Julian & Ali Travels


Towards Nuga Nuga National Park		June 25 2023

		Leichhardt's 1844 expedition passed this way on 28th November 1844. On the way from Moreton Bay to Port Essington (Brisbane to Darwin). Did I mention Expedition National Park named after ..... A bit of light reading here https://adb.anu.edu.au/entity/8843 I ventured a km or so up Starkvale Creek. And returned. Easy going, not as dense as it looks.

		We left Starkvale campsite heading north. Within a km or so of Leichhardt's route. A brief detour to Spotted Gum, in the north of the park. We are invited to close the gate to keep cattle out of the park. Which we take as an invitation to enter.

		Not a lot at Spotted Gum. Apart from us. There's an abandoned gas well with a rusty sign. Less than 10m to the right of the spotted gum sign. "Marathon Continental spudded Nov 17 1953"

		Heading north west from spotted gum was somewhat thwarted, by a locked gate on one track, and a "no through road" on another. So we followed Glenhaughton Road then Fairfield Road north. All the way to the Dawson Highway.

		Edges of sandstone plateau in the distance either side.

		But gradually the valley widens, the hills become plains, the forest becomes grass for grazing.

		But still interesting, we can see further.

		The cattle were already on the move when we came up behind them. Which made us wonder if they were being led. We followed slowly, at their pace, for a couple of km, to the next cattle grid. There were no humans involved, the grid worked, the cattle moved to one side, and we proceeded.

		We've been close to the Dawson River for quite a while now. Everything we read about Expedition National Park said we were in the Fitzroy catchment. The Dawson and the Mackenzie Rivers combine to form the Fitzroy River, which flows to the sea south of Yeppoon.

		A bit tired we spent the night in a truck stop, having not been awake enough to stop at Bauhinia. A grotty, filthy, truck stop that hasn't been cleaned up for a long while. We pulled on to some grass, out of the way of headlights and noise, and closed our eyes. A quick visit to Rolleston, to empty the loo and fill the water. The caravans weren't lined up for the dump point and water point, they were there for coffee in the park. We managed to get close enough to the nicely labeled potable water tap. We'll probably get fuel next at Injune. The building is the Purbrook Hut, wooden, now a museum. Purbrook is a station along the Arcadia Valley Road.

		Backtrack along the Dawson Highway. A pic to remind ourselves of why we prefer to be off the beaten track and "closer to nature".

		South along Arcadia Valley Road. An unusual warning at the turnoff, there are special rules about commercial vehicles using the road in rain. A clue that we should be careful.

		We cross the Wallambilla to Gladstone gas pipeline - its underground all the way, with occasional boosters.

		The Arcadia Valley is relatively flat and wide. But eventually we see a couple of sandstone outcrops.

		On both sides. And also an unnamed lake. We are nearing Lake Nuga Nuga National Park.

Nuga Nuga National Park		June 26 2023

Gateway

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