State of Origin in Gayndah at Alyson and Bram’s Grand Hotel was very fun, especially with Queensland’s supremacy in the first game of the series! Al and Dave (and Alyson) are staunch Blues supporters though, so not too happy. Dinner was delicious as usual, Bill is a great chef – we thoroughly recommend the honey prawns and salt and pepper calamari.

Before we left for Springsure next morning, I did my usual run out past the golf course, very pleasant on such a cool morning. It warmed up during the day though. At Cracow we stopped to look at the Mining Museum and Al renewed his acquaintance with the famous Fred Brophy at his pub. He was very pleased to see Al, and made us all a cup of coffee. Miranda and I fell in love with his dogs, very indulged and given the run of the pub. Buck, the red cattle dog, was rescued from an unkind owner and is now happily in charge of security. Maybe I might have go home via Cracow to pick Buck up!

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Please can I come home with you?

Fred has the boxing tent set up at the back of the pub, and he said that while it is there, the police never have to deal with fights around the town – they work out their aggression in the ring. The town’s population is swollen by the big gold mine nearby.

Miranda and I went for a short run in Springsure, after a quick camp pack-up with rain threatening. We headed to Emerald for breakfast (nothing around at Springsure) then parted company when they set off for Longreach to catch up with friends. We went up the Belyando towards Charters Towers, a long haul of 587km for the day. I hate travelling for so long, but there is ABSOLUTELY nothing in between. Originally we had planned to go up to Hughenden through Muttaburra (home of the Muttaburrasaurus, a 100 million year old dinosaur skeleton), but very unseasonal winter rain had closed the road and we were forced to go the sealed road route.

Side note: Since we had arrived in Emerald early, and to make up to me for having a long drive ahead, I was allowed to spend a half hour in an op-shop. Success! – three items of clothing, all name-brands, and a lovely heavy glass for my Scotch and soda.

It must have rained recently around Belyando Crossing because there was green grass about 50km  before and after the tiny little settlement. We saw big flocks of brolgas around a dam, and a bit later in a milo paddock – no doubt that was the attraction. Some emus followed us for a while.

Anyway I did get to drive a couple of hundred kms this time (Al must have been tired, usually he always wants to drive). 587km later we set up camp at Charters Towers, a caravan park where we had camped several times before. A massive storm came through during the night, but we were warm and dry in our camper despite buckets of rain. It took a few hours next morning for the canvas to dry, but now here we are at Griffo’s in Hughenden, being totally indulged as usual.