Karumba to Croydon an easy 224 km mostly on good dirt road. Croydon has a population of 215. Gold was discovered in 1885 by 1887 it was the fourth largest town in the colony of Queensland with 7,000 occupants. Gold was shipped out by train to Normanton, the railway still runs as a tourist venture, The Gulflander. Lake Belmore is a short drive from town, scenic and not bad for birding. Even better birding at Cemetery Swamp (called Croydon Lagoon on eBird). There is a caravan park or you can camp at the rodeo ground – get a permit at the visitor centre.
Croydon to Innot Hot Springs 379 km of made road although intermittently a single strip of asphalt shared with oncoming traffic.
The Savannah Way goes on another 145 km to Cairns but the savanna itself has just about run out. A new suite of birds is already intruding. Today introduced Pied Currawong, Crimson Rosella, Noisy Friarbird and Grey Butcherbird. Rainbow Lorikeets have replaced the Red-collared. Tomorrow we climb up onto the Atherton Tableland and the change will be even more dramatic. So this is where I will wind up the Savannah Way trip list.
The trip meter reads 4350 km, that’s Broome to Innot Hot Springs and the running around at each stopping place. Each symbol on the map represents a place where I submitted a bird list. It adds up to 146 species in two weeks.
I know you are waiting with bated breath for news on the Calendar Game. The trip has added five species to the year list, now at 335. Twenty-nine to get and only three month to do it. I’m feeling confident.
I shall now go and luxuriate in the hot spring water.
Tomorrow begins a new phase, the Atherton Biogeographic Region with Cooktown and Cairns thrown in.
bobmcgee 