Leaving Windora it felt a little like the turning point home as it was the most westerly point we were going to see on this part of the trip. Next stop was Quilpie which we had picked soley due to the fact that it was a 3 hour drive away.
The drive itself was very similar to those we have already described in that it was single lane and very straight. We had to get off the road for a few road trains but other than that it was a pretty uneventful drive.
We were going to be staying just outside of Quilpie on a working sheep station which we were both pretty excited about due to how much we enjoyed our previous station stay. We arrived and were greeted by the caretakers who gave us the option of an unpowered site by the lake or a powered site near the amenities. It wasn’t much of a choice really considering the lake was surrounded by beautiful shade trees and the powered campsite was exposed and the sites quite close to each other.
We drove down to the lake to choose our spot and had the pick of them all, nobody else was around. Heaven! After setting up we just sat back and enjoyed the view and kept laughing at how lucky we were. The caretaker came and saw us that afternoon to tell us that a) happy hour was at 5pm. b) the shearer’s were coming on Monday to shear the sheep. c) if you have a trap you can catch big blue claw (big yabbies) in the lake. d) you could have a fire and they have firewood. Could this place get any better!
The sunset over the lake was absolutely sensational and the night sky was stars horizon to horizon. We went to bed very grateful and both slept like the dead.
The next day we we went into town to buy a yabbie trap and some bait and back at the farm we baited the trap and then had to get it out past the weeds/Lilly pads and I drew the short straw on wading out there. Once the trap was out the hardest part was being patient enough to not keep checking them all the time. The first afternoon we only managed to catch fish but we managed to catch ourselves 10 which was enough for two lovely dinners.
We had only booked in for 3 nights at the lake but loved it so much we ended up staying for 6. We just fell in love with the place. Having the task of checking the yabbie traps every few hours gave us enough to do that we didn’t feel like we were being too lazy just sitting back and reading books etc for the rest of the time.
We had one or two storms come through while we were there but the trees gave us enough shelter that it didn’t affect us too much. It was mostly just wind and dust in the storm and a smattering of rain. We are definitely skirting the storm season. Fingers crossed we make it back to the coast before the rains set in!
The other event we were excited to see was the sheep being shorn. Unfortunately we couldn’t get into the shed to see the action due to workplace health and safety laws but we did get to see them coming down the shute without their wool. We also got to witness the farmer herding the sheep into the shearing paddocks the day before. When you see sheep in a herd it is very obvious where all the sheep sayings come from. They are reluctant to do anything first. But once one goes they all quickly follow.
Herding them in 
Nearly there! 
Coming down the Shute 
Freshly shorn
After 6 days of relaxing we were recharged and although sad to go, ready to start making our way further east and hopefully away from temperatures closer to 40 than 30. S