Month: October 2021

Sunday, 31st October 2021.

A bit overcast but not bad. Fairly windy as well. Not ideal for driving with a big wind jam on the back. (The van) These Peahens as they have been called are still wandering around but are quite  ‘people’ shy. I wonder if the odd one or two have been souvenirs for a few travellers?

This little ‘Eclipse by Sunliner – 90 T350’ which I fancy is too big a carrot to be ignored. So before we pull out I go knock on the door. Nice people Roy and Mary, show us over the RV and it is more or less perfect for us. They intend selling next year and we ask them to keep us in mind. I have a cunning plan, but more later.

We are off for to ‘Three Ways’ (intersection of Stuart Highway north south and Barkly Highway coming from east) with a 10.15am start which should have been 9.30am but we are away  anyway.

Just a few hundred metres up the road Is the Tablelands Highway to the right (north) which is ‘skinny bitumen’ as the truckies call it, but means one lane only. It goes I think about 270km north to McArthur/Cape Crawford and the Heart Break Hotel, then either right to Borroloola or left on the also skinny Carpentaria Highway which is I think around 250km in that direction and comes out on  the Stuart Highway near Daly Waters.

We were going to take these two highways from Daly waters to Barkly Homestead heading east a few months ago. We are used to trucks of course except with skinny roads, you have to pull off the road completely to let them through. This is a little new to us and we didn’t know if there were any shoulders to pull off when you see the high and wide glint of chrome in the sun. So we pussy-ed out and went Barkly West to East. Wimps.

So, anyway, we have a 186km hop and it’s still a bit windy and getting more overcast. We try to break it up so we have rest stops for coffee and stretching. If only we’d brought the Yoga mats. Bummer.

Now here’s a little photoshop. This self adoration shot has the blemish of fly between my eyes.

Here, the crop highlights it.

But thanks to the Clone Stamp, it is removed. Can do the same with warts, blackheads, rolls of fat (not always possible) and other undesirable characteristics.

I don’t believe it. It starts to rain and keeps coming down to Three Ways and the 25km down to Tennant Creek Where we gas up.

So it’s roast beef from the servo in van in the main street watching the rain.

It eases up so we head off and I just catch the moderately significant 166,666km on the speedo. See how riveting our days can be.

We were heading for Wauchope. It is 134km south from Tennant Creek. It has a Van Park at $35 per night but now the though occurs it is cool and we won’t need air cond. There is a free camp in Wauchope as well with Telstra but no toilet. Whereas The Devils Marbles about 10km north of town has good eco toilets and the fee is just a few dollars.(no Telstra)

So we assess the mud at the entrance and it isn’t too bad. There is a fair content of gravel. Anyway we park up with three or four others, pay our $4 each and have beer o’clock with the couple nearest the shelter shed.

Proof of payment.

Lots of friends.

Nice night. There were left-overs from the roast lunch so we made Toasted sandwiches/Jaffles with our new Jaffle Iron we recently bought and I have been itching to christen it. Works a treat.

Thanks to our free camping set up, we had hot showers, the three way fridge is running on gas and the sat dish meant we had TV. Also, it got so COLD we even flicked the diesel heater on for a while.

A  good night. Very content. Stay another day?

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Saturday, 30th October 2021.

We first came to Camooweal February 1996. At the time the only Van Park was next to/behind the servo and we were the only ones there. I backed the van in and hit a horizontal tree branch that killed the air cond. We suffered that night in February 1996. The tree is gone. A shame . I wanted to buy it then burn it as revenge for the heat suffering we had at that time, There is no justice in the world.

We went to the other one this time. Much better. The servo is Puma by the way. I think it has been taken over by OTR. The other fuel seller has closed. We went through a few months ago and it was around $1.80 per litre. Now it’s $197.9. Does anyone understand the term Monopoly?

It poured again last night.

Anyway I got up early to do the border passes to enter NT. Anne slept in. We had a late departure. About 11.15am. Luckily it is a short hop of just 270km.

Off to Barkly Home stead. Our van park was attached to the pub.

We were about the tenth in and we were the last to leave. That’s it there

About 12 or 13km to the border. The ‘muddy’ border. About five other travellers  there. Presented our electronic passes and the whole thing took about 6 minutes. Only checking this way. Same as us a few months ago, NT to QLD, straight through.

When we came through Feb 96, there was only two 44 gallon drums with graffiti and bullet holes and ten million flys.

