From Queensland's Outback Region to the Central Highlands Region.

We sadly left Jericho and continued along the Capricorn Highway. We had intended to get a coffee/milkshakes at Alpha, but there were road works going on, so we kept going. Alpha was established in 1884, and its name comes from the Greek alphabet meaning 'first' (town in the Outback).
We stopped at the Drummond Range Lookout, which is also a free camp, and only a short detour from the highway. It is 451 metres above sea level and has picnic tables and a great view.

 

There are level sites for about 4 vans. Good for an overnight.

 

We saw this camper at the lookout. Funny.

We kept heading east along the highway into the Central Highlands Region of Queensland to The Willows area and had lunch outside the old Bogantungan Railway Station. This is also a free camp, but not sure we would stay here. There are not many houses here, and it looks like only one may be inhabited. The railway is, or was a museum, but it too doesn't look like it has been open for a while. That being said, it is still an interesting place to visit. Bogantungan was an other railway town, and at the height of the railway boom, it had a population of thousands and around 30 hotels, before the railway moved on and so did most of the population. The town today is very tiny and ghost town like. In 1960, the town was the site of Queensland's worst rail disaster when a bridge collapsed killing 7 and injuring 43. There is a memorial to those who died at the station and information boards tell the story.

On the way out of town we saw this unusual bird. We know it is a crane of some sort, but not a brolga, as we think they have red on the neck. Anyone know what it is?

We continued on to Emerald.