Flinders River Free Camp

View from our camp at sunrise

Flinders River is a free camp about 60km north of Normanton.  The free camping area is either side of the river accessed by the old disused crossing across the river. The crossing acts as a dam across the river and therefore there is a nice waterhole running for some kilometers upstream from the camp areas.

Eucalyptus Cardoorus

The river level was very low when we stayed but it must be a frightening place when the river is in full flood.  There is a car door stuck up one of the trees were we camped that recorded one of the flood levels.  We were 30 mtrs above the water level and the car door was another 12 mtrs above  us - so a lot of water here at times.

I know there is a croc out there!

As usual whenever we are anywhere near water up this way Linda is on the constant look-out for crocs. 

One of the eight freshwater crocs - look out Linda!

She didn’t believe her eyes when she spotted the first croc sunning itself on the far bank. The most we saw at one time is eight crocs – all freshwater variety so not dangerous - but a good reminder that one of their saltwater man-eating brothers might be around and good reason to not go swimming!

Whistling kite in flight

We stayed for 3 nights at the free camp and for two of the days it exceeded 35C – not much fun if you can’t swim.  Lucky for us that there was no-one camped anywhere near us and thus the generator got a flogging running our AC.

cherabin - good tucka

On the first night I set three cherabin nets and was rewarded with three cherabin. Next night five nets set and another half-dozen cherbin caught. Linda cooked up cheribin in a creamy garlic sauce with fluffy white rice – yummy – I am lucky to be travelling with a master chef!

While we were camped at the river we had the privilege of meeting old Jim. I’ll tell you a bit of a story about Jim – I don’t think he would mind. He was camped by himself in an old van about 100m from us. He had been coming to this river for 25 Years with his wife and family to catch Barra. His wife had passed away 2 years earlier after a five year fight with cancer. Jim would have been in his late 70’s and he suffers from an incurable degenerative nerve condition that causes his hands to shake that much that he cant drink coffee/tea and the simplest of tasks are a huge and lengthy effort for him. For example he knew his car was running a little low in engine oil, but despite having a large drum, funnel and container he asked me to top it up as he would have spilt three litres to get one litre in his motor! At another time he asked me to open a can of Irish stew and put the contents into two bowls with rice – this would give him two days dinner (he couldn't easily use a can opener). 

The Bridge over the River Flinders

Also once a week he gets the girls at the pub in Normanton to cut him a week’s supply of sandwiches so he could have a week’s supply of lunch in his fridge. The thing I will remember most about Jim is how he laughed a lot and how one night he weaved his way down to our caravan for a chat - I don’t think the torch light touched the ground in front of him for more than a second due to the tremors. He must have told me a dozen jokes and we laughed at all of them. I recall I said to him that it must be so frustrating that the simplest of things took forever to do. As was his way he responded with a story. He told me about a guy who was really sad that he couldn't afford a new pair of shoes, but then he met a man who had no feet. An old story but it got the point across!

I will remember old Jim and his laughter, good humour, and zest for life in spite of being dealt some pretty poor cards.