#2: [12-Jun-17] (incomplete)

10-Dec-2012 -- The story starts at 43°S 147°E and continues from 22°S 147°E.

From the town Charters Towers, the confluence is 30 km beeline away. I thought that this could be my first visit of a virgin confluence in Australia. However, I had to learn that I was wrong.

I started at 5:15 AM from the campground in Charters Towers with my bicycle. I had studied Google Earth and had set several waypoints at critical intersections. From the digital terrain map, it looked as if there were several tracks leading to the confluence.

First, I went on asphalted, then on dusty public roads. At a distance of 16.6 km however, I reached a farmstead, where I introduced the owner to confluence hunting. He said that the tracks that I saw on Google Earth are simply fence lines which are not suitable for cycling. When I showed him the location of the confluence point, he noted that this spot is on his neighbour’s farm called Fern Springs. There, I should contact Mr. Darry Torkington and he gave me his telephone number (available on request).

Now I studied the map again and realized that I had to cycle back those 20 km to Charters Towers, then cycle around the confluence point and attack it from the south-west (2 times 70 km) and if permission granted an additional walk of (2 times 1-5 km). Such a trip wasn't feasible on this day anymore. Note that the mid-day temperature is well above 40°C. So I just went back to Charters Towers and enjoyed other things in life than confluence hunting.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: ca. 20 km
• Distance to a track: unclear, probably 1-5 km.
• Minimal distance: 16.6 km
• Time at turn around: 6:30 AM
• Given Name: The Fern Springs Confluence

More pictures of the trip can found at mautz.net.

The story continues at confluence 20°S 147°E.