2012 Cooktown Trip

Hi All, we are in Winton Central Qld. we've been through some incredible rain but are now drying everything out and basking in the first really hot sun of our trip. We came up through Cobar and Barcaldine, to avoid the coastal rain and seem to have been immersed in history wherever we've been, on the Kidman Way and also the Mitchell Hwy. They are very proud of their history and we've spent many hours browsing through the first pastoralists, the Unions and Labour Party and the Shearers strike in Barcaldine and the Drovers at the Stockmans Hall of Fame. Then we headed into pre-history with the fossil remains of the granddaddy of all known crocodiles in a little place called Isisford, and here in Winton we are about to see the footprints of a dinosaur stampede so many millions of years ago! All delicately scented with sulphur as this whole area is the Artesian Basin and there are spas everywhere. We've had some cracking pub teas and some average ones, and last night the caravan park we're in put on a roast diner followed by a 'Bush Poet' who was a good laugh. We've seen plenty of wildlife, emus and Roos galore and thousands of wild goats, wild boars, echidnas and hundreds of camels, but they weren't wild. favourite bird sightings have been Brolgas and double-barred finches. we've met some nice people, one a lady who looks after baby joeys whose mothers have been killed on the road. she bottle feeds them and keeps them as pets who like a good cuddle, then when they feel ready they hop off on their own and return every now and then to say hello. we are taking a round about route to Cooktown through the Gulf Country and are hoping the road to Adels Grove is open as we would like to spend some more time there. hope you are all keeping well, Anne and Steve.