After a quick four days and almost 2000 km on the road, we arrived in Mt Surprise last night. The trip was quite uneventful, even the digression to Rubyvale where we were keen to look at rubies, this being our ruby anniversary year. Little did we know that there are no rubies are Rubyvale, nor in fact any red zircons or garnets which were the next option.
 |
| Roma Bottle Tree and camp at Rubyvale |
Our first night was a 'freebie' at the showground at Wallumbilla - quite adequate. We had met travelling companions Mark and Karen in Dalby for lunch after we had called in on my sister Helen and Ted in Highfields (just north of Toowoomba). I was pleasantly surprised with Dalby, as I do not remember it being as big or as prosperous looking as it appears to be today.
6th June: Wallumbilla to Rubyvale
6th June: Wallumbilla to Rubyvale
This morning it was an easy run into Roma (to check out the huge baobab tree among other things) before heading north towards Emerald. We left the flat country behind as we headed up into the Great Dividing Range. Pulling the camper trailer through this area saw our fuel consumption go up to about 15 litres/100km. Night two was spent at Ruby Vale and night three on the road beside the Cape River.
7th June: Rubyvale to Cape River
 |
| Camp at Cape River - Can you tell it was cold? |
8th June: Cape River to Mt Surprise
There is a lot of roadworks happening up this way thanks to the federal government stimulus package. Apparently, there is an effort to get a dual lane highway from Cairns following the inland route south to get the transports away from the coast. It will be a big improvement on the single lane of bitumen that still exists in places. The only option at the moment is to get right off the road when you see a road train approaching.
At Mt Surprise, we met up with Peter and Maz and Arthur and Margaret who make up our 4 car convey.
At Mt Surprise, we met up with Peter and Maz and Arthur and Margaret who make up our 4 car convey.
Today we visited the Undara lava tubes – an amazing place. This area has had a huge amount of volcanic activity with many extinct volcanoes still visible.
 |
| Kalkani Crater Rim Walk |
 |
| Undara Lava Tubes |
The lava tubes are huge underground tunnels. The remnants of a lava flow from the Undara volcano. The lava flowed down a valley, solidifying on its edges as it went. The outside hardened lava acted as a thermos keeping the inside liquid and allowing the mouton rock to pour out the end of the tunnel. Many of the tubes have now collapsed in places but one tunnel we were in today would have been 20 metres wide, 15 metres high and 128m long. Nature is pretty amazing!
