On to Lara Wetlands

We drove half an hour south of Barcaldine this morning to stay at Lara Wetlands, a huge station on the Landsborough Highway on the way to Blackall.

I’ve been following Lara Wetlands on Facebook for some time ever since I heard the sad but inspiring story of the owner, who bought this station with her husband. After setting up a camping ground on the Wetlands the husband died in a helicopter accident helping to muster a neighbour’s stock on the day the first paying guest arrived.

The camp ground is set around a stunning flooded bore lake filled with trees that makes for an eerie yet beautiful back drop, fringed with green grass and dotted with caravans here and there. In season the place can hold approximately 80 caravans. There is also a hot pool fed directly from the bore that sits at a constant 38 degrees (although it felt hotter than that) and several hot showers heated the old fashioned way by lighting a donkey.

Gadi tried unsuccessfully (unfortunately for him after an hour of persevering) to set up the satellite dish and then we both went for a soak in the hot pool, leaving Cadbury tied up along the fence (as there are no dogs allowed inside). Well, you should have heard the noise he made, even though he could see both of us, he still whinged and cried like a baby.

I spent the afternoon chilling, making a loaf of sourdough bread by hand and a banana walnut cake. I also cooked up a large amount of chicken mince, rice and vegetables for Cadbury - spoilt doggie!

After a second swim around sunset I showered and returned to the caravan to get dinner into the Weber. Then i gave Gadi my phone so he could livestream Survivor as he couldn’t get the satellite dish to work.

Time to head indoors, do some dishes and clean up, and dream away...

And dream away I did, dozing off at least two or three times while writing this blog, jerking awake to find my phone had fallen out of my hand on to the floor.

You sure do get tired in the outback!Read more