Ville to Ville – Collinsville to Townsville!

The weather is warming up – all back in shorts and quickly discarding  pullovers by 9am. We stopped by to say hello to the Pit Pony at Collinsville – in memory of Mr Ed and Warrier – the last two working pit ponies in an Australian mine. They retired in 1990.

From Collinsville we travelled an old stock route that my great great grandfather travelled in the 1860’s from Bowen to the inland sheep stations as a carrier. This route passed by historic Strathmore Station and on to the Bowen River Hotel (the Bowen River does not pass through Bowen but flows about 120 west of Bowen into the Burdekin River).

Leichchardt Range from the Strathmore road.

We met some locals.

More bustards –  they stand about 1 metre tall.

They are very awkward as they ascend into flight.

The Bowen river – there were saltwater crocodile warning signs – the publican of the old hotel told us they don’t usually worry humans but like taking the occasional dog.

The Bowen River crossing.

The Bowen River Hotel – once the Bowen River homestead where my ancestors stayed on their journeys to and from the Longreach-Aramac districts.

Crocodile caught in the river on display at the bar. All woodwork is original.

Burdekin plums.

Prickly mimosa wattle.

Galahs

We drove into Bowen and visited Flagstaff Hill (pictured) and Horseshoe Bay.

We saw a very big mango on the Bowen foreshore and……

…a giant pumpkin at Gumlu!

Also at Gumlu is the Big (Slice) of Watermelon – we were’nt meloncholy to see this! What-a-melon!

After a late afternoon drive through mostly sugar cane country, we arrived safely at Townsville.