Thursday 1st August 2013 – Sandover to Mount Isa

Still no other traffic until we were well up the road.  The road travelling through very open country now often with very little vegetation.

Called into Alpurrurulam with the intention of buying an ice pole about 11am.  The community was not very inviting and when we had trouble finding the store we decided to press on.  Passed Lake Nash Station near the Queensland border.  By this stage the Sandover Highway had petered out and we were on station tracks trough to the Barkley Highway just out of Mount Isa.  The first section after the border was the worst section of the trip with numerous washouts (and sections which had been chopped up in the wet) and various sections of soft sand/bulldust.

The countryside through here is very dry and we passed a number of windmills and tanks where cattle were congregating.  Not a lot for the poor things to eat.

Very dry after the Queensland border

Pulled off the side of the road for lunch and soon after discovered Matador Dam (on Barkley Downs Station and on Gum Creek),  Amazing to find a dam of this size on a station.  Lots of ducks and some black swans and pelicans. While we were stopped on the dam wall for a photo shoot a station vehicle came by.  Had a quick chat to the driver who has land near Casino so could fill us in how much rain we have had at home.  It’s a small world!!

And then we find this oasis at Matador Dam

Arrived at Jem and Nat’s about 4pm and found them out in the front yard having a picnic.  Set up the camper in their front yard.  Isaac and Hunter thought it looked like a pretty good cubby!  They were also very happy to have someone else to play with – roll them the ball etc.  The boys were a bit confused to start with Jill looking a lot like Nanny Wendy and she got called Nanny regularly during our stay.  Baby Hunter didn’t miss out on a cuddle either.

Dinner tonight was a delicious chicken stir-fry cooked by Jem.