Torbanlea

We have been camped up at the Torbanlea Racecourse, half way between Hervey Bay & Maryborough.   Fab. spot.  We have power, water, our own personal key to showers & toilets, lush green grass & a whole racecourse to ourselves.   Only 1 other motorhomer here.   We are paying $10p.nt. and its worth every penny.   Done the laundry, washed both the bus & car, filled up with water and had free two days (sat & sun) to check out Bundaberg & Hervey Bay before the start of the Rally, or so we thought.    Early this morning some volunteers from the Motorhome Rally came around to tell us we were going to be taken in to the rally a day early (Sunday)  to avoid congestion on the official day - Monday.   So today it was cleaning day & charging 240V day, whilst on power, to make life easier once we are at the Maryborough Showgrounds.    Have to leave here at 7.15 on Sunday morning, to be ready to be admitted at 8a.m.   So we will have to do a bit of sightseeing once settled at the Rally.

On our way to this destination we passed thru the sugar cane fields, and finally I felt we were really in Queensland.  Before that, we could have been back in Victoria, the scenery was nothing tropical etc.
Tonight, I saw my first Cane Toads, not exactly attractive.   They were only small ones, so yet to see the massive ones that cause so much strife.    Not sure I will be posting much from here on in.  Im hoping the Rally will be such a good one that we wont have time for computers.  Stay Tuned.

Congratulations to Bella & Cooper who now have a cousin.   Thats exciting for them.

And to Daniel & Kristel who are now an Aunty & Uncle.   Im sure baby Xavier will be loved & spoilt by all of them, even from afar in Bali.

Gayndah and the Most Expensive Fish & Chips

We pulled into Gayndah, Queensland's oldest town.  It was Anzac Day and we had just missed the parade but there were quite a few around the RSL.   We decided to go to the free camp on the banks of the Burnett River.  Could have been a lovely spot but it was overrun with backpackers.  Most of them are here for picking mandarins & oranges.      There were tents, tarps, campers, cars etc. everywhere, plus lots of rubbish.    This swag, consisting of a tarp with a couple of poles to hold it up, was home to one backpacker from the Netherlands, anxiously waiting for work.  He camped next to us, bad luck he had to put up with water pumps, toilet pumps and grey water.   He seemed to sleep pretty well though.   We unhooked the car and decided to go out to the weir, 3kms. from town and check out the other free camp in this town.   Wasnt keen on staying by the river at that stage. Disgusting is the word that comes to mind.    Overrun with backpackers.   Not a space to even park up the Suzi, let alone a caravan or motorhome.   There were clothes hanging everywhere, tents, tarps, the picnic tables covered in crap. Rubbish strewn all over the picnic ground.  A refugee camp would present  nicer than what we witnessed.  The Council ranger doesnt do much, because the area needs the pickers. The farmers cant afford to provide facilities, so they take over public parks wherever they can find water/showers/toilets.   But its the travelling public that get tarred with the bad reputation for leaving their mess behind them.Anyway we decided to do a bit of sightseeing.   As we turned down the main street we spotted a fish & chip shop open.   Now its been a running joke for many many weeks now how Rick is hanging for a good feed, so with great joy we exclaimed "Fish & Chips !!!! And They are Open"!!!!!!!!!!! when we spotted a shop on the other side of the road.   Bear in mind, the whole main street was in view, not a single shop was open, not even the pub, not a single car parked on either side of the road and so Rick quickly turned into the parking spot outside the fish shop.    YAY, we were all laughing and joking with him when  -   Before we could even stop the car, flashing lights of a cop car greeted us.   Out they hopped, walked over to us and wanted to know why Rick had crossed double white lines to park.    We hadnt realised we had.  Before he began to question us, the cop warned us "Not to Lie to Him in Any Details he gave us"   HUH?????? Then we explained  to him that the double lines had a broken line thru the middle and Rick assumed that that line allowed him to cross over.    The cop wasnt impressed.     The whole main street has double white lines down it and you cannot cross over them until you get to the end of the street, turn out of the main street into a side street.   Anyway we felt that we should be given a warning, it was a public holiday, not a soul or a car to be seen, we were from interstate, but no way.     $200 plus 3 demerit points were the punishment.   Pissed off big time.   Anyway we got our fish & chips and and they were disgusting.    Serves us right.    We should have never given into TEMPTATION.