When the covid border pass closes, there won’t even be that. They’re gone.

On on to the sunshine. NT. As the old slogan goes,  ‘Beautiful one day, perfect the next.’ (stinking hot and crap, the day after) They leave that bit out though.

The great outdoors. What’s the sign say?

Doing the side of the road. There are big road works equipment up and down the road. Lonely for the sole operator.

This is a large cattle pen full for loading.

Pull up for a break. Have a look. Squint.

See the little guy. Good camouflage.

We make it. Plenty of space, plenty of shade, diesel I think was $196.9 but you got to do what you got to do.

Our shady spot.

Off for a walk around the park.

We used to call these trees Flame Trees when we lived in Darwin. I thought they were really Poinciana. I googled and for a minute or two there was confusion. I got ….  Delonix Regia,  so then  I googled ‘flame tree’ and got … Flame bottletree or Brachychiton acerifolius . I persisted and got this great statement.

One of the most beautiful trees in the world, the Gulmohar (Delonix regia), also called the Royal Poinciana, or sometimes the flame tree or fire tree, has been an inspiration for poets, writers, and artists across the world. 7 May 2020

It is a large tree of the family Malvaceae endemic to tropical and subtropical regions on the east coast of Australia. It is famous for the bright red bell-shaped flowers that often cover the whole tree when it is leafless. Wikipedia.

Either way, they are just amazing and beautiful.

I spot this small RV and I am quite taken with it. Not the real big hump on the top. It’s a ford.

On and while we find a big cage, these fowls of a sort are wandering any and everywhere.

This it a bit sad. Here is a big old black cockatoo. He should be 50 ft up or in a bloody great tree and not stuck in this damn cage.

He is polite enough to flash his wonderful red tail underside.

…and here is his ‘wife’.

She is also nice enough to flash her yellow orange tail feathers.

The pool has had some caning from the wikicamps commentors, but it is coming back. Still just a little green.

Those trees again. Just can’t ignore them. They are everywhere.

My ‘blossom’ amongst the blossoms, however she does contrast the red.

A leak in the water system. Getting photo evidence to show them.

The generator station. They do make the statement on a handout they do.

Basically it says, ‘Before you criticise our prices we are the most remote, privately owned roadhouse in Australia and at peak times we use 700 litres of fuel every day.’

That’s fair enough I reckon.

Nothing like having your own plane.

Elusive eagle relocated itself lower in the grass.

Seemed a long day. It was really. Showers, crumbed fish with salad and sliced, baked potato and onion. Movie,, bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzz                  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzz

How bout a quick funny?

Good one!

And one of my all time favourites …

Friday, 29th October 2021.

Last night it absolutely POURED with rain.

Anne is up early to check it out.

Pull out time.

A house is blocking the road.  I must say the ‘roadies’ and the two or three police cars did amazing work for approaching traffic both directions  and dealing with them. We were past in five minutes.

Cop.

A quick look. What’s that?

A slow look. Tell me this isn’t a road kill Roo and a big, wedge tail eagle, waiting for us to go so he can finish his lunch.

Warning of these DAMN  big cows eating cars. Don’t slow down!

I have a vague recollection of a bird that flew way too close  to the car. I think, If it is still alive, it isn’t well, nor is it flying.

We have travelled through  Cloncurry and Mt Isa and arrived in Camooweal.

I am delighted to say that while the world falls into despair,  in many ways it survives and flourishes in so many other ways.

Here we have an example of love finding a way in this crazy mixed up world.

Love will find a way.

Caravan park, $37 fee. Telstra works, I think. TV doesn’t work but the SAT does.

Great (Jimmy’s stirr fry) for meal, stir fry, shower, ….

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Thursday, 28th October 2021.

Overcast but till ‘Warm.’ Yet again we drag out and leave about 10am on what is to be a stinking hot day. Off to the Waltzing Matilda Centre This is a huge and impressive building. I found out the original building was burnt down but was insured for I think around 8 mil which is why they could afford this amazing place. Hmmmm?

Anyway, it’s a monster place. It is entirely devoted to the song, Waltzing Matilda.  It is well worth a look and it also included a museum. However, if you want to know the core of the creation of the song, read the three cropped pieces below. I have titled them The Core.

The original Manuscript.

The Core.

There are many versions and some words have been changed.

Here is a most accepted version by Slim Dusty …

Local Opal.

Lunch Lamb roll with onion and mayo which they decided to call ‘The Jumbuck Roll.’ How clever.

