It had been 17 years since we last visited Winton, so we (particularly Penny) were really looking forward to seeing remnants of some of the largest animals ever to roam Australia. But in the meantime, we had lots to see on our journey west.
Following a night at Dalby, we drove through to Roma. After several hours on the road, it was lovely to take a stroll through the Roma Bush Gardens. This 14-hectare site features local native vegetation and wildlife as well as two dams which were built in 1875 and 1883. Originally, the dams supplied the town with water and were later used as a source of water for steam trains.
As we walked around the dams we saw willy wagtails, wrens, spotted pardalotes, finches and wrens, in addition to ducks and cormorants.
Roma's largest Bottle Tree stands 15m tall with a 23m crown. It is believed to have originated in the 19th Century and it was transplanted here in 1927 from a nearby property.
Jim is wearing his Mark Hughes Foundation beanie to help raise funds for brain cancer research.
The next day we drove to Charleville and along the way saw emus and a field of brolgas. We passed through Mitchell and Morven.
The Western Hotel in Mitchell is owned by Gold Coast real estate agent Joe Farr, and we've been listening to his ads on Breeze radio now for years, so it was great to finally see it.
One of the many roadtrains on our journey
At Charleville we spent time at the WWII Secret Base. Charleville is 750kms west of Brisbane, but during WW2 it hosted 3,500 American servicemen who operated across a variety of different military units, conducting classified operations that would significantly impact the war effort.
The entire town was sworn to secrecy and for years the scope and importance of this base remained unknown, even to locals. The Secret Base has an interactive exhibition that provides information about life at the base during WW2 and also tells the personal stories of some of the area's local heroes.
In 2009 we spent something like four hours at the Cosmos Centre, viewing the interpretative exhibitions, watching films and seeing the sun through a telescope. Full of anticipation, we arrived at the Centre 17 years later and were nothing short of disappointed. There didn't seem to be the amount of exhibitions we remembered, and we were in and out in less than an hour.
However, we did come back a couple of hours later to view the film 'One Step Beyond' which was shown on the entire ceiling of the planetarium. The film details the challenges of life in space and the cutting-edge technology of NASA's Artemis program - as we prepare for humanity's biggest step yet: setting foot on Mars. The surround sound and movement of the film, as we lay back against high seats and looked up, at times made us think we were actually there! A fantastic attraction for anyone interested in space travel.
As we arrived at the centre we saw an impressive but unfinished structure outside, and I asked a staff member about it. It is the construction of the Outback Museum of Australia (OMOA), however it appears that the grant needed to complete it hasn't been forthcoming. This was de ja vu for us, as the Australian Opal Centre (AOC) in Lightning Ridge is in exactly the same situation. Very sad.
We stopped in at the Royal Flying Doctors Service Visitor Centre where we literally walked through time as we viewed medical supplies and radio equipment that has vastly changed over the decades. We also listened to uplifting stories of many whose lives have been saved by the RFDS.
Thousands of patients are assisted every year in rural and remote Queensland, and many remote properties are supplied with a comprehensive medical kit to use in emergencies whilst speaking to an RFDS doctor on the phone and waiting for emergency aeromedical retrieval.
On the way back to town we stopped in at the Graham Andrews Parklands, enjoyed a walk around the lake and saw The Big Red Chair.
The heritage listed Corones Hotel is a famous Charleville landmark. It opened in 1929 and has hosted royalty, prime ministers and pioneering aviators.
We left Charleville and headed to Barcaldine. Along the way we drove through Augathella and stopped in at Tambo and Blackall. Cows were crossing the road, herded by three young women on horseback. And as if that isn't modern enough, the third one was using her mobile phone!
This one stood his ground for quite some time.
Tambo is famous for the Tambo Teddies, beautifully made bears and other plush animals with genuine sheep's wool. For a little town like Tambo they are quite expensive, starting at around $150.
This shop is a replica of the original Universal Hotel in Blackall, famous for being owned by world championship blade shearer Jack Howe (in the sculpture). In 1892 he shore 321 sheep with blades in one working day. He retired at 39 to become a publican.
In 1888 surveyors used a timber stump in this location as a fixed observation point for determining accurate latitude and longitude coordinates. This helped to establish a more precise basis for Queensland's maps and surveying network. Over time, the vast and remote country west of Blackall became known as being 'beyond the black stump'. This memorial stump was erected in 1988.
At Barcaldine we visited the Barcaldine Museum which is jam packed with memorabilia and items from the past. One of the more interesting stories involves a letter that was posted by James Page in 1904 from the Exchange Hotel to Tasmania. One hundred and one years later the envelope was returned to Barcaldine, courtesy of Kelvin Scott who purchased it on-line from a gentleman in Germany. James Page was a federal member and proprietor of two hotels in Barcaldine.
We also spent time at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre which is located in the grounds of the former Barcaldine State School where many of the original structures have been reinvented into exhibition space. Across five acres, the Centre is a national monument to Australian working men and women, and historic representation includes the police, shearers, Australia Post, a one teacher school, power-house, main roads, emergency services, Queensland Health, the Kunwarara Railway Station and working women.
Police Watchhouse
The machine on the left manufactured timber marbles which were used in the machines on the right for the predecessor to Lotto until 1939.
In 2006 the Tree of Knowledge, located in Barcaldine's main street, was poisoned and failed in 2007. Fortunately, a graft had been taken and this is the resultant 'offspring' of that famous tree.
Early mail delivery
At the one teacher school
The very modern Queensland Health display (Penny worked for Queensland Health in Brisbane many years ago...)
This railway station and carriage were relocated from Kunwarara north-west of Rockhampton and refurbished.
There isn't much in the way of shopping in Barcaldine, but Country Rumours sells a huge range of beautiful handmade items and also hosts a coffee shop. When we walked back from the Heritage Centre, all of the tables - indoors and outdoors - were taken up with customers enjoying their coffee in the sun.
From Barcaldine we drove towards Longreach and stopped briefly in Ilfracombe which hosts the Lynn Cameron Machinery Mile, a mile long exhibition of old tractors and other farm machinery. And for those of us interested in rugby league, the Ilfracombe Memorial Park has a very unusual sculpture of Matt Scott (Ilfracombe's favourite son and former North Queensland Cowboys co-captain) made completely from scrap metal.
Ilfracombe Memorial Park
We arrived in Longreach, which looked vastly different to when we had visited in 2009. The main street shops had expanded and the number of hotels and motels also seemed to have increased. We assessed our dinner options and chose the Longreach Tavern, a relatively modern and atmospheric pub in the main street with indoor and outdoor seating. It was a Thursday night and Trivia was well underway, as well as meat raffles and several other competitions. We ordered our food and then waited almost an hour for it to come - just as well it was delicious!
We aways carry breakfast provisions on a driving holiday but decided to try the Outback Pioneers buffet breakfast the next morning. It was worth it just for the 19th Century ambiance. As we had visited both the Qantas Museum and the Hall of Fame last time we took a long stroll through town, stopped for coffee and then drove out to the river.
We then spent time at the wonderful Longreach Powerhouse Museum which is located within the original Longreach Powerhouse Generating complex, which generated power from 1921 to 1985. In addition to the 10 massive engines there are displays on agriculture, business, school and home appliances, etc. as well as Nogo Cottage which was the original homestead on Nogo Station built in 1918. Now the cottage exhibits family life in western Queensland from 1938-1950.
Nogo Cottage
That night we ate at The Italian, a - surprisingly - very modern restaurant in town which was popular with locals and tourists alike.
Eagle Street, Longreach
Eagle Street at night
The next morning we left for Winton - and one of the main reasons for our journey!
