Well, we've done what we set out to achieve and that was to explore the Longreach and Winton regions. The Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Museum were what we aimed to see in Longreach. The Longreach School of Distance Education was also a highlight. And Winton has 63-million-year-old dinosaur fossils just begging to be investigated. Also the Matilda Centre, the Qantilda Museum, the Musical Fence, Arno's Wall, the Opal Walk, the Royal Open Air Theatre 7 Museum, and the North Gregory Hotel were Waltzing Matilda had its first public performance. We were not disappointed with any aspects of either destinations and are thoroughly satisfied as we head east toward Rockhampton to follow the coast southward to Yamba and then home. We've been on the road almost 2 weeks and feel we can slow down a bit now that our objectives have been reached and we know how were are going for time.
We wondered why, and how, anyone would want to set up a tourist attraction based solely on a song, but the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Qld, touts itself as 'the only centre in the world dedicated to a song', so yesterday we lost ourselves for a bit over 3 hours amongst many groups of tourist as we stepped back to the time of Banjo Patterson 110 years ago. Did you know, that according to a survey done in the 1960's, 9 out of 10 Australians knew the words to Waltzing Matilda? We wonder what those figures are these days? The song itself has been recorded no less than 500 times by well known and not so well known artists and even 'bathroom Pavoroti's' have been known to record it for personal use.
The Centre has videos and a hologram telling the story of how the song was composed, written and performed. Heaps of information about Banjo Patterson adorn the walls, and there is a very creditable billabong setting complete with all the characters and of course a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda.
The Centre also housed the Qantilda Museum, for it was in Winton that Qantas was really born, not Longreach. The video shown here was brilliant simply because of the original footage and the interviews with some of the instigators of the concept of flying around the world. The film looked to be made in the 1960's so was in black and white, which only added to the authenticity of the times. Where would international travel be these days without these far-sighted individuals? In all, an entertaining afternoon.
We are currently 203 metres above sea level (Winton, Qld)
Total distance travelled is 2,425kms
Cruising speed is (still) 90km p/h
Fuel consumption 11 to 13 litres per 100kms
Average distance traveled daily (when not staying put) is 200 - 250kms
Artesian water stinks!
Walking with dinosaurs? Well perhaps not, but as we undertook a self-guided walk through the shrubs and trees at the Australian Age of Dinosaur Fossil Preparation Facility we were certainly able to imagine the thunderous, vibration of hoofs, the roar of hungry beast and the panicked squealing of the vertically challenged being hunted by their much bigger cousins. Take a look at the photos and see if you can spot the startled 'minature dinosaur' who stumbled across our path and disappeared in a flicker! The plains and valleys, together with deep gorges and water holes, all added to the sense that we were truly in ancient country once populated by giant dinosaurs apparently unique to Winton. With names like Camosaurs, Diamantinasaurus, Wintonotitan wattsi, Australovenator wintonensis, Minmi paravertebra and Sauropod, who's going to pick on them! The webiste is: http://www.aaodl.com/
In all, a great experience!
Our concept of 'Happy Hour' is a timeslot set aside at the local pub or club for the availability of a cheap, limited range of drinks. Not so in caravan parks. How things have changed since our early days of caravaning when we were mostly left to entertain ourselves. These days most parks seem to provide entertainment in 'The Shed' by way of country singers and/or
bush poets, most very good, but some not so good. Happy Hour commences somewhere between 4.30 and 6.30 and seems to continue until everyone gets hungry and makes their way back to their camp for dinner. The entertainment for the night is usually advertised on the back of the toilet door in the amenities block - can't miss it really!
We don't always attend Happy Hour but are often within earshot of whatever is going on. In Blackall we were (un)lucky enough to be 'entertained' by a country singer who was quite good for the first hour and half but by the time his dawg had died, his crops failed, his wife left him and he'd lost his job 15 times, and the pillows we had our heads under no longer
sufficed, we were ready to show this guy the front gate!
Thankfully, there are some compensations. In Ilfracombe Tourist Van Park, there is a Mum, Dad and Kids team running the place. The 2 eldest children are away at boarding school, leaving Mum, Dad, a 12-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son each taking turns to entertain the masses singing, playing musical instruments, telling jokes, stories, poems and recitations to the delight of the crowd. The 7-year-old did a recitation about running away from home that was about 5 minutes in duration which was brilliant. It was no wonder he was placed Third in the Winton Speech and Bush Poetry Competition.
Guests too often do their bit by singing or telling jokes, but the one entertainer who stood out for us at Infracombe, was the 3 times Winner of the Australian Gum Leaf Playing Competition. I kid you not! This lady played a gum leaf that sounded exactly like a flute - it was brilliant, even if we did just about collapse laughing. We've have never, ever before stood to sing the National Anthem accompanied by a gum leaf! The other night in Winton we briefly called in to hear the visiting, famous 'Australian Bush Poets, Yarn Telling and Leg Pulling Champions', who went by the name 'Two Short Sheilas', one of whom kept forgetting her lines so looked to the partner to keep her going! We left before embarrassing ourselves in peals of laughter. Some have got 'it' - some haven't!!!
Happy Hour can also often include a baked dinner for the princely some of $15/20, an offer we've yet to take up!
For those folk wanting to know the practicalities of caravan living, here are a few brief notes:
Meals on Wheels: Yes, we cook most of our own meals! There is fully functional kitchen on-board with a 4-plate stove (with 3 gas burners and one electric), a griller and a microwave. However, we do most of the cooking outside on small a 2-burner gas stove with a non-stick hotplate attachment. There is also obviously a fridge.
En-suite: No, we do not have our own shower/toilet facility. We use the amenities provided in the caravan park although we do have the luxury of a 'porta-pot' (a.k.a. Larry the Lavatory) for emergencies. The morning dash is a killer!
Housework: 10 minutes per day, tops! It's a hard life!
On-Board Entertainment: We mostly entertain ourselves with card/board games or just relaxing in an arm chair enjoying the fresh air and yakking to whoever stops by for a chat. However, there is an LCD TV, a DVD and CD player, of which the CD player gets the most use.
