Day 4 Tuesday 5 September 2006 Cloncurry to Renner Springs

Another early start, 7.30 today, and a quick 120km dash to Mt Isa for breakfast, where the only place we could find coffee was McDonalds. Actually it wasn’t bad but the town has a complete dearth of cafes. Its relatively large and dominated by a huge mine and processing plant, a little like Broken Hill. Copper seems to be the main ore although there are several different mines in the area. It’s quite rugged with dark red hills.
Soon after the Isa the hills give way to flat featureless grasslands with occasional cattle and sheep. After a petrol stop at Camooweal, we cross into the Northern Territory on the Barkley Tablelands. Speed increases as there’s little traffic, long straight roads and no speed limit, although petrol consumption rises to match. The average of around 10li/100k achieved at 100-120k/hr increases to 13 when we cruise above 150k. Thank god for fleet card – pity it wont work outside Aus though. An easy day for Kenny boy, he only had one speaking part - “turn right in 547km”.
After a brief stop for hamburgers at Barkly Roadhouse, we push on the Stuart Highway, the main north south road linking Adelaide and Darwin and make nightfall at Renner Springs, a flea pit motel next to a spring fed pool which attracts lots of birdlife.
Weather 27 Sunny
Distance today 889km
Distance from start 3164km
X5s today 0
X5s from start 3
Creme brulees today 0
Creme brulees from start 0