We pulled in to a roadside stall to buy a pineapple, looked up and there was a Red Tailed Black Cockatoo
Rockhampton
Cattle, sheep and gold brought prosperity to Rockhampton in the 19th century and by the mid 1860s, it was one of Queensland’s major ports. 20 beautiful heritage buildings from this period remain on Quay Street along the Fitzroy River.
Alexandra Bridge opened in 1899, still carries trains and pedestriansCriterion Hotel built 1889 in Neo Classic Style with French Influence It was used by General MacArthur during WW2 as his headquartersOld Queensland National Bank built 1880 in Neo Classic Revival StyleCustoms House, 1901, Greek Corinthian influenceHeritage Hotel, 1898, Colonial StylePost Office, built 1895, another example of Neo Classic Architecture
Jambin
Jambin is a small rural town about 100 km south-west of Rockhampton. The pub has great home cooked meals, cold beer and free overnight camping out the back – perfect for us.
Cows resting under the Bottle Trees on a hot afternoonJambin Railway Station, opened 1924 & closed 1955Can’t beat the home-made rissoles with veg and gravy at the Jambin Hotel
Tuesday 16 March: Jambin to Cania Gorge 130 km
Biloela
Biloela (pop 5760), known as Bilo, is a busy commercial center with a friendly country atmosphere.
The Biloela Water Tank is painted with murals showing the town’s history from the Jurassic period to the arrival of the train – this section illustrates the role of women is the early days of settlement
Lawgi Hall
When the Thangool to Lawgi railway was closed in 1955 the township (25 km south-east of Biloela) gradually disappeared leaving only the Lawgi Hall. It is now used for regular community dances and a rest area for travellers.
Lawgi Hall painted with bottle trees by a local artistNow that’s a BBQ! Camp kitchen at Lawgi Hall
Wednesday 17 March: Cania Gorge
The Cania Gorge National Park has 5 Grade 3 walks which we combined for a 14 km 4 hour hike. Pleasant enough walking in the drizzling, sometimes raining conditions. Here is a link to the National Parks map.
Big Foot – a large brown stain resembling a four-toed foot on the white sandstone cliffA family of wallabies take off as we approachNative Kurrajong shrubFrom the Fern Tree Pool …… the path continues up to the Giant’s Chair lookoutElkhorn ferns growing on a sheer roback wallDripping RockFreehand aboriginal rock art depicts a man with a kangarooThe OverhangVividly coloured sandstoneDragon CaveSandstone walls of Cania GorgeWe were glad this big guy wasn’t on the road this morning
Thursday 18 March: Cania Gorge to Eidsvold 130 km
Monto
Monto, a rural town of 1200 has seen a resurgence in the last year. There are no houses for sale now and very few empty shops. It has a vibrant public art trail across town.
The water tank at the edge of town depicts life in Monto in the 1920s when settlers lived in slab hutsThree Moon Drover Legend This version tells the story of the drover who went to fill his billy can at the creek and the moon overhead was reflected in the creek and also his bucket. Thus naming the water course three moon creek.New Royal Hotel occupied this corner site from 1924 until it burnt down in 1999Monto Street ArtLocal kids on the town water tower The artists took photos of locals, projected them onto the tower at night and painted the outlines from a cherry picker whilst the locals, eating pizza and drinking wine, watched onCheryl became a “mother” to the artists, doing their washing & making them morning tea so they secretly painted her on one of the town wallsThree Moon Silos about 6 km south of Monto is the third painted silo in Queensland
Mulgildie
The pub at Mulgildie 15 km south of Monto – not quite the outback standard
Eidsvold
We had previously passed through Eidsvold. The pictures are here.
Tolderodden Conservation Park on the Burnett River 6 km out of Eidsvold: a nice place to spend the night
Friday 19 March: Eidsvold to Chinchilla 240 km
Mundubbera is the only town in the almost 250 km from Eidsvold to Chinchilla – photos from 2020 here.
A forrest of Bottle Trees beside the road near DurongNear Chinchilla the creeks are swollen after heavy rain, a year’s worth in one day in placesThere was no flooding where we camped beside Charleys Creek at Clover Hill, ChinchillaOn the Charleys Creek parkrun in Chinchilla
