Part two of our journey along the Outback Way saw us leave Boulia and head west along the iconic Plenty Highway.
The Plenty Highway links Boulia in western Queensland with the Stuart Highway, around 60 kilometres north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Stretching just over 850 kilometres, it offers adventurous travellers a partly unsealed shortcut across Australia's rugged interior.
While it is possible to drive the highway in a single day, there is far too much to see along the way to rush it. With a mix of free roadside camps, station stays and ever-changing landscapes, we planned to take our time and enjoy the adventure. The highway is currently undergoing staged sealing works, with Stage Three now complete, meaning the route is a mixture of bitumen and dirt with no completion date yet announced for full sealing.
Our first stop was the Georgina River, one of the three major rivers that make up Queensland's Channel Country. The Georgina River and Eyre Creek system drains an enormous catchment of approximately 210,000 square kilometres. Thanks to recent rain, the river was alive with birdlife, healthy fish populations and plenty of signs of wild pigs along the banks.
Not far down the road we stopped at the Queensland and Northern Territory border for the obligatory photo before continuing west. The road had now turned to dirt but was in surprisingly good condition, making for an enjoyable drive to our overnight stop at Tobermorey Station.
Tobermorey Station is a family-owned working cattle property covering an incredible 1.8 million acres (6,475 km²). It offers a basic roadhouse, fuel, accommodation and camping. We settled into the non-powered grass camping area, which was perfect for an overnight stay.
The station itself is surrounded by a substantial levee bank that protects the homestead from flooding. Each evening the station bar opens for campers, and it was over a cold drink that we learned more about life on one of Australia's largest cattle stations.
The owners, who also operate two other large stations, had returned to Tobermorey for the annual muster. Their muster camp was located on the edge of the Simpson Desert, giving us a real appreciation of just how vast the property is. Four helicopters were being used during the operation, but rather than mustering cattle for market, this year's focus was on counting stock, tagging calves and carrying out health checks. With an abundance of feed after recent rains, the cattle were simply released back into the paddocks to continue fattening.
The following morning we watched one of the station owners fly into the homestead by helicopter before we hit the road ourselves. It was a fascinating glimpse into the scale and logistics of life on a remote cattle station.
As we travelled further west, we entered the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion. Vast, largely treeless plains stretched to the horizon, broken only by occasional ridges, rivers and rocky outcrops. The landscape is dominated by Mitchell grass, making it some of Australia's most productive grazing country.
Before long, termite mounds began appearing beside the road. Then we came across one that completely dwarfed our caravan. Standing well over 3.2 metres high, it was incredible to think that such an enormous structure had been built by tiny insects.
Throughout the day we kept a close eye on a weather system developing to the west. Rain was forecast for the following afternoon, so we decided to push on to Jervois Station for the night.
Like Tobermorey, Jervois is a working cattle station offering fuel and basic camping facilities. Named after the nearby Jervois Ranges, it proved to be another peaceful overnight stop.
Little did we know what the following day had in store.
We woke to light rain and checked in with the station staff, along with the latest weather radar. It appeared the system had arrived earlier than forecast but was tracking further south than our intended route, so we decided it was safe to continue.
Despite researching ahead, we still couldn't determine exactly how much of today's drive remained unsealed. As it turned out, the next 209-kilometre stretch included 125 kilometres of dirt.
Or perhaps we should say... mud.
Not long after leaving Jervois the rain became heavier. Initially the road held up well with a firm base beneath us, but then an intense band of rain swept across the highway with little warning. Within minutes the surface transformed into thick, slippery red clay.
Turning around was no longer an option.
Floodways filled rapidly, the road deteriorated with every kilometre and the driving became incredibly challenging. There were some genuine white-knuckle moments as we fought to maintain momentum through the boggy sections. Towing a 3.5-tonne caravan in those conditions was anything but easy.
Thankfully, the capability of the vehicle combined with some outstanding driving from Mr Unshackled saw us safely emerge from the worst of it.
When we finally reached the bitumen, we pulled over to catch our breath and inspect the damage. Remarkably, the only casualty was our Stone Stomper—the protective mesh between the car and caravan designed to prevent stone damage on outback roads.
Relieved, we continued on to Gemtree Caravan Park.
Our first job was to unpack the pressure washer and begin removing as much mud as possible. Anyone who has driven these red clay roads knows exactly what they're like when wet—the mud sticks to everything, coating your vehicle in what feels like red superglue.
Completely exhausted after one of the most challenging driving days we've experienced, we called it an early night. Tomorrow we'd head into Alice Springs, where the real clean-up would begin.
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