July 13th. Arrived at Winton and had lunch at The Matilda Centre. We walked the shops and I took in The Dinosaur Fossil Display. Winton is famous for its Dinosaur Trail and the many fossil findings discovered in their area. In no hurry, we decided to settle into a caravan park, only to find that the Top Tourist Park was no longer a TT Park and was booked out. The free Parking area in town was also full, so we ended up in the non-rated Pelican Fuel Stop Caravan Park. It was basic but OK, until I filled a glass of water and the smell was putrid. Luckily we have our own tank water in the Van. Val had a shower and came back smelling worse than when she went. The water supply in Winton is artesian, so we found out.
July 14th. On the move again, we had a coffee break at the Kynuna Roadhouse, then continued on to Gilbert Park Tourist Village (Top Tourist), in Cloncurry. I booked a seat on the Open Cut Mine Bus Tour, 9.30am tomorrow.
July 15th. I left the Information Centre at Cloncurry about 10am to do the Bus Tour to the Ernest Henry Open Cut Mine. About a 25 min. trip. This is one of the mines owned by a large world wide Company called XSTRATA COPPER. It was a very interesting tour and as an open cut mine it will be finished in 2 years. It is already 430 metres deep and can only go down till they run out of room to move at the bottom of the cone shaped hole, then they plan to change to an underground operation , to get out the rest of the Copper/Gold rich ore. On the way back we detoured to have a look at how the miners live. Everything is provided for them, tennis court, large swimming pool, gym, bar and cafeteria, plus their Accommodation. They only have to pay for their grog, great job, eh! Plus they earn around $100,000.00 / year.
July 16th. To-day we are off to Camooweal, the last Town (100 pop.) in Queensland as to-morrow we will move on to Barkly Homestead Roadhouse in the Northern Territory.
July 14th. On the move again, we had a coffee break at the Kynuna Roadhouse, then continued on to Gilbert Park Tourist Village (Top Tourist), in Cloncurry. I booked a seat on the Open Cut Mine Bus Tour, 9.30am tomorrow.
July 15th. I left the Information Centre at Cloncurry about 10am to do the Bus Tour to the Ernest Henry Open Cut Mine. About a 25 min. trip. This is one of the mines owned by a large world wide Company called XSTRATA COPPER. It was a very interesting tour and as an open cut mine it will be finished in 2 years. It is already 430 metres deep and can only go down till they run out of room to move at the bottom of the cone shaped hole, then they plan to change to an underground operation , to get out the rest of the Copper/Gold rich ore. On the way back we detoured to have a look at how the miners live. Everything is provided for them, tennis court, large swimming pool, gym, bar and cafeteria, plus their Accommodation. They only have to pay for their grog, great job, eh! Plus they earn around $100,000.00 / year.
July 16th. To-day we are off to Camooweal, the last Town (100 pop.) in Queensland as to-morrow we will move on to Barkly Homestead Roadhouse in the Northern Territory.
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