Clem Walton Park (half way between Cloncurry and Mt Isa)

28 - 30 July 2014

The following morning we headed off on the short drive to Clem Walton Park. We had both read about this place in different places (birdwatching magazines, travellers' blogs and tourist websites). The main camping area is at the Corella Dam, but there are no toilets there so we made our way to the park which is by the creek. It is by far a much nicer place to camp, even though there is very little water left in the creek. The toilets weren't working when we arrived - the tank was empty so we carried buckets of water to flush  - as did the few others camped there. We pitched the tent on the edge of the picnic area, near the remaining pools of water. 
 

Our humble camp

The others were camped further along at the dry end of creek bank so it was a fairly private camping spot. We were visited several times each day by other campers coming to collect water - all really nice people who stopped for a bit of a chin wag. We heard later that they referred to us as the "young couple". The view was magnificent as the water attracted lots of birds and other wildlife.

Didn't want to let the birds drink alone

A wonderful place to watch and photograph wildlife

A great variety of birds make a home in this dry, rugged country. The scarce waterholes become the focal point of their existence.

Kangaroos regularly came down the rocky hillside to drink

We packed up and pottered around on our last morning - thinking maybe we could have stayed longer when our peace was invaded by a group of three caravans. In no time they had "parked the wagons in a circle", hung up washing and generally taken over the space - we were right to be moving on.

We will definitely be back - hopefully when there is some more water - but before it gets crowded with travelers.