On the last night at Burketown we went to the pub for dinner & this is what we saw. Millions of Fruit Bats heading out to feed
We were heading to Mt Isa the long way as we didn’t want to do 230km on the dirt (wimps). On the way we saw our first Australian Bustard (yes thats bustard), we nearly saw it too closely as it nearly came through the windscreen.
Stayed at Mt Isa for a couple of nights. It reminded me why I hadn’t been back there for 20 years. The place is dominated by the mine. What you never see is whats over the hill & the damage done by the tailings dam.
It must have been pay-day for our indigenous friends because there were a lot in town. Stocked up on food & wonders of wonders found some Big Head at local grog shop. Bought all 4 cartons they had in stock!
A nice spot out-of-town is Lake Moondarra which was built on 1958 as a water supply to the town & the mine. Unfortunately Ulrika didn’t like it because dogs were not allowed even though there were quarries next to it, you could take boats on it, cattle were drinking on it, etc, etc. (Ulrikas rant over)
Left QLD & entered NT. As you tell by speed limit it is not a nanny state.
Lots of burnt scrub & fires along the road. Not much wind so smoke just hangs.
Refueled at Barkley Homestead where I paid $1.79/litre for diesel. I suppose it is 400km to anywhere so they can charge what they like. Just to prove how stupid some people are there was a moron on a pushbike riding to Camooweal. He only had 300km to go, it was 36 degrees. it was only a matter of time before a road train got him.
We turned right off the Barkley Highway & onto the Tablelands Highway. We were officially in the Great Australian Fuck all. Nothing for hours & hours on a one lane road.
We had been driving all day so we stopped at a rest stop for the night at Brunette Downs. Met some nice people & had sundowners with them. Had a visit from a couple of our Indigenous friends at 1am. Seemed they were having some car troubles. What the hell they were doing driving on this road at night is anybodys guess.
The sunrise was pretty good as well. Somebody keeps dressing the termite mounds along the road!
On the road again today & stopped at the Heartbreak Hotel. Not bad timing on the 40th anniversary of Elvis’s death.
Met some wild horses on the road as well. Just down the road there was a dead one that was hit by a car.
We are now parked at a caravan park at Borroloola. It is small Aboriginal community on the gulf (top left) close to the McArthur River Zinc mine. 
Was 38 degrees today & getting windy so the fishing trip I was planning has been cancelled. Maybe next stop?