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.

AUC 1995 - Lake Maraboon (Qld)

Lake Maraboon (Qld): 10th July.
Rolleston, Springsure (Dawson Highway) 205 kms

Our route would take us north once we reached the Carnarvon Highway, 19 kilometres to Rolleston and then on through Springsure, to Lake Maraboon.

Petrol was obtained at Rolleston and a search was undertaken for Sue's wallet - but no more needs to be said about that! It appears that her wallet still has a penchant for vagrancy and from time to time, it likes to disappear on her and lay about where it shouldn't.

Lunch was a roadside stop at a small rotunda in Springsure. The rotunda had been erected to provide shade and information for travelers in this quiet little town, nestling beneath Mt Zamia - an escarpment notable for the section on its face which resembles Mary and Baby Jesus. Weathering has taken its toll on this feature, but the likeness is as unmistakable. The town was nicknamed "The Holy City" in the late 1800's, owing to a town ordinance that saw all wagon movement in the town stopped between sunset on Saturdays and sunrise on Mondays.

After our lunch of sandwiches and a financial top up from the Post Office, it was on to Lake Maraboon and the Sunrover Caravan Park, which is south of the town of Emerald. The lake has been formed by the Nogoa River banking behind Fairbairn Dam. The caravan park was very pleasant - if a little pricey at $26 a nightfor our powered tent site. Our site was grassy, but hid some substantial rocks about half a peg depth under the surface. However, our dome tent was up and away in no time and the afternoon was soon over as tasks were completed to ensure our night was pleasant.

Feeding the Rainbow Lorikeets

Immediately prior to dinner, the children engaged in an activity more widely known to be conducted at Currumbin Bird Sanctuary at the Gold Coast. Noticing the gathering flocks of Rainbow Loriketes, the children held out scraps of bread and were soon acting as bird stands for as many as thirty birds at a time. Covered in squawking, hungry birds, they were a moving kaleidoscope of colour, as the birds hopped from head, to arms, to shoulders to hands ... all in search of a portion of bread.

Another bird also attracted our attention. A caged, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo entertained us for a long time with his combination of physical and verbal antics. Many times, he mumbled in such a way that he sounded like someone standing nearby, talking in conspiratorial tones. He also had a liberal vocabulary which included many nautical terms ... well, terms sailors would use, at least!

TODAY'S PHOTOS

During the early evening, we visited Gog and Pa's caravan and previewed the video footage we had shot to date. This was a pleasant - if crowded - family evening and we retired to the warm evening, which was in stark contrast to many of the nights at Carnarvon Gorge.