July 30th...DAY  44

Bridge over the dam wall of Fairburn Dam

We slept well beside the noise of the running water of the Nogoa River. The quiet bush camp was very enjoyable.






The Fairburn Dam  formed when the Nogoa River was dammed. We went out to see this huge expanse of water and drove over the spectacular bridge.
I had made arrangements to visit a school friend of Cynthia's from Melbourne Grammar days. Tanya came home with Cynthia for a weekend break in about 1985. Her home was in Darwin. I had only met Tanya once, she lives in Emerald now, with her husband Daniel and 2 children. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting them as they are a lovely young couple. Tanya and I did wish Cynthia was with us today to catch - up some of the years.

June with Cynthia's school friend..Tanya

We lunched in Emerald and drove north east to this historic reserve. It is the site where the township of Lilyvale was set up in 1862. It is a wide bare area with picnic facilities and a large pond which is home to several tortoises we saw in the murky waters.

It has actually been a very short driving day but tomorrow will be different I expect as we head toward Rockhampton.

Sorghum crops and Mandarin orchards are two of the main  pursuits around Emerald except for the huge The Crinum and Gregory coal mines are quite near here. We can hear the machinery constantly in the background..it will certainly operate all night.