Townsville to near Charters Towers, QLD

Friday 11th August 2023
We headed on ourway from Townsville Eco Resort (Caravan park just outside town) and headed in to town for some adventure prepping (freeze-dried food) in case we need it in the next couple of weeks. Choices are kayak paddle or multi-day hike, so we are prepared just in case.

We then took the long way via the Kennedy Development Rd (this section was bitumen the whole way) to Charters Towers, the scenery was lovely, becoming drier the further west we went. We drove through an Army area which looked like they had done a hazard reduction burn along the roadside, this made it look a lot more barren. It was a couple of hours drive and we stopped at about 3pm at a freebie campsite called Fletcher Creek. There would have been about 50 vans here already. We decide to explore a little further up the creek in to the Dalrymple National Park. This was on the Burdekin River. We found a lovely spot (No 4) and decided to book this for the night. It was beautiful. I managed my first yoga session by the river since we have left home. It was beautiful listening to the flow of the river as I relaxed doing my yoga. David did some wandering around looking at wildlife.

We then relaxed and cooked an early dinner and watched the animals come in to visit. We saw brush turkeys, many small wallabies, a willy wagtail, black crows and we were really lucky to see an echidna. It just strolled through camp. It was so restful just watching the wildlife at home in the bush.

I am sure we will have a lovely sleep here tonight.

: lue-winged Kookaburra at Townsville Eco Resort this morning..

: ..A rainbow lorikeet feasting on the flowers..

: Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, this was just feeding in the tree near our campsite this morning..

: They closed the showers for cleening just when David was ready, so today it was swimming training in the park pool. A little to small for training benefit.

: ..we stopped at Hervey Range lookout for lunch..

: ..and disturbed an enormous Wedge-tailed Eagle having its lunch..

: ..as it flies away, its wing spand was huge..

: ..the scenery has changed as we head west, the trees are more sparse and the ground cover a lot less green..

: ..we think this is a Little Black Cormorant at Fletcher Creek..

: ..and the Little Pied Cormorant was really checking David out. He looks verey grumpy..

: ..looking up the creek with the beautiful trees on the waters edge. A nice spot for a freebie camp..

: ..as we drove in to the Dalrymple National Park, we were amazed at how many Agile Wallabies there were jumping across the road, this one was enjoying a red fruit of some kind..