Eggbert's Travels

Thursday 30^th March 2017

SHE SAID:

NO RAIN; Charters Towers here we come.

It was a 500km+ day to get up the Gregory Highway to Charters Towers, with a couple of low sections of the road covered in shallow water. Not enough to be of any concern, but we did let others through first, just to be sure!

About ½ way along this stretch was the Belyando River, a large river, which according to the roadhouse owners was rising. But there is a big bridge here, so there was no drama.

We got to the Dalrymple Tourist Park about 5pm; later than our usual arrival time but it is good to be past all the possible flood areas now.

   

A couple of road signs in Sapphire

We never found out what this sign was all about!

Geoff rescued this critter out of the caravan boot - it must have been sheltering from the rain!

Highway just out of Emerald

The creek that's flooded the road

Second flooded section near Clermont

Cleaning the bottom of the ute & caravan!

Fuel road train

The Belyando River & Roadhouse

Diesel was $1.52 p/l & a maximum of $30 worth

of fuel allowed per vehicle

Sprinklers at dusk

Crescent moon & sunset

HE SAID:

We decided that we'd had enough of Sapphire after 5 days. The cyclone had passed and the skies had cleared, so our next problem was the possible continuing rise of waterways that may cut the roads.

After checking the available online sources and ringing the Belyando Roadhouse for a situation report there, we packed up and shipped out. It seems that there were only minor amounts of water over roads on our planned route, so we took it easy and had a long but problem-free drive North.

Our arrival at the van park in Charters Towers was much later than what we usually aim for, but given that Cyclone Debbie had altered many thousands of people's plans over the last few days, we are happy to have got off so lightly.