queensland Condamine camping trip.

[Feral]

Well not really a lake, but we dont have a section for the western rivers! So here goes.

Well having had nearly 7 inches of rain the day before we were due to head off to Warwick, I was watching the weather reports, rainfall data and graphs like a hawk. Warwick was right on the edge of the big wet that hit Brisbane, it had copped 25mm. Where we were headed was black soil country on the flats south east of Warwick, with the river fed from any rain falling west of the range.

So we nervously had a bit of a quick look at alternate locations outside the rainfall zone further west, just in case, and headed off.

We got to my mate Cress's place around 10:30, it was pretty soft, but just doable in Ray's ute, glad I had left the Front Wheel drive Camry at home I tell ya!

So we set up camp, moved the ute to the top of the hill facing out, and settled in for 2 very pleasant days on the river.

First order of the day was my sons. City slickers through and through, despite living on acreage all their lives. There comments started out with, What do you mean we are camping in a cow paddock, We have to shovel WHAT before setting up the camp?

So after a few boot prints on the backside they realised that

1. Mum wasn't there to sook em

2. Yes they did have to shovel all the fresh cow pies out of the camping area!

The look on there faces when I pulled out the portaloo out and sat it in the middle of the paddock was pretty good to! Lost another shade or two of colour! Strewth I said, its luxury, if they didn't like it, well they already had the general idea of what the shovel was for!

Well after their abrupt culture shock, it was off to raid the old pile of timber sleepers for a bit of fire wood. They discovered an old cow skull and played with that for a while until I told them what it was. Jeez how pale can a kid turn? another shade lighter!

Then the camp was setup and things settled down.

We had taken Alex's boat, Calums Ski, My Yak and Rays yak for some serious water work. The boys for play, Ray and I for fishing! I didn't get a look at my Yak the first day, Alex's boat was "boring" so he and Calum played on the Yak and the ski for the first afternoon.

That night we hit the beds pretty early, after the kids had valiantly tried to watch the snow storm on the portable TV for an hour or two.

Early next morning I was lying in bed listening to sporadic drips on to the tent, thinking any more rain and we were buggered! I got up about 5ish to be met with a pea soup fog, the drips coming off the blue gum leaves overhead from condensation from the fog - phew I thought! Then I thought perhaps I should not be camped under the tree! Just as well it was a blue gum and nor an old river red gum! Anyway I reclaimed the yak, fitted the sounder and rod holder and headed downstream for some serious fishing! Trolled down to the weir wall, found it was overflowing by about 6 inches, with a nice slow current. Cast at the banks and snags all the way back to camp to arrive just in time for the sleepy duo to be starting the first fight of the day, so gave away the fishing. Had another couple of goes fishing during the day, then settled in for some serious Carp fishing in the arvo.

Ray got a few, Alex got one, and Calum dropped a bigun at the bank. Highlight of the arvo was Calum getting serious about fishing after dropping the bigun, and setting up his camp chair on the edge of the river. Next bite, you got it, Calum, rod, chair all in the river much to every one elses amusement! Ray got a tandanus on a small lure, but lost it when the rear treble broke off as he was lifting it out of the yak for a photo on the bank! Slid down and in to the water and was away! Only fish boated in the yaks all trip!

Off to bed early again. Next morning after reading the riot act the night before, I was once again off on a serious fish. The river had risen a good foot overnight, but the current was still not to bad to paddle against. Got about half a kilometre away from camp and realised I had left my lure bag on the bank! Oh well kept going, had a hammerhead on, it would do! Went all the way upstream to then next weir to find some really fishy water at the bottom of the flow. There was only about 1 foot of water difference either side of the weir, with a good flow over it. Some great looking eddies below it, COD I thought and had a caste in to the prime spot. Was swept back quite rapidly, and pitching about a bit as I retrieved the lure. Then I realised as I had no lure bag, no knife, no scissors, casting with 40lb braid and leader in that situation where I could not cut myself loose if I got snagged or bricked by a big cod would mean I would have to toss the rod away if I got in trouble ! Bugger that, so I just wistfully looked at it for a few minutes then trolled down the other way to the down stream weir. Picked up my tackle bag on the way past camp. Fished my way back to camp for no fish.

