Maleny to Darwin Day 6 - Mt Isa to Threeways

Woohoo!  I'm going foreign!  Well, leaving Queensland and entering NT.  Isn't that going abroad?

This was the view from the veranda of my cabin at Mt Isa.  It was a shame to leave.


The distance to Threeways was 700 km, not the furthest I'll have covered in one day, but the one where watching the fuel tank would be most critical.  There are only two possible fuel stops - Camooweal just inside Queensland, and Barkly Homestead.  The longest leg is between these two places, at around 270 km.  This was not actually a problem but it was more important than usual to keep the tank filled.



At Camooweal.  This is not the servo, but the only slightly
grottier property next door.  There was another servo
as bad as this, abandoned.

I have to report that nothing went wrong!  I checked oil, fuel, water and tyres (yep, there were still four of the buggers) like a good driver and all was good.

The main problem has become the availability of coffee.  At Camooweal I was served by an unshaven but perfectly pleasant chap, but I saw no coffee machine.  I had to go for tea and raisin toast instead and in fact they were both excellent, belying the rather rundown air of the place.




Woohoo!  Going foreign!

At Barkly Homestead, now in the Northern Territory, the feeling was a lot more salubrious.  I was attended to by not one but TWO English girls.  Pointing out that she was a long way from home in a very remote place I asked one of them if she was enjoying herself.  Oh yes, came the reply, I was here last year and wanted to come back!
 

They don't stand out that well, but the Homestead had
old steam boilers and engines on display as decoration. 
This was not uncommon.

As I drove at 130 kph from Barkly towards to Threeways and the Stuart Highway - miles from anywhere in the bush - I saw this plume of smoke from afar.  Being a good citizen I stopped to call triple zero. 

No connection, no signal, for the first time since leaving home.  I needn't have worried though, as more and more appeared and the SES were bound to be aware of them.  I saw no signs of commotion, so perhaps they were planned burn offs.  Certainly there's been so much rain fire would seem unlikely to spread easily.

I got to Threeways at about 4 (Queensland time).  The cabin or motel room, I'm not sure what to call it, would have been OK but for the plague of insects inside as night fell.  I found that if I left the bathroom light on and nearly shut the door they gathered in there and left be in reasonable peace.  Nonetheless this was not my favourite stop over.  The 5mm gap below the door did little to deter the bugs, and this was the only time I was asked for a key deposit.  The only TV channel available was Channel 1!

With time to kill I nipped down to have a look at Tennant Creek as it was only about 25 km away.  No photos.  I got there and kept driving till I found somewhere to turn round and go straight back.  It was very depressing - lots of bottle shops and people just standing around aimlessly.  It wasn't threatening, just very uninviting and really quite sad as the town buildings and layout were potentially quite pleasant.

Tomorrow, Mataranka.  I'm under orders from Barb to take pictures of the hot springs.