The Bruce Highway

From Rockhampton the expedition followed the Bruce Highway along the coast of central Queensland toward the Whitsunday Islands.  Unlike the bush tracks masquerading as highways that we had followed previously, this highway actually had some traffic.

We passed many kilometres of sugarcane fields on the trek northward.

The sun sank below the western mountains as the expedition moved northward.

Chief expedition photographer, Lord Bailey, documenting himself.

The sugarcane industry in Queensland is robust and polluting.

A field fire along the highway.

Capricorn Caves

A review of the Capricorn Caves was made upon the recommendation of local informants.  We quickly realized that rather than a scientific attraction, we had stumbled upon a cultural attraction.  These were not just any caves.  These were Bogan caves.

In one of the larger rooms that was converted into a chapel for weddings we found ourselves seated in the pews.  Soon our Bogan guide lit candles in the front of the room, put a bootleg copy of Enya on the CD player, and treated us to a Bogan light show.  Rather than having a sophisticated sound and light production.  The young Bogan flicked several light switches on and off for the Bogan crowd’s enjoyment.  Lord Bailey and I fear that the Bogan plague may soon escape from mainland Australia to the rest of the Southern Hemisphere.