Day 120 - Going the distance

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Emerald to Bogantungan 99km

You know that the universe is on your side when as you finally ride out of Emerald and take the Capricorn Hwy (to Longreach 420km) two brolgas fly right overhead making their echoing trumpet call.  We are both pretty nervous about making the decision to head to Longreach, 420km on the hwy, is potentially 4.5 days of boredom interspersed with the anxiety of being passed by large vehicles on a narrow road.



But the universe is with us, and the first 45kms to Anakie has a bit of a shoulder, and less traffic than anticipated.  This part of the world is famous for gemstones, specifically Sapphire and Ruby.  In 1938 a 12yo boy found the largest sapphire ever discovered, he didn't know what he had found and left it at the back-door, where it served as a doorstop for the next decade!  Until spotted by a lapidary who purchased it from the family, it's now famous as The Black Star of Queensland.

While we don't stumble over any gemstones we do meet a couple of gems.  A lovely couple from the Sunshine Coast who are four weeks into a year travelling in their camper van.  They open the conversation with "Hey, was that you at Carnarvon Gorge?"  They leave us furnished with refilled water bottles, a couple of apples and a really good feeling.  

While the road narrows further as we continue west, the traffic thins out, making passing us for the trucks and caravans a bit easier.  We still exit stage left a couple of times for road trains and over sized loads when approaching crests and corners.  But while the road gets narrower the people get friendlier, we are waved at, given thumbs up or a cheerful toot-toot.  The length of the journey starts to show at around 80 clicks, we are sore and tired and looking forward to the free camp at Bogantungan.  


It is with relief that we roll into "town" and are immediately greeted by a couple standing on their porch clapping and congratulating us on a great ride!  Apparently they'd made the trip into Emerald today, and so passed us twice.  While there is not much to Bogantungan, aside from being the site of a large, deadly train accident in 1960.  You can still, take the train from Brisbane to Longreach it's called the Spirit of the Outback.  We celebrate by sitting on the station platform and watching a spectacular sunset over the Drummond range.





Location: Bogantungan, Willows QLD 4702, Australia

Comments

  1. FrancieJune 9, 2022 at 8:43 PM

    Hi girls We are in Portarlington with dear friends for three days for some rest and refreshment. They are Housesitters and their present Housesit owners said they can have visitors as our friends saved their dog from choking on the last housesit.
    Influenza A is sweeping Melbourne unfortunately. Good luck with the rest of the trip to Longreach.

    ReplyDelete
  2. FrancieJune 9, 2022 at 8:57 PM

    Your letter to Big Rig was excellent

    ReplyDelete

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