It was a late afternoon start, as AAV have so many upcoming projects that I am involved in it just takes that time commitment. More of that as they mature.

My plan was to follow lesser roads as much as possible. First night was at Peach Trees Forestry camp in the Jimna State Forest. Great camp amongst the Bunya pines with Kangaroos on the ground and platypus in the river.

Saturday 20th;

The Elgin Vale Saw Mill - NE of Nanango

This area around the South Burnett was once the most densely timbered area of S.E Queensland, rich in both hard and soft woods.

In 1926 T.H. Spence established a saw mill on Moonda Wanda Creek. He had a fleet of trucks, Caterpillar tractors and at times 3 to 4 hundred men.

In the late 1930’s a Robinson & Son Steam Engine was added allowing production to increase to 15,000 super feet of timber per day

The mill produced all variety of timber including Butter boxes for the Maryborough Butter Factory then ammunition boxes for the war effort.

The last log was milled on 16th March 1987 when the mill finally closed.

A great place to wander around

Back roads gives a glimpse of old farming machinery.

Mt Perry is an old Copper and gold mining town boasting up to 21 Hotels and a population of over 30,000 at its peak in the 1870’s .

The smelters closed in 1915 and the town slowly died.

With the museum closed and no answer on the phone numbers provided - we moved on.

The Boolboonda Railway Tunnel.

Built through solid rock by 2 teams in 1883 & 84.

It’s part of the old rail-line between North Bundaberg and Mount Perry with the objective of opening up the Mineral and Agricultural resources of the area.

At 192meters long its the longest unsupported tunnel in Queensland.

Now it the home of a colony of Bent-Winged Bats

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Bush camp at Camp Creek in the Wonbah State forest.

Distance to Date: 402Kms

Sunday 28/7/24

Cania Gorge Campground.

There are no campgrounds in the park hence we are here.

There is bird feeding at 4pm so our afternoon happy hour we had guests.

So many of the caves have hand prints, but as you walk around you begin to realise that they are more recent.

With local water and red clay - tourists are adding their hand prints.. SHAME

This is one I think original an Emu and Kangaroo

The Overhang.

Walked about 8kms this morning.

Our plan was to go to the old gold fields at Monal but we see a sign to the Kroombit Tops National Park and afterva bit of research we find  “Beautiful Betsy”

This need some more exploring...

Quite a long and slow drive in on ever decreasing road s & tracks.

A great camp at ‘The Wall’

Tuesday 30th July 2024.    A brisk start at 0.13*C

Beautiful Betsy was a WWII Liberator Bomber that crashed on 27th February 1945 but the crash site not discovered until 49 years later in 1994.

The aircraft came down with such force that all 4 engines lay 100m in front of the crash zone.

All 8 service men lost their lives, one of them was to be married in Sydney in 4 days.

ts a somber site and a quite 2km walk back to the vehicle.

Calliope River Free Camp.

Total : 723Kms

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Tracks to date.

Blackdown Tablelands.

At 900m above the Bowen Basin is this sandstone tableland.

The pool at Gudda Gumoo is a great walk, very much too cold for a swim.

Mook Mook Creek on a walk to a view point.

Blackdown Fan Palm - A species found nowhere else other than up here on the tableland.

...And it is in flower.

We spent 2 nights here, some great walks and a few ancient paintings.

Temp -3*C in the mornings