27th & 28th 

Davenport Downs is a 3,700,000 acre property next to the Diamentina national Park. It is remote. Look up remote in a dictionary and it should say "visit Davenport"! The drive from Nick's accident site was so visually stunning and helped distract us for a time. We could see the homestead radio mast from many kilometres away across the plain, and as we drew near the roofs and trees of this oasis began to shape. 
 
The homestead is a collection of so many buildings over a large grassy and treed area that we walked around for several minutes working out which was the main house. All the cattle staff were out around the property, but the homestead lot were there including the cook and the school teacher. The place is managed by a young couple, Cheyne & Casey Williams, and we found Casey in the main house. She showed us where to set up camp...right opposite the kitchen, yum!
 
It was late afternoon by this stage and other staff began to appear and make themselves known, including Jerome, a Frenchman, who is Nick's replacement gardener. By 5pm we joined Cheyne and staff for sundowners at the Recreation Club...an old mud wall & tin shed with a TV, a bar and outside, a heap of chairs around a fireplace. Dinner for everyone was served at 7:30pm in the kitchen dining room and was great.
 
Finding Nick! Clearing out his room which was littered with his gear, cups, bowls, and rubbish everywhere was not as heart wrenching as we thought, but it wasn't easy. Especially for Evi who had to wash everything as most of Nicks clothes we left for the other staff, at least a hand-full were as thin as Nick!
 
We thank Cheyne, Casey and all their crew for their welcome and understanding. A special thanks to Ron, the grader driver, and the only person there over 35, for his friendship and his good comments about Nicko.  

We were told to stay as long as we needed, but we had to move on for now. We have been invited, with Tom to come back next year and spend some time. See you then Davenport!