No hats or gloves in bed, definitely warmer. Left site at 8.50am, bakc onto Plenty HWay, just after 10 stopped for coffee having travelled 70km without seeing another vehcile. Continued on for a bit when Colin pulled to side of raod,we have a problem. The spring hangar on the nearside has got detached from the chassis.
Colin managed by using the towing strap and a small strap attached to a ratchet to move the axle forward, then using a hammer and cable ties got the exhaust away from the tyre, after 90 mins when only 2 vehcicles stopped to make sure we were ok, we drove at 25kph to Jervois Station 40 kms east of us, hoping they have welding equipment. Nearly 2 hours later arrived at Staion, booked in and explained the problem to lady owner, she said she would talk to her husband that night when he came in from mustering. Set up camp, we have showers, toilets, drinking water and plenty of food, there is also a payphone. Jervois Station covers over 2700 square kms and they farm beef cows, some of which wander through the camp in the evening, it is also a weather staion for the Bureas of Meteorology.Site soon filled up with campers and also people coming in for fuel (diesel $2.13). Not such a cold evening.
8 July Sunday
Woken by fellow campers up very eraly packing away, even though they din't leave till nearly 9am. Lady owner drove up to tell us that husband should be back this arvo to look at Lrover. We are the only ones left in the camp but lots of vehicles coming for fuel. Colin put his cruffs on and jacked LRover up, he managed to get the spring hangar off and cleaned up, it just needs welding back on :), he checked the offside but that appears to be ok. 6pm and no sign of anyone. After dinner rang Laurie from payphone, and explainednthe problem, it seems Dodzee is in Longreach and was hoping to meet up with us, Laurie had Dodzee on the other phone talking between us, plan is for us to ring Alice to find out cost of recovery from there and Laurie/Dodzee will do the same their end and we will speak tomorrow afternoon to decide what we will do. Rose feels much better knowing that Laurie is there to help us.
9 July Monday
We are getting warm temp 12 deg in LRover. We decided to catch up with writing journal onto computer today and a few other chores. There is nothing to do here. Just after 8am Colin was told he could use the workshop, things are looking up. Colin spent all day making plates for welding, one of the workmen Luke (2 dogs), he had already helped with advice, said he would be back at 6pm to do the welding. There are campers coming in from Tobermory saying they've had rain and road is muddy, later on heard a Road Train had got stuck and a camper trailer gone over, The Plenty is closed at Tobermory. Denise the station owner came over with a weather report, there is more rain coming from the east in a few days and the road is definitely closed, looks like we may have to go back. Spoke to Laurie and he told us if we could get to Mt Isa Dodzee's son Daniel might be able to give the Landrover a once over to make sure everything ok. Luke came and spent a couple of hours welding, it doesn't look pretty but it is strong.
Got back to tent at 9pm and straight to bed, very tiring day. Rang Laurie and told heim we were acktracking and would ring again when we could.
10 July Tuesday
Fellow campers up and away very early, we think one blloke will be going through the closed road. Slowly packed away, Denise came up to tell us road from Tobermory now open so that is where we are heading, rang Laurie and left a message to let him know. Went to settle bill and were charged $150 which we thought was good. Left site heading east, road quite good and firm in places
but then you hit some soft sand, when you get to a crest the views are amazing. We even went through roadworks. Made good time and arrived at Tobermory station
just after 1pm. The campground closed in 2007 and reopened in May this year, as a duty of care as asked by the authorities, it is a nice site only thing no phone. Road to Boulia is still a bit messy but road via Urandangi to Mt Isa is clear, so hope no more rain. the site does have a noise problem with hundreds of Gallahs and a generator at night but we've got ear plugs. Camp hosts Steph and errol came and sat with us for a while before the rush started and it soon filled up. Lovely hot shower and bed.
11 July Wednesday
Earplugs are a good invention, slept right through. Tent wet due to fog, hopefully won't take too long to lift. Left site just before 10am QLD time. Errol showed us short cut to Urandangi track, the dirt road is very smooth just like the last part of the Plenty. Then Colin found the mudholes, he even managed to get mud on the windscreen, he had fun. Landscape is getting more barren with very few trees. Passing quite aq few cows which move quickly off the road. Stopped at the Dangi Pub for a cuppa and sausage roll, chatting to Pam we were told we were the 3rd vechicle through that day, as we were leaving a Landrover 110 TD5 pulled in so Colin had a bit of a chat. After our muddy adventure the fan has stopped working. Arrived on the bitumen at 2pm and it is 28 degrees, at one stage nearly ran out of trees
in the landscape, very barren,
on the Diamantin Developmental Road straight into Mt Isa.Found the visitor centre and they gave us a list of caravan parks, we chose Sunset caravan Park and arrived just before 4pm to find only 2 spaces left on unpowered area, beside the creek, booked in for 2 nights. Put up tent and had dinner out of cans, rang Laurie to fill him in on our adventures. Still 20 deg when we went to bed.
12 July Thursday
Up early, laundry done. Rang Repco to see if they had a water pump, they did, when we arrived wrong one but they have orderd one for tomorrow from Townsville. Back to site and we've booked a further 2 nights and asked if we could move pitches to be in the sun, no probs, threw everything in Landrover and carried tent approx 100 metres. Colin has bonnet up, fan now working, washers now working. Rose is cleaning Landrover trying to get rid of the dust, even washed the curtains. Finally sat down after a hot power shower, checking emails and updating security on computer. It is still warm but more cloud than blue sky.
13 July Friday
FRIDAY FACT - HARRY AND ELLIE WILL BE 6 TOMORROW
Warm night, met and English girl in camp kitchen who is now living in Oz with Ozzie partner and child, she worked in Northampton for a couple of years but lived in Rothwell, another small world moment. At 9.45 got a call to say water pump has arrived so scooted inot town to pick up and do a bit of shopping before returning to camp for Colin to fit part and Rose to upload photos to blog. Colin had to also change the fan belt which had been damaged due to the water pump moving. Rose spent hours uploading the photos, wifi very slow, so caught up with correspondence as well. Had message from Emma, it will be ok to Skpye tomorrow for the birthday kids, looking forward to it. Vehicle now back in one piece. Few clouds and some drops of rain, but not enough to get wet. BBQ Pork chops for dinner filled the plates. Just read for a bit after dinner, both tired.
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