After leaving Barcaldine on Tuesday 25 May, we headed due west through rich grazing country and saw lots of moos, Hereford as well as Santa Gertrudis cattle grazing in the paddocks. Stopped at the pretty town of Ilfracombe, the home town of our Governer General, 27klms out of Longreach and checked out the Great Machinery Mile along the highway which is an historical display of both pastoral and transport machinery. I particularly liked "Winsome Winnie from Warbreccan" an old wool wagon, which in her day was piled high with bales of wool and pulled by horses all the way to Bowen on the east coast. Didn't stop to enjoy the artesian spa which bubbles away at 37C degrees and is reputed to have wonderful healing powers.
Longreach was recognizable in the distance as we approached with the tail of a 747 and the 'Flying Kangaroo' on the horizon. Part of the Qantas Founders Museum which also houses the original hanger, a Boeing 707, and a DC3. There are various replicas of other early aircraft, my personal favourite, the Avro 540K, a tiger moth and the first Qantas aircraft purchased in 1921. The 747 200 on display is the very first jumbo purchased by the Company. Lots of fun doing the tour and seeing all the cargo bays, engines, landing gear etc, and also most interesting, where the black box recorder is kept. It's actually orange as it is the most visible colour and least flammable according to the guide. By the way the Black Box as well as the emergency slides are Aussie inventions.
Two young WWII vets and locals, Hudson Fysh (who Adrian met when Sir Hudson was Chairman of Qantas many years ago) and Paul McGinnes, started the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, as it was then known, in 1921. The first flight was out of Winton to Cloncurry before relocating the Company to Longreach. Cobb & Co were still responsible for delivering the mail into the 1920's before Q.A.N.T.A.S. took over.
A small notation here, for the girls reading this, Trevor Hendy, former Ironman was filming for a new program on Channel 10 while we were on the 747 tour. He looks 'Hot' even with his gear on - sorry fellas! As Ade says, we are just a bunch of old desperates!
Thursday saw us doing our separate tours (because we can't take the dogs with us) of the Stockmans Hall of Fame. Its a great tribute to our pioneers and early settlers and lots of interesting displays of original artefacts and stories of bush life as it was through to the present day, including how much the modern man on the land relies on the internet. Gone are the days of the bushy with his swag and billy can, of the horse and cart carrying the general store, or the mail order catalogues I remember my Aunt using on their property when I was there for 6 weeks in 1958. There was a replica of a very old map of Queensland depicting all the station properties as first settled and I found the property originally owned by my Uncle's father, which is the one I visited, and is still in the family today.
There is a great tribute to RM Williams who was the legendry crafter of stockmans boots and saddles and he was also largely responsbile for bringing about the
Stockmans Hall of Fame.
Stockmans Hall of Fame. Sunset at Longreach Caravan Park
Weather is getting "icy" cold at night but the days are beautiful . Saturday headed north west this time, on the Matilda Highway to Winton. Saw sheep grazing about 40 kilometres past Longreach, and kangaroos and emus as well. There was a sign, 'Lake Eyre Basin, Diamentina & Darling Rivers Catchment Area'. The water which fills Lake Eyre travels a long way! Feels like we are really in the outback, no clouds, no trees and red sandy soil.
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