Day 7 Barkly Homestead to Daly Waters Pub

Day 7 Barkly Homestead to Daly Waters Pub

We managed to navigate out of the Barkly Homestead campground without running over the gaggle of peahens that had chosen that moment to wander across the exit gate. In fact the birdlife around the homestead seemed to have a death wish, with several kamikaze squads of parrots and galahs swooping in front of our car as we sped along making both the driver and passenger flinch ready for impact. Luckily they have the timing just right and slip unharmed over the top of the car. We didn't see many dead bird bodies strewn on the road, so presumably this is just a fun thing they do to scare motorists. It seems to work.

We reach the junction where the Barkly highway meets the Stuart Highway and pulled into the Threeways roadhouse to fill up with petrol again. We're taking care to fill up regularly so we don't have an embarrassing run-out-of-fuel in-the-middle-of-nowhere episode (carrying an extra jerry can too .... you can't be too careful).

Three Ways Roadhouse....expensive petrol, captive market

Triple roadtrain....sometimes there's four!

John checks the tyres

We were pleased we'd chosen to stay at the Barkly Homestead rather than Threeways. So much nicer there. We found decent enough coffee at Threeways (although John might argue that point) but it lacked atmosphere and had a dingy feel to the place.

Not half as dingy as Elliot though. We had been forewarned by our next door neighbour in Maleny not to stay there and I can see why. It is a sad looking Aboriginal community. One wonders what they do there? It looked dirty and depressing and the loos! Well needs must ... but try to hold on rather than stop if you can. (And price of jam! John was shocked and stunned.)

We realised that it was going to be too big a push to get to Mataranka to stay overnight, so after consulting our travel guide we decided to call in at the Daley Waters Pub and stay at the campsite there. It's a 3km diversion off the main highway, but well worth it to experience rustic outback charm.

The Daly Waters Pub

The servo

John books in

The bar festooned with stuff

Every surface covered

The pub itself is amazing! The walls are covered in a myriad of bras, footy guernseys, hats, business cards .... you name it, it's there somewhere. It's busy and lively and also has a happy hour with entertainment tonight. Our pitch is right next door to the entertainment, separated only by a colurbond fence.  So convenient! We're under the shade of a tree that seems to be a favourite with the local birdlife. We'll probably have bird shit on the roof and be woken in the morning by the dawn chorus .... but who cares? This is livin'!

Barb lovin the pub

Before the entertainments started over the fence we were serenaded with loud country music by our camp neighbours .... a couple of men with highly colourful, though ultimately of limited vocabulary, language. They also like to singalong to Slim Dusty and are steadily drinking themselves drunk .... or hopefully to sleep.

Great musical entertainment

people at the pub

Thong decor

Barb was rather taken with the method employed to see us to the correct site within the camp. We arrived at this gate (not that gate) to be met by a ragged, bearded apparition riding a dilapidated push bike with a horse - well, a soft toy version - on the handle bars.  He cycled off at a decent pace and we followed.  It seemed to work!

 

This strange guy guided us to our campsite

Five star? Maybe not....but quirky in spades