Western Qld - Blackall to Winton

 Day 4 - Tuesday 9th September, 2025

We were up early this morning, dog walked, packed up, topped up the fuel, picked up pies and sweet treats from the Bakery for breakfast then headed out of Blackall for a little bit, until we found a roadside rest stop to pull over and eat said haul from the bakery 🥧🍰

Back on the road travelling north to tonight's destination of Winton.  We have fond memories from an early trip maybe 20 years ago, when we ate at the Tattersalls Hotel in Winton when Craig ordered the mixed grill and it came out on 2 plates!  so thought since the Tatts Hotel now has a Van Park attached to it, we'd stay here again.  Now just to get through another long drive today, driving through Barcaldine and Ilfrcombe where we stopped at the Memorial Park to stretch everyones legs and have a comfort stop.  Really lovely little park with toilets/showers, playground, pool, rotunda (you don't see enough really good rotunda's in parks these days, do you), covered arbours and beautiful lush grass. 

Also a great machinery museum across the other side of the highway which we didn't stop at, but have it on our list next time we are up this way.  Onwards to Longreach to top up with fuel.  We are tending to do the splash and dash at towns with reasonably priced fuel this trip, so we don't forget I have a smaller fuel tank then Craig's car and get close to running again 🙄

There's still a lot of nothing out here isn't there, but we've scored the best weather so far for this trip.  Rolled into Winton around 2pm, booked into camping at the Tatts Hotel then went and set up.  Not a bad campground, amenities, free washing machines, dump point over the road at the end of the street and of course the pub across the street.  Decent sized powered site and a patch of grass.  I had to do some work after we finished setting up, so we sat in the shade of the trees we had at the end of our site which was lovely and Barney enjoyed rolling around on the grass.

Afterwards, Barney took us for a walk and then we headed to the pub for an early dinner but also so we could secure a table outside that was dog friendly.  Just as well we did, wow it got busy and filled up quickly, the line to order food was across the bar and out the door after Craig had ordered ours.  It's quite hot today, reached mid 30's and it's not cooling down really quickly either, at least we got a table in the shade.  We ended up sharing our table with 2 ladies (a mother and daughter of older age we'll say, who were doing a bit of a holiday in Longreach and Winton and flew up and are going home on a train, how cool).  Dinner was good - Parmy for me of course and Craig got the Lamb Shoulder which was cut into steaks.

We retired after dinner inside the van in the air conditioning and watched TV for something different for us.

Western Qld - Muckadilla to Blackall

 Day Three - Monday 8th September, 2025

Pies from Mitchell bakery for breakfast is the call this morning.  Coffee, pack up and hit the road Jack because today is a bigger driving day.  The pies were enjoyable, we stopped at the little park to eat them.  We called into Augathella for a break and comfort stop at the showground, clean toilets and dump point and nobody there.  We pushed onto Tambo, where we stopped at the Tambo Dam Rest Area for lunch.  Wow what a lovely spot, beautiful green grassy area right on the dam, shelters, picnic tables, bins, toilets.  A really pleasant spot to stop for lunch.  Barney had a fat time rolling around on his back in the grass, making his normal happy barking noises while sliding down the slope 😆😆

Well done Tambo.

Our target today is Blackall, staying overnight in the caravan park but there is a free camp in Blackall, however it's pretty hot so we thought air con would be nice.  As I mentioned today was about 5 hours driving plus stops and yeah I know some people will say 5 hours is nothing BUT, old mate isn't young anymore and can't do stupidily big hours driving, he likes doing no more than about 4hours stopping about every 1 1/2 to 2 hours for a break now he's towing the caravan.  He's not 30 years old anymore, he's nearly double that now 🤣  Pushed on from Tambo and I must say it was quite taxing on Craig today, the roads were throwing the car and van all over the place, he was exhausted.

There is a lot of nothing out here, isn't there.

