Karumba - Monday 23rd April 2012

Craig decided he wanted to get us up to Karumba by Monday, so we can spend 4 or 5 days up there and then have about 7 or 8 days to come back down the coast to home (there's a few smaller places we want to stop in at on the way home), at least going home will be a little bit more relaxed then the trip is going up.....

We greeted the world about 6.15am this morning, aim is to be on the road at 7.30am.  Craig checked his yabby traps and got 2 red claw and a little black bream or sooty grunter - all were returned to the creek to grow bigger :)  Made coffee, packed up the camper, put some Up N Go's in the car to keep us going until we stopped for breakfast and at 7.36am we were on the Gregory Development Road, heading NW toward Greenvale for breakfast and a comfort stop.  It was a quick pace this morning, let me tell you!

Onwards from Greenvale about 10.20am to The Lynd Junction, then continuing heading NW toward Georgetown.  The road from The Lynd Junction to Georgetown is dirt, with the occasional bitumen section thrown in.  We passed through some lush green bushland and beautiful mountain ranges, as well as two lovely little towns named Einasleigh & Forsayth.  We commented to each other that if we go that way again, we'd like to stay overnight at Einasleigh and have dinner at the pub, then go through Forsayth the next day and have lunch at that pub.  Einasleigh had a beautiful river you crossed over (Einasleigh River) and the pub looked out toward it.

We reached Georgetown about 12.33pm, topped up the fuel and continued on west on the Gulf Development Road to Croyden.  we grabbed a quick lunch on the go at Croydon & continued on towards Normanton.  Made Normanton around 4pm, topped up the fuel again (it's cheaper in Normanton, then Karumba), rang cousin Dave to let him know we were nearly there and off we set again.

On the home stretch to Karumba now, the road out there is a very interesting drive.  The land is very flat and you can easily see why it floods & Karumba becomes isolated for weeks by road.  Fantastic bird life along the way - Black Necked Stork, Brolga's, Little Corella's, Pelicans, Little Egrets, Cormorant and few others I can't remember now.

Arrived at Karumba Point around 5pm and after driving up and down the street a few times, we finally found Dave's place - it was making us laugh, it's as though there are a lot of houses here, but either there is no number or you can see it!  We setup camp in Dave's backyard and have settled down for a drink and catchup with my cousin.  Of course the conversation has turned to fishing, barramundi and mud crabs and promise of catching some.......

Dave's dog Jazz with Boris

Tonight's dining pleasure will be Moroccan Lamb and Cous Cous, but first David's taking Craig down the street to the boat ramp to try and get his first Barra - expectations are high for one of them!  Upon there return a little bit later, I'm told no Barra, but there were two factors going against them.... Hmmmm (the light was out at the boat ramp and the tide was low - Craig's not sure about his local fishing guides ability at this point - ha ha.  Just as well I'd organised dinner and not waiting for the fish to come home to eat!