Not sure who he is, just spotted him when we were driving down the road.

Now, before we arrived in Gayndah, when we were at our last Camp at Ceratodus, their was no phone service.   When we arrived in the next town we found missed calls from Daniel & Kristel in Bali asking us to call Justin ASAP.   Immediate panic on my part.  Was the baby OK?  Due on May 14th.  Called Daniel in Bali and found out that Rachels waters had broken after a visit to her drs. and that Justin & Rachel were going to hospital.   More panic on my part!!!!!!!!!.  Then we received many messages from both Justin & Rachel, sent the previous night/morning giving us the news they were expecting bubs that day.  Anzac Day, their 3rd wedding anniversary, and bubs was 3 weeks early.    What a tummy churning day.  Waiting for news, praying all was going well, feeling helpless and missing them terribly.     So when we arrived at Gayndah, crappy confrontation with the local cops, confronted by the mess of backpackers we decided to push on to the next free camp.   BUT then fellow motorhomers told us their was no phone service at the next two camp spots so of course we had to stay put at that camp and wait for   that all important phone call.   Ros & I bought bubbly and had it on ice waiting.   There was shouts of joy and excitement when we received photos on our phone of our new grandchild, but had to wait a few more hours to get all the delicious details.   We toasted the new arrival and felt releived and happy that all had come thru happy and healthy.   Both the new mum and dad were stuffed.  

Here is Xavier Michael Maroszek.   7lb. 3oz.   Not sure what he is listening too but he seems to like it.

Whilst in Gayndah we saw more evidence of the flooding.  This town also lies on the Burnett River.   The water came thru this town at a rate of 78kms.   They put a radar on the highway bridge, before the bridge was covered in water.    All of the debris coming down the river caused a blockage/dam at the bridge and hence the water then invaded the town.    Cows, horses, pigs all floated down the river.   There was a sign in a shop.  A young girl desperately looking for her two pet horses, missing since Australia Days Flood.  Made me sad to think of their fate.    Across from our camp we spoke to a citrus farmer who told us he had an orchid of 20,000 trees.  In one paddock, 6,000 trees were washed away.  He is in his 70's but intends to replant and keep working.   He lost sheds, tractors and his house was flooded, he is renting until his house can be rebuilt.   He had a very small creek running thru his farm and during the flood, that creek was 2 kilometres wide.   He showed us photos of his farm and it was sobering.    All the roads in both directions were cut, no power, no communication in town, residents didnt know what was happening.  They couldnt beleive the water would rise as rapidly and as high as it did.  Easily 20M High from the river bed.   This town last flooded in 1942.  This flood was the worst in their history.   Its been a very eye opening journey this one.   We saw all the flooding and devastation on the news each night but to see what affect it has had is an eye opener for us and will give us a better understanding of what they need when they took about flood relief and the work needed.

The floods

We have been aware of the destruction that the various floods that Qld. have had, over the past two years particularly, by the damage to the roads and the erosion of creeks, road sides,  etc.   We've cursed the crappy roads, and the hold ups at continual roadworks, but realise there is a big job to be done up here.   But it wasnt until we camped at our last campspot on the Burnett River, at Ceratodus, that we saw the remnants of the destruction.   Next to our camp was a farm with a crop of literally hundreds of Sandalwood trees.   From the road as we approached it looked like a bomb site.    Hundreds and hundreds of dead trees, knocked over trees and debris everywhere.   Once camped up we were amazed to see the height of the debris left behind in the tall gums.    The river was flowing fast but quite a small volume of water was actually in the river.    Rick estimated that the water level had risen about 60 feet.    The existing river is so far down the embankment that it was difficult to view it, so to imagine the water rising so high was mind blowing.  It had come completely up over the bank, over the road, over where we were camped and into the plantation behind us.   Unbeleivable is the way to describe it.

This is taken from the highway bridge.   You can see in the tree in the backgound & foreground, branches lodged in the trees.   The water below was up higher than the trees. The water below in the photo is the river back to "normal"  

From the bus window, this tree limb is lodged around 60 feet higher than  the water level of today.