We rolled into Blackall around 2.30pm, the Caravan Park owner Jordan (Husband and Wife team Jordan and Samantha own the park) was super friendly and joking that our van wasn't a Swag, a Swag doesn't look like that 😆(there's always one comedian), I booked and paid for a powered site $41.00/night 2 people, he came out said hello to Barney and chatted to Craig then showed us to our site and directed Craig in on a certain angle so we could hooked up for the night.  There will be live entertainment at 5pm in the camp kitchen straight across from us.

Awesome camp kitchen at the Blackall Caravan Park

Took Barney for a walk around the block after setting up, thought he needed it and perhaps Craig needed a walk too.  As we were approaching the caravan park again some campers didn't have their large dogs on leads and they came tearing up to us and I just thought the worst for Barney.  The owner came racing over very apologetic and thankfully neither of them attacked Barney. We didn't even make it back to our site and Samantha (Park Owner) came running over to ask if Barney was okay and if the people's dogs weren't on a lead.  We said Barney was fine and it was okay, but never have we had a park owner care so much, it was really lovely.

We were chatting to Jordan and he was saying they've owned the park for about a year I think it was and they're working on updating everything slowly but surely, trying to grow the grass so the sites weren't just dirt.  It's a lovely little park.

We had an early dinner of Hamburgers and after cleaning up Craig had a meltdown due to a headache (a result of the day's big drive), he was that grumpy he and Barney went inside and fell asleep instantly.

Sometimes it's better to remain silent in this situation and let the bear rest peacefully 😉

Blackall Caravan Park is a really pleasant little park to stay in.  Owner's are lovely, super friendly and care.  Amenities are old but they are clean, awesome camp kitchen, dump point, cabins, powered and unpowered sites and did I mention really lovely owners Jordan and Samantha.

Western Qld - Chinchilla to Muckadilla

 Day Two - Sunday 7th September, 2025

Farewell Charley's Creek it's been a pleasure and we'll be back.

Righto, today's destination is the Muckadilla Pub, I've read so much about this pub on the Facebook group "Country Pub Camping" that I was keen to do a pub stay here since we were going right past.  During our travels today, I think it was today we saw what we called the Brolga Farm (there were just a ton of Brolga's altogether in one area, so looked like someone was farming them 😆) and also Emus.  Sadly there was plenty of roadkill from birds, roos, pigs to not sure what that was.

Pretty sure we arrived at Muckadilla Pub around 12.30pm, you just pop into the bar to "book" into the free camping in the paddock next to the pub or they have powered sites for $25/night.  There is 24hr access to toilets and showers.  The lovley Lass came out from behind the bar and asked how big our van was which I just pointed cross the road and then she showed me where to enter the paddock and just pick a spot.  Since we were the first to arrive, we setup next to a couple of trees with the western sun to our back, so that Barney had some extra shade to play in.

After setting up we decided to head to the pub for some lunch (completely forgot about it being Father's Day) and wondered why the pub was so busy 🤦‍♀️.  Owner explained Barney was welcome on the veranda and beer garden but we only had a couple of tables to choose from due to reservations.  She also explained there are 2 pub dogs which are red cattle dogs, one is profoundly deaf and getting old, the other is young.  

Before we even found a seat the older deaf dog came over to check out Barney.  Barney was very respectiveful and just stood still while she did this, then out of nowhere the deaf cattle dog just attacked Barney latching onto the side of Barney's face, he yelped and jumped back and hid behind Craig's legs.  We shooed the dog away and checked Barney was okay, (the next day we noticed he had a few teeth marks on his face and one just under his eye and little bits of fur missing, hopefully that doesn't scar him because he's just such a friendly little man).  When the owner came out to say hello to Barney, I did mention to her that the deaf dog attacked him and she said the dog could be grumpy.  Next time the deaf dog came past, poor little Barney was scarred and just went straight down on the ground with his head between his feet.  At least the owner told the dog to go away from us and made sure it stayed away for the duration of our lunch.  It was quite interesting watching her give instructions to the dog with sign language.

Barney did get a number of pats from adults and children, which made him happy.

The beer garden is really pleasant.

