A Round Trip Emerald to Theresa Creek Bridge, Clermont, Capella and back to Emerald. May 2015

These 1st 15 photos were all taken at Theresa Creek Bridge. This is not the Dam but a bridge on the way north from Sapphire before turning into the Dam road.

A very scenic spot and so very peacefull

This is a Darter spreading his wings to dry out after a dip in the water.

A Cockatoo coming in to land

Above and below photos are a Masked Lapwing or Plover beside the water lilies.

This tiny shell was only about the size of my thumb nail. Have no idea what it is from.

Some beautiful mirror images

The last of Theresa Creek Bridge

This Caterpillar was on a high pole at the entrance to one of the farms heading to Clermont.

The Copperfield Chimney from the gate

And a close up

The Copperfield Store still stocked from times gone by.

All that's left of the town of Copperfield.

Murals on train carriages in Clermont

These two came in to where I was camped south of Capella. Eating loose grain dropped by a truck

Overnight trip to Springsure May 2015

An overnight trip to Springsure.
Was camped at Emerald the night and looking through the trusty Bible (Camps Aus. Wide) When I saw the town of Springsure. Knowing my son had been a truck driver and driven through there I text him to ask was there anything of interest in the area.After he told me about The Virgin Rock I decided the next day would be a great opportunity to pop down  and check the area out.
I was pleasantly surprised. About 64 ks south of Emerald I had a lovely drive down and found the camping spot in front of the Rock of the Virgin Mary. As I hadn't left Emerald till the afternoon I decided to leave the township till the next day.
The camping ground quickly filled up with travellers waiting for the sun to go down.
The rocks are a formation worth looking at, inside the niche of the left hand side rock is a weathered likeness of Virgin Mary holding her child . In the year of the Centenary of Federation the Bauhinia Shire Council undertook to light this area of the mountains.
Well worth the trip to see this breathtaking sight.
However they have done this, they have done the job well. I wish my camera could have done it justice.
The next morning I noticed everyone had left before I was even organized, so I took my time. I'm so glad I did. Half an hour later in came a mini bus towing a trailer full of lawn mowers and whipper snippers. Out jumped a gang of men ready to tidy the whole place up. Next minute whipper snippers and lawnmowers were all going frantic cutting grass and
tidying edges around the fence line. It was all done in less than an hour. On my way to the rubbish bin I comment to the foreman how they were doing such a great job.
It turned out the men, young men at that, maybe a bit past teenagers, were from the correctional facility just up the road. When they finished there they were to move up the road to another park to do the same.
This one where I was camped was the Lions Park. These guys were so polite, apologizing for making a noise, several times, all very friendly and a pleasure to watch hard at work. With a friendly wave goodbye upon leaving.
From the Lions Park I went into Springsure Township, firstly going to the Showgrounds to empty my cassette at the dump point. There I managed to get photos of some interesting buildings with paintings on the walls which I will post up here.
Springsure is small but very tidy, exceptionally so. Very well manicured I thought.
One shop that interested me was called House of Magnolias. Gifts, Gourmet, Glamour, Homewares and Antiques.
The outside of the building had huge Magnolia Flowers painted along the wall in pink through to purple. As it also had a café, outside were groups of metal table and chairs painted in deep purple. Once the outside had taken my eye I really had to go inside for a look. Well, what an amazing assortment I found inside. The building must have been a house at one stage as there were small rooms everywhere. Each one have something different to buy. If I had more time and more money I could have spent a fortune and will surely go back there when I have more of both. Photo of outside of building shown below.
A pleasant trip back to Emerald followed before deciding to do a round trip of Sapphire, Rubyvale, Theresa Dam Bridge, Clermont, Capella and back to Emerald, taking about a week.

Found a better photo of the Virgin Rock lit up at night. Not one of mine, but does show just how good it does look.

.Bedford Weir Qld 1st - 6th May 2015

Arriving at Bedford Weir this May I noticed a lot of changes from last year. Firstly there was not a blade of green grass., the whole place was brown and dry. Rick is still there and just as friendly as ever. Remembered me from last year, only because we were both in the news when a local reporter came out to do a story on grey nomads with photos of our group put in the local paper. We all had a good chat about that, with newer grey nomads there this time very interested in what happened.
The dump point has now gone and been covered up with a pile of stones, a new CMCA one is now in use at the Blackwater showgrounds as well as a drinking water tap only a few metres away.
Our favourite peacock is still there but this time with a good sized harem to look after. It seems a later who breeds them said to Rick she would bring out a female to keep the man company. When he arrived home from work there were 5 females looking adoringly at the said man.
Now there is 19 peacocks and peahens roaming the place in different stages of growth. What a great family. He has taught them to wander through the camps like he used to do hoping for scraps or a chat.
The showers are just as good as they ever were with the whole camp being worthy of a good donation before leaving.
There seemed to be a lot of redclaw being caught this year with the campers enjoying good feeds at night.

 

 

 

 

This is a spotted bower bird, an abundance of them this year.

Here is the big boy himself being curiously watched by a kookaburra in the background

 

 

 

 

This is the weir taken on the outside, the second photo showing the public road we drive on to get to the other side.

The opposite side of the weir full of water, the next one showing a closer angle.

Showing the top of the weir and below a different angle.

This is an apostle bird, below a group of them. So named as they usually are in groups of 12.

A Juvenile bluefaced honey eater.

Butcherbird

A very cheeky spotted bower bird above and below

An adult bluefaced honey eater.

 

 

Updated Toilets by unusual names May 2015

I will add to this as time goes by. I get a laugh out of seeing other names used for the toilet block as I travel around Australia.

Cunderdin Ladies



Cunderdin Mens

Kellerberrin Disabled

Kellerberrin Ladies



Kellerberrin Mens

Renner Springs

Stan Streckfuss Overnight Camp

Daly Waters Pub

Daly Waters Pub






 

Daly Waters Pub



Barkly Homestead - Colleen

Barkly Homestead - Steve

The Pebbles Boys

The Pebbles Girls

Lloyd Jones Weir - Barcaldine

Wunara Store



Robbie Robbins Polo Crosse Ground -Darwin

 

 
 


 

Found this one at Springsure Showgrounds today. South of Emerald Qld.