Mountains and Termite Mounds

It makes total sense that Mt Isa may have something to do with mountains. Why was I surprised?

I have been absolutely amazed by the variation in the landscape. Not having been much further inland than Roma, I had assumed that once you had got over the range you were in flat land forever. I know from my knowledge of geography that I could have identified mountain ranges in the Centre, but somehow that hadn't sunk into my consciousness that they atually exist. The changing colours and contours have been an eye-opener. From mesas (or jump-ups as they are called here) to hills to mountains to full blown ranges, the scenery changes constantly.

I know that it is extremely difficult to take a photo of a mountain range - and definitely impossible with a small digital point-and-shoot. However, that didn't slow me down at all. I stopped constantly to take photos of rocks, clumps of rocks, and rocky outcrops. The type of terrain changed within a few minutes of travel. Being such arid country means that the rock formations are rarely obscured by vegetation. In fact, many of the hills and ridges are dotted with stunted trees, looking like something a child would draw to cover the surface of a painting.

And talking about painting, when I was in Quilpie I visited the gallery of Lyn ??. I loved her work especially her pastels which were thick and rich with colour. When I think of pastels, I am taken back to primary school with the grey art books and pastels which I wrapped in paper because I couldn't stand the feel of them. I have a new appreciation of the medium and the quality of colour which can be achieved. Photos to come.

Although they are not the huge mounds I have seen in the Northern Territory, there are thousands of termite mounds, of all colours depending on the land around them.  I am adding a couple of photos of deep rusty red mounds in the afternoon sun. Spectacular!

Seeing Stars

A trip to the Cosmos Centre in Charleville is something that should be on everyone’s list. We had an entire day there and just scratched the surface. It is possible to have individualised tours but we found the standard sessions were enough. (I must tell you Anna, that you and Lionel are remembered there. I’m not sure if that is a good thing.)

We began with sun viewing. Through special eclipse glasses, the sun looked not much brighter than the moon. But through the telescope, it was a different matter. We could see sunspots and solar flares. The flares seemed like wispy threads. You know how they say, ‘You should have been here yesterday’? Well, apparently we should have. During the sun viewing that group saw a flare that was approximately 150 000 km long and visible for a couple of hours – long enough for all the staff to have a look and to notify other centres.

A couple of hours of self-guided browsing gave lots of information. Cory is very methodical and had to press every button and listen to every video. We were well prepared then for the night viewing sessions. We went outside with a guide initially and were given an introduction to the night sky. Then a preparatory video was followed by viewing outside through four telescopes. There was a perfectly clear sky and the moon hadn’t risen – ideal viewing conditions. You’d think we’d be ‘starred out’ by then. However, we were given some homework. We have been out each night locating certain stars. Once we have them under control, we’ll learn some more.

Twice we have seen a satellite while we were star gazing. The other night we had just seen one and, within a few minutes another two. We were pretty impressed. Later I realised that the second two were moving in the wrong direction to be satellites. They were probably planes at maximum height heading for Singapore. 

Photos

Lessons from a fellow traveller

Life has many lessons to teach - and the teacher may not be who you expect.

 I have learned:

You don't have to suggest to a nine-year old to have a LONG hot shower at a caravan park. He is going to disappear for just long enough to be a worry. He was going to take a long shower anyhow.

Camp kitchens almost always have a television set, usually tuned to sports. A child who has the patience to wait can flick to cartoons eventually. Don't send that child to make a couple of slices of toast and expect him back in less than half an hour.

Camp fires are magnets, not only for kids. Set up a fire and someone will come and rearrange it, explaining how it should be done. Expect everyone in the vicinity to drift over to your fire. It can be a very convivial occasion.


If you let a child sleep in his clothes just once, you are setting yourself up for many nights when he is too tired/ too hot/ too cold to change into pyjamas.

Scenery comes and scenery goes, but iPads go on forever.