Girl who served us. She is from The Faroe Islands which language is close to Icelandic, so Anne  used her only Icelandic word, ‘Takk’ which means ‘Thank you’ apparently.

See below.

N.B. Faroe Islands Territory  Description

On to Arno’s Wall. Another tourist feature. A hotch potch of bits and pieces built into a wall by a German immigrant. Good on him. Most people waste there lives and are soon forgotten . Arno has more that most people can lay claim to.

Now! … Off to one of my biggest disappointments  and life’s lessons of, ‘Don’t go back!’

We are going to visit and stay at what was the highlight of our trip in 1996 when moving to Darwin. We are going to McKinlay and The Crocodile Dundee ‘WALK ABOUT CREEK PUB!’

Is this it? Says I. It looks different and was it here?

When we were here last it was an old rustic wooden pub up one step. Out the front a two way bitumen road with a HUGE dirt medium strip and inside a small, tight bar with photo after photo of the film.

Back then we were told the bar was too small for filming so they built a replica out on the medium strip. In the film Wally points down the middle of the road and says something like, ‘They haven’t got anything like this USA, have they.’

Also the rise in the middle of the sign on the top front wasn’t there. It had just been added for the film. Now it’s back again.

Now,

This is supposed to be the old ute in the film. I am pretty sure in the film it was a grey one and the story went that it belonged to someone in town at the time and it had just been borrowed. Now they have dumped this AP5 or AP6 Valiant ute here for a bit of nostalgia?

Now they have knocked out the walls so it is big enough to film in. The memorabilia has been shuffled around and put up high. A bloody big croc painting makes a few appearances and is ‘looking for Dundee’ and it is just short of sad.

I kept thinking, ‘This isn’t right. It didn’t have that big a front yard. and where is the big wide median strip?

Then I found the big wide road down the side. and it is bitumen.

What the ….??????  THEY MOVED THE PUB FOR CHRIST SAKE!!!!

THEY JACKED THE BLOODY THING UP AND TURNED IT 90  DEGREES AND SHIFTED IT!

THE BASTARDS!

They promo the thing from the outside but it is lost.

Now back in 1996, the film was just 10 years old. It was young (ish) and fresh in every ones mind. The locals were adamant that the replica bar was built on the median strip out the front. Now 25 years after that visit and 35 after the film, the current owner is saying it was built out the back. Who do you think would know.

It has now lost it’s character and the most important part about McKinlay is that it is named after John McKinlay, the explorer who came all the way from Adelaide in South Australia to look for the lost explorers Burke and Wills when they did not return from their expedition. By the way the reason was that they were dead. Convincing reason.

If you can see a tiny light on the right lower trunk of the tree on the left, that is a rear light of the pub. What you are looking at just to the right is the entrance to the caravan park and the original location of the pub.

YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE FRONT!

Oh, and by the way, it was placed three steps high instead of it’s original one.

If you want to see the Walk About Creek Hotel, sure. Come and look. But it is in a different place, it has been changed inside and out, it is now only open between 11am and 1pm, then open at 5pm again and does not do meals. Also the hostess is quite polite but that is about it.

AND I bet they wonder why business has gone off so much.

I have said this before, my claim to fame and strength is that ….. I am just average. The good thing about that is what I think is probably what the average person thinks.

There would have been others like me who returned and were disappointed.

When will people learn, ‘If it’s NOT broken, DON’T fix it!

Pissed off. Great meal of left overs. No. They were good. Shower.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzz

Wednesday, 27th October 2021.

Clear, cool. By 8.30am, getting hot.

A warning of double negatives.

Second to last rule.  No pets are not allowed in the …. (So all are welcome!

Last observation, and this is why it is great if you have a washing machine in your van.  People wash their pets blankets and the pets in there.

Anne’s early scouting trip.

These noisy little buggers are always squarking and fighting.

Serious fire place.

Trucks cars etc on the way in, and I guess out of town.

That deserted car is STILL there.

Last shop in town before departure. Eggs and ice cream. How’s that for a combination.

On the road again ..

20km before Winton, the Dino centre.

This is unique. The fly metre. Designed by a comedian. The yellow (today) is on high. Then it goes, Very High then Extreme. then FREE PROTEIN!.

Kiss, kiss little Dino with big claws. This is Banjo.