The sandalwood trees from the bus window as we drove down the road.   Debris lodged in their canopy.

You can see how they were pushed out of the ground by the force of the water.  The majority of the crop has been totally destroyed.

On the road

 We had a little hitchhiker travel with us for a while.  Had to wait until smoko, to let him free.   So many butterflies up here and lots of birds I have never seen anywhere else as well.    

Travelled thru the coal mining area, have never seen such huge trains in my life.  I wish I had counted all the wagons carrying coal just to have an idea of how long they were.   Here is a pile of coal on one side of the freeway and the loading facility going across the road.   Everywhere we drove all we saw were trains full of coal on both sides of the road.  It was a great insight into a different product being produced out here.   Ros tells me they all go up North,  I think Mackay, where the big ships are waiting in the bays to be loaded, up to 8 or more ships at a time waiting their turn.

We found this beautiful free camp and pulled up in the park.   When we opened our door we had this right in front of us, complete with a small waterfall.  Couldnt have asked for anything nicer.   Had a few drinks enjoying the view and then decided to cook dinner outside.   Just got ourselves organised when all of a sudden a storm blew in.  Within a matter of a minute, we had thick dust cover us and everything else outside, strong winds and then came the rain.    Only the 2nd time we have had rain since we left in early March.     It absolutely bucketed down, together with thunder & lightning.    From calm to gale in a few minutes.   The camp was flooded with water, visilbilty was zero.    The next morning when we woke up, it was almost dry.  Disappeared as fast as it had come.  Ros & Tony sat and watched the lightning show and I was tucked up inside cheering on my favourites Dan & Steph on My Kitchen Rule.   Hope they win the Grand Final on Sunday.

Emerald

Emerald surprised us as it is quite a big city.   Having come from the dry and dusty gemfields, we were kinda expecting the same with a name like Emerald.  Both Uni & Tafe have campuses here.   A large dam provides water to the region allowing a variety of crops to be grown, 25% of qlds. cotton is grown here plus wheat, maize, sorghum, oats, barley, sunflower, citrus, beef, grapes, avocados, mangoes, peanuts, soybeans.  It was actually beautiful to drive thru this region, it is so rich, green and lush at the momnent.   This region had a huge flood on Aust. Day this year, devastating many towns, but the by product of that rain is that everything is growing like crazy.  Sunflowers were once their biggest crop, and they had the Sunflower festival.  Now that is no longer, instead in the park they have  the worlds biggest Van Gogh painting.  25 Metres high.   Interesting? but not that exciting.

These two friends kept us entertained whilst we had a picnic lunch in the Botanic Gardens.    Someone had left a handful of Maccas chips nxt. to our picnic table and these two were desperately waiting for us to move on so they could enjoy a picnic of their own. You can free camp under the road bridge nxt. to the Botanic Gardens but we opted to move on as it was pretty noisy during the day and figured it might be the same at night.

This is the 1900 Railway Station.  Very pretty but I couldnt help taking the picture as a council worker drove his ride on lawn mower up the ramp to the station.  Not sure why?   Perhaps to catch a train or mow the line?

The most important thing in this town for us was Woolworths Supermarket.   We were so hanging out for a decent shop at a big supermarket and boy did we shop.  Could barely shut the fridge door.   So did the touristy stuff in Emerald, which isnt much, and then moved on down the road.   

Rubyvale

Today we visited the gem town of Rubyvale.   With thanks to our friend Andrew Steele, who recommended we visit a chap at a place called Moniques Mine.  We did, and had a very enjoyable morning chatting to him about his venture and doing some fossicking of our own.   We bought a bucket of spoils (sand/rock) for $15 and then had a lesson in how to sift & wash this stuff to find those precious stones.   As sapphires are not only blue but are also green & yellow and other colours it was amazing the number of "precious stones" we thought we found.   We came away with a bag of stones.  Dont even know if they were any good or not, wasnt really all that interested by then, just enjoyed the experience and the challenge.   I think one was a black garnet which may make a nice stone, if cut, but we would never bother anyway.   Precious stones for Bella and Cooper to play with when we visit them in Bali.     They can sift some sand and look for the treasure just like us.

