 |
| The yellow "Pins" indicate where we spent at least one night |
We didn't exactly "walk" about, but shamed our 2001 Toyota RAV4 to carry us, as we made an epic (for us) journey around the entire Continent/Island/Country called Australia, leaving Shakedown to take care of herself on her mooring at Crab Creek for the three and a half months it took us to cover some 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers). The car had 20th birthday in Perth. What started out to be a rather short run from Tin Can Bay to Brisbane for Christmas, Sydney for New Years, and perhaps Melbourne, got radically altered by another border closure between Queensland and New South Wales for a small Covid outbreak. So we stayed in Brisbane through New Years and began our trip back to Tin Can Bay... BUT WAIT! There's more! We got started north on the M1 out of Brisbane and on a whim, decided to hole up 80 kilometers north at Glass House Mountains, which we had wanted to see anyway. We found a really sweet B&B, Jen's Getaway, and had a think. We saw an opportunity to cross off the very last of Hal's Bucket List....visit Alice Springs.
Having already had the trip from Tin Can Bay straight north and back in Queensland, we plotted a course across the Queensland Outback, into the Northern Territories, and into Alice Springs. The journey then took on a new meaning...
Brisbane to Glass House Mtns 80 km(02-04)
 |
| One of the several Glass House Mtns |
 |
| Our first Iguana sighting at the picnic area |
 |
| He decided not to eat us and slithered hither |
 |
| More of the Glass House Mountains |
So, our journey began, and it got bigger and further than we'd anticipated. Just in the month of January, we visited these places:Glass House Mtns to Roma 466 km (04-06)
 |
| The RAV gets new headlights installed in Roma |
 |
| Bottle Tree |
Roma to Blackall 487 km (06-07)
Blackall to Winton 292 km (07-08)
Famous for "Waltzing Matilda"
 |
| "Crocodile Dundee" Pub |
 |
| Bit of a fire along the way |
Winton to Mt. Isa 368 km (08-16)
 |
Fruit bats heading off for feeding - viewed from
our front porch |
 |
| Where we quarantined 4 days |
 |
| Mount Isa from the lookout |
 |
| Getting "lost" in the outback |
 |
| Our 2nd "quarantine" hotel in Mt. Isa |
 |
A new friendship bloomed.
Nancy and Lynette (Minnie) |
Mt. Isa to Barkley Northern Territory 450 km (16-17)
 |
| Northern Territory "mascot" |
Barkley to Alice Springs 719 km (17-20)
 |
| Devil's Marbles |
 |
| Here too |
 |
| If you look hard, Nancy's in the photo |
 |
| A Bucket List fulfillment! |
Alice Springs to Erldunda 200 km (20-22)
Erldunda to Ayers Rock 268 km (21)
Ayers Rock to Erldunda 268 km (21)
Erldunda to Tennant Creek 707 km (22-23)
 |
| A UFO up there? |
 |
| Front wheel well skirts ripped out |
 |
| The largest termite mound in Oz |
Tennant Creek to Katherine 675 km (23-25)
 |
| Rail to nowhere |
Katherine to Darwin 317 km (25-31)
 |
| Downtown Darwin |
 |
| Snake and chicken dinner |
 |
The weather for our time in
Darwin |
 |
| HAD to get this T-shirt |
We celebrated our 71st birthdays at the end of the month in Darwin. It was a busy and enjoyable journey from Brisbane to Darwin. In the next part, we'll continue with our Darwin experience and beyond.
Meanwhile, it's the 8th of May today, and we will be boarding a flight back to the USA this evening out of Brisbane. Shakedown is in Bundaberg and up for sale, the RAV4 is sold to our good friends Adrian and Christine, and our bags are packed and ready to go. This blog will be updated with Parts 2 and 3 of our "walkabout" after we get to the States. Cheers!
