Eleven days later after leaving Cobar we are in Airlie Beach. The weather has been pleasant, with cold nights (between 2 and 9 degrees) and fine days (between 22 and 25 degrees). The roads have varied between very bumpy and quite good, mostly bumpy. With light southerly breezes or no wind at all, travelling has been easy and fuel consumption quite good. The new vehicle has performed very well.

A lot of rain fell over a large area of outback Queensland last week and we just missed it by 2 days. All the way from Bourke to Barcaldine there has been water everywhere in the roadside ditches and paddocks, as far as the eye can see. Creeks and rivers have been swollen and it’s good to think that some of the water will reach South Australia. In places where we would normally be able to pull off the road to have lunch or collect firewood, this year we couldn’t . Although we haven’t been directly affected by the rain we have seen and heard about places where people have had to be towed out of muddy conditions.

Along the way we spent 2 nights in Cunnamulla, at one of our favourite caravan parks, one night at Wyandra, one at Augathella, three at Lara Station wetlands, one at Theresa Creek Dam and one at a roadside rest area before arriving at Airlie Beach.

We have been at Airlie Beach for a couple of days, enjoying time with friends who live here. Nights are 14 deg and today has been 27 deg. – very comfortable and good for swimming. Airlie is beautiful, with blue water, green hills, sandy beaches, modern buildings, and of course lots of tourists.

We will leave here in a couple of days, heading for Mackay to spend a few days with friends. It’s a great life.

Hope everyone keep safe and well. Ted and Jo