Rick with his pan of stones, giving them that wash to loosen up the sand and display the rocks more easily.    It was fun but the day was warm and we were glad when we had finished the task.

Ros & Tony sorting out their rocks.  Not sure if they got some good ones or not.   We werent all that serious, we were just having a good time.

This is how people live out here.   Its pretty feral for the most part, but every now and then you see a house that actually looks like a house, with gardens etc. and not a collection of stuffed cars/machinery and generally a tip site.    Andrew told us that people can be very touchy about their claims and not to wander around on too many dirt roads, in case, you are viewed as being trespassing.    We decided to just go out for a quick drive to see how the other half live and to find this thong tree that I wanted to take a photo of.    I guess it sums up the place.

 But we did find the time to have coffee, scones with jam & cream, so its not that backward.

Once again, there were cows everywhere, even in the lovely park filled with playground equipment.   We have enjoyed the time out here, its not our cup of tea, but we have been there done that now, and thats what matters. Too many places selling gems & jewellery and offering mine tours and bags & buckets of spoils. Signs everywhere, from the general store to outside private homes.   Next stop is Emerald.  I think its a little more town like than where we have been the last few days.

Sapphire

Arrived at our next town, Sapphire on the gemfields.   Our free camp was right outside the front gate of the local swimming pool. Just 18 months old.  Solar heated to 26c.   So naturally that was our first destination.   In the late afternoon we wandered down to a local creek bed, naturally assuming we would find sapphires, jumping out at us in the river bed.  Lots of people go down there to fossick.   Didnt even know what we were supposed to be looking for, so that was a laugh.    As we walked along the creek, there were cows everywhere.  We had to walk really close to them going past and they were a little wary.   As we made our way up this very narrow path, a drop on the other side to the creek bed,  I heard a noise behind me and this cow was following me at a steady pace.   I freaked out, but managed to take her photo, before I got out of the way.   The cows seem to have the run of the town.  We have seen them in the park, on the roads, and this afternoon when we were back at the pool, about 20 of them wandered slowly down past the motorhomes & caravans to the creek bed.   Crossing roads as they went, not a worry in the world. They are wonderful to see.  There is only caravan parks & a general store here plus lots of gem stone type stores trying to sell you finished jewellery, stones, or encouraging you to buy a bag/bucket of spoils and sift/wash them and hopefully find a worthwhile stone.  

Jericho & Alpha

 

From Barcaldine we drove to a small town called Jericho.  Not much here, but they do boast the smallest drive-in theatre in the World.    There are speakers for 30 cars in the grounds and then canvas deck chairs up the back.   It would be so nice on a lovely evening.  The latest movies are shown and the billboards out the front of the park showed the line up for last weekend.    We camped up at a lovely community park on the river bank.   Lots of caravanners here.   The park offers toilets, drinking water, lots of space and big old truck tyre rims scattered around the banks of the river for campfires.   The community even gather up fallen tree branches etc. and leave them in piles so that you can help yourself.   All they ask is for a donation (honesty box) if you so wish.    We had a great night under the stars.  Lit a campfire, ate our dinner around the fire and then later on in the evening, Rick cooked us pancakes on his special little gas stove that he has fallen in love with.   Ok. there were a few that were a little burnt, but smothered in butter and jam, who could tell.   We were so full we couldnt finish them.  Thats a first!!!!!! 

From Jericho we travelled thru a small town called Alpha.  The town of 27 murals.   Sadly most of them were a little faded and not that interesting.   The shed pictured opposite is actually the Tivoli Theatre.   It was Sunday, the whole town is closed, but the volunteer lady at the Info Centre happened to be around and she opened the building up for me to look at.   Its mostly full of old junk now.  They had just had a big community market the day before and most of the tables etc. from that day were loaded up in here.  It meant I couldnt really take any worthwhile pictures.  Apparently Gina Rhinart is investing lots of $$$$$ into this town with the establishment of a mine.   Virtually a complex of housing, admin buildings etc. is going up in the vicinity for the mining company.   That will bring huge $$$$$ into the community.

