A stone damaged the windscreen of our Amarok, resulting in a large crack on the driver’s side. The only place we could get it repaired was in Toowoomba, as it needed to be recalibrated. Thankfully, Windscreens O’Brien came to our rescue, so we booked both the repair and accommodation at the Toowoomba Motor Village.
After leaving the stunning landscapes of Carnarvon Gorge, we chose a more picturesque journey than retracing our steps through Roma.
We headed to Rolleston, Bauhinia and were going to take the Fitzroy Development Road to Taroom. We stopped at a road sign indicating that we were about to embark on a 109 km dirt road. Before heading out, we decided to take a short break. When we opened the caravan door, we discovered that one of our cupboards hadn’t been shut properly, causing three dinner plates and a coffee cup to topple out and smash on the floor.
As we traveled, the roads were bumpy, filled with numerous patchy repairs and potholes. At one point, the toilet paper unraveled and ended up at the front of the caravan. While we were cleaning up the mess, a local resident stopped to check on us. She was with her mother and wanted to inform us about the road conditions ahead before we continued our journey.
They explained that as we ascended the hill in the earlier section of the road, we would encounter deep ruts, making it slow going through that area. They also warned us about additional bad ruts further along the road, which we needed to be cautious of. However, they assured us that the road conditions improved significantly after that point. We thanked them for their kindness and their helpful advice before saying goodbye.
While we were cleaning, we decided to abandon our plan to travel on the dirt road to Taroom and chose a safer option instead. As we continued on, we meandered through Moura, enjoying the countryside filled with lush greenery and rich country heritage. The tranquility of the scenery made the drive feel like an enchanting escape from the ordinary. However, we were heading toward coal mining territory, specifically to the Dawson Mine near Moura.The mine is a large open-cut operation. As you drive down Theodore Moura Road, you can see the massive spoil piles in the distance, which resemble mini mountains. In this region, you need to be on the lookout for oversized trucks.
We passed several oversized trucks, including one that had a huge mining bucket and occupied a quarter of the oncoming lane. We had to pull off the highway to let it pass. We tuned into channel 40, as the escorts will inform you when they are coming.
As we travelled along the Leichhardt Highway toward Taroom, Isla Gorge came into view, its rugged mountains rising majestically against the horizon. The sight was breathtaking, with the sun casting warm hues over the craggy peaks and valleys. Upon reaching the top, we noticed a turn-off leading to a lookout and camping area, but we decided to bypass it, eager to reach Miles before nightfall. We thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the Gorge; it was a delight, and we appreciated nature’s raw beauty.
