After a quick pack upw got into Mount Isa and had a McDonald's breakfast while Gaz changed the oil in the car park at supercheap auto. He then did another quick fix of the trailer spring and then just after midday we headed off towards Longreach.
I had changed the destination by this time to a town called Winton.
Gaz was battling a head wind most of the journey so it was a long tiring trip. We passed the walkabout hotel at McKinlay, Crocodile Dundee's hotel. We drove through some very desolate dry country which felt quite depressing. I could see the occasional group out animals trying to find a blade of dry grass in amongst the dusty dirt paddocks and I couldn't see any water troughs or dams for miles.
We drove through many landscapes but these ones made me realize the extent of the drought Australian farmers are going through at the moment. Very sad.
We got into Winton around 6pm and the van parks attached to the pub and close to town were all full. We found a campground on the outskirts and start there. It was a nice campground with large sites and good showers plus friendly hosts. We set up and then drive back into town to have a pub dinner. The town was a lot bigger than I expected and the pub was pumping with all of the tables full. We found a table just as people left and day down and ordered.
The pub owner was lovely and full of information about Winton. He was disappointed we were only driving through as he said there is so much to see. Winton is known for opals as well as dinosaurs. It is the dinosaur capital of Australia and home of Waltzing Matilda.
I think we will have to come back to explore Winton some more.
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