We headed north to Normanton and Karumba from Cloncurry hoping to find the sun again! The two towns are located close together in the Gulf region and market themselves as the ‘Outback by the sea’. The main industries are cattle farming and fishing, particularly prawning. We'd been given plenty of recommendations to visit this region and snare ourselves some cheap, fresh seafood.
Although the towns weren't particularly appealing to us, they seemed very popular with the grey nomads so accommodation was at a premium. We chose to say at Leichhardt Lagoon, just out of Normanton. It was another farm stay in a wetland setting and was relaxed, quiet and spacious. We all enjoyed the company of some fellow family travellers, campfires in the cool evenings and the luxury of hot showers!
Our sightseeing adventures included Normaton’s big attraction - a replica of the largest recorded croc ever caught; hunted and killed by a woman in 1957. It was 8.63m long (28 foot 4 inches) and weighed over 2 tonne! Imagine coming face to face with that monster! We all had the obligatory photo inside it's mouth, it as did every other tourist passing through town! We moved on to Karumba where we indulged in what is reputedly the 'best fish and chips in Australia'. The fish was certainly the freshest we've ever had from a fish shop but i wouldn't rate it as Australia's best. Still, it was a nice luxury for us as our budget doesn't often stretch to take away food.
We enjoyed wandering about the Normanton train station for an hour or so, admiring the beautifully restored 'Gulflander' train, the antique station equipment and learning about the history of the quirky train line between Normanton and Croydon. The lovingly cared for station buildings and gardens were certainly one of the drawcards of the town. The Normanton to Croydon line, affectionately said to go from ‘nowhere to nowhere’, is only 151km long and doesn't connect to any other state rail line! (the nearest rail line is 190km away!) Constructed between 1888 - 1891 the line was initially planned to run between Normanton and Cloncurry as an inland route for cattle transport but, when gold was discovered at Croydon, the route was hastily changed. Most of its mud filled metal sleepers remain original and are buried in the sand so that flood waters run over the top. The innovative design has stood the test of time and its harsh environmental challenges. The line is the only one still measured in miles (94 miles to be precise) and today operates as a tourist attraction with weekly trips between the two destinations. Train buffs love it and despite it being about 100 years past its use by date, remains one of the regions most popular points of interest.
photos left to right
Michael & Bodhi in the giant croc's mouth - Normanton
the full replica of the giant croc
the purple pub - Normanton
the 'Gulflander' train - Normanton
old station equipment - Normanton
Normanton station sign
Normanton station sign
the big Barramundi - Normanton
Karumba beach - as you can see by our clothing, we didn't completely leave the cold weather behind!
Leichhardt Lagoon
Leichhardt Lagoon at sunset
Jesse climbing trees at Leichhardt lagoon