From Mt Isa we drove south west to Urandangi, a pub, a couple of houses and a small aboriginal community near the Georgina River. The last time I visited Urandangi was 1988 and before that 1982. Not much has changed. The store has closed down and the pub now sells essential supplies. Trees have grown taller, the pub has changed hands and the fuel pumps are newer.
Urandangi 2012
Urandangi 1988
We called into the pub for a beer and to catch up on all the local news, then drove down to a waterhole on the Georgina. As I sat and watched it get dark on the waterhole I could hear a faint hiss. It turned out to be the inside dual wheel on the truck.
Next morning I got to try out this handy device I purchased from the Mining Expo in Mt Isa. A Torque Multiplier – guaranteed to remove the most impossible truck wheel nuts. It worked a treat.
After fitting the spare we headed back into Urandangi to use their compressor and mend the puncture.
A donkey and a small horse were entertained for ages watching me break the bead on this rusted rim.
Once the puncture was mended we headed down to Tobermorey station and across the Plenty Highway. The road was surprisingly good compared to the last time we used it. A few big patches of bull dust and corrugations, but mostly fairly smooth. Parts of the road appeared to have been recently graded. Our last trip across this road was after a dozen road trains had beaten it to a strip of rock and pulverized bull dust that could swallow a car.
Along the road the landscape varies from big plains of Mitchell Grass to tortured looking rocky outcrops and gibber plains
Approaching Harts Range, the size of the mountains increase and they take on the typical Central Australian pinks and purples.
Plains Turkeys are fairly common along the road. They walk slowly with their heads in the air and stand about 750mm tall.
Cool Mornings – even with the sun shining.
Splashing Paint 
Looks like a great trip John like reading your travel diary.
Thanks Helen
Hope you are keeping busy painting
Cheers
John
Simply stunning country the colour is mind blowing – extreme in each photo – bet you used some of your fav swear words mending that thing on the truck….Put me down for a coffee table book please.
Ahh Pam – You could tell by the look on the donkeys face!
Cheers
John
Better that the hiss was from inside your tire than from something curled up on a rock beside you. You often make wonderful paintings from spaces and objects I would overlook but these are amazing, a word that is too often used but surely applies in this case. I will look forward to your paintings from this part of the trip…well, from every part of the trip.
Hi Dana
Yes, we have seen a number of snakes even though the weather is cooling down. Much rather change a tyre than cope with a snake around the camp
Cheers
John
It is thrilling to live vicariously through your postings. Thank you so much for bringing this Southern Oregon gal to Australia in the comfort of my own laptop! Adventure on!
Hi Kay,
Glad you are enjoying the adventure
Cheers
John
What a wonderful place to paint…..wish I could take one of your workshops however I am so far away…..have been doing watercolor for 35 years and still have so much to learn….so happy I discovered you, as your an inspiration. Sincerely, Donna Eaton
New Salem, Massachusetts
Hi Donna,
Glad you are enjoying the posts and good luck with your watercolors.
Cheers
John