OUTBACK TOWNS (Savannah Way 3)

The next stage of our tour was from Cobbold Gorge to Karumba on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria in Far North Queensland. (see map)

Through the coach window I saw miles and miles of Savannah-land.

 The clouds were something different to look at and a huge wedge tailed eagle could be glimpsed now and then.

We stopped in little outback towns to stretch our legs, to get fuel and supplies, to have morning tea or lunch. This is Georgetown, the administration centre for the huge shire of Etheridge. (39,000 square kilometres). The population of Georgetown is 250. It is so quiet that you can stand in the middle of the road to take a photo without having any traffic passing. However, we did see a helicopter land next to the hotel on the right of the photo. The pilot got out and went into the hotel and bought a carton of beer. Then he got back in his helicopter and flew off. That's the outback for you.

The only hotel in Georgetown burnt down some years ago but the publican started to rebuild it. However, it took him a long time. In the meantime he continued running his business from a shed. The locals kept asking, "When are you going to finish the hotel ?" When it was finally finished he named it "Wenaru Hotel"

Georgetown was originally a gold mining town in the 1870's but by 1900 grazing became the main industry. The Shire Hall was built in 1908 and restored in 1998.









The galahs and the cows watched us have morning tea in the local park. The park was next to the dried up river but in the wet season it would be a raging torrent.

After another two and a half hours driving we arrived in Croydon another small town with a population of 312 people. However, the shire covers an area of 300,000 sq km.

In 1880, Croydon was a 5,000 sq km pastoral run owned by William Brown born in Croydon, England. In 1885 gold was discovered and Croydon had a population of 7,000. The gold lasted until 1926. Recently Croydon has successfully reinvented itself as a tourist stop. The old buildings have been restored as museums and entry is free. Some of the lamp posts are the originals.

 The old police sergeants house.

The old courthouse.

After a stroll through the information centre and a picnic lunch in the park, we were off again. Soon we would be boarding the historic Gulflander Train to Normanton and then stay at Karumba on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where we were promised a cruise and prawn and crab dinner watching the sunset from a sand island. (see header photo)