He is a raptor and a much bigger vegetarian one were found in the same hole. They tried to work out why and decided the big one got bogged in mud because this was a water hole. The little nasty one decided to have a go for some food while it was trpped in the mud and got clobbered. So they both died. The other one is called Matilda. This is Banjo Paterson country.

This place is the engine room for cleaning and processing findings. Amazing.

Bones wrwpped in bubble then material then plaster sealed.

A serious Tibia.   N.B. The tibia is the shinbone, the larger of the two bones in the lower leg. The top of the tibia connects to the knee joint and the bottom connects to the ankle joint. Although this bone carries the majority of the body’s weight, it still needs the support of the fibula.

Pretty clever stuff. The white is  painted to represent the head, size and shape of a bird. About 4 metre wing span. Look at the bne fragments they have pieced together.

All these little rocks and a couple of bigger ones are a flipper of a water creature.

Black, in the middle. One big spine.

Stacks of them.

A toilet door there. When I worked at Nilsen Electric a thousand years ago, they cut a top corner out so ‘management’ could see if you were there for a serious call of nature or reading a book. I can’t really see why they would do that here but the one at the bottom concerns me a tad. So the dog can get under?

A dam to show how a Dino could get trapped.

This young lady  below is holding a specimen of a brain of the big vege Dinos. Now I remember. Sauropods.  Generic photo.

They said only a small brain as all it does is eat, lay eggs, sleep, eat, walk, eat. So it doesn’t need much ‘thinking power.’ It was thought the raptors would have been a different matter.

Self adoration with black soil Dino valley in the background.

Winton.

Camping truck and this is the trailer. The back open section has washer, dryer, motor bike and outboard motor. He is serious full time.

We arrive. Van parked in the van park of the Tattersalls Hotel.

Great pub and goof feel town.

I can get these via a private source whenever I want.

Chicken Parmi and a childs spag bol. Back to the van.

Showers. Weird film. Bed.

Hot. For the first time we slept with AC till about 2am.

zzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzz

Tuesday, 26th October 2021.

A bit overcast. Off and on. It changes. Had to be up early to finish the blog. It takes too long at night. Also interrupts my liquid R & R.

Off early to put car in (again) for a wheel alignment and balance. Then bloody QANTAS and after, Stockman’s Hall of fame.

Well, even though QANTAS has evolved into a pack of hard nuts with no empathy and creators of stupid, stupid situations, you cannot ignore the pure hard work and tenacity of the founders. My experiences. Real and painful. From ex WW1 fighter pilots and rear gunners, crossing the outback scrub in cars that these days you would not risk off the bitumen to a well to do pastoralist and an engine  mechanic. These four by hook or by crook formed what evolved into one of the largest airlines in the world.

Several localities have put up their hands as the starting place of the airline. They are Charleville, Longreach, Winton and Cloncurry. All had different reasons including the first meeting place of the founders, where contracts were signed, the first departure point and the first destination.

I am going by memory so I may be a place short (I thought there was five) and which place for which reason.. I think it was all decided in Winton but it was also decided the spot had to be Longreach as it had the railway. Charleville was the first flight departure and Cloncurry was the first destination.

Anyway, the museum is A1.

They have a ‘Dakota’ DC3, a Constellation, their first Boeing 707 and I think it was their first 747. I have so many photos, I will only throw in the odd comment or this will take me a week.

Yes. It’s a 747. Just walking past to the DC3

DC3 used during WW2 for freight mainly.

Freight space.

RR

That’s us. This is a dead engine of course. When idling, you get sucked in and made to mince meat if you stand 3 metres in front of it and burnt to a cinder if 40 metres behind it.. Yes. as it idles.

Not going to rotate them it takes too long and there are too many.

The orange  boxes are the two black boxes.

trap door to underneath. If you see the engineer going down during the flight, put on your life preserver and kiss he or she goodbye.

This was the upstairs bar area for first class.

Up to the bar or down to your seat.

over 700 switches or devices and the engineer does I think 400 of them. The pilots the balance.

Blatant self adoration.

first class space.

Oh! Look! Here we are again.

The engine on the left is a spare. It  is only carried on routes where it is not likely they will have a spare.

The constellation. Was very schmick for it’s time.

Read these. Good info.

The first one was a luxury version and only had 32 seats. It was all first class and a flight to Europe was the now equivalent of $25,000. Later they converted to cattle class for easier sales. Phased out in 1963.

Read it.

This Boeing 707 was I think the first QANTAS one. They sold it to Tiger Air. At the time they were going for two or three million dollars.