After lunch had been consumed, we went back to camp to relax, perhaps some of us had a nap.  Craig also had to fix one of the stabliser legs on the van, it had lost the little clip thing inside so he couldn't wind it up and down.  Craig pulled it apart, worked out the problem then fashioned up a replacement clip out of the metal bucket handle and put it back together - IT WORKS!

Headed back to the pub for dinner, this time sitting in the beer garden.  Pub dogs were kept inside the pub, which was great for Barney.

Craig had Pork Chops for dinner and of course I tried their Parmy.

We had 4 other campers join us in the paddock tonight and a big van was directed down to back paddock through the other driveway past the powered sites.

We had showers in the van and then retired.  The evening was very peaceful in the paddock and we enjoyed our stay at the Muckadilla Pub.

Western Qld - Home to Chincilla

Day One - Saturday 6th September, 2025

Surprise, we're off again on a 3 week adventure.  It was an idea put forward back in May when our mates left for a 5 month trip over to WA and NT, that we might be able to pick them up when they enter back into Queensland depending on when they come back through.

Fast forward to late July and we started discussing with our mates as to when they'd be back in Queensland (we had been talking to them about their trip the whole time they were away) but now was the serious discussions about timing -  and September it is!  WE'VE GOT A MONTH TO ORGANISE OURSELVES AND WORK!!  😮

And I hear you ask, where are we meeting our mates - well Aye Karumba it is.  We haven't been up to Karumba since 2012 and our mates have never been to Karumba, sadly my Uncle has now passed away and  the family have sold the holiday home they've had at Karumba Point for as long as I can remember.  So, first time ever we'll be staying in the caravan park at Karumba Point.

Firstly, we have to get to Karumba so let's hit the road on this fine Saturday morning and hit it on time we did, off to a cracking start!!  First stop is The Bun Hotel at Kaimkillenbun for lunch (we need to head a different way for holidays don't we), and a break and really you can't drive past a pub, it is just plain rude isn't it.  Pretty easy drive out to Kaimkillenbun, believe it or not we had to stop for a quick comfort stop in Maclagan for goodness sakes, it's 14mins from The Bun Hotel but nupe couldn't wait LOL.  The Bun Hotel was the quietest we've ever seen it, lunch was Wagu Spring Rolls and a pizza, both were delicious.  No time to dilly dally, it's time to move on to our first overnight stop which Craig is a little excited about - where I hear you ask, well I came across a Brewery and Campground in one place in Chinchilla and Husband was very pleased.  Tonight's stop is Charley's Creek Brewery and Campground.  Quick stop in Dalby for fuel.

Arriving about 2.30pm, you check inat the Brewery and I booked a powered drive thru creekside site online a couple of weeks ago, so check in was fairly easy.   We headed down to the campground, wow just lovely, grassy, power and unpowered, campfires, dog friendly, amenities, camp kitchen and yes let's not forget the Brewery.  After setting up in our huge site we needed to head up to the Brewery

so Husband could sample the beers, BUT not only beers, they also have Rum, Gin and local wines, so something for everyone.  And Saturday nights they do a Smoked Brisket meal @ $35.00/adult which you need to pre-book and we found out later they also do pizza so we could have gone for dinner.  Never mind next time.  We did however, spy the smoker on our way back to camp  

The Brewery is pretty cool, seating inside and outside (no shade as yet) but also completely dog friendly.  The owner was telling us later on, that they are putting in a commercial kitchen so they will offer a larger selection of meals in the near future.

Time to head back and take Barney for a walk around on his long rope.  First up Barney met Pepper the Great Dane at a near by campsite, they had a pretty good play.  We wandered around the campground checking out the remainder of the powered area, the cracker camp kitchen, 2 sets of amenities and the massive unpowered area which was awesome.   $45.00 for 2 people/night powered or $30/night for 2 people.  It is a very pleasant campground, super impressed and happy to have come across it (I think I first saw it on Facebook on one of the camping groups, then I found it on Wikicamps).  

After a dinner of Fish Tacos, we headed back up to the Brewery so Craig could sample the rums.  Spiced Rum ✔️ but the Dark Rum ❌  Craig did a video review for our friend Mark who also enjoys a rum

Time for bed after all that rum taste testing