After receiving a call from Beth at Highbury Station on April 1, Darren was informed that the road from Chillagoe to Highbury was open. So Darren and Dearne booked a flight to Cairns and hired a rental car to make the drive to the station to retrieve their vehicle.

“We had already booked a four-wheel-drive rental car and picked it up at the Cairns airport. The next morning we set-off via Chillagoe which would take about six hours each way with good road conditions,” Darren said.

“When passing through Mareeba a sign confirmed what Beth had told us. After pulling in to refuel at Chillagoe the attendant thought the road was still closed due to the Walsh river at Trimbles Crossing.”

Once they made it to the crossing, they felt relief as the crossing was only shallow. Darren and Dearne continued to Highbury Station to collect their vehicle.

On the return trip to Cairns the rental car’s tyre blew out on a gravel road. Some of the tools needed to change the tyre were missing, but the FJ Cruiser was fully equipped.

After returning the rental car Darren and Dearne travelled back to Mount Isa. Deciding to go home via the Savannah Highway from Atherton to Normanton, about 120-kilometres from Normanton they were waved down by some people whose car had broken down.

“They had been there for three hours. The car had more serious problems than what we could fix on the side of the road so I offered them our satellite phone. None of their family members were answering in Normanton, (we later found out this was because they had set off in their car to find the stranded travellers) so we offered to tow them back to Normanton.”

Upon arrival they offered to take Darren and Dearne fishing in some secret spots the next time they were back up that way.

They plan on taking them up on their offer this time hoping another fishing saga will not prevail.