ARC Day 13 - Richmond to Mount Isa

Beccy and crew served grab and go toasted sandwiches for breakfast, sufficient to keep us going until afternoon tea time. We had another 400kms drive today and Blue and Tilly were little angels in their crate. Before we left Richmond Tilly managed a flash escape from the van when Anita opened the door. Fortunately I was able to grab her from under the car on the next site. This was her second escape. We will try to put her on a lead or zip her into the van crate, but the risky time is when she is alone inside the van and we open the door to get back in. We can't leave her in the crate the whole time.

We followed a road train for several kilometres, travelling about 95kph. The road was not bad but there are some bumpy sections. A caravan overtook us then we watched as it overtook the road train. These vehicles are 53m long and the rear trailers tend to fishtail anything up to one metre both sides. The driver of the road train slowed down but the right hand wheels of the caravan were almost off the bitumen to keep clear of the trailers. I will keep behind road trains! 

Over the CB we heard another truck driver warning our road train driver there was a single vehicle roll-over a few kilometres east of Julia Creek. The accident occurred in an 80kph zone where the road was reasonable. Police, fire and ambulance were on the scene when we drove past.

We stopped to stretch our legs at Julia Creek and take a couple of photos. The mosaic chair is in one of the parks and the mural is on the Foodland store. The emu statue is one of many outside the information bureau.



We have seen a few dead kangaroos along the roads and today saw the carcasses of two black pigs in different locations. These feral pigs do extensive damage digging the soil. They can also be violent.

Our Roadie photographer Kerry Brisbane lives in Mount Isa. She told us what to see on the drive, and noted the exposed rocks between Cloncurry and Mount Isa are thought to be the oldest such formations in the world. My navigator/photographer took these pictures.


It was 32° when we arrived at the dusty disappointing caravan park in Mount Isa. Beccy and co struggled to find enough room to set up a small stage with enough room for all Roadies to sit with appropriate spacing. Several other park residents invited themselves to our concert and I told one couple to move away as there was inadequate distance between us. His partner then smoked nearby so we had to endure that. Beccy had planned to put on a BBQ for the final night of our ARC tour, but the facilities here are just not suitable. Instead she has hired a private function room at the pub over the road and is paying for our meals there. 


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