All Aussie Adventures: GREGORY DOWNS TO NORTHERN TERRITORY

We hit the road on our long journey across the top end

Now that's what I like to see, a semi carrying two semi's

We take a break in a gravel pit

The long

and winding road

We pull into Mount Isa

After replenishing our supplies we drove about 50kms out of Mount Isa to a camp that was situated on the old constructed road that has been preserved as a memory of WWII and the efforts that were made to build the road from Mt Isa to Camooweal

When the road was finally constructed the Australian and US military utilised up to 1000 vehicle movements a day ensuring adequate supplies and armaments were moved. Access on the road by the public was not permitted and any private vehicle trying to enter at Mt Isa was turned around.

I was speaking to an old timer cocky who recalls a story of fella who had a job lined up on a station and needed to use the road to get through to his job. He hid underneath the cover of a postal truck tarpaulin and thought he was through as he got past the checkpoint at Mt Isa. He didn't realise there would be another checkpoint at Camooweal and was unfortunately sent back to Mt Isa on the next vehicle.

Here is a section of the old road that runs parallel to the new one

and we hit the border.

And crossing the border is the first time I have ever been allowed to drive at 130kph legally.

off we go but still at 90kph hahahaha

home sweet home for the night....

as the breeze whistles through the tower we bed down for the night

Amazing what beauty you can find in the middle of nowhere....

a close up

and make some serious kms the next day

with some fellow travellers

Karen insisted that if I want to pretend to be a cowboy I would have to at least start wearing a hat that somewhat resembles the real thing.

The best day!

Yeeeee haaaaaa! ride em cowboy!!!!

Something different, some more kms......

We pulled into a little town called Elliot on our way to Mattaranka and in the main street were these trees full of bats!

Karen just loved the fact that I pulled up right underneath the trees to take photos. I guess you might say there was some colourful language that ensued..... hahahahah

A replica Ford 40 pulled into the same roadhouse as us for fuel on his way to the Alice Springs NATS

Pretty interesting pets the roadhouse manager has.....

and here's a picture of my latest acquisition a 'Ubeaut plane' The owner that sold it to me promised that with a little TLC it would be up and flying in no time....