We headed out from Mareeba on Saturday following the Savannah Way (alternate) to Chillagoe. What an interesting area....... after driving for a couple of hours on a good road through open grassland with small eucalypts and lots of termite nests one comes to an area with limestone outcrops which have sharp edges. There is the remains of a coral reef that formed around a volcano 450 million years ago. After millions of years the sea dried up and the volcano erupted and pushed the reef vertical. Marble is now mined here and sent to Italy. There are large blocks in paddocks alongs the road in circles....don't know why they are in circles! The old reef covers an area 45kilometres long and 5 wide and has many caves and outcrops. The limestone is so sharp and textured one needs good shoes to stop from being cut!
We stayed a couple of days and visited the different interesting places and caves then headed out south along 200 k of dirt with roadtrains belting by. The longest dirt road so far parts of it were wide but often very narrow. We came down to Mt Surprise - an area of old gold mines -now fossicking for garnets, agates and fossils. Bought lots of samples of interesting bits and pieces and posted them down to Sasha who is the keeper of the treasures.
Planned to go to the Tallaroo Hot Springs but they were closed so we headed to Georgetown to pick-up the mail. Such a small town , but nice people. They are waiting for the grey nomads to arrive on their way to Karumba and parts west.
We damaged Noodle manouvering around the caravan park but stayed here today and fixed her. We have been trying to paddle but it has been difficult with no access, to far to carry, no water in the rivers or not enough....etc. also a few places have been run by private enterprise and will not allow one to use ones own boat...bummer but now with Noodles new trolley and repair we hope to paddle in a small lake tomorrow before heading west to Normanton, Karumba and Bourketown.
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