Beechmont to Bayswater and back - 2400km in 3 days

This rather unexpected adventure started when our youngest daughter received a call from Kathy Core at Bayswater Station in the central west of Queensland inviting her to work for her as part of her RITE training course. Stephanie had had her heart set on becoming a Jillaroo for the past 4 or 5 years and had applied to Rural Industry Training and Extension (RITE) to do a Certificate III in Agriculture - Beef Cattle Production. Her hope was to be placed on a station in far north Queensland and work with either her uncle Howard or uncle David. The wet season in the north has been very good this year and Steph had not expected to receive a call until March so was caught off guard when Kathy called from Bayswater station on Thursday asking if she could start the following Tuesday. Suddenly life went into overdrive as she made final arrangements to leave and handed in her resignation at her current job at Binna Burra Lodge. Our first attempt to get to Bayswater was on Monday 19th but we only made it to Toowoomba before Kathy rang to say it was raining out there and we would most likely not get through. We postponed the trip for a few days which gave Steph a bit of time to do the last few things that we didn't have time for on the first attempt.

We left Beechmnont around 10.30am on Saturday 24th January 2009 and headed for Bayswater again determined to get at least as far as Tambo if we could not go all the way. The weather was fine if a little cloudy and our last contact with Kathy indicated that there had been some rain in the past few days but the road was passable. We took the gamble and decided to go for it.

Our first stop was in Toowoomba where we had a late lunch with mum and dad before heading on to Miles for the night. Leaving Toowoomba we headed out via Oakey, Dalby and Chinchilla and on to Miles. The recent rains have revived the tired country and it was so good to see everything looking fresh and healthy, the best we had seen it for some time. The roads here are straight as we head out along the plains of the western downs where broad acre agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy creating a patchwork quilt effect as the large paddocks vary from the lush green of young chickpea or cotton crops, to the varying hues of sorghum in all its stages of development. The bright orange-brown tops of the sorghum contrast magically with the bright green of the young shoots that support the heads and as the crop matures this changes to a rich brown heads against a light brown stalk waiting to be harvested or the withered, dry heads on plants that are well past their prime and looking somewhat forlorn. Interspersed with the sorghum in all its stages and the young chickpea and cotton crops are the rich black or red soils of paddocks in fallow waiting for their next crop to be sewn or the occasional grass paddock for grazing stock. The overall effect is a rich tapestry of farming life in this part of the country.

The road stretches in a seemingly endless straight line of black bitumen following power lines that are lined up in a straight row like soldiers at attention pointing the way. As I gaze around evidence of the area's richness and diversity is all around us. Farm houses are dwarfed by the massive machinery sheds that sit next to them accommodating the giant harvesters and tractors that are a vital part of this type of farming.

Each small town we drive through offers some insight into the economic activity that supports its residents. Huge silos in a cluster close to the main road are filled with grains from the recent harvests while still more grain is stored under massive blue tarps that attempt to protect it from the elements. Every now and then giant irrigation systems snake across a paddock like a giant caterpillar ready to provide the much needed water for a healthy crop, but for now they rest as the rains do their job for them. Piles of coal sit beside the rail line waiting transport to its next destination giving nothing away of the turmoil that the conflict between farming and mining is creating in parts of this beautiful area.

The bitumen rolls on into the horizon calling us forward on our journey. As we drive across the black soil plains the roads are rough as they move and buckle with the effects of the weather on this unstable soil and we bounce along in the cab of the Toyota ute getting a workout that we had not bargained for. Although the ute is rough on these unforgiving roads we at least have the luxury of air conditioning and a CD player, luxuries we don't have in our other vehicles, and the trip is more bearable because of it.

We arrive at Michael and Katie's at Miles at around 6pm and are warmly greeted by Michael even though it has been several years since we have seen him. Katie and Ella are in the bathroom with Katie supervising Ella's bath time which she so obviously loves. It is great to catch up with Michael and to finally meet Katie and Ella and we have a wonderful evening catching up on their lives and loves. We are ever grateful for their wonderful hospitality and comfortable bed.

We woke at 5am the next morning to clear skies with high cirrus clouds tinged with pink as the sun begins its journey across the southern skies. With the sun at our backs we head further west into the heart of cattle country. The landscape is now mostly mallee and brigalow country with some cleared grazing lands. As we approach Roma I am reminded that this is cattle country with the famous Roma cattle yards on our left while industrial machinery, silos and agriculture support services flank the highway. Although Roma is predominately a cattle town it is also known for its oil and gas reserves and proudly displays its history in the museums that we pass.

