Day 423 | Billabong near Lake Mitchell: civilisation beckons

83 km | zzOz total: 12,728 km

Civilisation has snuck up.

First indication was the start of the asphalt at Laura and while the going was suddenly much smoother and dust no longer any issue oscillations in the typography started in a more dramatic fashion. With the blacktop came a few 2WD cars, sedans, often newish looking, locals, although plenty of dusty 4WDs continued on their migration south, having survived Cape York the homing device was switched on.

After Lakeland, where the highway to Cooktown peals off, the caravans, at times humungous, fifth wheelers included, started to appear, camper vans and trucks ditto. And sporadic internet coverage.

By Mt Carbine there were a few travellers without discernible luggage, as in not even travellers at all, just folks out for a Sunday drive.

Proximity to standard life as experienced by the majority of people really hit me after Mt Malloy, the highway suddenly flattening into a single plane, in fact a plain, or wide river valley, I could even pick up FM radio stations during daylight hours.

Looks like that Cape York major Little Adventure is now history.