Augathella/Nindigully/Home

The road from Ilfracombe should have been called Roadkill Highway as we saw more dead roos on this stretch of road than alive ones on our entire trip. All in various states of decomposition. The drought is so bad here in Queensland that the kangaroos, Emus, wild pigs all come to the edge of the road where the water from the road runs off. It's also pretty flat and a very non descript landscape. To keep the boredom at bay, the driver (Michael or me obviously) would always acknowledge other drivers with the 'caravan wave'. A simple lift of the index finger is all that is needed But just for our amusement every 4th car that came our way we would wave at them with 2 hands. I bet the other cars were thinking to themselves "do we know them?". It kept me amused anyway, especially with my Grizzly Adams husband who now looks like a lumberjack starts waving.

It was about 400km to Augathella and we were going to camp in the free camp behind the butcher in the Main Street with Nat, Jase and their girls and cook up a big bowl of Spag Bol. When we arrived arrived however in sleepy little Augathella, the Pub was hosting one of the stops on a Variety Outback Odyssey car rally. They had over 30 cars pulling in and were putting a Pig on a spit and a mechanical bull to entertain the masses. 

We couldn't miss out on that, so opted out of the Spag Bol and had a delicious pork roast. The kids all rode the bull but as adults chickened out. 

They partied all night, but we retreated back to our campfire. The locals had provided firewood for the fireplaces at this free camp and there were also toilets. Not bad, but not the most scenic camp.

Augathella had some really interesting buildings.

Would love to know what goes on in there!

The next day was another 400km to Nindigully. We are homeward bound so we are doing one nighters til home. 

We had heard from other travellers that Nindigully Pub was a fantastic place to go. 

There is nothing else there but a free camp acros the road, on the banks of the Mooni River. It was good to see water in a watercourse again, even if it was latte colour. Apparently if it rains in Nindigully, big trucks are waiting to tow you out onto the bitumen as everyone gets bogged. They did have rain on Saturday and we could see the huge ruts from those attempts to drive out.

One last photo with the Filippi fam, right near our camp.

The pub is famous for its Roadtrain Burger. Apparently 6 people could not finish it. We were keen to try it but it would've taken 1.5hrs to prepare and we were starving. 

Olive and Arnika awaiting service!!!

The kids found the playground in the grounds of the Pub and we tried to find a bit of firewood. The pub doesn't charge for the camping and provides toilets, showers and they only ask for a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

It was time to say our goodbyes to our new found friends in the morning. We had so much fun camping with them and this adventure with them will not be the last. See you soon guys!

Our last night was spent at Burning Mountain Rest Area near Scone. It was a nice enough rest area with toilets and firepits supplied just off the highway. It wasn't very level though. That night the wind was so strong that it felt like an airplane was flying low overhead. It felt like the camper was going to tip so at 3:30am after not sleeping and 4in the bed, we decided to pack up and get out. It's now 7:20 am and we are 15mins from home! 

After settling in back home and rewashing everything, we know that as a family we have so many great memories and experiences. We are so much richer for doing this trip. Both Michael and Rubes who depend on daily asthma preventatives, did not once need to take their puffer whilst away until the day we returned to Sydney. Funny that? Too much clean air and warmer drier climate.

We drove over 14000km and took roughly 3000 photos. It wasn't hard to take a good photo. We feel very blessed and fortunate to have seen a part of "this wide brown land"! My next goal is to memorise Dorothea Mackellar 'My Country' and 'Clancy of the overflow'. Don't hold your breath people!