Tuesday 22 May 2012 - Emerald
We all had a great day at the Miners Heritage Sapphire Mine at Rubyvale, where we did an underground mine tour and fossicked through a bucket of gravel wash. We managed to find a few sapphires each, but only one worth mounting.
Georgia & Kelsey with a new friend.
Georgia & Kelsey hard at work in the mine.
Wednesday 23 May 2012 - Barcaldine
After picking up our new tyre in the morning, we made our way to Barcaldine, where we stayed at the Showgrounds camping area. There was plenty of room for the kids to roam and we enjoyed an extended happy hour watching a nice sunset.
After dinner I settled down in front of the TV to watch the State of Origin - Game 1. NSW put up a spirited fight, but the mighty Maroons triumphed in the end. It might have been a controversial try that sealed it, but you make your own luck and unfortunately for the Blues, the score still stands. The next game in Sydney should be very interesting.
Thursday 24 May 2012 - Longreach
Barcaldine is home to the Tree Of Knowledge, the birthplace of the Australian Labour Party. We stopped and took a few pics as we left town.
We arrived in Longreach and had our first free camp at Riverside Park next to the Thomson River. It started raining just after we set up and didn’t stop until early the next morning. By late afternoon, the black soil had turned to 2" of sticky mud. We spent the afternoon at a booking agency organising activities for the next few days.
Friday 25 May 2012 - Longreach
Before we left for town we watched a large motorhome/bus get bogged trying to leave the campground. A Pajero and snatch strap managed to pull him out without too much fuss.
Our first activity that morning was an old time movie at the Station Store run by Kinnon & Co. It was a coloured version of the classic, ‘Smiley Gets a Gun’. We all really enjoyed it. Following that, we also enjoyed a live one hour comedy presentation, called Starlight Spectacular, based on a day in the life of the notorious horse thief, Captain Starlight.
After a quick cuppa to warm us up, we boarded the Cobb & Co Stagecoach for a 45 minute ride along the old mail route close to town. The going was very heavy in the sodden earth and plenty of mud was flung into the carriage, to the delight of the girls. The ride also included a lap of the main street, where we received plenty of waves from the town folk. Our time at the Station Store concluded with scones, jam and cream and a hot cuppa.
Ready for our Cobb & Co. coach ride.
Later that afternoon, we layered up with all the clothes we could muster and were picked up by the Kinnon & Co coach for our sunset cruise aboard the paddle steamer Thomson Belle. We scored the best sunset they’d had for 2 years and took plenty of photos. Both girls got to captain the vessel briefly and blow the whistle, much to their delight. We were set ashore and enjoyed a drover’s dinner and entertainment around the campfire. Our barefoot bush poet, Scotty, was excellent.
Kelsey at the wheel of the paddlesteamer Thomson Belle.
Our sunset over the Thomson River.
Saturday 26 May 2012 - Longreach
After setting up at the park, we went to the Qantas Founders Museum, where we learned how Qantas began. It was very interesting with lots of great displays and video presentations. There were full size planes on display and many other historic pieces. The girls loved the simulated cockpit and spent most of their time there, soaring the blue yonder.
Our pilots for the day . . . .
We also paid a bit extra for a 1 hour tour of the Boeing 707 outside the museum. This plane was the first passenger jet ever used in Australia. We went through the plane’s interior and saw many pictures of famous people who had flown on the plane in the past. There was also a Qantas 747 jumbo jet on display, but we couldn’t go on board, as the ground beneath its nose wheel had subsided and it had been declared unsafe until repairs could be done.
The Cruiser in front of the 747 outside the Qantas Founders Museum.
Sunday 27 May 2012 - Longreach
Today we were booked to visit the The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame. We spent about 4 hours here looking at all the exhibits and learning about the early explorers, how the pastoralists opened up the land, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and of course, all about stockmen and swaggies. Our pass also included entry into the 1 hour Stockman's Outback Show, which included horses, a camel, dogs and a bullock team, all presented by one talented man. We all loved it and had photos with the bullocks at the end.
Georgia & Kelsey spent most of their time on this display saddle & 'horse'.
Leading out the bullocks at the Stockman's Outback Show.
A pic with the stars of the bullock team.
Inside the Hall Of Fame.
And outside the Hall Of Fame with the bronze Stockman.
Monday 28 May 2012 - Winton
Before leaving Longreach we did a one hour tour of LSODE (Longreach School Of Distance Education). We saw how teachers educate over 160 children via phone, post and the internet. We watched an on-air lesson in progress, which was very interesting, and also did a tour through the building, where we saw students’ work, living quarters and the library.
A class in progress at LSODE.
