Clonclurry Queensland

Before today’s journey Mark puts a ratchet strap around the broken leaf strings.

We have a wonder along Normanton’s main road and use the dump point.

There isn’t much to see and do along the Burke Development Road, also part of the Matilda Way, as we head back south. We stop every 50km to make sure the strap is still on and all seems well each time.

 After 200km we arrive at the Burke & Wills Roadhouse, so named after the route taken by the ill-fated explorers. It’s lunchtime so we get a burger each and keep going.

Just over another 100km we decide to call it a day as we arrive at 3pm at the Terry Smith Lookout Rest Area. There are couple of vans already here and predict more to come as there are toilets, bins, picnic shelter and a dump point on offer. We enjoyed a lovely sunset.

The next morning we drove the 80km down to Cloncurry, stopping briefly at Quamby to take some photos. It used to be a bustling railway village catering to the needs of the cattle and mining sectors nestled between Cloncurry and Normanton. After a period of abandonment, the historic Quamby Pub (established in 1860) has been revived. 

We drive on to Cloncurry. The town was effectively created by one man: Ernest Henry. Although he came to the district planning to find good grazing land he found copper, established  the Great Australian Mine, and built and operated a hotel and a general store. As a result the town became the most important transportation centre in Western Queensland. Cloncurry was the destination for the first regular Qantas flight. John Flynn established his first Flying Doctor Base in the town. And the local airport was a vital link with Europe and was used by the US Air Force during World War II. It would now be the most important centre in Western Queensland if it wasn't for the development of Mount Isa. Today the town - with its interesting museums and historic connections with copper and uranium mining - remains important because it is located at the junction of the major roads from Townsville, the Gulf, Winton, Longreach, and Mount Isa.

We first head to the information centre and The Mary Kathleen Memorial Park. When the uranium mining town of Mary Kathleen closed down its entire contents were auctioned off. The museum in Cloncurry obtained a number of buildings and some important relics from the site.

After we had a look around we went for a walk in the centre of town looking at a few of its heritage buildings.

We treat ourselves to an apple turnover and vanilla slice from the bakery before finding a spot at the popular free camp, keeping to the shade as the temperature reaches 34°.  

Clonclurry parrot

384k over 2  days