West Queensland region [Dateline 26 July - 29 July 2006]

From Townsville we drove west on the Flinders highway. The tropical rainforests of the coast quickly gave way to fairly dry and flat land, still surprisingly green though, and beautiful in a brutal sort of way. We had our first blowout, an exploding of one of the back tyres which seriously scared us.... but all well in the end, we had a spare and got help to put it on. Getting a new spare was much more of a problem, went through three little towns (Hughenden, Richmond and Julia Creek) before we finally found a 'tyre shop' which had the appropriate Bruce tyre..., in Cloncurry, home of about xxx people and as many kites!  (Hawk-type birds, we see quite a lot of them, but this place was special, there were more black kites than pidgeons!)

Stopped briefly in Mount Isa, where silver, lead, copper and zinc is mined. One of the largest silver-lead mines in the world, which you can see from the photo, the mine is as big as the town! Heading towards the Northern Territory border  we find ourselves driving straight ahead for hours on end. Camped for the night we see the most beautiful sunsets and literally millions of stars. As we cross the Northern Territory border we are welcomed with a record high diesel cost price of $1.81 pr ltr (approx 9 NOK), the usual cost being $1.35.

Ahead of us is the Northern Territory, with another 2 days driving to Uluru (Ayers Rock), and many other adventures.

This is a "blown out tyre".....

Another sunset!

Our campsite alongside the road

The Mt Isa mine.....

Hege feels just a little closer to home seeing a signpost for the North Pole

An Aussie Roadtrain...

Did we say slightly barren?

We are quite thankful it was a rear tyre.... it made a bloody loud BANG and then wack wack wack wack as the steel part of the steel radial belted against the wheel arch. Thanks to roadside assist it was replaced in 2 hours.... and then 3 days later a replacement was acquired for $210!!!

For those wondering about the big fishing rod.... I use it to hold up my short wave antenna.... spoke with the guys back down south (Hi Phil and Richard!!)

Surprisingly green.... and a stunning light as the sun set.

Look at the top-most sign!! Oh, and behind that you can see just how big this mine is!

these trucks are up to 54 mtrs in length and weight up to 150 tonnes... and when u see one approaching you get out of the bloody way!!! (they travel damn fast too)

At least the navigator doesn't have any difficult decisions to make.... and Skip and Steinar are up front watching for obstacles! Hege was worried that we may drop off the end of the world......

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This is a "blown out tyre".....

We are quite thankful it was a rear tyre.... it made a bloody loud BANG and then wack wack wack wack as the steel part of the steel radial belted against the wheel arch. Thanks to roadside assist it was replaced in 2 hours.... and then 3 days later a replacement was acquired for $210!!!