From the dinosaur trail to green grass, tall trees and mountains.

Tuesday: We arrived in Richmond, the fossil capital of Australia after another eight hours on the road from Camooweal...a long drive. On the site next to us there was much excitement as some fossil hunters photographed their day's finds.  Part of a fish backbone, some shark's teeth and a large rock with circular vertebrae they could hardly lift. Then we had an early night for another big drive today... after drinks with another couple from NSW...The Maccas on the Move!

Borroloola to Townsville,1841 kilometers on three days is a lot of driving! See map above if you don't know where the trip began and ended.
One thing that has really surprised us is the number of 'grey nomies' who pull up about lunchtime to reserve their camping spot for the night in parking bays along the roads. Dozens of caravans side by side in barren and hot roadside laybys on gravel and bitumen. I don't think it would be a pleasant way to camp.
A late start Wednesday morning as the last leg of the trip from Richmond to Townsville was only 500 kilometers. A pleasant drive through some old outback towns on the Dinosaur Trail. Prairie and Bivouac Junction looked like great little places to explore. It is so interesting we intend coming back for a couple of weeks on another trip and spending some time in the region.
 We stopped for lunch in Charters Towers near a historic poppet head from the old gold mining days.

You can't see the red dust on the camper from this far but it's there

And look what there was on the ground...

 

We were very excited by the green grass. Then back onto the road for the final leg of the day's drive, where the landscape changed dramatically as we neared the east coast. Tall, green trees, mountains and clouds in the sky...for the first time for four weeks.

We've finally left the outback behind us.

A trip to the local pharmacy when we arrived in Townsville to buy assorted creams and brushes to remove the red dust from our heels, feet and skin! Now we know why everyone wears boots out west!

Now the plan is to head north for a week or so toward Cardwell and Mission Beach...set up the camper trailer in the one spot (no driving for a while) and go in search of the elusive fish.
Till our next post...