Day 16: Wed 11 May - Wyandra to Cunnamulla, back to Charleville Gravel Pit

Day 16: Wed 11 May - Wyandra to Cunnamulla, back to Charleville Gravel Pit (7km towards Quilpie)

16 – 21°, It rained steadily nonstop overnight and all day. 

Let's just say today didn't quite go to plan. It was a good lesson in remaining flexible though. Rain continued throughout the night, and after breakfast at about 8:15am, we drove away from the campground towards Cunnamulla. The roads were unusually quiet, at one stage seeing more emus on the road than vehicles. Northbound traffic heading towards us started to increase as we got within the last 20km of Cunnamulla. Arriving a bit too early to check into the caravan park, we parked in town and had our morning coffee in our vans to pass the time. At 10:30am, we headed to the van park to checkin, but we were told we to wait until 11am. We waited on the street and at 11am, the ladies were told to now checkin at 12pm. So we waited another hour, and when they went to checkin again, were told the two sites we had booked for two nites were no longer available, and that there was nothing left in town. The significant rain event across QLD has caused many road closures and we could not proceed any further west anyway, so we decided to return 200km north to Charleville. On the way, the only traffic apart from a couple of road trains, were several convoys of charity rally cars heading in the same direction (estimate 40-50 team cars). We looked into checking into the caravan park in Charleville that we stayed at a few days ago, but many of the sites had been closed due to the wet conditions, so after refuelling and buying a few essentials at IGA on the way through Charleville, we proceeded 7km west along the Diamantina Development Road towards our next new destination tomorrow - Quilpie. At the moment, the road heading to Quilpie, and north from there remain open. We've stopped overnight at a good size gravel pit which is relatively quiet, apart from the very occasional passing car or truck, and it has a firm road base. After a long day, we are finally set up, not quite where we were planning to be, but safe and well. We enjoyed our happy hour refreshments a little bit more tonight, all hoping for drier conditions tomorrow.

Heading south to Cunnamulla - raining

Heading north from Cunnamulla - still raining

Our eventual overnight stop, a gravel pit along the Diamantina Development Road 7km out of Charlevile towards Quilpie


Comments

  1. Steven BMay 12, 2022 at 5:44 AM

    Hopefully dryer days & better days ahead .

    ReplyDelete
  2. BronwynMay 12, 2022 at 5:49 PM

    I really enjoy catching up on your travels and reading all about the places you have been. What an eventful 24 hrs. Hope the weather improves for you all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NoeleeneMay 12, 2022 at 8:19 PM

      Bron, I have never seen so much rain. Never been so wet. Tonight back at a caravan park and another pub feed. Enjoyed it

      Delete

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