Sunset from a different place ...

Remember that weekend jaunt I am bombarding you with. Last post we had settled with our feet up on a veranda in Charters Towers. The afternoon clouded over and we even heard drops hitting the roof. There is something about the smell of rain on dry hot earth that I love. I had decided earlier that we must go to Towers Hill for sunset but thought the clouds would stop that plan but as the sun was still peeking through the clouds we headed up the hill.

I loved every second of it; the view, seeing the town from above, remembering memories, seeing the wide open spaces. It made me feel light, happy and relaxed.

The local residents were even out enjoying the view. I remember the first time I came here and seeing the rock wallabies, even where they were. The first time I came to Charters Towers, to Towers Hill was on a trip around QLD with the Girl Guide shop, taking the shop to the girls and their leaders, so far from any guide shop to buy badges, toys, uniforms and other cool things.

It was the perfect afternoon, scuddy showers and clouds adding to the amazing scenery. There really is still beauty in drought and beauty to be found in any landscape.

We wandered along to the remains of the Pyrites Works, a part of the area's history.

We then headed down the hill, a bit at a time, by foot. You can say I was a little reluctant (read this as I was too lazy to contemplate it) but Mr Sparky with energy in abundance encouraged me to come along (verbally dragged me down the hill).

I was glad we headed down, something I hadn't done before (yes I am often a lazy one)

Then we had to get back to the car which meant walking back up. I wasn't so glad about the walk then. Talk about burn!

 Now I have decided I need to live in The Towers so I can do this walk, a lot. What an achievement (and I didn't fall over dead or out of clumsiness). Definitely worth it, and I wasn't sore the next day amazingly.

A beautiful end to a great day.

I have missed this area and I have a slight feeling I have never really blogged about it before. Probably one of those I meant to but I didn't things (well I can't find one anyway). Well here one is now.

More about Charters Towers.

Changing Sky

Yesterday evening it seemed like a beautiful sunset wouldn't happen. The sky was darkening and the colour wasn't happening, but then it did. Boy it did!

I took photos from our upstairs veranda, the colours changing with speed.

I then chased it down, heading out the front. Trying to capture the rapidly changing sky. It was amazing, one of the best I've seen here.

Then is was gone, just like that.

I love an amazing sunset just as I love a great sunrise, I just don't see them that often.

A Weekend Jaunt Part 2

Well I started writing about last weekend's trip the other day and left you with pretty misty pics as we headed south. We kept heading south. Through Babinda, where the sugar mill no longer exists, then further again.

We stopped for breakfast/ morning tea in a nice park in Tully, along with some friends.

There also happened to be a pretty big statue in this park.

Now that is a big boot, and I should know with my huge size 11/ 12 feet. I wonder who it fits?

Across the road was the sugar mill.

We then headed a little higher for a better view of the mill. What a great place for a bit of a lookout.

Inside the boot are some photos from throughout history of the Tully area.

Also when the sun came out it was really a golden boot.

We then headed further south. A quick trip through Cardwell and checking out a new shop.

Then it was further south again, with a stop to look at the lookout on top of the Cardwell Range where we used to drive along the highway.

Then the land got drier.

 We had entered the dry tropics, the tropics without the rain.

We then turned inland and watched the landscape change. The lack of grass and cattle was pretty obvious.

 Then I saw one of my favourite bridges and one very familiar to me.

 It is the railway bridge over the Burdekin River, just outside Charters Towers.

For those who don't know this used to be my old haunt ... well about 3.5hours from my old haunt. I miss the area, the landscape, dry or not.

We stopped down on the sand of the Burdekin and decided to head down to the water. Maybe not the smartest think in the middle of the day.

It was run across the sand, burn you feet hot. Ouch! What wasn't so far became a huge distance to cover. Ouch! Ouch!

See isn't that railway bridge just perfect.

Then here is the highway opposite it.

Reaching the shade was a relief, for my too pale skin and for my feet (I did head back to the car for my thongs but then gave up on them and ran with them in hand). It was so nice down by the water.

It was strange and amazing to be walking among trees bent by the water's pull when the river is in flood, to walk along stony paths which are often under water in a great season.

Even though I came past here so many times I never stopped and went down to the river. I am so glad I have now. What a great place to hang out, all the signs say others like to spend time down there too.

We walked back the smart way, in the shade of the highway, leaving only a short run on the burning sand to the car.

I do love that bridge, such a classic piece of the past.

I also love the record kept of the river's floods. That highway often goes under the river during wet season in a good flood.

We then found a great place to relax (and put my fried feet up), a tourist park which we had used before.

It was so nice sitting on the veranda in the cool breeze, listening to the birds and no traffic. Bliss!

There is much more to come, as I said in the last weekend jaunt post, I am going to drag this out as much as I can. Hope you enjoy it!

Have you been on any good get aways recently? Have you headed back to an old haunt?