Tiger stripped it and decked it out as a flash, Ritzy one owner designed specifically for Saudi princes. They stuck a 53 million price tag on it, so cocky they would sucker the Saudi’s They never sold it as was. Some one should have told them the Muslim Saudi’s were not going to like the PIG SKIN upholstery.

It was sold, changed the pig skin and then used as a flash charter for the likes of Michael Jackson who wanted to by it but by then,  the ‘authorities had decided the engines were too noisy and it was grounded for new engines.

Still flash though.

That’s it for the guided tour. A Catalina in the grounds.

Yep. Us again.

Off the planes First class Noritake China.

Museum. Simulator. I died. Not my fault. the controls didn’t respond in one direction..

If I had a cap, it would be Peanuts and the Sopwith Camel.

No. Guns don’t work. Tried them. Least they could have done is have a tape recorder with the ‘rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-tat-tat.

This is set up as the flash first class bar was.

Replica of their first plane. An Avro.

Outside. The biggest carport you’ll ever see.

Just walk across the road to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame they said.

Just! Bloody Just! About 1.5 km in 37 degrees.

A few statues to amuse us on the way. Not amused.

More Self adoration.

Was a good intro show.  20 minutes. Four projectors for wide panavision.

Flying doctor of course.

Just haven’t got time to rotate these. Each one takes over a minute.

Also, the damn internet is so slow, I have about 5, I would like to post and I have just one at the end. It took around 30 minutes to download it.

Aren’t we lovely? Well some of us are. Some of us aren’t lovely at all. Some of us are downright UN-lovely.

Smokey Dawson. Australia’s first cowboy.

Slim Dusty. Legend.

Mens toilet hand basins. You could also use them as urinals I reckon. Manual Flush. Sounds like a Spanish card player.

That deserted car is still there.

The exit of the caravan park. The park is good and it’s got a For Sale sign on it.

This says it all.

If you are coming this way, I would do as we did this time. It’s only a 15 minute drive from here, Ilfracombe to Longreach. The van park is better and cheaper and the great little pub next door makes it. Nice little town as well.

Back. Showers, spaghetti and meat balls, Apollo 13, bed.

zzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzz

Monday, 25th October 2021.

Partly cloudy, I book a van site for Ilfracombe  at 11am and a lube for 12 noon in Longreach.

On the back of the toilet door. Nice to see something positive when you are trying to be ‘successful.’

We pull out for Ilfracombe but not before we visit the site of the Australian Labour Party. Read here.

I believe it was started with a shearers strike and ended with the ring leaders being sent to prison for a number of yours.

The tree of life is believed to have been poisoned  around 2006 so it has been concreted.

Henry Lawson even wrote a poem about the occasion..

This clever art form canopy has been constructed to emulate the original  foliage in size and height.

Right! Off to Ilfracombe . Schedule is now tight. Get there in a cloud of dust. Park the van with a little difficulty. Anne checks in while I disconnect and we are on our way to Longreach.

Drop the car 12.15pm at a mere 15 minutes late but it is their lunch anyway. Walk to the Information centre and Kathy (Cathy?) looks after us. We are booked for the guided tour $67ea tomorrow at 9.30am. We can then go across the road to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame.

But for now a light lunch as we will go to the local Ilfracombe  pub for evening meal.

So it’s a salad sandwich and cappuccino’s at ….

….. a retro sort of place with heavy chrome chairs and red and black vinyl upholstery. Good stuff. I like ‘Old.’

We will then go to the Powerhouse museum which is just past a ‘shop’ with all sorts of things including ‘Hides’ and in particular a calves hide matching the large cow hide we bout on the side of the road near, I think Bowen.

Oh …. yes. AND it had a matching stool. Yes! a damn matching stool. Just for the record, Qantas $67ea (and I don’t even like them) Stockman’s Hall of fame, $30ea, lunch at diner $18, calf hide $135, calf hide stool $155, Powerhouse museum $12 for Anne and $10 for the ‘senior’, car service $485 and that doesn’t include wheel alignment and balance tomorrow $148, and what wturned out to be $40 plus drinks at the Ilfracombe pub tonight.

Ilfracombe and Longreach have done pretty well from us.

Here’s the damn stool ….

… and here’s the damn calf hide. Note her ‘cow-girl’ hat.

(I’m an old cow hand, from the Rio Grande. Eeeee Haaaaa!!)

(More like, ‘I had cash in hand, now it’s spent on tanned’)

On to the …..

