Brisbane to Barcaldine

Our first two days on the road have seen us hurry along more than usual because we need make up for our delayed departure. We need to be in Mount Isa in a few days time. Despite this time constraint, we chose to take a more interesting but more challenging drive than a direct line up the Bruce Highway would have been. We took the D'Aguilar to Yarraman and then turned onto the Burnett stopping at Biloela for our first night.

The Burnett is an easy road to drive as well as being interesting with hilly parts as well as flat stretches. We stopped for lunch beside the Burnett River at Gayndah.

 

While researching for this trip I gained a lot of useful information from many dif.ferent on the road blogs so I will include some information that may be useful to other travellers. We arrived at Biloela a little ahead of dark and easily found the Discovery Holiday Park on Valentine Plains Road. While we didn't see much of the Park, the staff were very helpful finding us an ensuite site, the drive through sites being full.

After an early start the next morning we were soon zipping along  the Capricorn Highway, stopping for brunch at the roadhouse at Duaringa. On other trips we learned not to order a meal each and again, one big breakfast between the two of us was more than enough! So fortified, we carried on to Emerald where we visited the Information Centre on the western side of the town. We had been there on a previous trip and, again, the information on offer was excellent.

Onwards we went, stopping briefly at Alpha for diesel and a quick cup of tea at a lonely roadhouse. The facilities here were excellent and inccluded showers.

Our arrival at Barcaldine, after another day of travelling over 600 kms, was again just before dark. I soon learned that it is pronounced Bar-cal- din or Barky for short!

Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine

Barcaldine is famous for the Tree of Knowledge, a Ghost Gum, now dead after being poisoned in 2006. It is a symbol of the 1891 Shearers Strike which gave birth to the Australian Labor Party.

Barcaldine

This C pattern windmill was built in 1917 and erected on the first free flowing bire east of Barcaldine. the slightest puff of wind will move the 27ft [ 8 metre] blades.

Tomorrow we move on to Winton, our next stop.