Bowen River Campdraft and Rodeo - Bucking and Broncing

A simple sign points down a dirt road from Collinsville to the Bowen River Rodeo. Thirty dusty kms later, we reach a sprawling campdraft site with a haze of dust and woodsmoke drifting across the pastures. Horses whinny, kids ride their ponies, the air has a pleasant sweaty, herbal smell of cattle and horses. Everywhere, utes and trailers are parked up with pretty girls in Stetson and spangly jeans; swaggering cowboys in boots head down to the rodeo arena. There the bucking and broncoing is in full play - first come the team lassoing and calf wrestling, then the bull riding, followed by the horse broncos.

We camped in the middle of a sea of horse trailers, utes, swags, and contraptions of all kinds. What a lovely sight waking up next morning! The smoke of campfires is drifting through the camp bathed in golden morning light. Jackaroos are slowly emerging from their swags, while earlier risers are already frying eggs and bacon. The combination of fried bacon and campfire smells is very powerful.

As I take a stroll through the slowly awakening camp, the aftermath of the drinking session at the 'bar' is a sight to behold. Hundreds of crushed plastic cups litter the ground, backlit in the rising sun.

To reach our next destination, we had decided to travel on small dirt backcountry roads. Not our GPS’ strongpoint as it turned out. Right outside the camp gate is a fork with no signpost. We hesitate for a while. A friendly local suggests going left. Our GPS says go right. We trust technology; bad move. After 20km of corrugation, dust, floodways, and cattle grids on crests, an astonishing sign materialises ‘Private Property – No through Road’. We are stunned. There’s only one thing to do, turn back at the aptly name Terrible Creek.

One hour later, we were back to where we started. What should have taken an hour, now was going to take us half a day via Burdekin Dam to Charters Towers.