Emergency boat in floods

Too much to see here so I am going to have to skimp.

100 years of history.

Branding irons.

TV presentation on the Artesian basin.

N.B.  The Great Artesian Basin is one of the largest underground freshwater resources in the world. It is Australia’s largest groundwater basin.  The Great Artesian Basin is an important water resource. It must be carefully managed jointly by all Basin jurisdictions working closely with the Commonwealth and stakeholders to ensure water security for a large part of Australia.

All sorts

The Queen visited Longreach in the 50’s

Significant.

A student of history.

Gun cartridge loading kit.

A plug for the band.

Now here are two likely LADS ….

Sir Fergus McMaster and Sir Hudson Fysh, the QANTAS Founders.

(Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited,)

I saw the brochure. This was pretty schmick for it’s time.

Lots of old shiny things including ‘mix masters.’

Now the monster power machines, coal gas driven and this one was in service right up to it’s decommission in 1985.

Lots of them. Well I didn’t count but maybe 10.

A switchboard. slightly older than what I used to make.

This Chevy never went to the Levee, I can all but guarantee it.

These were just the best in their era.

They have even got a full locomotive in the museum…

…. and on the other end of the scale, ‘Stevo’s Pies and Pasties’ a one man power  vending facility.

Annie Oakley again.

A  couple of Golliwogs, just to annoy the hell out of any little people aching to jump on any vaguely racist band wagon to make themselves feel righteous. That’s OK I don’t think anyone who is reading this would be anywhere near that category.

The Nogo Cottage set up to show life back then.

The Kalgoorlie safe.

Just like Grandma used to make.

Home made toy ship

Mantle clock, just like the one that got away. Another story.

Done. We go.

No. Not wasps. Swallows. How about that.

Art. Drovers around the fire…..

Squint to see the ring in.

The car ‘got done’ here.

Yes. Again. What I didn’t say is we left them there so we didn’t have to lug them to the powerhouse museum. We had to go back to pick them up.

Back to Ilfracombe….

…past the deserted car we saw this morning.

Now the pub tonight. The Wellshot Hotel

Interesting stools.

Special hats. No time to download the video of the pub. The internet is too slow in this, rural Queensland. Bummer. It was a good descriptive Vid.

Hell. This description at the bottom is quite scary due to it’s accuracy.

Anne had roast lamb and me, bangers and mash. She, a soda lime and bitters. Me? Two big beers.

I could put heaps more in here but I cannot afford to devote my life to this. I spend two hours now. I could do four with ease.

Home, showers, blog, Port (!?) bed.

zzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz               zzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday, 24th October 2021.

Bit overcast but not cold. Our neighbours show us their do it yourself RV. A Ford Transit bought new and now just two years old and decked out just as they wish. Well done.

Here  is a novel idea. This is a door stop. You push the top down and the rubber pad goes down to the floor and is locked by a securing spring. Push the washer on the top of the spring and it pops up and releases.

Except this park has used it side ways to lock the toilet cubicle door.

…. and fine plastic imitation walnut doors they are as well.

The owner of the park taking her kidd, as in young goat, for a walk. Apparently he was found next to his dead mother the the park adopted him. Good show.

We turn out the park and head up the main street to be confronted by a roo, considering it’s options while in the middle of the road.

All well and good but he is blocking our way, so we sneak forward. Anne films … (I did as well but hers is better)

Just up the street  Is the Tambo Teddy Shop, Or should I say the Famous shop. Tambo Teddies are world famous now and it is also said that back in the early 90’s when things were tough, they may have saved the town. I don’t know but it makes for a good story.

They all have their own unique names starting with a ‘Station’ in the area followed by a Christian name.

Anne decided on the little purple honey on the right below.

If you look below, there is a part map with Tambo in the middle. The top, left hand corner is a station called, ‘Stanton Downs.’

Anne’s teddy is Stanton Downs Sal. We also ended up with a sheep skin/fur and an atomiser spay of Huon Pine oil.

This quick drop in took about an hour and $275.

Across the road to ‘Flo’ The old fire truck. Made in England in 1921 it spent time on the east coast and was decommissioned after the war and ended up in service in Tambo. They say the pump was a bit of a trick to get going and most of the fires had burnt themselves out before ‘Flo’ started to flow. (Flo? Flow?… Errr)

These happy little rocks bob up all over the place.

Anne and Sal at the Teddy crossing …

… and sitting down with her mates.

