Author: Mr A
Location: Carnarvon Gorge to Springsure
We left our grandstand view at Carnarvon Gorge with some brilliant memories, and pointed the truck back across the Queensland central tablelands. We were aiming for a small town of Springsure, because it has a showground that had good camping facilities, and a laundry. The latter was much needed after the dusty conditions we experienced at the Gorge.
Springsure is a small town with its claim to fame sadly being that it is the site of the largest massacre of Europeans by Aborigines in Australia – 19 men, women and children. Depending which version of history you read, the Queensland government then basically seem to give carte blanche for tens of thousands of Aborigines to be slaughtered in the years that followed European expansion.
We pulled up to find a great showground, all nicely mowed with power and water points dotted across huge sites. We soon had our washing in, the Zone cleaned out, and off for a drive. We wanted to explore the nearby Minerva Hills National Park as it had a series of lookouts with apparently great views across the town and surrounding plains. It was pretty bumpy track, but of course the Cruiser romped through, and we stopped at the first lookout over “Fred’s Gorge” Not sure who Fred was but he sure has a beautiful view named after him.
Then it was a short drive and a scramble up the next lookout which had views right across the plains to the north and east. You are constantly reminded of what a vast country we live in at moments like this.
The final lookout was another window to a vast landscape, one we would be heading through tomorrow.
