Longreach to Winton, Winton to Middleton and Middleton to Boulia

Three posts in one this time as we have been out of broadband range. Another fairly short hop took us to Winton, an interesting place as the real home of Qantas and the place where Waltzing Matilda was written by Banjo Paterson. The town has made a lot of that and there is a huge museum, again very well done but involving a lot of reading of boards. There was also a small dinosaur exhibition as this is dinosaur country.

Where the dinosaur exhibition was housed

Winton was a good place to spend a lot of time as Middleton was nothing but a pub and therefore there was nothing to see and do there. The pub put on a dinner for us, which was very pleasant, although it did get cold sitting in the garden.

Middleton Pub

We had a bit of rain during the night, not a lot, but when we were ready to set off in the morning, the sky was a very threatening-looking black in the direction in which we were going.

Weather, here we come

We were warned of roadworks which would force us off the road onto the soft edge, but optimistically we all ventured forth. For once we were among the early departures, which was to our advantage. Later departures landed in trouble, bogged in the mud and had to be pulled out. The rain had done its bit for the road conditions and as long as we could stay on the hard surface we were fine, but meeting anything and having to pull off was a liability. The detour for the roadworks was the last straw. It was quite an adventure but here we all are in Boulia, for a weekend of races. Nothing too special about that, you are perhaps thinking, except that the races are with CAMELS. It is going to be interesting. It seems that "Daisy" is a good one to bet on. Talking of bets, we have a group lottery ticket for tomorrow night, which is an extra big prize night for a special anniversary, so we are all planning what to do on Sunday with our winnings!

The entrance to our reserved area getting a little churned up

Our front wheel

Our back wheel

Tony's boat trailer

John's towed car

The Longreach stopover

Longreach is the home of the Qantas Founders' Museum, although Qantas was actually founded in Winton, about 180km up the road. There is the possibility of touring two fully equipped passenger jets, a 707 and a 747, in which parts have been dismantled to show what is inside or underneath various hatches, etc. We did the 747 tour, and were thrilled to realise we had actually flown on this vey plane, probably in the early '80s, when it would have been a very new plane. It was delivered to Qantas in 1979. We recognised it as it is called the "City of Bunbury".

The "City of Bunbury", now a museum piece



Standing in the engine

The young tour guide was excellent and we are now well-informed about the workings of a 747 for the next time we travel on one. How the pilot knows which of the thousands of buttons to press and when, is beyond us.

In the cockpit

Longreach is also the home of the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame, a vast museum dedicated to the history of the Outback. It is a wonderful museum, extremely well done, but hours more than we had would be needed to really cover it. A lot of reading of panels is required.

On the entertainment side, we celebrated Christmas in July with a paddle steamer trip on the Thomson River, followed by dinner round a huge campfire and a performance by a Bush Poet. He was really very good. For the uninitiated, Christmas in July is a very common ritual with many Australians, when the temperatures are more like British Christmas time. It was certainly cold and the hot stew and billy tea and damper around the fire were very welcome.

The paddle steamer

The sun setting over the Thomson River

Part of the group huddled close to the fire

Pauline and Catriana looking the part

Blackall to Longreach

Another relatively short hop (215km). Between Blackall and Longreach was Barcaldine, which was the home of the Australian Labour Party. There were various things to see, all very interesting. It was our turn to look after Kenny, the group mascot (koala), so there we were carrying this thing around. We sign up to look after Kenny for a day and pay 5 dollars to the Flying Doctor Service for the privilege. The Workers' Heritage Centre was very interesting and of course very much up Warwick's street with his ILO background.

The monument to the ALP (Australian Labour Party) in Blackall

At the Workers' Heritage Centre

The Tree of Knowledge, supposedly the founding site of the ALP

Lunch with Kenny

Mitchell to Charleville and Charleville to Blackall

We had no reception last night so no blog was possible. From Mitchell we had a fairly short journey to Charleville. Its claim to fame is its Cosmos Centre, which claims to have Australia's most powerful telescope and runs tours to watch the night sky. It WAS super even if the temperature by then was below freezing. At least they provide blankets! Among other things, watching Saturn and seeing its rings through their telescope was unbelievable. Altogether a splendid experience and quite unexpected on this trip. However, when we think about it, where better to watch the night sky than in Outback Queensland, quite unspoilt by pollution, lighting or anything else. The bus trip back to the caravan park was punctuated by kangaroos running out in front of the bus. Indeed the whole road from Mitchell was littered by dead kangaroos. Someone counted 503 in the space of 195 km. At times we had to slalom to avoid running over them. Not for the soft-hearted.

We are now in Blackall and have just had a performance by a Slim Dusty-type singer. He was very good. Dinner was a "Camp oven dinner" of roast beef and vegies provided by the caravan park people. Yum!

Graham Rodger, singer and Bush poet

Camp oven dinner of Roast beef and vegies

We are hoping it might be less cold from now on as we approach the Tropic of Capricorn (Longreach tomorrow). It was minus 2 degrees this morning and indeed felt like it! The ground was covered in a thick hoar-frost.

Nindigully to Mitchell

The evening dinner at Nindigully pub was something to behold! Nindigully pub claims to be the oldest pub in Australia in in uninterrupted use.
Below: "burgers" these were, officially. They were huge things, divvied up among everyone. Three of these, one beef, one lamb and one chicken fed 40 people (there was supposed to be a pork one as well, but somehow it didn't materialise!). Very tasty.

Chicken burger

Breakfast was a cold affair but wearing enough layers made it bearable. A hearty meal of bacon and eggs and hot drinks.

Everyone looking for a space in the sun.

The drive to Mitchell took us through St George, where we found a real character, Greek of origin, who carves emu eggs -- and beautifully too.

Arriving in Mitchell, the first stop was at the Artesian spa. It was a joy to soak in 39 degrees (C) in the pool. We could do to be there right now as we have frost on the ground as we go to breakfast! Continental breakfast today; coffee was especially welcome.

The start of the safari

Leaving Brisbane we went first to Toowoomba, which of course was the scene of horrendous events during the flooding of a few months ago. One wonders how it could have happened. Then on to a small place called Millmerrin for one night before staying another night in Goondiwindi,

The Victoria Hotel in Goondiwindi

the scene of more flooding. Today we reached Nindigully (population 9!) where the safari starts and we are installed in the grounds of the "oldest pub in Australia". Somehow we have seen this claim elsewhere also! We are surrounded by Winnebagos of all sizes and descriptions, 22 of them in all, and are getting to know our fellow travellers. Dinner is laid on at the pub tonight and promises to be good if perhaps a little chilly since we don't all fit inside and therefore it will be served outside. Brrrr! A matter of wearing layers.

The Nindigully pub

Back on the road at last!!

Hello people. We have spent a very pleasant time with Derek, Gillian, Jessica and Dylan in Brisbane. This included a short spell off to Noosa with the kids in the van. Quite an experience but good fun. We are now on our way to Nindigully to join the Winnebago Club safari to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We are looking forward to it enormously.

It was great to catch up with with Phil and Judy Neck at their beautiful place in Tweed Heads and with Preben and Gunnel Larsen in their super place in Sanctuary Cove. Those friendships are so precious. Hoping we will be able to reciprocate one day in Perth.

Blog will be as regular as communication permits as we advance north through Queensland.