Barcaldine

Barcaldine is famous for the Tree of Knowledge.  In 1891 shearers and pastoralists were involved in an industrial battle that would shape Australia's history.    The union was fighting for the shearers rights and the farmers wanted freedom to choose conditions etc.  The Great Shearers Strike. This Ghost Gum grew outside the Railway Station  and became an inspiration for the striking shearers.   The tree became a memorial and lived for 180 years until in 2006 someone decided to poison it.    The tree wasnt able to be saved, but the memorial remains in a multi $$$$$$ structure.  Hard to get a decent photo of it.  Apparently its best taken at night.   The formation of the Australian Labor Party is believed to have taken place at this time in 1891 in this town.

The ornate clock tower outside the PO

Radio Picture Theatre 1926.  Still operating.  Original canvas seats and painted facade around the big screen.   Great structure internally.  We love looking at old movie theatres and thinking back to their heyday.  About to change over from spools of film, to digital.

Havent a clue?   Some sort of nest?  birds or wasps or whatever,  on the underside of the verandas of the Tafe College.    There were heaps of them.   Had us baffled.

Rick outside the Windmill that symbolises the importance of the Artesian Water Basin to the Outback.   This windmill dates back to 1917.

The Comet Masonic Lodge  1901

We did the heritage walk around town and had to laugh constantly, reading the heritage boards out the front of the buildings. As with most of the other small Outback towns we have visited a very good majority of their old buildings, especially the pubs have burnt down.  Almost always in the very early 1900's.  Many were rebuilt and burnt down again.   But it was Saturday and by the time we got around the town, it was shut up for the weekend.   We didnt get to do much more for this reason.  Nice town though.  Lots of heritage buildings to photograph, but once again it was extremely hot and we were running out of steam.

Longreach cont.

A little difficult to see in these pictures but we went out on a 4WD track in the bush to find this Lagoon full of water lillies.   We had been disappointed in previous places we had been to, but this was isolated but beautiful.  Had to tramp thru long grass to get to the waters edge and I was praying there were no snakes around.   It was pure croc country even though they arent in this part of Qld. it felt just like the NT. A little creepy.  Was happy to discover this little gem.  Not many people come out  here as its off the beaten track.  Visited an art gallery in town later where I saw very similar photos to what I had taken.  The photographer told me he got his wife to wade into the water to her thighs to get their spectacular photos.   Obviously mine werent comparable.  I was too scared to even get near the edge of the water plus, his photos were taken a year or two beforehand when the lillies were thick and plentiful.

Sunset at our camp spot.  The sky turned so many colours as the sun set it was crazy.   Tomorrow off to Barcaldine and then the gemfields of Rubyvale, Sapphire & Emerald.

Longreach cont.





We headed back to the Stockmens Hall of Fame the next day to see the Outback Show.  This featured a "cowboy" from Yackandandeh in Vic.  This show was awesome.   Informative, entertaining and downright funny.  Worth the  $$$ we paid for compared to our previous one.     Following the show we headed over to the Qantas Museum to discover how Qantas came about.   I must admit I wasnt all that keen, but it was actually interesting.   Had absolutely no idea where it had originated from.  In 1919, two WW1  airmen, Hudson Fysh and  Paul McGinness after driving a T Model Ford from Longreach to Darwin, doing survey work, realised the potential for an air service for mail, freight and passengers.   With backing from a wealthy grazier,  Fergus McMaster, they established the airline  from the hangar at Longreach  (still in existence) with two small planes in 1922.  This site has also strong links to the Royal Flying Doctor Service as The Rev. John Flynn, the founder, realised  his vision of providing a team of flying doctors to service the Outback.   In 1928,  Qantas provided the very first plane from their hangar in Longreach.   This museum was excellent and I actually learnt a great deal about the airline and the tenacity of the men involved.   Another very enjoyable day in Longreach.

The Suzi next to the qantas plane.  You can do a tour of the jet and a wing walk   (extra $$$$)  but we werent interested.  Ros & Tony were lucky enough to have a guide offer them not only a tour, but a wing walk for free, as he had to go over the plane, closing & locking up.    They said it was fantastic.   They were in the right place at the right time.

