This is City Hall.

Most buildings date from around 1880 - 1890 when there was lots of gold being mined.

Stock trading must have been an interesting affair, relying on an overland telegraph line for communications.

While trying to figure out which style of column was included we realised that some of them are square rather than round. So we have no idea.

Of course the bank required a very solid looking building if it were to be trusted with all the gold.

Its many years since I saw similar, and I can't recall where.

We decided the gentleman in shade was the smartest traffic controller we've seen. His offsider, a couple of hundred meters back, was in full sun, and looked very uncomfortable.

On the right is the old railway bridge. About 1890. On the left is the new railway bridge. About 1965.

The line initially was from Townsville to Charters Towers. It was later extended to Mt Isa.

Difficult to strengthen, a new, stronger, bridge was built.

The dam is almost full, the surrounding areas are dry.

There's some remnants of the Burdekin River Falls. Its called the Burdekin River Falls Dam.

Not quite as worthy of a long bush bash walk as the Herbert River Falls.

We head south, the river turns east, then north and finally a little east to reach the sea at Ayre. About 125km for crows.

That was the fourth, and last, time we cross the Burdekin.

We will travel across increasingly flat land until we turn eastwards towards the coastal mountains.

While looking for a campsite we forgot to take pics of the Percy Douglas Range. A few interesting looking eroded hills.

The Selheim River is dry, when flowing it would flow northwards to the Burdekin.

Large swathes of land have been cleared of trees, some heavily grazed, all very dry.

The road train, full of cattle, going we know not where, also slowed.

There's a few bits and pieces lying around, but no bucket.

Burton Mine is dwarfed by the Goonyella Mine.

The landscape has changed as we move through foothills.

The Suttor River is just a little to our south, running west until it turns north and flows to Dalrymple Lake and the Burdekin.

This is about the southern extremity of the Burdekin catchment. The Great Dividing Range has a curve in it as it aligns south east. The Bowen Basin, where the coal is, is in, and on the western side of, the dividing range.

Black soil, but not much rain. Judging by the array of heavy equipment there must be good crops sometimes.

An 1880's gold mining site. Initially gold panned out of Oaky Creek, but later mine shafts and rock crushing. There's the Edith Mary mine still operating, and offering underground tours.

The township area has one building, a loo, and lots of signs with paintings and writings and photos. Quite fascinating.

There are some nice stories.

Further up the creek, along a vehicle track, about 2km, is Mt Britton Mine marked on the map. The town, plus a few claims (with various buildings), and the mine area are in the middle of, but not part of, the Holmvale National Park.