Days 3 and 4

Sunday - Charleville to Longreach
After we packed up Brett took some nice photoes of Chantelle standing by the Evening Star Tourist Park caravan which was brightly painted and situated at the gate point to the park. We will be back for a few nights next time with the telescope and lots of marshmallows to toast by the open log fire.

We then detoured back into Charleville for a quick stop to get some supplies from the IGA, cappuccinos and jam drops from the local bakery. We didn't hang about knowing we had 500 + km to go. Around 12.30pm we stopped at Tambo for lunch. It was very popular and so pretty with picnic and amenities located road side by a waterhole with lots of birdlife.

Chantelle is always looking to find new friends.

We were amazed as we drove along seeing the remnants of last years floods with debri that was caught up in fences. What was the amazing part was that the land is so flat out here and we couldn't imagine what it would be like to see that amount of water spread out over such a large area.

Brett was hoping to fill up with fuel at Blackall but decided to push on and we briefly stopped off at Barcaldine.

We stumbled across a magnificent woodern structure located just in front of the train station. It's called the tree of knowledge and is a giant wooden wind chime. It's hard to describe but I'll give it a go. The tree out the front of the train station is supposedly the site of where the labor party was formed by striking shearers in 1891. It was sadly poisoned in 2006 and the remaining part of the trunk has been restored and maintained. Half the root line is sunken below a glass platform which you stand on and as your eye moves up the tree trunk there is a vast negative space which takes the shape of the trees branches formed by rods of wood (4000) or so which fall at various lengths from the square structure above it. They all clang together and sound out as wind chimes do so peacefully.

Fiona and Chantelle making their own music on a timber xylophone.

The remains of the tree of knowledge is now protected by huge sculpture above.

We then hit the road and arrived at Longreach caravan park around 5pm. Camp set up, showers, dinner and lights out by 10pm. It's a huge park. Lots of travelling public stay here. They were doing a bird show at 3.30pm Monday afternoon and 4.30pm poetry reading.
 
Monday - Longreach
We spent the day in Longreach today. First stop the bakery for a fresh Vienna bread loaf for lunch. Lots of 4wd vehicles here, cowboys with white hats, moleskins, rm william boots and fleece.

Started the day at the Australian Stockmans Hall Of Fame. Oh my goodness I feel like I have lived under a rock all my life having lived in the city. I really have not given much consideration to living a outback life untill today. What is the outback to you? I guess before today I thought that it was the red centre but it was described to me by a stockman for him as the wide broad open spaces which exist. It has a sense of freedom about it. I agree. It's a landscape of breathing space which has already surprised me with the animals which have appeared. The Stockmans Hall of Fame is set up into several areas reflecting on life in the outback - indigenous, pioneers, explorers/surveyors, shearers, outback properties, communication, royal flying doctor service and the stockman to name a few. We did the 10 am tour which was well the hour it took. It had quite a lot of interactive displays for the kids. I couldnt read all the text recorded for all on display as it was not fair to expect a 4 year old to behave quietly for another great amount of time.

"where are the buttons?"

This is a quilt above.

Next thing she'll want a horse.

Fiona in a flying doctor cockpit.

 
After lunch we visited the Qantas Founders Museum. We only did the museum tour for $21 per adult as the plane tour was $50 or so per adult and was booked out for the rest of the day.

The first Qantas plane to have a toilet. They bought the plane as an 8 seater but gave up one seat to add in the comfort for passengers.

The original Qantas hangar.

A 747 is permanently on site for guided tours and wing walks.

We then headed into town again for afternoon tea at Kinnon and co station store and cafe for coffee and cake.
It's quite an experience at the cafe as its set up like you are on the set of an outback movie complete with mercant cards, live animals and live entertainment. Glad we stopped in there!

Nothing quite like an outback Queensland hotel.

Before going back to camp we decided to check out the local river. Lots of people camped out here too.

 
That night we had a little drizzle about but the clouds kept the temperatures up a bit. And if your wondering what was for dinner, we had apricot chicken, rice and veggies. Fiona had precooked lots off meals, frozen them and we keep them in our freezer in the camper. We decide in the morning what will be for dinner, pull it out and let it thaw out for the day. Having the freezer means we get to keep frozen veggies too.
Tomorrow will be a big day. Over 600km to our next stop over at Mt Isa and a few historic places to visit on the way.