On. A serious bit of very good wood art.

On – on.

Barcoo

More metal art.

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Another Boab?

Oops. Now officially 1 kilometre over service mileage. Booked in at Longreach for a service.

Oh. Also, we got the car at I think 120,000km, so we have done about 45,000km

Emu and chick. Don’t blink. They move fast.

On recommendation from Ken and Liz, we pull into Roses -n- things, a small, 11 site caravan park in Barcaldine, about 107km short of Longreach. Heard some woeful things about the two Longreach caravan parks so we will pull up 27km short at Ilfracombe and commute for a couple of days.

Well, Ken and Liz knew what they were talking about. It is a delightful little private park with horses adjacent. The park has tea rooms but they are closed for the season now. However, the owners bought us out some ‘surplus’ desserts from the tea rooms.

The horses eat carrots, apples and strawberries. Unfortunately, we only buy 3 or 4 carrots at a time and each one represents one meal as in the yellow out of the ‘meat and three.’ Apples are in limited supply and are one of our in transit snacks. Anne loves strawberries, so … sorry horse. No go.

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And I quote an old joke when I say, ‘A horse walks into a bar and the barman  asks, “Why the long face?” ‘

By the way, photos with Olympus on them and also the dusk shot below are Anne’s.

Showers, dusk drink, left over pasta marinara for meal and …..

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz               zzzzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Saturday, 23rd October 2021.

Roma. We used to get some rural Australian TV in East Timor and we fondly remember hearing notices of the pending ‘Bull Semen Sales at the Roma Stock Yards. Perhaps we should have a quick look before we go. Grab a few litres in case we find a use for it down the road.

Nope. We decided that was unnecessary and of course two litres is two kilos.

Sun up early. It is already windy and it is going to be hot. AND of course the further north we go, the hotter it will get and I think we have to go at least 500km further north.

Today ends up evolving into an interesting day.

Here we are at crack of dawn at the Gun Club. It has been a pleasant stay.

Gourmet breakfast of microwaved egg (no fat) on toast and some home made Cashew Pesto, because we didn’t have any pine nuts.

We found a countersunk screw on the floor and didn’t know where it came from till Anne pulled the TV off the bracket and half the bracket came with it.

Fixed.

Compact but good, clean and modern ablutions.

Took me just a little while to work out these have to be to hold caravans down in high winds. Hmmmm. Must find out the windy months before we come back.

Our neighbours at the back are George and Lyn. They have this very spiffy smaller RV. They have had vans before and they say this is everything good. I have to say this. It is more compact but the negatives are outweighed by the positives. For example …

POSITIVES.

Backing is the same as a car as it is not articulated like a van.

It takes up about the same space as a car.  (ish)

We do 18 litres of diesel to 100 km.they do 10. (about half) To put it in real terms, today I filled up for $120 and they would have done it for $60 to $70.

If alone in a free camp and a negative situation comes up, you can leave without going outside.

No hitching and un-hitching. No checking the lights after.

NEGATIVE.

You have to use the van to go anywhere unless you tow a car or carry a motor bike and that reduces the advantage of single vehicle.

Less space.

In most, toilet is in shower.

ARGUMENT FOR.

There have been few places we did not tow the van all the way there, so you  would most likely take your RV anyway.

Less space means more outdoor living, but in bad weather you don’t have to go outside.

Toilet in the shower, I have been told by others that it takes about two weeks to get used to it. Also, as you get more ‘mature’, you might appreciate a seat in the shower.

This had everything except an air cond. and that can be added. $115,000.

The neighbours next to them are Jeff and Ros. They had this brand new unit with everything including a short cut straight from driving to inside, separate toilet and squeaky new. $180,000. Love it but a bit too ritzy for me.

So forget the bull semen and on the road.

Mitchell is a great little town with prize winning bakery.

Fresh cream with apple turnover.

A half eaten pie never looks good but this is A Drovers pie. Beef with an egg. The egg is the big glob at the top.

Busy Saturday morning.

This big monster thing sneaks through town very very carefully with escort. We will come across them again.

This chap tied down his esky but failed to realise putting the strap through the handle made for a loose tie.

Small towns really try. These are immaculate pubic toilets in the main street.

Famous bakery.

With prizes on fridge.

The toaster bought from across the road at the Mitre 10.

Down the road and we come across the monster again. Five metres wide I believe. We chat to the escorts over the radio who ask us if we want to get by. We say, no thanks. We will pull over and swap drivers as Anne should have more driving practice. We do so and my clever spouse does around 60km increasing confidence with every passing vehicle.

