Cunnamulla and Bollon

24 – 25 July

The journey from Charleville to Bollon took us through Cunnamulla and lots of straight roads edged by bushland. For the first time on the trip emus were much more plentiful than kangaroos, both in the paddocks and as road kill. Fortunately for us two emus with a death wish stepped out boldly across the road in front of us with just enough time for us to miss them.

Long, straight roads with very wide verges are very typical of country roads in Queensland

We stopped briefly in Cunnamulla; it seems like an attractive town. We called in at the office of the Warrego Watchman to see James, Penny’s boss, then had lunch and travelled on to Bollon, about 200km east.

Cunnamulla's main street

The Cunnamulla Fella, immortalised by Slim Dusty

The Cunnamulla office of the Warrego Watchman, Penny's new employer

Obsolete printing machinery inside their office

Corellas decorating the trees along the banks of the Warrego River

Bollon is a quiet village between Cunnamulla and St George with a free campsite along the Wallam Creek. The community has provided toilets and showers for free use by travellers.  There is a newly completed walkway explaining the aboriginal heritage of the area, and a local cemetery to add to the ambience. At the edge of the village a family keeps injured kangaroos in the yard for rehabilitation before they are returned to the wild. One that has lost an eye is a permanent resident and is quite friendly, expecting food and prepared to let you scratch his nose and chin.

This area housed an aboriginal settlement in the 1960s and the board gives their names.

Reflections on Wallam Creek, Bollon

Two entwined tree types growing as one.

A plentiful supply of carp in the creek

Roos undergoing rehabilitation, except the large one which is blind in one eye

The village was livened up by a visit from a car rally travelling from Adelaide to Noosa. All the rally vehicles were 2WD and old and optioned up, but the support vehicles were all 4WD.

We stayed in Bollon for 2 nights, just enjoying being camping and the weather fine with some nice sunsets.

Rally cars parked in the centre of the village

The VB car, sponsored by Silverton Hotel

The VW looks a little worse for wear