Beautiful sunset as we were driving in to Boulia
Yesterday we drove the 360km’s from Winton to Boulia. We left Winton at 12pm after sleeping in and being a bit slow in the morning and doing a big stock up on groceries and meat at the butcher. We arrived in Boulia at 7pm which was far too late and really silly/dangerous to be trying to find a campsite in a place we have never been to in the dark – we have vowed never to do that again!
It was a nice drive – quite scenic and probably the most remotest countryside we have driven through so far. We stopped at the Middleton Pub for lunch (and Matt had to buy a beer from the bar). This pub is known to be one of the most isolated pubs in Australia – there is literally nothing at Middleton but the pub! While we were making our lunch – a very friendly pig called ‘Pig’ wandered across the road from the pub to us and tried to steal our food – the kids thought it was hilarious!
From Middleton we stopped at the old Hamilton Hotel site (each of these sites were Cobb & Co carriages change-over points on their route between Winton and Boulia – there were 9 changeover points – qute interesting!) and filled up with water – thanks for the good tip Aunty Nerida and Uncle Garth! It saved us having to do most of the drive with a heavy camper full of water and we got some of the best tasting water straight up from the Artesian Basin!
We ended up travelling in to Boulia in the dark (silly as lots of Kangaroos on the road!) but we wanted to make Boulia so we could only have one set up and stay put for a few days! It took as a little while to locate the free camping area behind the racecourse, but when we did we were lucky enough to be directed in to a lovely spot by some Grey Nomads – saved us driving around dangerously in the dark and no arguments!
North Gregory Hotel where we free camped (gold coin donation) in Winton
Campsite in Winton – quite crowded but a great spot!
Tobes checking out ‘Banjo Patterson’ in front of the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton
Swagmen Statue Winton
Lunch stop Middleton Pub
Very friendly pig who joined us
Pig
Matt having a beer and a chat to a local at the pub
Cobb and Co carriage at the Middleton changeover point
Filling up with the best water at the Hamilton Hotel changeover point rest area
Kids playing while we got the water at Hamilton Hotel – windmill pumps water straight up from artesian basin
The pictures of the Hamilton Hotel make me a touch nostalgic and sad. My parents owned and ran the hotel from 1989-1990. I was 10 and did school of air and distance education. All the walls inside where written on by travellers and guests, there was an awesome old hall building next to the hotel that my brother,sister and I played in. On the hill past the windmill was the burial site of the original publican and it was said she would haunt you if you touched her head stone. I was so upset to hear the hotel had burnt down a couple of years after we left! Good to see the fireplace still standing though!