We love the road for all its varied days it throws up but days like today are the ones that bring you back.