Saturday 13 August: Emerald – Lara Wetlands
A (for us) very early start to cover a decent distance to Lara Wetlands. It started to rain about 20 minutes before we left and we left it behind as soon as we hit westbound Capricorn Highway. The Capricorn highway runs east – west, close to the Tropic of Capricorn from the coast as fas as Barcaldine. Along our route we see countless pointy ant-hills, very curious. Many are dressed up either to resemble scarecrows (we think) or funny looking humans with hats, caps, capes or t-shirts and accessories! Whoever decided to dress these ant-hills certainly made our trip very entertaining!
Today’s stay at working cattle station Lara Wetlands is a short side trip south, highly recommended by Phil & Deb (especially for the Saturday atmosphere with live music) and the many reviews on WikiCamps app. The 13km gravel/corrugated road was not ideal (bump bump & dust…) and cows holding us up on the road as well (they really thought it was their home), but it was worth the destination.
Lara Wetlands is a really lovely and unusual campground. The wetlands consist of a very shallow, large lake filled with grey, dead ghost gumtrees and some creeks feeding into it. A pathway all around it and campers just behind that. Birdlife in abundance! The lake’s circumference is around 2km, which can be covered on foot, or by pushbike available to use; or you can grab a kayak to get up close to the birds. A hot (38degrees) artesian pool and a cold small dam is also on the grounds for communal use.
Pretty in the dark with a clear starry sky and dotted fires all around the lake. We had a full moon but it came up well after dark so we enjoyed both stars and moon. Live music made for a fun time and we sat with our low chairs and the table Arno had made, that evoked many admiring comments from the 75 people passing us on their way with their bowl/plate to collect their pre-ordered 3-course meal. We hadn’t brought enough cash with us, but certainly enjoyed the fun, and were spoilt by the team who set some delicious hot buttered damper on our table… even Jen forgot her ketogenic diet for that!
Sunday: Lara Wetlands – Lake Dunn
Making our way north, back towards Barcaldine where we stopped only for an awful take away coffee, and crossed the Capricorn Highway which we have been traveling along to do our next side trip. This one is to admire some art, in the form of a sculpture trail. The sculptures are almost all done by one artist who is inspired by ‘the characters and animals around us’. She uses barbed wire and recycled steel materials for her work, and turns them into expressive pieces that stand alongside the single lane road between Aramac and Lake Dunn, and continues as an unsealed road in a loop back to Barcaldine. Cleverly done and expressive, some fun sculptures.
We cover the first 67km and some 15 sculptures and arrive at Lake Dunn where we drop the van and continue for another 23km on the unsealed sculpture trail for a just few more.
Back at camp we sunbake along the lake in beautiful 25degrees. It’s a campground run by the council on this big lake Dunn, which also has a milky colour and very peaceful. We meet up with our friends from Carnarvon Gorge again (who had first mentioned this trail to us), and spend another few enjoyable hours around the fire…
Hi Arno and Jen so glad you both enjoyed your stay at Lara Wetlands, it is one of our favourites. Will have to make sure we do the sculpture trail next time.
Phil and Deb
Hello guys! Sure understand LW is a faourite, so glad we went! In addition to the sculpture trail, consider the Carnarvon Gorge route… that was truly amazing.
Hi Guys
Net terug van 9 dagen trip naar zeeland. Allereerst voor de mosselffeesten in Yrseke. Was weer leuk en lekker maar door de coronajaren hebben ze het ouderwetse feest compleet met zeer lange tafels om gezamelijk van de mossellen te genieten veranderd in een mosselfestival van 3 dagen. Ook de braderie is er niet meer dus ook veel minder mensen. Jammer wij vonden het oude concept leuker.
Verder hebben we nog 2 camperplekken in Zeeuws Vlaanderen gehad. Geen druppel regen met temperaturen soms dik boven de 30 graden. We hebben elke dag minstens 40 km gefietst. De wind (die er altijd is in Zeeland) was meestal verfrissend.
Weer een leuke trip. Nu weer even tijd om jullie blog weer te lezen. Jullie hebben ook niet stilgezeten. Wat een schitterende natuur. Ik vond de beslissing van Jen om toch maar niet het bordje “Danger ” te negeren een prima besluit. Er kan toch van alles gebeuren op zo’n pad, hoe mooi dat het ook is.
Weer mooie foto’s Arno. Je kunt binnenkort wel een natuur fotoboek uitgeven. Wij willen wel een exemplaar dus de eerste klant is binnen.
Fijn weer op de hoogte te zijn. Ga lekker verder met jullie trip. Jullie genieten en wij ook.
Fijne en veilige reis. Knuffels
Ellen en Henk
hallo! jullie reis klinkt heerlijk…. wat verlang ik naar mosselen… Wij vinden ook veel dingen een beetje veranderd door Covid, maar ja, 9/11 is ook verantwoordelijk voor zoveel veranderingen in ons leven. Ook wel fijn dat jullie tegenwoordig echt het land niet meer uithoeven om de zon te zoeken in de zomer, en Nederland is toch wel erg gezellig. Leuk ook dat jullie weer met ons reizen!xx
Wat bijzonder die aangeklede termietenheuvels, nooit ergens gezien zo!
Ook de kunst van oude metalen is bijzonder, dat je dat daar allemaal zomaar in het wild tegenkomt!!
Prachtige zonsondergang weer.
Leuke campings.
Wat een handig tafeltje, Arno: inklapbaar? Ziet er mooi uit.
Weer genoten . Zie weer uit naar de volgende verhalen.
Met dank xx
Ja, het tafeltje is inklapbaar… Was mijn kerstkadootje! die gekke heuvels was echt wel wat…. ik vond net een artikel erover, wel grappig om te lezen: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-22/termite-mound-people-jericho-outback-queensland/11784046#:~:text=The%20first%20dressed%2Dup%20mound,lived%20there%20for%2032%20years.
Fijn dat jullie meegenieten van onze avonturen…
xxx