Greg was up early and went for a walk with Bob, whilst Wendy lingered in bed with her clothes for a little longer. After her first coffee, she put the washing machine to work, doing four loads.
We waited until the temperature soared to 12 deg C, then rode out to see some of the sights of Burketown. First up was the Boiling Down Works, established in 1867 to cure beef in brine for export to Batavia (now Indonesia). This was not a success, so the plant was closed in 1870. A new plant was built in 1891 and opened six months later. It too, was closed twice: due to drought and again due to a quarantine order to prevent the spread of disease and the cattle tick. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1898, was rebuilt and was doing well, processing over 20 000 cattle in a season, however, due to monetary losses, lack of cattle to process, and eventually being eaten out by white ants, it was closed for good in 1911.
Onto the Landsborough Tree. This tree marks the site by the Albert River where explorer William Landsborough established a depot camp while searching for the missing Burke and Wills expedition in 1862. He buried supplies near the eucalypt tree in case the explorers should come up upon it; he carved the word "Dig" into the tree. The brig Firefly used in the search was abandoned nearby on the riverbank. In 2002, vandals set the tree alight, causing the trunk to fall over. In 2007, it was described as "nothing but a small charred stump", but by June 2009 there was a sapling "replanted" alongside the dead tree to replace it.
Further up the same road was the Boat Ramp on the Albert River. A very flash boat ramp and jetty for such a small town. Maybe something to do with the large amount of Barra caught here and the equally large number of southerners that flock here each winter to catch them. The river is fairly substantial and due to the incoming tide it was flowing strongly. There were a few fisherpersons there, not at all successful, and more vehicles with empty boat trailers.
Back to the van for lunch, then an LLD. Greg then got busy with fixing the microwave housing to hold it in. He thinks he's cracked it this time. Wendy walked to the Info Centre to check out the museum housed within. It was not much to write home about, so she bought another fishing shirt, just what she needs. When she got home and showed it to Greg, he decided that he could have it instead as it is blue, and girls don't wear blue, that is for boys!! Wendy agreed that he could borrow it when he wanted to, unless of course she wanted to wear it!? The beauty of being about the same size.
Pre-dinner drinks were had at the Barb's temporary residence, then back to our van for Friday night pizza. Greg had his usual ingredients with pan fried Barra and said it was good; the best pizza ever!
Another night of 8 out of 10, with a rowdy bunch of workers, celebrating the end of the week, in the background.
The Thermal Spring in early morning
Relics of the Burketown Boiling Down Works, with a relic in the middle
The good old times, when Australia used to make stuff
The new Landsborough Tree, with the remnants of the original (the grey stump)
Burketown Boat Ramp
Salt pans
The only thing worth photographing at the Info Centre Museum
