12. The one when we left QLD

Current weather: 33/25°C, sunny
Total distance travelled: 6286km (+934km)

Rather than taking route 1 further east, where the road through Burketown gets rough, we started moving south towards Cloncurry. There's only one fuel stop along this 400km stretch of road, which guarantees a steady stream of customers for the Bourke & Wills Roadhouse. We joined the long queue for diesel along with (what seemed like) half the country's caravan-towing senior citizens.

The insanity of Burke & Wills' ill-fated journey becomes readily apparent in these scorched lands, especially when you remove air-conditioned cars and roadhouses from the equation, so I didn't complain too loudly about the wait.

We joined another long queue of caravans in Cloncurry, waiting to check in to the caravan park and be escorted in. It was a very relaxed park, with plenty of space and no apparent pattern for sites.

Regardless, we had lovely neighbours, and there was an unheated pool that kept the kids happy during the "cool" 33°C winter days.

John Flynn Place was an impressive display of the determination and ingenuity of the team who started the Royal Flying Doctor service, while the local history museum contained a fascinating array of information, geological samples, and antiques from times gone by. While the town appears to be living off its past achievements, it's got a bit of charm that sets it apart in this region. It also has some great free camping spots just out of town, but with our leaky water tanks, we moved on to Mt Isa in hope of making some repairs.

Before Mt Isa, we stopped at the abandoned Mary Kathleen uranium mine and township - once a thriving community, but now a series of concrete slabs and broken bitumen streets. Getting to the irradiated turquoise water of the flooded open cut mine site required some fun 4WD driving. This time we'd wisely unhitched the van before attempting such exploits!

It's immediately obvious what Mt Isa's economy is based on when

arriving in town, with the mine's tall chimneys rising high above all else. It also seems that very little of the wealth from the copper, lead and zinc that's mined there is actually retained by the town. It's hot, dry, dirty, and unkempt, but it has a good selection of shops to service the large community. Both the battery terminal and water tank could be repaired, but the oven door will need to wait until we find a glazier who can temper glass.

While in town, we also visited the underground hospital, which was hastily constructed by local miners who volunteered their services to protect patients should the Japanese bomb their town during WW2. Thankfully it was never used, other than for training drills. The same site also displays an original tent house - a clever solution to Mt Isa's housing shortage and extreme climate during its boom years.

We finally left Mt Isa, refuelled in Camooweal, and crossed the border on the 31st of July. Unlike every border so far, the NT police were stationed on the border to check each border permit. Ironically, being an online application process, the permit system only appears to catch computer-illiterate drivers, with the police then transcribing details onto pen & paper records, entirely wasting any technological advantage. It was probably wise I kept my observations to myself though - we got through without hassle!