Sortie Into Gregory River NP

We left the van and came with a tent and some basic camp gear.

The entry road of the park is beautifully graded and the progress is so easy. Perhaps we should have brought the van.

Our first objective is Limestone Gorge, but the sign says “Closed to all vehicles, bicycles or walking until 2022”. Sound like they are serious . Scratch that.
Moving on to Bullita Homestead, where we learn some amazing stories of how hard life was even into the ‘70s in this big harsh land. 1970’s that is.
Just look at the stock yardstick Bullita, which was lorded as the standard that homesteads should adopt. Charlie Schultz who was 19 when he started managing Humbert Station, built/rebuilt 32 of these things.
Or.
A story of Lyn who was trapped in a tree overnight during a massive flood with her head just above the surging flow. The destruction that was left behind, and how physically hard the rebuild was.
Or.
Then there was Tom who in 1929 was branding cattle with his boss, when a steer tripped the boss’s horse causing it to fall on the rider. Tom came to his aid, but with all animals in a panic the steer again knocked over the horse onto the already unconscious station hand. The rescue involved a 16 hour horse ride by Tom to locate the station manager with the car. Return to the station to collect the injured chap who in his concussed state had saddled up and with the dogs, herded the cattle into the bush with a trajectory unknown. They locate the now seriously unwell cowboy after a day and a half. and then drove him 200 miles to a doctor.

I can’t imagine that trip when I think about the 48k we did today between Bullita and Humbolt Top Yard Campground in a beautifully comfortable and air conditioned Toyota Prado. Our average speed was about 15kph, and I am sure that the road surface today was much better and the navigation much less challenging. What a genius plan to leave the van in Timber Creek.
It was 39° just after midday today. Did I say this is tough country? The rain cloud that we spotted from the lookout sprayed a few desultory drops at us, but it did bring the temp down to 31° for a while before rising to 34° for the afternoon.
The camp site along the 4WD track on the Humbert River was pretty special and mercifully free of mozzies.

In the morning after a breakfast that can’t be beat, we find an alternate route. It’s longer but has much less 4x4 action and gives us an apportunity to go through Jasper Gorge again. I think it appeared more spectacular on the 2nd time through.
Surprise, surprise. A big downpour in the afternoon and an evening-long special effects show from lightning to the west and clear skies overhead for some star gazing. The 45 min shower was enough the deposit 10cm of water at the concrete causeway near the camp. I am trepidatious thinking of the state of the roads when all that Bull-dust starts getting wet. The dust that was already on the car soon set in a thick clay-pan. Crikey.
The rain washed escarpment was beautifully highlighted by the sun rise today.Lue lisää