Day 49: Sun 13 Aug 23 - Proserpine to Peak Downs Highway Gravel Pit (Gemini Mtns)

August 14, 2023

Proserpine to Peak Downs Highway Gravel Pit (Gemini Mtns) (Towed 325km)

Weather: 8 Deg, clear, no wind, some light fog in the morning at Proserpine, remaining sunny and clear with no wind all day and reaching 30 Deg by 2pm.

We woke to a fresh baby poo smell coming from the local sugar mill. It didn't last long, but gee it was hard on the nose. We didn’t notice it the first couple of days here, probably because the wind was blowing it away, but with no wind the past two days, it was very noticeable, and not pleasant. We were packed and on the road by 8.15am driving 98km south towards Mackay, then turning off the Bruce Highway towards Marian, stopping on the north side of town at a large roadside stop for our morning coffee. We then continued through Marian along the Marian Eton Road, and via the Eton Range along the Peak Downs Highway to Nebo. The highway was very good most of the way, but the range road was particularly good with separated dual lanes. The road from Nebo to our overnight free camp near the Gemini Mtns along the Peak Downs Highway however, was very rough and bumpy. Thankfully there was very little traffic along the way.

After 187km, we stopped in Nebo opposite the historic old pub for a leg stretch and to see the sights of this very small old country town. A surprise and absolute highlight was spotting a very young Koala sitting in a gum tree beside the nature walk. When I zoomed in and took a photo with a zoom lens, I noticed there were in fact two Koalas - one very healthy looking mother nursing its baby. It was so beautiful to see, and such an awesome experience seeing it in the wild. From Nebo we continued another 82km to our planned overnight stop at the Isaac River Rest Area, about 4km east of the Moranbah turnoff. We pulled into what turned out to be a very small rest area, and being very close to the highway it was very noisy, and quite cramped as there were already four other vans parked for the night. We decided it wasn’t for us, so after having lunch, we continued towards Clermont, thinking that we would either find another place to stay, or even stay in Clermont if need be. We are checked into Ruby Vale on Tuesday, so we have another night to kill tomorrow - we may stay a night at Capella.

58km after the Isaac River Rest Area, we located a Gravel Pit to the side of the Peak Downs Highway amongst the Gemini Mountains. I also had this one marked as an option, and after checking it out, we decided it was perfect for our overnight stay. A large open space about 70m from the highway with a little shade from a nice bushy tree, it was perfect for an overnighter, and we were on our own. There was some road noise from occasional passing traffic, but it subsided almost completely by 7.30pm. It was so quiet my Tinnitus was gave me grief.

We were parked and setup by 2.30pm, and after a cup of tea, with no TV, no internet or mobile reception, we kept our ourselves busy with reading, taking photos, sending the drone up for a look, and Noel doing her crosswords. After a beautiful sunset, we had dinner, it was one very quiet night - so enjoyable.

Morning coffee stop on the outskirts of Marian

Nebo - Centenary Park.
The placard reads:

JOHN SHANNON (1840 - 1927) WAS BORN AT HINTON ON THE HUNTER RIVER, THE SON OF MARTIN AND KATHERINE KELLEHER. LOSING HIS FATHER TO SNAKEBITE WHEN HE WAS EIGHT, JOHN RECEIVED NO FORMAL EDUCATION AND WENT TO WORK AT AN EARLY AGE, BEFORE BECOMING A HORSE TEAMSTER CARRYING GOODS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES. MARGARET YOUNG (1847 - 1916), DAUGHTER OF JONATHON AND MARGARET (nee CHAPMAN), WAS THE FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN ON THE MACINTYRE RIVER BEFORE THE FAMILY WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO THE HUNTER IN 1857. WHEN MARRIED IN 1865, JOHN AND MARGARET SETTLED WHERE ROCKHAMPTON AIRPORT NOW STANDS. JOHN CARTED COPPER ORE FROM COPPERFIELD TO THE PORT AT BROADSOUND (ST LAWRENCE) BEFORE PURCHASING SALTBUSH PARK ON THE UPPER FITZROY RIVER IN 1872 OVER THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS, JOHN AND MARGARET ENDURED IMMENSE HARDSHIP FROM DROUGHT, FLOODS, FIRES AND DISEASE OUTBREAKS BEFORE ULTIMATELY BECOMING SUCCESSFUL IN THE 1890's. DURING THESE YEARS, THEY PRODUCED TWELVE CHILDREN AND OWNED SOME TWENTY PROPERTIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR FAMILY, BEFORE BECOMING SIGNIFICANT BENEFACTORS TO MANY COMMUNITY, MEDICAL AND WARTIME CAUSES. FROM TOUGH BEGINNINGS, THEY BROUGHT HONOUR AND RESPECT TO THEIR FAMILY NEVER LOSING THEIR HUMILITY AND CHRISTIAN VALUES.