Our plan today is to drive to the Queensland Northern Territory Border via the small town of Camooweal.
Also to have a picnic at Camooweal too, we might as well while we are here!
So this is the plan for Day 10 of our Outback Queensland Road Trip.
A slowish start to the day having to do some clothes washing before heading off to Camooweal.
Time to drive to Camooweal
Camooweal is about 190 km north-west of Mount Isa and also about 13 km from the Queensland Northern Territory Border.
The drive from Mount Isa to Camooweal will take you about two hours without a caravan.
Its pretty much straight and flat the whole way with some great outback Queensland views to take in.
First stop is the World War II Historic Site, this is the original piece of road they built in 1942.
This was when they were taking precautions for Australia getting invaded by the Japanese after the Darwin attacks
This is a 1km stretch of road they have maintained for prosperity.
It was purpose built between Mount Isa and Camooweal in record time, just incase it was needed for the war effort.
It was only replaced in 1994 with the existing road you drive on currently to get here.
There is a big sign you can read at the site that gives you plenty of information about the section of road, the workers, and the reasons for building the road.
I mentioned to my wife about the old road that was following the existing road before we hit the site.
And we found out what the road was only not too long after this.
Welcome to Camooweal!
We arrived in Camooweal, which is a pretty small town.
Camooweal, if you do the drive around town has the Post Office / General Store, a couple of fuel station, and a Hotel / Motel on the main street.
As well as the towns houses, school, health clinic and the Police Station too.
We have a picnic rug in the car and laid it out on the grass behind the Camooweal Town Hall.
This Camooweal Town Hall is a heritage listed hall that was built over the years 1922 to 1923.
Its formal heritage listed name is the Camooweal Community Hall and it was built to be used as the Council Chambers as well as the hall.
Behind the hall (where we had a picnic) is the Ellen Finlay Park which has an undercover kids playground which is handy.
So if you decide to have a picnic like us and have kids, they can have a play while you finish eating.
Also there is a tap on the back part of the hall so you can wash up easily too.
I have a seperate story to tell you about this park and our picnic experience too.
As we ate we could see a lot of hawks circling above the other stop point coming into Camooweal.
This is where many caravans park rather than coming further into town.
There were a few hawks around us too and one of our kids threw their crusts onto the grass and a few of the hawks that were around came swooping in to get them.
Man they are fast!
Then the rest of the hawks saw what was happening and started to fly over, to us.
Within minutes we had them all circling and starting to dive bomb us in full stealth mode.
One flew over the rug at just over knee height and all you could hear was the whoosh as it screamed through.
You couldn’t even see them or hear them coming until they were upon you.
Very scary!
We ended up chasing them off with a stick and by not looking like we were holding food or throwing food.
It was a hard choice between scaring them off and grabbing the camera to film it.
I jest, it was a crap pants experience and I would recommend that you tell people or your kids not to throw any food to any hawks or any birds of prey at all!
The Queensland Northern Territory Border
After our picnic excitement we headed off to visit the Queensland Northern Territory Border for the first time.
As I said above, the Queensland Northern Territory Border is only about a further 13 km out of Camooweal.
So only a short drive.
It is great that the Northern Territory has thought of putting up a huge sign on their side of the border so travellers like us can take photos.
As you can see from the video above it is quite dry around the place.
There were quite a few other families and travellers out there taking photos of the Queensland Northern Territory Border too.
As we were driving out to the border, we wondered about all the caravans and campers that were parked under a bridge.
And also many of them driving along a dirt track next to the road too.
I found out from another camper staying at the Mount Isa Caravan Park that there is a free camping spot just after Camooweal.
It is a dry river bed that is quite a large area.
The campers stay there for free and can stay around the bridge or travel further down where there is a bit of water.
Free camping for you!
So if you want some free camping just out of Camooweal after camping at Mount Isa, you can and visit the Northern Territory while you are at it!
The tourist drive from Townsville to Tennant Creek is called the Overlanders Way.
So we will end up doing everything except for Tennants Creek part in this Outback Queensland Road Trip.
If you are heading out to Tennant Creek from Cammoweal the next petrol station for you is the Barkley Homestead Wayside Inn.
This is 256 km away from Camooweal, so make sure you fill up!
Enough time to do the Drovers Camp?
After visiting the Queensland Northern Territory Border we drove back into Camooweal to see what the Drovers Camp was about.
We had planned to go to Drovers Camp on the way into Camooweal as you pass it on the right on the way in.
We had to stop for a toilet break again for us and the kids.
There is a toilet block just outside the Camooweal Town Hall, just so you know.
The Camooweal Post Office is just across the road from the hall too.
My wife had the idea to send a postcard from the kids back to her parents in Brisbane from the Post Office there.
After this short break we drove out to the Drovers Camp and into the carpark.
We thought to ourselves, time is running short, we might just miss this one as we have had quite a few drover type experiences already on this trip.
And it is hard to beat the Kinnon & Co experiences too.
I took some photos of the outside quickly though as you can see.
Driving back to Mount Isa
Then it was time drive back to the big smoke of Mount Isa.
On the way out to Camooweal there was an eagle feasting on a kangaroo on the side of the road.
I roughly knew where it was on the roadside to check it out on the trip back.
We saw two little eagles feasting on roadkill in about the same place as the last one.
So during this road trip so far, we have seen five eagles in the wild.
We made it back into Mount Isa and I had one more place I wanted to see.
I had been to Mount Isa only once before for a five week stint when playing in a band.
So I dragged the family across town next to see The Irish Club before we leave and also the house we lived in while I was here at the back behind the club.
It seemed to have changed a bit since I was here last.
They were doing alterations to the club when we were playing there.
I can remember a storm hitting one night when we were playing.
The gig was called off short due to it being too dangerous to play, and also go out in this back room due to ankle high water running through it.
We played the bottom bar on Friday nights and then the main room big stage on the Saturday night.
From memory I was there in 2001, maybe 2002?
We headed back to the caravan park for a fried rice dinner and then out McDonalds for a sundae to spoil the kids.
Back to the Caravan Park
Finally the day ended as per usual, showers and off to bed.
Tomorrow is pack up day and time to say goodbye to Mount Isa.
Then it’s time to travel to Hughenden.
Liked reading this?
Head to Day 11 here, Outback Queensland Road Trip Day 11.
Or you can head back to the start of our trip here, Outback Queensland Road Trip.
What did we do or see today?
Stopped at the WWII Historic Road Site on the way to Camooweal
Visited Camoweal for a picnic and to send postcards
Drove to the Queensland Northern Territory Border
Where did we stay in Mount Isa?
Mount Isa Caravan Park
112 Marian St
Pioneer Qld 4825
P 07 4743 3252
Give them a call or book through their website here, Mount Isa Caravan Park.
Just watch out if you are on your mobile phone looking at or booking on the Mount Isa Caravan Park website.
The photo sizes are big on the website and when you click on facilities to look at the park they can suck you monthly data limit dry.
What distance did we drive today?
Mount Isa to Camooweal
Total travelled = 190 km
Camooweal to Queensand Norther Territory Border
Total travelled = 13.2 km
Tally of roadkills spotted for Outback Queensland Road Trip = 197 (included two cows)
Liked reading this?
Head to Day 11 here, Outback Queensland Road Trip Day 11.
Or you can head back to the start of our trip here, Outback Queensland Road Trip.
