When we left Winton Linda and I decided to go to Mount Isa
the long way round by going via Boulia (pronounced “bull-ya”).
All in all its 600 km diversion and worth doing if you have
the time and it’s not been raining. It’s
all single lane bitumen with very limited overtaking opportunities and if a
road train is encountered its best to find spot to stop to get completely off
the road – for all other traffic it’s a matter of putting two wheels off the
road and sharing 50/50. Overtaking opportunities are advised by signs some
kilometres ahead and as you come towards Isa there is one saying “Next
Overtaking Opportunity 75 Km ahead” – talk about plenty of notice!
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"Town" of Middleton in the distance and one of those "Overtaking Opportunity" signs |
The first
thing you notice is the lack of traffic – where we would be passing a van or
truck every few minutes on the main highway we sometimes went hours without
seeing another vehicle – bliss!
The diversion through Boulia is as much about the journey as
it is about the destination. You travel through wide open grasslands, small
ranges with outstanding mesa like peaks, and open bushland as you get toward
Isa.
We stayed at Middleton (about ½ way between Winton and Boulia) for the first night at the Hilton Hotel (free camp spot).
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Hilton Hotel and Middleton Pub
|
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In the bar at Middleton Pub |
We had a cheap meal at the Pub in the company of a few other travellers and owners Val and Mick.
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Cawnpore Lookout over the Lillydale Ranges |
52 kilometres after Middleton we walked up to the Cawnpore Lookout (stop is near the road) and took in the magnificent vista of the Lileyvale Hills – it was like being in the set of a western movie with mesa’s and plateaus surrounding us.
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View westward from Cornpaw Lookout Road train puts our car anb van in perspective |
When we got to Boulia we stayed a a free camp on Yabbie
Creek just 7 km’s outside of town on the Donahue Highway turn-off.
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Our free camp at Yabby Creek Boulia |
Great spot and for the first time in many months we were the only campers for a couple of nights! Only down side was the lack of yabbies in Yabby Creek and the 1000’s of burrs that attached themselves to our pig-dog Killer (aka Tammy Poo)
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No not the Min Min Lights just our campfire at Yabby Creek |
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After leaving Boulia and heading for the Isa we stayed for one night at a free camp near the Mick Wright Bridge.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85VWP_FGBjZGGq0uWPFADGJFF0eZ7UMn2wgcXFg4eFRdDZ7TnkmsM7SinVbI-e39Tf0PLcQZRu40zadLFkdtaR49GXs0SMc1MSTV4D_mjcdHTxyFgNOOsskEalqMcakr7088czTe4efI/s400/small0014.jpg)
We camped on the old bridge road that runs parallel to the new road and once again we were the only campers.
Next morning we headed off to the Isa via Djarra and arrived in the big smoke around midday.
Nice scenery, some good free camps, and lack of traffic made
this a worthwhile diversion.
4 comments:
You don't seem to be struggling too much with the technology. Nice work!
T&T
Great to see your blog site.
I will log in and keep up to date on your adventures.
Shane & Donna
Very nice post. Just hope that you took care at the "Fertility Site" you don't know what might happen!
T&T
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