Longreach

Camped about 5kms out of Longreach in a free camp with at least 30 other units.  A bit dusty, and extremely hot but its close to town and thats what matters.   We saw the news for only the 2nd time since we left home 6 weeks ago.  Snow at Falls Creek !!!!! and we are in a sweat box here.   Have really liked Longreach.  Nice town.   Yesterday we visited the Stockmens Hall of Fame Museum, which was brilliant. A new appreciation not only for those pioneering families, the stockmen & outback workers, but the explorers as well.   We are so spoiled.  Just take too much for granted in this day and age.   One shearer & wife had 20 children, 12 boys, 8 girls.  The whole family would move around the outback, taking on shearing work (dad & the 12 boys), whilst mum would take on Camp Cook.!!!!!!!!!   Holy Hell.  Where she had the time & energy to have 20 children beats me. This morning we were off to the Long Distance School of the Air.   We really loved this tour.  Informative and eye-opening.    8 broadcasting studios, 165 students in this region, 24 teachers, long distance education but with one on one tutoring each day for the children.  Watched a class & teacher relationship in action.  Years prep thru to Yr. 10 (boarding school thereon) These kids really dont miss out on a lot.  Not only do they have a special relationship with their teacher, they receive home tutoring, lots of monitoring, they get to come to Longreach for athletic carnivals, swimming carnivals,  socialising.   When the kids come in during the year, they are housed at the school, with their mums/dads and siblings.   They get to play and do the normal that we take for granted.   The school library was phenomenal.   These children can access up to 40 books, tapes, dvds, cds at a time for a 6 week period.    Once again, a new appreciation of the Outback and what families are all about out here.



Loved this Holden Dealership building.  



The Longreach Railway Station still in operation

Travelling thru Blackall & Barcaldine

We called in to the town of Blackall, home of legendary shearer Jack Howe.  He was not only a champion shearer, but was allegedly, the "inventor" of what we now call the bonds "bluey" singlet.   His wife apparently cut off his sleeves from his work shirts to make it more comfortable for him and so the legend was born.   We arrived in town early, with the sole intention of spending quality time at the artesian  bore swimming pool & spa.   Had a ball at the last one, so why not enjoy some soak time again.   Well, the Council in their wisdom, and of course caring for the public, close the pool between the hours of 9.30am and 2.00pm to prevent us from getting UV/cancer rays.   Peak tourist time for travelling thru this town and one of its few touristy things to do and its  closed.  Dont get it at all.   So we had a picnic in the park, toured the short main street and left.

This was just a statue in the park where we had lunch.  Features a young soldier proudly receiving his uniform and slouch hat before going off to war.   This  local soldier received both the Victoria Cross and the Military Medal

Roadworks continue all thru outback Qld.   When we see the state of the roads, especially after the big flooding of 2012 we can understand why the need for so much repair work.  Plus it has to be done before the wet /monsoon season arrives again.   Still there were times when we couldnt travel more than around 70kmh which was frustrating and tiring for Rick.

This is the main Highway, just taking 2000 cattles and about 20 horses along the stock route where the feed on the sides of the road is lush and green.   The lady we sat and had a coffee with, had two small kids 2 and 3 y.o. with her whilst she watched and if necessary jumped on her motorbike to herd up the horses.  Her husband was back about 1km on his stock horse with the cattle.  They were moving about 10-12kms a day.

The couple taking these animals along the stock route, lost 5 cows yesterday when a caravanner ignored all the warning signs that there were animals ahead and on the road, didnt slow down as he approached and hit them.  4 were killed instantly, the 5th had to be shot.  The car was stuffed, the couple got out of it OK, just shaken.    Others  travellers following behind them, said they didnt even brake.

So many kangaroos crossing the road, up to 10 or 12 at a time, we are on the lookout all the time but still far more dead than alive ones.

Camped up on the banks of a weir near Barcaldine.  Fish and turtles in the water.  A friendly kangaroo in the campground plus ducks, hawks, kookaburras, and this lone pelican with the trees reflected in the water.   Very nice spot to stay.  Joined by about 10 others for a very long happy hour as it is too hot in the bus.  36oC whilst Im typing this up.   Feeling so much better now, thank goodness.   We are heading to Longreach and that will be as far as we can afford to go, time wise.  We must start to head the other way, towards the Coast and Maryborough for the Rally.   Havent met a single motorhomer yet who is going there.  Last count, we heard there were about 900 motorhomes registered so should be a biggie.