From lighting ridge Bel and I crossed the border into south west Queensland and started the long journey back toward the coast. There were long straight stretches of road and large distances between towns. We covered about 550km the first day passing lots of road trains, grey nomads, and road kill – the usual kangaroos, but also 4-5 dead pigs!
We passed through Hebel and made our first stop at St George. Another regional farming town, on the Balonne river, with cotton being the main product – we suspected this as there was loose cotton on the side of the road for about 50km as we drove in.
We stopped for 2 nights in Dalby, using the extra day to do a quick bike ride around town, top up supplies and I got a haircut. I don’t have much to work with these days but it was the worst haircut I’ve ever had – I think she was a first year apprentice and I’m pretty sure she won’t make second year.
The campground was pretty good, central and right on the river and cycleway – so very convenient. It was also nice to have grass again!
There was a bottle tree right next to our campsite – fascinating trees.
In the evening we watched the Waratahs smash the Force on the iPad, and then early to bed for the next leg.
On the road again our first stop was Kingaroy – the peanut capital. Huge peanut silos are the main feature of the town – as well as being the home of ex premier Jo BP.
As you drive there you also see a lot of prickly pear trees on the roadside which is a big reminder of the period where it dominated the landscape in this region. The land was unusable for many years until they found a moth that could bring the weed back under control.
After lunch we headed to Lake Somerset holiday park near Kilcoy. A huge mistake! We turned up and there must have been 2 thousand people camping around the lake. If you had a boat or jet ski and a boombox it would be a great place – but we didn’t and you’d be crazy to put a kayak in amongst them.
We found an empty space eventually and set up camp and just people watched for the afternoon. The next morning was Monday, end of the long weekend, and so the exodus began – there was a queue 500m long of people punching there codes in to leave the park. Once done we were left in the middle of a dust bowl, with a 40km southerly blowing straight up at us off the lake. So we zipped up the walls and watched the rest The Walking Dead season 6.
We were up early and away the next morning – couldn’t wait to leave, and neither could the crows that woke us up.
We drove through some beautiful mountain country side until we finally reached the Sunshine Coast – it was great to see the ocean again – even if it was blowing a gale!
