Morning Came the 52nd Day
The start of our 21hr train trip. We could walk to the station along wide paths/ramps, used to get to stadium but mainly an inducement for community activity.
The Townsville station..
Comfortable seats on a four car train. We started out through the hinterland but we soon starting a gentle climb. The best thing about the train is to see the change in countryside and vegetation. Luke was totally engrossed in is topographgical mapping package on his phone. He tracked almost every km, knew the average speed of the train, every climb and gully. I was content to just watch the passing parade.
A little excitement but it was just burning off.
There sure is a lot if space out here. I am really enjoying appreciating how much of Australia lives, how tough life is out of the city...no wonder there is not much time for politics! Can't miss Bob Katter's offices though!
Remote living! Starting to get into cattle country although there are still areas of green .and there is water. The dusk descended....
But that wasn't the end of the day! This was another version of Slow Travel! Why? We were in channel country, literally hundreds of little creeks so when it floods there are lots of washouts and damage to the track. No matter...we were delivered dinner- a chicken sandwich on white bread, a piece of railway fruitcake and an orange juice popper! We won't starve!
All thru the night we passed through small towns, Hughenden, Julia Creek among them. I was asleep. But I woke for Cloncurry where we hopped out for 10mins.
Where we got a well lit view of the 2nd carriage.
Yes, these are large blocks of cement! They stablise this carriage so that the sensitive track measuring underneath would not be effected by movement. Although there are only 2 passenger services each way per week, the line is used for freight and by the mines.
From Cloncurry the rail heads south in a significant loop ( the long way round!); the lowest point being an almost abandoned town called Duchess (pop. 2) The main street was called Duke St! The only building a pub. It was a major mining and railway centre..
To here the landscape was flat, dry creek beds and low ground cover. At dawn the country became flat and red.
An hour or so to go. We were running quite late having been delayed by track work during the night . About 10.15am we were arriving...
At last! Average speed 45kph...Kodak speed.
Officially closing Day 52. The next is already under way.
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