Monday, May 21, 2012

MAY 19 - LONGREACH

Since leaving home we have been to Chareters Towers for the music festival and I won't bore anyone with that as we covered it last year exct this year I ventured into the bush poetry field with a poem about the humble plastic chair. (I didn't write it) We also caught up with good friends Phyl and Rod; and Phyl and I went to a quilt show and found a great fabric shop which enticed some money off us.  Then being Thursday (our craft day) I suggested we have a session at my place. Unfortunately none of the rest of our "Tuesday Girls Who Meet On Thursday" could make it that day.It was great catching up with them.

We had a good show and left on the Sunday for barcaldine where we had 3 days before we set up for the show.  As our van was behind our stand I had a chance to relax while Stuart did his thing.

Right behind us was a group who had an animal nursery and I was concerned about animal smell but there wasn't any which was good.  They also had chooks and so we got a fresh egg as well.

We went to see the Australian workers heritage centre while there and although it proclaimed that it wasn't politically affiliated obviously it leant very much to the labor side.  We also saw the Queensland electoral role for 1992 where we found many names.that we knew including my own and some from Ferguson street Mackay.

We also visited the Tree of Knowledge which was regarded as the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). This was because the town was the headquarters of the 1891 Australian shearers' strike where policy and decisions were made It was poisoned many years ago and after being sent away and preserved now stands on the original site.

Had a great show and for the $30 site fee we stayed a week and saw some history and made some money, along the way.

Then it was on to longreach where we got onto our site at the show grounds on Sunday and had til Friday to be tourists before the show starts.  I don't think this will be a resting place for me given the figures from last year but well see.

We did a river cruise on the Thomson river on a paddle boat originally from gympie which was just fabulous. 
 It started at about 4pm and we could take drinks.  So at 4pm we were waiting at the gate of the show grounds like Japanese tourists with cameras at the ready and our dilly bag of wine waiting for the courtesy bus to pick us up.

With glass of wine in hand and nibbles (which were supplied) we cruised up the Thomson river getting some spectacular photos of reflections oof the river and then the sunset on the way back. 








 When we docked there was a great camp fire with billy tha on the boil and after "Scotty" recited some bush poetry...


The "Chook" Wagon

Scotty

... we were all served up some good old bush stew and later a paniken of billy tea and damper folloepwed by more poetry before we all piled back on the bus for a ride back home.


Next on the tourist map was a visit to the qantas museum where we saw everything aeronautical pertaining to qantas emergence in Australia and how it all started.

Wednesday we spent the day at the stockmans hall of fame and although it was great I expected a little bit more.  We were entertained by a stockman with horses, cows and a camel for props which was very entertaining. 

The tour included lunch and this was open-air with a fan the entire width of the ceiling - huge!




The show here was only for Friday and Saturday but we were here for 7 days for about $75 rent as well as site fee with electricity which was good as it got down to 8' a few mornings so I needed the van warmed up and a cup of tea in bed before I got out - works for me!

Now its off to Alpha, Capella, Clermont and Emerald. Hopefully, the door hinge for the fridge catches up with us by Emerald and we can get it fixed and buy in some meat.  We bought a 60ltr Waeco portable fridge/freezer and it should arrive about Emerald as well.  That will give us a chance to stock up on extra frozen stuff and also give us room to put the red claw we catch somewhere to die humanely (if we get to catch some)

This was on a plaque at the Stockmans Hall of Fame and it reminded me on someone very dear to me.  I hope you like it.

No comments:

Post a Comment