We arrived at Winton around 3.00pm and went to the Information Centre to plan the days ahead. Our caravan park puts on a show at "The Shed" where Melanie Hall and Susie Carcary, two Australian champion bush poets and yarn spinners, busk every night. They were outstanding and the girls loved it, as they were called up on stage to help with one of the poems. We were very proud of their performance.
The helpers on stage with Mel at The Shed.
Tuesday 29 May 2012 - Winton
We spent the morning at the Australian Age Of Dinosaurs display and laboratory, 25kms south of Winton, where we saw lab volunteers working on real dinosaur bones. We also saw a display of actual bones from three different dinosaurs.
Dinosaur attack outside the Australian Age Of Dinosaurs.
More fearsome creatures . . . . .
In the afternoon, back in town, we went through The Waltzing Matilda Centre, which was a real surprise. Much better than we expected, with lots of historical artefacts and displays. The kids loved climbing on the old steam train and ancient vehicles. The audio visual display of Waltzing Matilda was especially good.
Banjo Paterson & the girls outside the Waltzing Matilda Centre.
The steam train was a favourite . . . .
Sharing a lav with the redbacks . . . . . . must've been a real hard one . . . . . .
Sue at the North Gregory Hotel, where Banjo Paterson first performed Waltzing Matilda to an audience.
That evening, we again went to see the girls in the shed. This time our girls also got on stage and performed some poetry of their own. Georgia’s was well received by all. Kelsey made it about half way, before she forgot the words and left the stage, more than a little embarrassed. Georgia stepped in to complete the poem for her. The real poets were exceptional and our girls again helped with one of their poems, along with two other boys from the audience. They all received a free copy of Susie and Mel’s latest CD.
With Mel & Susie after the show.
Wednesday 30 May 2012 - Winton
The next day, after a few chores, we went into town to the Caulfield and Fitzmaurice building, where we saw a display of dinosaurs and historical items. Then went down the street to the Open Air Theatre Museum and finished off the morning with a couple of steak sangas, and calamari for the kids, at the Tattersalls Hotel.
The girls beneath the World's Largest Deck Chair
After lunch we drove "The Route of the Rivergum" through Bladensburg National Park. It is about a 60km round trip through varying landscapes, including a visit to the original Bladensburg Homestead and Ranger Station. It also included a stop at the original Bladensburg Woolshed where we saw the original shearers’ stations and wool press, etc. We also saw many billabongs and waterholes, with heaps of wildlife along the way.
That evening we lined up for a third session in the shed. Another great night was had. A fitting farewell to Winton.
Thursday 31 May 2012 - Cloncurry
Fifteen minutes before we finished packing up it began to rain and rained all the way to Cloncurry, where the caravan park was so wet they were putting caravans on the park roads so they wouldn’t sink into the sites. We managed a piece of high, dry ground and spent the afternoon indoors.
Friday 1 June 2012 - Camooweal
After another day’s schooling and driving, we ended up at Camooweal at around 2.00pm. I spent the afternoon washing the car and caravan, whilst Sue played frisbee with the girls. Next to the caravan park was a large parking area for road trains and we had many arrive full of cattle. Sue and the girls went over for a closer look and really enjoyed the smell. Georgia and I watched the Richmond v St Kilda game that night, and the Tigers were good enough to get over the Saints by about 20 points.
Saturday 2 June 2012 - Three Ways Roadhouse
A long way today, from Camooweal to Three Ways, where the Barkly Highway meets the Stuart Highway, 450 odd km and our first day in The Territory. We stopped for the mandatory photos as we crossed the border, and arrived around 4.00 to set up camp.
Sunday 3 June 2012 - Three Ways Roadhouse
A lay-day today, we spent the whole day at Three Ways catching up on chores that were outstanding from Brisbane. I installed two 12 volt fans and a 12 volt socket for the TV. I also killed the TV aerial while attempting to improve the picture, much to Sue’s disgust. I later redeemed myself by getting a TV picture back, just in time for the end of Dancing With The Stars. I will see another dawn.
Monday 4 June 2012 - Daly Waters Pub
After a stop in Elliott to pick up mail and refuel, we made it to the Daly Waters Pub at about 3.00pm. The girls were given an activity book from behind the bar, which included a treasure hunt based in the beer garden. The reward for completing the treasure hunt was a free paddlepop. Needless to say, this task was achieved without delay, as our girls never go past a free icecream. The Daly Waters Hotel is famous for the memorabilia displayed in the bar, including caps, business cards, bras, knickers, thongs, etc. We had an ale and a softdrink in the beer garden whilst the kids played in the kids area.
Fantastic photos, I love the Dinosaur photos. They all look like you are having a wonderful time. xxx
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