Anyway, packed up camp, and headed back to town.

My new yak trolley shook a couple of bolts loose, shed a nut, but otherwise performed flawlessly.

Got home about 5:30 this arvo, the boys are still sitting in their rooms hugging their computers, Xboxes, PS2 and Wii and gently rocking back and forth.......

A Few pics from the trip

Arrival at my mates place.

Calum on cow pie removal detail

Ray rigging the yak

Calum and Alex playing on the river

settling down for some serious cartp destruction

Alex's carp

Brag shot

Calum gets a good bite!

Evening sets in

Dinner

Dinner again

Two up in the yak

Collectibg forewood, not quite the traditional method!

Calum doing it tough

Ray gets his forst carp

Another

Another

Ray fishing on the yak

great looking snags, pity Mr Cod was not out to play!

The downstream weir

The upstream weir

[Malcolm]

Looks great I love the evening sets in photo to

[mick fillet]

what an awsome looking spot you went to.

[werewolf]

Feral wrote:

So after a few boot prints on the backside they realised that

1. Mum wasn't there to sook em

2. Yes they did have to shovel all the fresh cow pies out of the camping area!

:laugh: love it, that made my laugh

Pity there was no cod, but it would have been a nice weekend away from the crowds!

[Rocket75]

now that's camping spot I would go to over easter...all the good stuff and no crowds!

great report Feral, thanks for sharing the adventure.

Rocket

[ellicat]

Great read Feral. Sounds like you had a fun time with the family (with a few cranky moments...sounds familiar). Looks a very pleasant spot for a bit of R&R and camp education :woohoo: What's the depth like there ?

What retrieve did you use to get Calum back ?

How's the rear suspension on Ray's ute...looks like there mightn't have been enough room for the kitchen sink LOL

[Feral]

Pretty much constant 6 foot most of it (before it rose the foot!) one hole to 8 foot, another to 10 foot I saw whilst I had the sounder on (only ran it for the one paddle, with the kids playing with the yak all the time I left it off the rest of the time.)

Standard retrieve on Calum, scruff of the collar jerk!

Yeah we had some gear packed! Ray bought his beer fridge and generator, that took up half the back!

[Dinodadog]

great read takes me back to camping with my 3 boys

[rayke1938]

As feral has already stated what a great location. peace and tranquility ( at least until the kids arrived)Even spotted what I reckoned was a platypus that swam 3/4 across the river and then dived down out of sight.

There was plenty of fish showing on the sounder but we couldnt entice them to bite or take a lure.

I thought that we should have got some yellas with the rise in the river but not to be so.

Tried for carp with limited success using both live shrimp and sweet corn.

Went down to very small hooks with the sweet corn and although we could feel tmid bites we had very few hookups.

Looks we are going to have some coarse fishing lessons before we return.

Weather was perfect with a fairly stiff breeze springing up around 10 in the morning and dropping out at dusk.

I enjoyed just sitting and relaxing and watching the kids learn a bit about bush living.

I caught a nice tandanus on the troll but the ring holding the rear treble pulled out of the knols native that I caught it on when I tried to lift the fish to take a photo. The fish was almost milky white in colour probably to match the murky condamine.

They had a few problems dealing with the flies that were around after the rain.

Cant wait to go back again.

Here are a few more photos.

Cheers

Ray

[Angus]

Great looking strip of land! Thanks for sharing.

Angus

[shortie]

Nice trip guys.

nothing better than having the kids along to learn.

what no Yowi sightings.

Im guessing im going to have to learn that retrieve technique very soon as my boy is very unco.

[Feral]

Just one Yowie moment Shortie, as the Cows made a hasty trip through camp snorting and sniffing about 2am.

Here is the GPS track from a "weir to weir" paddle. Its pretty much exactly 2k of navigable water.

[teckee7]

Liked the photos of the trees reflecting back into the water, especially the evening shots. Great looking place.