We head from Emerald to Charters Towers for a couple of nights. It’s a reasonably long haul with the highway mostly in good condition but there are sections that are damaged by flood waters during the rainy season which prove to be too bouncy for the caravan when driven at highway speeds. So for these sections its down to 80Kms which makes the trip time longer than expected.
We arrive well after lunch and setup camp before heading into the town for a walk around.
Charters Towers has managed to hang on to a good portion of its history with many of the old buildings retained and re-purposed. More recent additions to the town centre have been in keeping with the earlier styles so sit comfortably side by side. The architecture is striking and it would have to be one of the best kept towns we’ve seen so far.
After a good night’s rest we decide to follow the path of the Burdekin River from the weir at the back of Charters Towers to the dam at Burdekin Falls and Lake Dalrymple. It’s a bit of a drive with not a whole lot to look at as its mainly scrub and grazing land but the weir, dam and lake are worth the drive.
Adjacent to the Burdekin River bridge is a sign post that indicates the flood levels for the various years since recording started. The markers are measured from the standard river level which is quite low at the moment. To give some idea as to how high the flood waters rise, the base of the marker is at the current bridge level which is 13 metres. The highest flood level in 1946 was 8 metres over the top of the current bridge. Hard to imagine that much water particularly when the river is so wide. Oh, just to add to the fun, we ventured down onto the river bed for a look and some photos then noticed the warning sign. Thankfully we didn’t dip our toes in the water.
On the way to the dam there is a gem of a small town named Ravenswood. This little town is a left over from the gold mining era with a lot of charm. It’s worth a visit and a beer at one of the pubs, yes there’s two of them. We happily sipped on a beer while talking to the new publican who bought the Railway Hotel “fifty-one days ago”. He’s a character and drives an enormous Ford F650 Pick-up plus has a collection of other vehicles including two collectible motorcycles that have taken residence in the main dining room.
The heat in the centre of Queensland is starting to build with the forecast for the next week to hit temperatures over 40 degrees. We’ve decided to head to the coast line for a few days of relaxing and fishing and watch what the weather pattern is up to. Bowen here we come!
Stoneworx Photography 