Barcoline - don't forget to double click on photos to enlarge

Barcoldine QLD:

Tree of knowledge

The picturesque entrance into the township of Barcoldine


Monday 23/05/2011 - Barcoldine
Tree of Knowledge - The recycled timber surrounding the preserved tree (preserved because the tree died) recreates the size of the trees canopy when it was in its prime during the 1891 Great Shearer's strike, the event which led to the Australian Labor Party.
Stayed overnight at a campsite 2klms east of the town.

Blackall

Blackall: Story at bottom of page

Petrified Wood

Monday 23/05/2011:
BLACKALL - Anything west of here is 'beyond the Black Stump'
A sculpture of local shearing legend Jackie Howe carrying a sheep. The facade in the background is a replica of the hotel Jack Howe owned at this site.
Major Mitchell Clock a dedication to Major Mitchell who explored this area in 1846
Australian Labor Fedeeration Memorial commemorates the first meeting of the first Shearers' union back in December 1886. This group became the Australian Labor Party.
Fossilised tree stump. Found on a local property is a conifer. The wood has been preserved and believed to be over 1,000,000 years old.

Charleville to Augathella then Tambo - Double click on photos to enlarge

Tambo Creek:

Chris defrosting the T-bone steaks for dinner!

Augathella - public conveniences



A Bronze Meat Ant - Augathella Park

Sunday 22nd May 2011:
Bacon and eggs for breakfast cooked by the masterchef himself - Chris. Left Charleville and headed further north throught Augathella and onto Tambo where we camped along the Barcoo riverbank at Stubby Bend. Tambo is the oldest town in the west and Queensland's outback.

Charleville

Medical Kit at the the Royal Flying Doctor Visitors centre

We cycled around Charleville



Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May 2011:
Stayed the two nights at the well appointed Bailey Bar Caravan Park. I used the laundry facilities while Chris had chores of his own. In the evening we joined other caravaners around a camp fire and enjoyed a camp oven dinner of red wine beef casserole, cooked over hot coals, with mashed potato and damper. Then apple crumble with custard and billy tea brewed in a large camp pot. Saturday Chris and I cycled around Charleville for three Hours visiting:
The Charleville Royal Flying Doctor, where we did a self guided tour of the visitors centre which had an excellent display of the long history of medical service to remote outback communities, past and present equipment and medical kits.
Historic House Museum - photo opportunity of one of the few 'Queenslanders' left in Charleville.
Graham Andrews Parkland, an outback oasis, which was constructed after the 1990 floods as a gift to the towns people. It has a lake, working windmill, watercourse, adventure playground for children and free B-B-Que. There are two preserved Vortex Rainmaking Guns which were built in 1902 (after extreme drought). The guns were charged with gunpowder in the hope that when discharged the explosion would cause changes in the atmospheric pressure and produce rain. DID THE GUNS WORK ????
Well No!

From St George to Mitchell

Mitchell:

The corner lamp posts were uniquely decorated with mosaic tiles

We camped by the Neil Turner Weir - Mitchell

A beautiful Boah tree


Thursday 19/05/2011:
Travelled 210klms from St George to Mitchell along a minor sealed road which became a single vehicle road in places. Pulled over and stopped on side of road when the road train were headed for us so they could stay on the road and not pull over and shower us with red dirt and stones. Better than ending up with a cracked or smashed windscreen! Found a camp site 3.5klms out of town at the Neil Turner Weir. Settled ourselves in then cycled back into Mitchell to cruise around the town. The street lined with beautiful Bell Trees, and attractive corner lamp posts with mosaic patterns.

Nindigully Pub camp site a great place to relax. Then onto St George

St George:

Entrance to the St George Golf Course - the trees overhung the road so we drove over a fairway to park near the clubhouse.

Tuesday 17/05/11:
Stayed an extra day enjoying Nindigully, the bushwalking and the river with its beautiful wildlife. While I washed clothes Chris bar-b-q'd steak with a delicious salad for lunch. Later in the afternoon we ventured over to the pub for happy hour and enjoyed $2.00 pots and fantastic entertainment from Adam Kirkpatrick (Slim Dusty's grandson). I will endeavour to add a video of one of the songs if I can. Anyway I'll give it a go who knows it may even work!

Wow it worked!

WEDNESDAY 18/05/2011: Said goodbye to Nindigully and travelled 44klms to St George, a very picturesque town built along the Balone River. Riverside Drive has beautiful picnic spots along the river bank. Once we filled our tanks with diesel, and water and ventured into the local IGA store to replenish food supplies we then crossed the river to the St George Golf Club. Our motorhome got through the entry gate and down the winding red dirt drive until we came to an area where the trees were arching beautifully across the drive and we couldn't get the motorhome any further without scraping the roof, so we stopped and walked up the drive, then appeared the greensman in his tractor to sus us out. When we told him 0f our predicament he said not to worry, just drive off the drive and onto the 10th fairway to by-pass the trees. We asked if we could have a game and where the pro shop was, he looked at us quizzically and told us that the clubhouse wasn't open and that it cost $10.00 and we could play all day and payment was an honesty system - just put your money in an envelope provided in the box on tee one where you will also find score cards. We got ourselves organized, I played while Chris caddied (his back still isn't up to golf yet)! Beautiful golf weather temp 26 degree. Fairways a little rough and the greens oil and sand. I would get to the green and if I was close to the flag add one shot and if I was further away add 2 shots. Enjoyed my game even though a crow took 2 of my balls. After the two balls being taken Chris would walk ahead of me and be ready to send the crow on his merry way if necessary. Stayed the night out beside a riverbank at the Beardmore Campsite.

Bird life at Nindigully - double click on photos to enlarge

Nindigully: