Continuing our journey north from the Devil's Marbles we eventually arrived at the Three Ways Roadhouse some 25Kms north of Tennant Creek where appropriately enough we turned right and headed for the coast some 1,500 kms away. A distance we covered in just 3 days, arriving at Townsville, on the Queensland coast on 10th February. As you can see below this is a beautiful place where Christine was to meet up with her penpal of some 40 years standing. It is also the place where we experienced our first ever true Aussie prawn barbie. Brilliant.
Departing Townsville on 12th Feb we headed towards Airlie Beach and a wildlife park run by Rob Bredl, the Barefoot Bushman (he had a series on UK TV in about 1999.) Below is Rob feeding one of his aligators and you can see evidence that Christine willingly handled a real live snake.
Although we don't have photographic evidence, we were fortunate, at this time, to be travelling about 2 days ahead of some severe weather. In fact almost every place we had been through suffered torrential rain and flooding approximately 48hrs after our leaving.
In the next couple of days while continuing to head south along the coastline we deviated slightly inland to Mount Morgan where we hoped to see, and perhaps ride on, the Dee River Railroad. Unfortunately, it was closed, undergoing renovation. However, we managed to have quite a good chat with the chap in the information office, an ex-Londoner, who had emigrated to Aus on a £10 passage in 1965 and who had now retired to Mount Morgan.
Before leaving, we had a wander around the small town and a visit to the local museum before I took my life into my hands by using a rather delapidated swing bridge, as shown on the left, which Christine flatly refused to go anywhere near.
Leaving Mount Morgan behind we headed back toward the coast over the gentle hills of the Dawson Range until we once again struck the Bruce Highway and turned South heading for Miriam Vale.
17th February, saw us passing through Gin Gin where we stumbled across a small museum and narrow gauge steam engine.
