Wow, it seems like ages since I have written an update, but internet has been patchy & I decided to take some much needed down time & embrace the offline time.
Things rarely go as planned, especially when you have a 7hour drive ahead, & want to leave at 7.30am, & then hitch to find a half deflated car tyre….oh dear. A quick tyre change (well as quick as possible with 4 small helpers), revealing a screw in the tyre, then on with the spare, and we were finally on the road. We made good time with barely anyone on the road, & made a late stop at Greenvale for fuel & lunch before heading on.
If you have never experienced the outback of Queensland, you must do it. It is so vast, & forever changing landscape & so much history. My favourite thing is how friendly everyone is out here. You can guarantee that nearly every car going the otherway will give you a wave as they go past. It is so heart-warming as you return the wave. We finally arrived a Forsyth for one more stop to grab afternoon tea for the kids from the van, before heading down the long, slow going gravel road to Cobbold Gorge (circled in yellow - it is a long way across Qld).
Cobbold Gorge is one place you should put on your places to visit. I won't lie, it has a long uncomfortable hour long gravel road to get there, featuring many GRIDS & DIP signs, however it is well worth it. The photos just don’t do it justice, however we are so pleased we made the trip. They have a massive property with all sorts of accommodation types, depending on your style. The old school hotel and bar overlooking the dam & infinity pool was a fantastic place to spend the afternoon. Oh I forgot to mention that the phone & internet reception – there is pretty much none, so bring a good book.
We woke the next day ready to take our guided tour of the Gorge. We were shuttled down to the Gorge in massive 4wd buses by our host Zee. We got the amazing history of the property which dates back to the 1900’s. This property has only ever been owned by 2 families in all that time and it is part of a larger 30,000 acre station called Robin Hood.
Down to the Gorge to get in the boats and we spot our first freshwater croc sunbaking on the banks. Into the boats and off we go. If you don’t know much about crocs...I didn’t before now, the freshwater crocs are not like saltwater crocs. These are quieter, more timid & don’t eat big things (like people). The Gorge is only 2 metres wide in parts & has spectacular colours both in and out of the water. Down further we find the resident baby croc on a log, and further down a cool little tree snake no bigger then a pencil. We then headed off on a walk to the top of the Gorge to check out the view from up there. Finally at the top, & we walk out onto the Glass Bridge which has only been in place for two years now. This gives you a full appreciation of the Gorge and how very large it is. We spot some turtles as we head down, and walk on the amazing rock formations. Back on the buses & back we head to the village for some more swimming & hanging out. We finished the evening with a fire pit next to the caravan roasting marshmallows – the perfect ending to an amazing two nights.
One of the yummy dinners we enjoyed while off-grid & using our solar, inverter & batteries in the van was an All-in-one Pasta dish. Here is a video with some fantastic tips about how you can turn any pasta sauce into an All-in-one. Enjoy ~Lisa~
All of us at the top of the Gorge. Just amazing!!!
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