Day 12 -- Hughenden

A more relaxed pace today, as Hughenden doesn't offer as many "must see" attractions as most of the other places I have visited.  I had breakfast at my favourite hangout here: the FJ Holden Cafe in the Main Street.  It is run by an old rock n roller who has filled the place with Elvis memorabilia, huge juke box, and items relating to just about every model of Holden car.

On the northern banks of the Mitchell River (Queensland's longest, but completely dry just now) the Council has developed an eco walk.  Along about 1.5km stretch they have established 4 Eco regions that represent the major ecosystems of the Flinders Shire ... Einasleigh uplands, desert uplands, Mitchell grass downs and Gulf plains.  Each is planted with flora from the region.  I took over an hour to stroll and explore.  Then checked out a couple of other historic relics, including a Coolabah tree that was blazed by Landsborough when searching for Burke and Wills.  The blaze is healed over now and indecipherable.  

The Flinders Discovey Centre is a huge shed with a variety of displays that focus on he district's sheep industry (now pretty much gone), the geology of the area, and all sorts of fossil relics.  Their pride and joy is a full skeletal replica of Muttaburrasaurus Dinosaur discovered locally.

After lunch and a nap, I drove 70km north of Hughenden to see the Porcupine Gorge.  It is the only national park type site I can remember that actually has a good quality sealed road all the way in.  There are two lookouts about 5 km apart.  One looks down on a narrow stretch of the gorge where Porcupone Creek meanders 450 feet below, having over the centuries carved a deep chasm in the landscape.  The other looks across a broader stretch of the gorge to sheers cliffs have been carved by the water of the creek.  There one can see layer upon layer of differing geological formations that have been built up over 280 million years.  The cliff face is a geological time chart .. Fascinating.

On the drive back one passes a lonely grave beside the road.  It is that of a bullocky mailman who was killed there by Aborigines in the late 1800s.  Along the lonely track to outlying stations he would have been carrying supplies ordered from he town's shops S well as mail.  It was this these supplies that attracted the Aborigines' attention.  A reminder of how tough life was for those who pioneered out outback.

That pretty much brings my exploration of the Ovsrlanders Way and Dinosaur Trail to an end.  Tomorrow I'll retrace my path into Townsville where I will overnight before catching the train back home.

Today's photos are here.