Arrived at the Warrego Riverside camp where we pitched our spot with a view of the river. Very quiet with pelicans floating past and the fish jumping. A very pleasant spot we must say.
A short 3k into town to the visitor information centre in the old school with an extremely enthusiastic attendant - had all the history and wanted to make sure we heard it at the top of his voice. We now know all about artesian bores (not boring) 101 stand wool sheds where 500000 bales went out in one season. It was all actually very informative.
Outside is the famous(?) Cunnamulla Fella immortalised in song by Slim Dusty which is why I had never heard of him. A walk around the shops where arrangements were made to have Julia's bicycle repaired the next day and then back to river camp where there was going to be some entertainment around the fire pit. Well - we heard it start and immediately decided to hide in the van until they had gone. Two old foggies who think the can sing country and western - not. Camp fire was nice though talking to other travelers later though.
Woke to a beautiful and still morning on the river, sun just hitting the tops of trees, very peaceful indeed.
We hit the road after cycle repairs with a mid morning stop at Wyandra where the fence was adorned by 300m of bras - strange thing to see in the middle of nowhere . Apparently they were collected as part of a breast cancer fund raising and some are being put in a time capsule (don't ask why).
We were directed to a dirt road where we found "The Beach", an idyllic spot on the Warrego River with soft white sand, grass and river pools - only spoilt by a sign advising there was no overnight stays permitted. It was a spot you could stay a week.
A short drive further north and we were at Charleville. The Red Lizard camp is new, set out well with new facilities and a huge pizza oven where we ordered our dinner for the night. A tour around town and booked in for two events the next day - Cosmos of the night sky (stars and stuff) and a brolgas and bustards station tour. Dinner at the pizza oven with a glass of wine talking to travelers - excellent - cold night 1 degree - not so.
Wednesday morning an early start to meet Kevin McDonald 39k north at the entrance to Woolabra Station. He then drove us around his 90000h station and told his story of moving here 30 years ago from Swan Hill, fights with the banks, the good times the bad, the need to change their farming ways, his vision for the property and on and one. A pioneer vision, struggle and diversity. They needed to change when in one year his wool cheque went from $75000, to $150,000 when the wool market collapsed. He now boom irrigates with one circular boom 585m long. This has attracted huge wildlife colonies (and pests such as kangaroos, pigs, dingoes, etc) so to keep them out he put an electric fence around most of the place - 280 kilometers of fence. They have brolgas (300 at one count), sea eagles, bustards and another 40 species of birds for the enthusiasts . All in all a great story teller and a way to pass 3 hours.
A night of stargazing and information, on a bloody cold night outside at the Cosmos Observatory, has completed our educational experience of Charleville.
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| The Cunnamulla Fella |
Outside is the famous(?) Cunnamulla Fella immortalised in song by Slim Dusty which is why I had never heard of him. A walk around the shops where arrangements were made to have Julia's bicycle repaired the next day and then back to river camp where there was going to be some entertainment around the fire pit. Well - we heard it start and immediately decided to hide in the van until they had gone. Two old foggies who think the can sing country and western - not. Camp fire was nice though talking to other travelers later though.
Woke to a beautiful and still morning on the river, sun just hitting the tops of trees, very peaceful indeed.
We hit the road after cycle repairs with a mid morning stop at Wyandra where the fence was adorned by 300m of bras - strange thing to see in the middle of nowhere . Apparently they were collected as part of a breast cancer fund raising and some are being put in a time capsule (don't ask why).
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| The "Beach" |
A short drive further north and we were at Charleville. The Red Lizard camp is new, set out well with new facilities and a huge pizza oven where we ordered our dinner for the night. A tour around town and booked in for two events the next day - Cosmos of the night sky (stars and stuff) and a brolgas and bustards station tour. Dinner at the pizza oven with a glass of wine talking to travelers - excellent - cold night 1 degree - not so.
Wednesday morning an early start to meet Kevin McDonald 39k north at the entrance to Woolabra Station. He then drove us around his 90000h station and told his story of moving here 30 years ago from Swan Hill, fights with the banks, the good times the bad, the need to change their farming ways, his vision for the property and on and one. A pioneer vision, struggle and diversity. They needed to change when in one year his wool cheque went from $75000, to $150,000 when the wool market collapsed. He now boom irrigates with one circular boom 585m long. This has attracted huge wildlife colonies (and pests such as kangaroos, pigs, dingoes, etc) so to keep them out he put an electric fence around most of the place - 280 kilometers of fence. They have brolgas (300 at one count), sea eagles, bustards and another 40 species of birds for the enthusiasts . All in all a great story teller and a way to pass 3 hours.
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| Brolgas ready to dance |
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