Arriving in Richmond by mid afternoon we threw our luggage into our motel room and headed out to the fossil fields to get a bit of fossicking in before dark. Initially the pickings were slim but taking advantage of a hole left by the excavation of a three metre long fish fossil, we worked the fine layers of sedimentary rock with modified screw drivers and hammers. Much to our pleasure we found a number of interesting fossilised remains including a squid, vertebrae, fish jaws, turtle bones small rib bones and an excellent collection of fish poo. A visit to Richmond should include Kronosoraus Korner which houses an interesting collection of the fossilised finds of the area.
Returning to Richmond for a quick wash to remove the dust of excavation we walked down the main street to the Federal Palace Hotel where we had a delicious meal and drinks.
Day 2 and we backtrack traveling to Hughenden, just 112 kilometres from Richmond in an easterly direction. Again we book into a motel before driving 74 kilometres north to Porcupine Gorge. The landscape that we travel through is beautiful with basalt outcrops sitting on savannah plains. The sandstone Porcupine Gorge with its basalt top is deep and stunning. Access to the gorge by foot can only be made at one point on its length.
Preparing to make the 1.1km decent into the gorge we begin to think that our footwear is inadequate as we watch people walking past in hiking boots. Oh well, our Crocs have got us safely through in the past and so we start our walk. The danger on the path is the narrow width and step rock steps. However, we make it down into the gorge in half an hour without injury and spend our time wondering along the flowing gorge creek toward the cliff feature called the Pyramid. Being spring the bottle-brush and wattles are in full bloom with enough variety to be of interest.
Though I gave consideration to the number of steep rock steps that we used on the way down, it wasn't until we started to walk back up the side of the gorge that I was wishing my fitness levels were improved. It took us an hour to accent and a great deal of stopping to 'catch my breath'. We were passed on a number of occasions by fellow gorge visitors and particularly impressed with the bloke that was carrying his toddler in a rucksack seat on his back! Safely back at the car we traveled to the gorge look out for a birds eye view. A pleasant evening was spent in our comfortable motel room having dined well at the pub.
We did a spot of shopping in Charters Towers on the way home to Townsville. The long weekend away was a real treat.
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