Tue 24th June – Day 45: Muttaburra - Richmond

Pete up with the dawn to catch that enormous fish, and he actually did, dinner is sorted (I snuck the meat I was about to defrost back into the freezer!). A large ‘red claw’ was in the yabby pot but we set him free as we would need a few more for a meal.
A quick hour of school while we packed up around them and we are on our way to take a look at the Muttaburrasaurus – a life sized replica of the fossilised Muttaburrasaurus langdoni skeleton that was found in 1963 just 5km from town. Famous because it is still the most complete dinosaur skeleton found in the world to this day.
More dirt today and we pass many kangaroos, emus and now sheep with their lambs stumbling along beside them. Fences now dot the countryside and we know the enormous properties of the west are becoming smaller as we head eastwards. The dirt has also changed from dusty red of the gidgee and desert areas to the dark brown of the ‘channel country’. Dry though it is, there seems to be plenty of dry standing feed around and the stocking rates reflect this more prosperous countryside.
Up ahead I noticed a large number of birds of prey swooping and diving in the air, there also seemed to be a bit of a dust cloud up ahead. As I mentioned it to Pete and the kids we hit the first wave of them - 1000’s upon 1000’s of locusts. The birds were having a flying feast and our beautiful brand new clean windscreen was a mass of yellow smears as their bodies smashed into the glass. Just as quickly we had driven out the other side and stopping for photo opportunities, we found about 100 hitchhikers attached to the front grill.
We stopped in Hughenden to see the Flinders Discovery Centre, where a life sized Muttaburrasaurus skeletal replica greets all visitors. Their fossil display fires up our curiosity and urges us on towards Richmond where public fossil hunting sites await.
On common land 11.3km North of town we find the quarry for the area’s road base. It is here we set up camp and enjoy our local caught fish over the open fire. Again the moon is late to rise and a million stars light our bedroom.
(Richmond Fossicking Site No:1)