It rained during the night and we woke to a spectacular sunrise with gorgeous pink clouds. It was cooler this morning as there was a cool breeze blowing and a few clouds around but otherwise sunny.
The boys headed over to the field to continue to dig out our hole. I went with Trish, Jo and Holly to Gemtree for more water. Another 50c for 20lts. We then headed back to the field to start sieving. We all found lots more.
Lunch time was the end of the fossicking. We are rather happy with the amount we got for 1 ½ days work. We had to school after lunch. I also cooked a cake in the camp oven, but I burnt it a bit. I trimmed off the top and it was fine. I have to cut down on the cooking time and try again.
Everyone had baked dinners tonight with my cake for dessert. It was yum. We have started to pack up tonight ready for the move tomorrow. It is cold tonight.
We enjoyed a spectacular sunrise from bed this morning. No rain during the night, but there are still some clouds around this morning. None overhead though, all around the horizon.
Today is fossicking day! The boys went over to our hole just after 8am (now NT time). We had our car awning set up over the hole as it is going to be hot in the sun. Nath found holes in our brand new car awning; it must have been rubbing as we were driving over the corrugations. Not happy Jan. Us girls allowed them time to start digging before heading over ourselves to sieve. Every sieve we all found zircons. Now these are not to be confused with Zirconia or Cubic Zirconia. They are completely different, and a colourless one is a popular substitute for diamonds.
We stopped for lunch when it was quite hot. After, Trish and Jo with their kids went to Gemtree Caravan Park to buy more water, 50c per 20lts. This water is for sieving the gems. We then all got back to sieving and digging, only stopping for the day when the sun was setting and we couldn’t see anymore.
We then started going through our collection of zircons with headlights and torches. Between the 3 families, we have a lot! Then Trish and Al had some hot water left over so Jo, Show, Nath and I all enjoyed a quick but lovely hot shower. Couldn’t wet my head though, bugger.
We had another lightning show tonight on the horizon with the stars out above us.
We rose at 7:45am, which out here, is not long after sunrise! Nath put the jerry can of diesel in the tank before we packed up and were on the road at 9:15am. I finally took a look at my head, a nice egg this morning. Still doesn’t hurt which is a bonus.
We saw a huge wedge-tail eagle eating road kill just out of our camp. He was an awesome sight. We entered the Northern Territory just before 10am and stopped for a photo. The road in Qld was good this morning. More alternating between bitumen and gravel. Once we were in NT where the road changes to the Plenty Highway, it was all gravel apart from a couple of floodplains.
We stopped for lunch at Arthur River and then a fuel stop at Jervois Station. $2.069/lt for diesel.
Some of the road deteriorated and was corrugated, but on the whole, the Plenty/Donohue Highway was fine. The NT side was probably worse than the QLD side, which is the opposite of what we were told. There was definitely more bitumen on the Qld side as well.
Just before the Mud Tank turnoff we were returned to bitumen until we drove into Mud Tank. We found a nice spot to camp and did a big set-up. We chilled out before and awesome sunset which was followed by a lightning show to the south tonight, so we might get wet. Today is the first day in ages that we have had clouds.
Expenses to date:
Diesel 1019.37 L $1578.92 4987.6kms
Take Away $66.70
Groceries $823.75
Ferries & Permits $10.10
Accommodation $238.40
Parts & Repairs $511.41
Entertainment $343.30
The Donohue Hwy
We enter NT
Jump shot
How my wound looks today in the light, still not game to look
The Plenty Hwy
Lunch stop at Arthur River
Arthur River lunch stop
Countryside
Plenty Hwy
Window view
Fuel stop at Jervois Station
Our fuel bill at Jervois Station
Plenty Hwy
Corrugations in the road
Harts Range
Cloud formations heading west – pointing to Ningaloo
