Day 9. Mean lean cows.

After the long straight roads we have travelled in the last few days, this morning we were surprised by the windy road through the rocky mineral rich hills, south of Mt Isa. Soon, however, we reached the open farmland and it became apparent the devastation caused by four years of drought. For hundreds of kilometres we passed empty parched paddocks, withered trees, mini dust storms and isolated groups of sad lean cows. All were the visible signs of a region weary from drought.

Having said that we were amused at a road sign warning of the dangers of stray cattle. The sign actually looked like a cow eating a car, these poor cows in western Queensland must be really hungry.

Yet, despite the obvious desperate state of the region, we were impressed by the proud history and the sense of hope that the people seem to have. In Cloncurry they commemorate the Presbyterian Minister John Flynn who believed there was a better way to provide medical support to the local area and went on to set up the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

In Winton we were surprised to read that Lyndon B. Johnson (who became the 36th US President) had survived an air crash near the town in 1942, and had recuperated at the North Gregory Hotel. It was in this same hotel that Waltzing Matilda was first performed in 1895. Banjo Patterson and Christina Mcpherson had written it in nearby in Dagworth. Winton was also the venue of the first board meeting of Qantas held in 1921. Finally, this same small town, now describes itself as the Dinosaur Capital of Australia following a range of remarkable fossil discoveries.

By mid afternoon we arrived in Longreach and set up Matilda after her long drive down, the appropriately named, Matilda Highway. While enjoying a cup of tea we were surprised when our little van started to rock and shake. Around us tents were flapping furiously and canvas was tearing. It was over in less than a minute and we realised a willy willy of swirling dust had hit us and was making its way though the campground. It was but a tiny reminder of the harsh realities faced by those trying to survive in Outback Queensland.