We are now at Bedourie having travelled the 180 or so kilometres north of Birdsville. Bedourie is the administration centre for the local Diamantina Shire, which occupies much of the south-west corner of Queensland and the flood plains of the Diamantina and Georgiana River systems. Eyre Creek flows south past Bedourie and ultimately into Lake Eyre. So the road up to Bedourie passes across many flood drainage channels, clay pans and grass lands. The road is called the Bilby Way, after the critically endangered native rabbit like animal. We didn’t see any.

Waddi Trees

Carcoory Homestead

Explorers old and more recent have left their footprints here along the Bilby Way for all to see

Part way up we passed by a big stand of the rare Waddi Trees. Very slow growing trees dating back to the last ice age, extremely hard wood that resists burning. Some of the trees are thought to be up to a thousand years old. Also passed the ruins of the old Sydney Kidman owned Carcoory homestead. Abandoned in the early 1900s after a period of severe drought. The nearby bore flows and feeds a pond for the local cattle, water very hot.

Carcoory bore, almost boiling as it comes out of the bore pipes into this channel to the pond

The pond, the water is still warm

Pond away in distance

Further along we cross Eyre Creek at the Cuttaburra Crossing where a herd of cattle were watering. This is a popular bird watching area and a few vans had taken up residence. Some pelicans were in residence upstream.

The bridge over Eyre Creek at Cuttaburra Crossing

Cattle, good supply of water but not much grass

Pelicans at Cuttaburra Crossing

Arrived in Bedourie and managed to get the last powered van site in the Caravan Park, we were well located just next door to the artesian spar and swimming pool complex.

In camp

Royal Hotel at Bedourie

After a good nights sleep it was to be day of action on the golf course for Allthego and a dip in the artesian hot water ‘infinity pool’. The golf was a little challenging as there was much loose sand, thankfully a couple of the fairways were quite hard dried sand and a good run on the ball could be had for the low and frequently hitting Allthego. Allthego’s card for the 9 hole course was a modest 60, 27 over for the 33 par course. One shouldn’t bother with handicaps! A couple of bad scoring holes otherwise spoilt a reasonable effort among the sand dunes.

Teeing off up the first hole at the Bedourie Golf Club

A nice put to finish with a 6 on this par 4 hole, it did go in!

Crossing the bridge on the first fairway

After this it was off for the dip in the spar and swimming pool to sooth away the aches! Homealone enjoyed the time by herself at the van beavering away on some craft.

Water hazards along the first two fairways, the neat little par 3 ‘green’ across the top is in mid ground.

Aquatic Centre covered pool, kept around 28 dg C.

Heating up in the 42 dg C artesian infinity pool, the water spills out behind Allthego into a creek.

We are now setting off after two nights here in Bedourie for a couple of days in Diamantina National Park.