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.