9th July - camp between Bedourie and Diamantina Lakes NP to Hunters Gorge campsite, DNP.

The sunrise with clouds and cows was a good one. J got the drone up too. 

Got away at 8.54, with a load of wood on both Dad and Steve's woodcarriers. An earlier start just in case of rain. We got a few sprinkles while packing up which sped us all up. 

The road and landscape keep changing, we've had soft, dusty and bulldusty tracks through flat plains into channel and river country with rough river/creek beds and cut throughs lined with trees. There was also savannah  and gibber plains. 

Sunrise.

Cattle walking past in the sunrise.

More of the cattle and dust and sunrise.

The changing colours of sunrise.

The cattle still walking.

 We crossed the Diamantina River complete with cranes. 

Diamantina River maybe.

 Travelling through Davenport Downs, there are gates to be open and closed - we are in front so I have opening duties with Stef and Milani doing the closing. The dust that envelopes the car when you stop is amazing.  Fills the car too. 

Some of the creeks were Coo Riddy, Middle Creek and lots of unnamed channels. 

Clouds looking a little ominous. but awesome

Here they come, dust and all.

Still on Davenport Downs.

Entering the National Park

Stopped on a grid to check something.

 We dropped into the Visitors Centre at Rangers station. There was quite a good set of information signs and display, also some good pamphlets. Learnt that some is the red grass we are seeing is Flinders grass and there is also Mitchell grass 

The Rangers Station and Visitors Info centre, they have taken over an old Homestead and station buidlings

We were off to Janet's Leap firstly, then to camp at Hunter's Gorge.

View from Janet's Leap

 Visited Janet's Leap - a lookout with views over the Diamantina River and the forests in the valley. Also saw a conical peak called Moses Cone after a blacktracker - Budgeree and Mt Mary named after his sister Mahibi. Amazing views over the river channels, sandstone mesas and the plains. 

Moses Cone.

View of small island in Diamantina River, from Janet's Leap.

View from Janet's leap.

The boys were droning. Jadon coming in to land on his bonnet.

Steve taking lessons.

View of "fat arse van" and Sarah's Pajero, with a jump up in the background.

From there we travelled a short distance to our camp for the evening - Hunters Gorge, beside the Mundewerta Water hole. The gorge was formed by the river cutting between two mountain ranges The Goyder and Hamilton ranges. 

We were in camp for lunch! A short travel day indeed. We have had spitting rain on and off all day - so far not enough to settle the dust, nor cause any road conditions or closure concerns. 

Our camp is beside the Diamantina River, lined with trees and housing many pelicans. Must try and have a food look in the morning. 

Pelicans on the River at our camp at Hunter's Gorge.

More clouds.

 After lunch we headed off in three cars to check out the Warracoota Circuit drive. This took us past the stockyards, bronco yards, across and through sand dunes, clay pans, channel country - through creeks and other channels and waterways, we stopped at Lake Constance for a bit, plenty of water,  some birdlife, plants erupting from the cracks in the soil. Everything was either flowering, dropping seed or working on doing the same. 

Some water birds on Lake Constance, on the circuit loop.

Taking off.

Some cranes I think.

The crew on the Lake Edge.

Some of the burgeoning vegetation.

Things growing in the harsh cracked ground

An old tree.

Weird tall grasses beside the creek.

The seed pod of above mentioned plant.

Something was loose, that's right the driving lights.

Milani taking a selfie I think

More flowers.

 Then home again via another unmarked track - a good shortcut and a fun road  driving through channels etc. 

one of the smaller channels on the route home.

a Jump up.

Home for nibbles and drinks. No fire as they are not allowed, so Dad and I stacked some of the good wood onto roof rack. Stef helped tie the ratchet straps down - boy that height would be ever so handy. 

Leftover curried snags with mash. 

Then cafe Dundek launched with a pudding parade. We had choice of chocolate, citrus duo, brandy snap, sticky date or golden syrup. Quite nice they were too.