When a child asks politely, 'Would it be possible to have a side of veges with my meal?' you know that he is on the verge of scurvy.

Corrugated roads are one of life's mysteries. Do you travel quickly and hit every third corrugation with triple the force? Do you drive slowly and hit every single corrugation but with normal force? Either way, anything insecure on the car will drop off onto the roadside and every filling in your teeth will fall out.And the drawers that he insisted were locked will disgorge their contents all over the floor.

A child who does't eat pasta will happily consume ravioli and spaghetti with meatballs and home cooked penne pasta with curried chicken.

Shopping sharpens maths skills. Send him off with ten dollars for food to cost about $9.50 and he has worked out before he gets to the checkout that he can get a lollipop as well without going over budget.

Check out Cory's blog as well. coryss.blogspot.com

Campfires and Kids

We spent Wednesday night in a free camp area near Colleranabri. It was a lovely large area, beautifully maintained by the Council, rather surprising as the town itself looks sad and neglected. As usual, i did a walk around my end of the camp ground and introduced myself. Cory got as far as the first group. They had a fire going and he spent the next hour poking the fire and tossing on twigs. He said later that it was the best experience of his life. Simple pleasures!

His parents may regret letting Cory travel with me. His sleeping patterns are already changing. Instead of 8.30 pm bedtime and 6 am or earlier rising, he is reading fairly late as my light is on late. He has slept in as late as 8.30 some mornings. The van has blinds, the camping areas are usually quiet and the night is very dark.

The night sky is beautiful. The Milky Way is well named with the smudge of white supporting hundreds or thousands of stars. Last night we were looking at the Southern Cross when a satellite passed between the stars. We followed its path until it disappeared about ten minutes later. This was totally serendipitous that it occurred in the few minutes that we were star gazing.

Because there are no school holidays at the moment, Cory is pretty much the only kid around. He gets remembered. In Lightning Ridge we visited the Info Centre at the beginning of our stay. A lovely bubbly lady named Di gave Cory a lot of brochures and maps and suggestions of what he really should see and do. The following afternoon when we arrived at the Opal Centre to look at opalised dinosaur teeth and opalised shells etc, she greeted him like her own grandson and took him on a personalised tour of things geared to his age.

This trip with Cory is a joy. I am amazed at how much he has added to my enjoyment. He comments on everything. Cows, horses, sheep and goats are as interesting as kangaroos and emus. He is also very quick to talk to people. Tonight (we are now at Eulo) he said, ‘We should go and speak to our neighbours in the caravans.’  It is lovely to see his confidence.

He has been like a little geologist. He happily sits in the dirt and digs, overturns rocks and scrapes away at surfaces.  He spent ages trying to get sparks by striking rocks together. Unfortunately they were more clay than rock and he had no success. With his floppy hat and fly netting cover, he looks like a real country kid.

Goondi

We  are now four days on the road and starting to get into a rhythm. Cory, who usually wakes early, has started staying awake fairly late then sleeping in until after 8am, We have a light breakfast then head off in search of coffee,

We had an overnight at Goondiwindi. We stayed at the BP rest spot - free camping with the benefit of the service station toilets and showers. There were about thirty trucks at any one time, Every few minutes one left and another one arrived. Surprisingly it was not noisy as the trucks and vans were on opposite sides of the service station. Next door was a McDonald's with a McCafe for coffee and an afternoon snack.

In the morning we had a poke around the Gunsynd museum. We had been to the river the previous day and seen the statue of Gunsynd. We also drove over the historic bridge over the McIntyre River into New South Wales. A few weeks ago I got a Tourist Card for Queensland Rural Libraries so we borrowed some books and audio books which we will return to another library - possibly Cunnamulla.

Much Later (Longreach). We have made the most of the libraries. We've been made very welcome at Cunnamulla, Thargomindah, Quilpie, Charleville and now Longreach. We have listened mainly to kids' audiobooks which I have quite enjoyed.