#2: [13-Mar-01]

01-Dec-2000 -- In the mining town of Blackwater with some spare time, I decided that an attempt to find 24S 149E would be a perfect excuse to visit Blackdown Tableland National Park. The high sandstone cliffs of Blackdown Tableland rise 600 metres above the surrounding hot, dry plains of central Queensland and are a prominent landmark. I’d been meaning to go there for years.

There was one slight hitch. I had no map except for what was in the GPS3 and that showed nothing near the confluence point which is located somewhere in the large wilderness area of the National Park. There are few vehicle tracks and I'd have to be lucky to get close enough to walk in the rugged country. The sealed road ran out before it became a narrow winding track climbing upwards through forest and sandstone boulders. Reaching the top it was pleasing to note that the one road was heading in the right direction -- maybe I’d be lucky.

Cliff edge lookouts, cool creeks, waterfalls, rock formations and tall forests are interesting distractions along the way. I continued generally in the direction of my destination until my progress was obstructed by a locked gate still 19 kilometres short of the confluence point. I’m not sure if the track would have delivered me within easy walking distance. Flying home over the area I could see that the point is located near the western edge of the park and no trails were obvious in the vicinity. Still the scenery more than makes up for the failure to reach the point.