Day 35- Charters Towers to Hughenden

We usually like to start to tidy up a bit the night before we pack up but we were both so exhausted by the time we got the kids to bed that was the end of it. So i was expecting a slow pack up and a late start but we must be getting better at it cos we were organised in no time.

Jordy had found a couple of dead frogs the he was keen to show everyone and poke with a stick. Both the boys had a jump on the jumping pillow again and we were still on the road at 9:45.



A boring, hot drive for the 250km to Hughenden with not much to see. Lots of grasslands, that changed to ironbark, and then as we went through the one small mountain there was lots more eucalypts and even wattle in bloom even though it's totally the wrong season for it back home...?? Then back to grasslands as we came into Hughenden. It's a small town but nice-feeling for some reason. Hughenden is part of the Dinosaur Trail and is one of the few places where dinosaur fossils are easily found. South of here, in Winton, is the only place in the world where there is evidence of a dinosaur stampede.

The park we are staying at is quite simple but it has some shade which i think will start to get rare from here on. Plus it is next to the town pool with a side gate that we just walk straight in to which is cool.

A quick unpack and we went in to town to the pub for lunch and a beer. (Another CRAP review once Tim get himself organised). Friendly locals. Then we visited the Flinders Discovery Centre to check out the dinosaurs. Both the kids had a ball. Lots to see and a section where you can feel the fossils (check out the photo of him yelling "Touch it, Mum! Touch it!!" cos i was too busy with the camera and not paying enough attention to the fossil he found) and dress up in dinosaur costumes etc. Jordy did a big puzzle.

We talked to the staff about the areas around town where you can go and fossick for your own fossil and i think we will do that tomorrow.

A little town that we drove through on the way here used to be famous for its sausages (we read in one of the tourist booklets) but apparently the sausages are now only sold in Hughenden. So Tim headed to the butcher to grab some for dinner. The bloke said that the famous Prairie butcher has closed down so they were not making them anymore.... but!! the bloke that used to be the Prairie butcher happened to work for him now so he guessed that meant you still could kinda get them! LOL! So Tim bought some cheese and cracked pepper sausages and some barbeque sausages.

Then off to the pool for a swim. The water is sooooo cold! We really can't figure how with the heat of the sun on the water all day that it says so cold. It was the same at Charters Towers. But maybe because it is so hot out that the water just feels cold? Anyway it was lovely and refreshing.

Tim set the tv up outside so we could watch the footy without worrying about waking Mr Grumpy Bum (Darcy). Jordy wandered around the park with a torch and looked for lizards. And we had our sausages and vege. Tim reckons the black pepper and cheese sausages are the best sausages he's ever had! Big call!! I liked them but they were just one shade too peppery for me but still nice.

The park was empty when we arrived but as it got later several other campervans arrived. One couple is here with two kids a similar age to ours (and they have a boy! It has been totally bizarre but every family we have met have all had girls!). We had a chance for a chat. Sounds like they work a few months out of the year and are travelling back to Broome to work for a bit before they head to Victoria for xmas. He came over for a bit and had a beer and caught some footy before his kids went to bed. It was nice to have a decent chat to other campers for a while instead of the usual 2minute conversation of "hi, where you from, where you headed, have fun" that you get on the coast.

Jordy went to bed yammering about dinosaurs and telling us how amazing it was to see them today. :)