They get well ahead and we catch up with then about 28km from our destination of Tambo. Again they ask but we are happy to stay behind for a leisurely doddle into Tambo.

We ‘gas up’ on arrival and go to our chosen van park. The maestro of the park sports a spiffy singlet with a snigger.

Now … we have read signs in transit and picked up else where about Ben’s Chicken Racing. They start at 5pm and are a short 400 metres down the main street. So off we go.

Directions? Go up the street and PASS the Tavern, then on  to the two story Royal Carrangarra Hotel. All will become evident.

‘Hey good looking, mind if I grab you name and number?’ (Been a while since I heard that. In fact, has it ever happened?)

Front bar we get the drum. Sit tight. You will get a five minute warning and you will get the drum out there.

In the mean time, the hall way has a giant Monty Python Book and framed newspapers from my birth year 1951.

So it’s out to the back. We miss a place on the grand stand.

That’s Anne on the left at our table.

Here are the starters,

Now the whole idea is, there will be 4 laps but it doesn’t matter if any of the competitors does not do all four and they can reverse as long as they are going in the right direction when they pass the post. They chase food in a radio controlled car.

Ben asked for a plug so Ben’s Chicken Racing.

How does it work? All the chooks are coloured and named. You bid to buy a chook for the race. Whoever wins gets half the takings and the Flying Doctor Service gets the other half.

This is our ‘horse’ the green hulk. $20.

We came fourth. Bummer. The winner got $127 and the Flying Doctor did as well.

Here’s our little honey.

The pub also had the Halloween theme going.

N.B. Halloween or Hallowe’en, also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve, is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. Wikipedia

That translates as crap to me. We adopted a USA dress up commercial money making scam.

We couldn’t buy a famous ‘Tambo Teddy’ because it was about 6pm on Saturday.

Anyway, we went home and whipped up a pasta marinara.

Delish!

Long day. Shower, bed.

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Friday, 22nd October 2021.

Part cloudy. Two of our four vans gone. The other has gone of in the car. Day trip I assume. We do a load of washing and will do a tutorial on the new GPS before we go.

So, late to get away. The wide open spaces of Jandowae Show grounds.

Our next door and now, only neighbours cute little Supreme Van.

And these bloody pesky little guys. They swoop in , in a noisy cackle, punching up each other pecking and squawking. I’ll zoom.

Zoomed.

By the way, only a prepay with card servo here. EXCEPT, ask a local where ‘Marshalls’ is. They serve as well at the going rate, sort of officially and sort of not. Good spot though and nice lady.

Finally on the road to Chinchilla. Basically,  passing through only. The new GPS is keen to show us it can screw us around just as badly as the last one. I knew from the map there were three routes to Chinchilla BUT it wouldn’t show us or admit to the fact the third one we wanted to take existed.  I’ve given it notice.

Optimist. A donuts wagon at a truck stop.

Chinchilla after getting here the hard way.

It looks a bit old and tired.

On – on to Roma.

Traffic.

We arrive just before 5pm at the Roma Gun Club.

Lots of space, water is good, power, toilets, showers Just $25.

The bar closes at 6pm but we pass on it. Any place that won’t allow you guns and ammo on your bar table will have to do without our business.

At the entrance to the office/club. Someone has planted a Boab tree.

This is from the office looking back into the park.

What we don’t do enough. Sitting outside the van having a drink at sunset. I think these big, round, concrete ‘things’ with metal loos must be tie downs to secure Vans in high wind. Is that a hint?

This is I think either an Indian/common Myna or a Noisy Miner?

Now what is what?

N.B. The common Myna or Indian Myna, sometimes spelled mynah, is a bird in the family Sturnidae, native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the common myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments. Wikipedia

The noisy miner is a bird in the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae, and is endemic to eastern and southeastern Australia. This miner is a grey bird, with a black head, orange-yellow beak and feet, a distinctive yellow patch behind the eye, and white tips on the tail feathers. Wikipedia

So what is it? I make it a noisy Miner.

Sunset with my lovely spouse ..

See? I’m here as well, but not so lovely.

Sunset from my seat. Anne has gone to take a shot from a better vantage point. I would have had to get up to do that.

Tonight, Woolworth’s Chicken Schnitzel with micro’d potato slices, carrot and broccoli. Red wine of course, a movie and bed.

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