CALLIOPE TO MOREE

CALLIOPE TO MOREE;
From St Lawrence we headed to Rockhampton to buy an air filter so once we found the Nissan dealer and bought the part we headed for Calliope River which is a popular free camp by the side of the river. We found a great spot overlooking the river which was pleasant. Once again it was very dry and a bit dusty but very picturesque. People are allowed to camp both sides of the river but fortunately it wasn’t too crowded.
The next day we drove into Gladstone to try and find the right a tool to undo the plug on the oil so Brian could change it. We visited the Marina there which is a beautiful area of lawns, playgrounds and parks as well as the boats. It was very relaxing. The tool we bought didnt fit so the oil remailed unchanged.
After leaving Calliope we headed inland towards Biloela. This is quite a lot of mining in this area so it is a thriving community. From there we headed to Theodore as there is a free camp right by the Dawson River and it even has hot showers. The countryside was very dry and drab. Theodore is a very neat little town and as you enter there is an avenue of palm trees. It was Sat when we arrived and the shops are closed and the town deserted.
The next day we went to Glebe Weir which is a popular spot for fishing and water skiing. Well what a shock we got to find the weir had virtually no water in it. However there was one benefit. There was only one other person there so it was very peaceful. The bird life was amazing and as we were 25kms from the highway it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. There was a large flock of emus grazing in the next paddock and lots of white cockatoos and galahs. A blossom tree was covered in large native bees as well as attracting butterflies and honeyeater birds.
A strong wind blew up the next morning which made it very dusty. As we were camped under a tree we moved to a safer spot that was grassy and we had a quiet day.
After leaving there we continued our journey south through a lovely little town called Taroom. In the main street is the Leichardt Tree where the explorer Ludwig Leichardt carved his initials in a tree on his one of his explorations. It is a massive tree but of course you can’t see the initials as it has grown over. It is the pride of the town.
Continuing south we passed through Miles. There is the most amazing Heritage Village here. You can walk into the post office, the bank, the grocery store, the hospital, the school, the barber, the butcher, the bakery, etc. Each one is set up as it would have been in the early days. If you ever pass through Miles make sure you visit this wonderful exhibiton and be prepared to spend hours there.
We found another free camp out of Condamine which is on the Condamine River. The reflections in the evening were beautiful. It was really cold that night so we knew we were heading south for sure – back to jumpers and jeans!!
We had an early start the next morning for the run to Moree. We stopped in Goondiwindi for a coffee. What a delightful town this is on the Queensland border.
When we arrived in Moree, I went into the hot artisan pools which are in the caravan park. They are very popular as the mineral waters are very good for you and supposedly help with arthritis and other aches and pains.
Tomorrow Jenny and Doug arrive in their new caravan and we will spend a few days with them before heading home.
This will be a great end to a wonderful trip On the Way to Anywhere.