The Big Backyard – Western Queensland 2024 – Day 10 – Waltzing Matilda on the Landsborough Highway

Today was a drive of 350km north-west on the Landsborough Highway. But first we bid farewell to Winton and our motel brolga.

Ayrshire Hills butte and mesas north of Winton

One is the butte of all jokes…..

…. but the other is a high form of flattery.

What did erosion say to the landforms? I’ll tear your mesas to pieces.

We climbed one of the acccessible mesas next to a grey nomad free camp

Combo Waterhole Conservation Park is the location of the shearer who drowned in the billabong and the inspiration behind “Waltzing Matilda”.

Combo Waterhole is a waterhole (billabong) on the Diamantina River. The poem and song “Waltzing Matilda” written by Banjo Paterson in 1895 is based on a real incident that happened here in the 1894.

The flagstone overshots (causeways) were built by Chinese labour in 1883 to help the Cobb & Co coaches that serviced the region.

The path crosses the Diamantina floodplain with multiple stone overshots creating a series of billabongs.

Dried nardoo water ferns cover the ground.

Funnels of black kites have been seen over roadkill on the highway. Here they were circling above me which was a little disconcerting. I hope I didn’t look that bad on the snakey 3km path to the waterhole.

And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong….

Pelicans appeared high in the sky….

…the Nankeen night heron hoped not to be noticed….

….the egrets were bright against the brilliant clear blue skies…

…and this dove found the waterhole very peaceful.

The picnic shelter was still filled with flood debris.

My visit to Waltzing Matilda country and a grey nomad travelling in the slow lane of life on the Landsborough Highway near Combo Waterhole inspired me to adapt our unofficial national anthem:

Once a grey nomad camped at a free camp site; Under a sparse dying tree; And he sang as waited for others to arrive for a chat; “You’ll come a-towing a van with me.”

Chorus: Towing a van, towing a van, You’ll come a-towing a van, with me, And he cursed as he tried to mend his old caravan; “You’ll come a-towing a van, with me.”

Out on the highway in an underpowered 4WD; Driving closely in convoy, one, two, three! Oblivious to all the other road-using travellers; You’ll drive so slowly along with me.”

Choosing a campite off a sealed county road; Dirty, dusty, plagued by flies won’t deter me; It’ll be alright to stay one night or maybe three; It’ll be alright as long as its free.

Chorus 2: As long as it’s free, As long as its free; dirty and dusty won’t bother me; It can be by a few carcasses rotting under a Gidgee; As long as its free, it’s alright with me.

Up jumped the nomad for another cup of tea; I’ll live more cheaply, cheaply than thee; And his generator may be heard as you pass by that free camp site; “You’ll come a-towing a van, with me.”

(Repeat Chorus 2: As long as it’s free…..)

(Editors note: Most of the grey nomads and caravanners have excellent road manners – the above is based on actual episodes involving the grey nomad race of Meanterthals.)