Author: Gary

Based here at the riverside free camp for 3 nights… beautiful but quite popular location. Will leave the caravan due to 100km of poor dirt road conditions and travel in to Lawn Hill & Adels Grove on day 2 of 3 in the Jeep only (booked accommodation for this night).

The Gregory River is a river located in the Northern Territory and the state of Queensland, Australia. The river is the largest perennial river in arid and semi-arid Queensland, one of the few permanently flowing rivers in the northwest of Queensland.

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REFRESHING! with day temps over 30.

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Long drive today… about 460kms. Departed Mt Isa and travelled the “long” way to Gregory via Burke & Wills roadhouse to avoid poor condition dirt roads.

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Fridge has been fixed. Car was checked out by an auto electrician. Car 12v supply was OK. He then had a quick look at fridge electronics. The fridge’s PCB had a burnt out section! Packed up the caravan and took it to a fridge repair business in Mt Isa. They fortunately had a replacement, albeit 2nd hand board. The board was fitted, tested and for about $400 all up, have a fridge which works on 12v again. It seems the onboard PCB 12v fuse was not correctly seated and one of the legs only touching it’s connecting point. No doubt with bumps along the road, there was a spark which burnt out the board.

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The Hard Times Mine is an underground mining experience in a mine built and operated by real miners that provides an opportunity to get up close and experience first hand the daily life and workings of an underground mine.

Preparation and above ground…

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Below ground…

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Lake Moondarra is an artificial lake on the Leichhardt River in Queensland, Australia, 16 km downstream from the town of Mount Isa. It provides water to the city and the adjacent Mount Isa Mines (MIM) mining lease.

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Interesting 2.5 hr city tour which also included a brief drive through the “entrance” area of the mine

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Travel plans have changed due to fridge issue which needs to be fixed. Mt Isa was the closest major town. We expect to be based here until mid next week.

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We have found dropping into the visitor centre after arriving at a new location very useful eg Mt Isa

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Another straight forward border crossing this time on the Barkly Highway just west of Camooweal. We were required to produce our driver’s licence, digital declaration and answer COVID related questions. All done and on our way in under 10 minutes.

Morning tea rest stop about 130km west of Qld/NT border. So remote and desolate; the terrain was similar to the Nullarbor Plain. It was 30° by 9.45am.

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