Sunshine Coast to Longreach

Monday 16th May 2011
The van had its service today and we didn't pick it up until 5pm so we decided to stay at a local caravan park instead of driving to Gympie. We will head north tomorrow.

Tuesday 17th May 2011
Not much to tell. We free camped at Coominglah Range Rest area which is north of Monto. While there we saw a beautiful moon rise from on top of the range. Quite spectacular.

Wednesday 18th May 2011
We had an early start today as we had to drive a fair way. We drove through to Biloela and then joined the Capricorn Highway, which is the main highway joining Rockhampton and Emerald. The railway line was running alongside us for most of the day. The trains were pulling coal carriages from the mines at Blackwater and Emerald to Gladstone. Each train had two engines pulling it at the front and another two in the middle. They were about 1km long and had about 100 wagons. We counted 6 go past us in about 2 hours.
Also on the road were road trains, which are prime movers hauling 3 trailers behind them. They carry all sorts of goods. We passed about 12 going the other way full of cattle. Apparently there had been a big sale in Longreach today and the cattle were being trucked east probably to an abbatoir.
We went through a place called Dingo whose claim to fame is that they have an annual Dingo Trap Throwing Contest!!!!!! Now that would have been exciting to see.
Next town was Blackwater which is relatively new. It was built to house the miners and their families who work at the mines around town. Then on to Emerald where we stopped for lunch.
As Ray was still feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed we moved on to a little village called Willows Gemfield and booked into a caravan park for the night. Willows Gemfield is right in the middle of 12,000acres of sapphire fossicking country. The park was full of fossickers who go out every day and look for sapphires. We spent a nice happy hour around the camp fire listening to their stories about various spphires they had found. None of them were millionaires so they obviously haven't found the big one yet.
All around the area there is also cotton being harvested so the sides of the road are covered in raw cotton balls.

Thursday 19th May 2011
Well we woke up to another beautiful day. It is really perfect weather, warm days and cool nights. What more could you ask for?
Back on the Capricorn Highway and about 10km on we had to pull over onto the grass verge as a very big load came hurtling past with a police escort. It was a big mine vehicle as wide as 2 lanes of the road.
Next stop was a roadside memorial to Major Mitchell.This commemorated his exploration into Central Queensland.

We arrived at Longreach about 2pm and are staying here for 3 nights to catch up on washing etc.

Friday 20th May and Saturday 21st May 2011
We had an early start this morning as I woke Ray up at 4am as I thought that the fridge was making funny noises. But of course there was nothing wrong with it and neither of us could go back to sleep so we stayed up and watched the sunrise.

Sunrise at Longreach

We had the washing done and on the line by 6.30am.
We went to the Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame. We had been there about 6 years ago but had heard there had been some improvements made.
It is a remarkable museum, focusing on the history behind some of Australia's greatest and bravest explorers, stock workers, pastoralists and aborigines. It comprises interactive displays, photographs, artworks and objects used in the past.

Entrance to Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame

Entrance showing a statue of a ringer

Example of a peddlars wagon from the 1880's

There is also a unique show put on by a stockman with horses, sheep, camels and a bullock team.

Leaders of bullock team

Resting camel

Trained camel sitting down

Performing horse and rider

Horse jumping over a chair

In the park we are staying, brolgas come to visit each day and just wander around through the caravans looking for a handout. They are a very elegant bird and are quite tame.

Breakfast with Brolgas

Young brolga and mother

Friday night we went to "The Woolshed" which is a restaurant and entertainment area in the park. It has been purpose built. The past two times we have been here, the owners had an open fire pit where they cooked a roast in camp ovens and you paid $10 for a feed and then were entertained by a musician or a poet. It had a great atmosphere. The Woolshed has taken the place of this informal entertainment and a lot of the atmosphere has disappeared. Anyway to support the musicians they ask for a donation and for every $5 you donate you get a raffle ticket and they draw a ticket out to win a CD. Well Ray and I are now the proud owners of a CD by Denise Brooks, who was one of the country and western singers last night. It is OK, but not brilliant.
Saturday has been a quieter day as we are catching up on e mails etc. We are leaving Longreach tomorrow to head north west towards Mt Isa.