After a quick fuel and food stop we are once again on our way. The road stretches endlessly across the rolling plains with only a few low hills visible in the distance. Everything out here is fresh, green and lush. A welcome sight. the plains offer little by way of diverse landscape and my attention is drawn to the skies with a wispy blanket of cirrus cloud dotted with fluffy white pillows of cumulus clouds which build and change as the heat of the day intensifies adding another dimension to the sky scape.

This section of the highway from Roma to Tambo and beyond is known as the Long Paddock. The road verges are wide and form a stock route that has been used by graziers to drove cattle during leaner times. But now the paddocks are lush and healthy after the recent rains and the Long Paddock is having a spell.

The hours tick by and we pass few other vehicles on this lonely road. Most that we do pass offer a wave, a salute to fellow travellers of the outback and a reassurance that we are not alone on our journey. Occasionally there is a stark reminder of the dangers of this country. A cross on the side of the road marks someones last breath or a kangaroo carcass reminds us to be vigilant and to respect the land.

As the day wears on and the heat intensifies so too do the storm clouds which are now building all around us. We arrive in Tambo around 12md and after a quick fuel and food stop are on our way to Bayswater station which is 135km out from Tambo and over 100km of red soil and gravel roads to cross. The road is rough in places and still a little boggy in spots from the recent rains but we have no trouble getting through. Steph manages the challenging sections of road well in her little
Subaru Outback and we make it to Bayswater around 2.30pm.

As we turn into the driveway of Bayswater we are greeted by a father emu and his six chicks. The drive to the house and sheds is a couple of hundred metres and we are warmly greeted by Kathy as we pull up. The house is small and old fibro in nature and I think perhaps Steph is a little disappointed but it is comfortable. Kathy shows her to her new room and offers us a cup of tea. We enjoy the refreshments and chat for a while. I find Kathy to be refreshingly honest and open and a born bushie who has grown up on the land and has lived on properties all her life. She will be able to teach Steph a lot about this life, especially about horses and camp drafting. This is the beginning of a huge adventure for Steph that will impact on the rest of her life and I am very proud of her for following through on her dream and being willing to push herself so far out of her comfort zone.

As we begin to stroll around the yards it becomes obvious that storms are now forming all around us and Kathy advises us that if we have to be out by the morning we should perhaps not stay as if the storms fall across any section of the road out we may not get through. With much reluctance we say our goodbyes quickly and head off again. I feel terrible about leaving Steph so soon and feel as if we have abandoned her. I pray a silent blessing on Bayswater and Steph and Kathy as we race to beat the storms and trust that God will look after and protect her for us.

We manage to make it back to bitumen before we encounter any of the storms and drive through a few heavy showers on our way back. We decide to push on through the night for a while and eventually stop at Morven for a meal before heading on to Mitchell for the night. This extension on our day's journey makes the next day's trip much more comfortable. The motel at Mitchell is small and basic but comfortable and we sleep well. Our dash the previous night means we can sleep in and it is not until 8am that we leave Mitchell and head on in to Toowoomba where we once again have lunch with mum and dad. While our journey out to Bayswater was filled with anticipation our journey home is filled with relief. I am pleased that we managed to get Steph there before the big helicopter musters on the 26th and the 28th and I am pleased that we didn't get stuck there. But now the long journey is catching up with me and I am tired. I doze most of the way from Roma to Dalby where we break for a coffee and pit stop before heading on into Toowoomba. My shoulder is aching and I am pleased that I have the acupressure needles in and the TENS machine offers some relief.

We spend a couple of hours at mum & dad's and catch up with Mary & Mike before heading home, arriving at 6.30pm when I promptly collapse in the hot spa for an hour or so before later collapsing in bed. 2400kms in three days is a long haul and I am glad I don't have to do it too often. John on the other hand was just about settled in to long haul driving of days past and was ready to keep going - but not with me!!!! We rang Steph before going to bed and was pleased to hear that she is settling in well and she is enjoying the work. I am glad that we were able to get her a laptop computer before we left so at least she can have some of her own entertainment when she needs it. My heart eases a bit when I hear that she has settled in well and I hope it is not too long before Christina or the other kids get out to visit her. The next time we head out there it will be for a couple of weeks so the trip won't be so rushed.

This wasn't exactly how we had planned to spend the Australia day long weekend but I guess there is not much more of an Aussie way to celebrate our national holiday than by driving into the heart of the outback and back again. HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY 2009.