The rain had passed when we woke on Rick's birthday, leaving clear blue skies and a very bearable 10 degrees. After packing up, which includes about an hour devoted to talking with neighbouring travelers ( mostly by Rick;-) we drove into St George.

The Balonne River flows right along the western side of the town and it has the flood markers showing just how high the water has been in the past - 13.7 meters looks about the highest. The whole town was evacuated in 2010, 2011 and 2012 due to flooding. 

St George was the home town of Australia's only known Aboriginal fighter pilot to serve in WW2. It is also known for cod fish as big as a boat, but I think Rick must have missed them. 

After a birthday breakfast at the bakery of bacon and egg rolls, we drove on north then turned west after about 40 kilometres, to check a spot on the Balonne River for camping, and it is there we stayed for the night, so serene with the river and bush to ourselves, but not a bite from a fish!

Monday 17 July / Tuesday 18 August 

We have three weeks left until we need to be home, so we stayed on here even though Rick said "no fish, no stay". It is just too peaceful to leave.