A Poem I wrote inspired by our experiences followed by Photos of our few days in Channel Country between
Boulia and
Windorah. (I am not a poet..so apologies to those of you who happen to read this and feel like correcting my iambic pentameter? or whatevers!!
CHANNEL COUNTRY
Red road, wheel ruts, corrugations
Dust, rocks and gibber stones.
Protruding signs 'rough road ahead'
rising from the flat terrain,
warn where boggy spots remain;
evidence of recent rain.
Pools of water, frequent channels;
life filled ribbons lined with green.
Running streams where flocks of bird life
screech and bicker, splash and preen.
Red roos, emus slow our journey,
leap and dart across our path.
Zebra finches playing chicken,
some unlucky, strike the car.
Hawks and kites wheel and circle
high above in clear blue sky.
Bustards, brolga roam the grasslands,
startled by us passing by.
Spinifex and
Mitchell grasses,
mallee, gidgee dot the land.
Rocky jump ups, mesas, plateaus.
Samphire lining salty pans.
Ochre hues of cream and rust,
so much to see along with dust.
Undulating rippled ridges; terracotta red.
Perfect prints of hidden wildlife,
reptiles, rodents.
Tracks in sand.
Slopes adorned with spiky clumps
of jade
grey green and coloured plants.
Road trains, clouds of dust approaching.
Discarded rubber strips of tyre
littering the roadside verges,
lie like parched, long dead remains.
Roadkill looms like distant hilltops.
Signs resemble tall dead trees.
Our eyes keep watch for smallest features
to ease monotony of plains.
Long dead trees with branches reaching,
limbs outstretched for resting birds,
waiting raptors plucking roadkill,
fight and bicker for their share.
Huge clear skies and flat horizons
campfire meals with milky way.
Setting sun brings changing colours
shadows lengthen, slowing winds.
Darkness quietens daytime noises
silence settles all around.
Are we the only people out here
alone, in awe of this great land?
Overnight in road rest stops
waking sometime in the night
lying still in total darkness.
Hope we aren't in shooters sights.
![John and yellowbelly caught at Boulia]()
John and yellowbelly caught at Boulia
![the river near Boulia]()
the river near Boulia
![the road ahead near Boulia]()
the road ahead near Boulia
![camels doing trackwork at Boulia racecourse]()
camels doing trackwork at Boulia racecourse
![camp fire at Boulia on the Burke River]()
camp fire at Boulia on the Burke River
![John with his catch at the Burke River near Boulia]()
John with his catch at the Burke River near Boulia
![red sand dune]()
red sand dune
![John atop a red sand dune west of Windorah]()
John atop a red sand dune west of Windorah
![Toompine Hotel]()
Toompine Hotel
![red sand dune west of Windorah]()
red sand dune west of Windorah
![camping near Quilpie at Lake Houdraman]()
camping near Quilpie at Lake Houdraman
![animal tracks in the red sand]()
animal tracks in the red sand
![flat land and mirage]()
flat land and mirage
![road sign for the emus?]()
road sign for the emus?
![emu cross our path]()
emu cross our path
![a rare sight in the landscape - hill]()
a rare sight in the landscape - hill
![patch of water beside the road]()
patch of water beside the road
![one of the channels]()
one of the channels
![rough patch of road]()
rough patch of road
![a rough patch on the road]()
a rough patch on the road
![landscape near the road]()
landscape near the road
![we give way to road trains]()
we give way to road trains
![another wet patch]()
another wet patch
![water beside the road]()
water beside the road
![wet patch on the road]()
wet patch on the road
![bustard beside the road]()
bustard beside the road
![camp fire scene after dark]()
camp fire scene after dark
![No 3 Bore]()
No 3 Bore
![sign post on the Diamantina Development Road]()
sign post on the Diamantina Development Road
![red sand dune on a road crest]()
red sand dune on a road crest
![our camp site at No 3 Bore between Bedourie and Windorah]()
our camp site at No 3 Bore between Bedourie and Windorah
![sun reflected on the surface of the landscape]()
sun reflected on the surface of the landscape
![patch of green near Bedourie]()
patch of green near Bedourie
![water beside the road]()
water beside the road
![Bedourie]()
Bedourie
![King Creek south of Bedourie]()
King Creek south of Bedourie
![patches of green]()
patches of green
![airstrip on the road surface west of Windorah]()
airstrip on the road surface west of Windorah
![cattle beside the road]()
cattle beside the road
![a rough patch on the road]()
a rough patch on the road
![the long road ahead]()
the long road ahead
![the bridge over Cooper's Creek with reflections]()
the bridge over Cooper's Creek with reflections
![flocks of birds at Cooper's Creek near Windorah]()
flocks of birds at Cooper's Creek near Windorah
![bird life on Cooper's Creek was amazing]()
bird life on Cooper's Creek was amazing
![our camp site on Cooper's Creek near Windorah]()
our camp site on Cooper's Creek near Windorah
![sign post at Windorah]()
sign post at Windorah
![the General Store in Windorah with our vehicles at the diesel pump]()
the General Store in Windorah with our vehicles at the diesel pump
![Interesting home in Windorah]()
Interesting home in Windorah
![Windorah is powered by solar.]()
Windorah is powered by solar.