We’re off on a new adventure, a six day coach and rail trip on the famous Savannahlander and Gulflander vintage railcars. So it was another very early morning start to board the 6.30am Trans North coach to take us to Normanton.
Our journey took us along the Savannah Highway, through the Tablelands and over the Misty Mountains. We whizzed by sugarcane, avocados, and banana plantations. Driving to Ravenshoe for our morning tea stop we travelled along the highest bitumen sealed road in Queensland, at 2500ft, we were told.
Signs seen on our journey
Travelling through the outback country we passes by the many different types of termite mounds, sadly travelling much to quickly to get good photos from the bus windows. There were fat rounded ones , both pale and red, which we presumed depended on the soil, and these changed to smaller pointed ones which look rather like small steeples. You may well wonder about our interest in termites, but we don’t have these back home in NZ. There were small groups of Brahman cattle sheltering under tree from time to time, but again, we were travelling too fast. We passed over several creeks and rivers, some dry as a bone, while one or two contained a little water.
Junction Creek
It was interesting to note the change in the roads as we travelled. Sometimes it was a two lane stretch, as far as the eye could see.
Two lanes
And then occasionally stretched of the road went down to a single lane. Approaching traffic has to pull off to the side to pass, as we did, kicking up a dust cloud.
How to pass on a single lane road (Interestingly the rules over here seem to be that all other vehicles have to pull off the tar to allow Coaches, Trucks & Road Train stay in the centre).
Finally, after an 11 hour journey of 682km we arrived at our destination for the next two nights, the Normanton Tourist Park - a cozy en suite cabin, with aircon, with a lovely shady deck outside.
A camping holiday at Normanton
Later in the evening we wandered up to one of the three local hotels for a meal. Steak, snitzel, prawns and fish – and very generous servings they were too. The Central Hotel had quite a history – and was built in the 1890s by a local builder, with a Shaving Parlour on the end. The hotel had a public and lounge bar, plus a private bar and dining room. In earlier years there was a crocodile enclosure with two resident fresh water crocodiles. The crocs are now at Cairns Wildlife Park, one had a broken jaw and is named “Missus Scissor Jaw”.
Dinner time in Normanton
After such a big day we were ready for an early night, with the aircon going flat out. It sure is warm in this part of the world!
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