Greg went for his constitutional morning walk with Bob, whilst Wendy attended to some domestic chores before her walk. After breakfast, Greg went for a ride on his own to check out the spy station that turned out to be a BOM rain radar installation (we found this information at the local real estate agency), whilst Wendy did a third of a days work. We both then went to the Info Centre to visit the marine fossil museum. As we've heard before this whole inland area was part of a huge ocean once upon a time. The museum is pretty impressive, with a lot of the 100 million year old stuff being amongst the best in the world. We're talking about a town with a population less than 700! Of course they've had a lot of help from the appropriate experts at the Qld Museum and further afield.
After lunch, Wendy went for a ride on her own and Greg helped Bob sort out his caravan brake drum that was hotter than the other three for two days running. We both then went grocery shopping and managed to find about 75% of the stuff we wanted at the SPA, so there was no need to visit the other shop in town. Back at the van, Greg left Wendy to unpack the groceries and amuse herself while he went riding with Bob. They like to do a short ride around town to take a couple of final photos and check out that we didn't miss anything before securing the bikes on the back of the vans.
Pre-dinner drinks were had at the usual time, after which we had leftovers for dinner. We were going to go out for dinner until Noeleene heard that not only is Hughenden (our next planned stop) a COVID-19 hotspot, but so is Richmond. This was due to a spreader event funeral here last weekend. With over 10 000 cases across the State daily it's inevitable that we're going to run into this situation eventually. We have personally reinstated the mask wearing indoors. Not to worry, the leftovers were great and filled the gap nicely.
Another episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, followed by the night-time routine and bed.
There are a lot of photos tonight, so we excuse you if you do not want to scroll any further. Suffice to say, the Kronosaurus Korner with mostly real marine fossil bones is a big draw card for the town. We have tried to be economical with the number of photos. Overall, we really enjoyed the two nights spent in Richmond.
Federal Palace Hotel, c1903
Federal Palace Hotel verandah
Kronosaurus Korner
Minmi replica - a 100 million year old ankylosaur Dinosaur fossil discovered in 1989 50km from Richmond
Richmond War Memorial / Cenotaph. This is a stylization of 3 Army rifles marking the graves of 3 ANZAC soldiers who lost their lives at the Battle of the Somme, France in WWI. The battered wooden cross was made from artillery shell boxes.
Commemorating the opening of the Flinders Highway by Sir Joh B-P on 26 Nov 1976
A novel way to hold your rubbish bin
Library
The new BOM weather radar station
Pity the water tower has been adorned with telecommunications stuff
Pretty street flowers
Harrington's Cash Store, c1900s
The Mud Hut, used to be the Star & Garter
Richmond CWA
Was the site of the Blue Bird Café
Historic Richmond Shire Site - the first recorded exploration of the Richmond region by William Landsborough in 1862 whilst searching for Burke & Wills
Richmond Post Office; was a wooden structure built in 1899, and replaced by this brick building in 1926
Originally a family residence from 1927, then a Stock & Station Agency and Accountancy business to 1973. O'Sullivan's have continued their Drapery business in this building since 1973.
Richmond Shire Council premises
In recognition of Mayor John Wharton, AM, for his dedication and commitment to the people of the Richmond Shire
Police Station and Court House
Richmond SPAR; built in 1912, it used to be Yong Yee's produce shop with market garden at the back. In 1973 it operated as a Foodland store, and since 1993 has been the SPAR.
Fire station
Cambridge Ruins, c1865
St Brigids Catholic Church
Mary Mackillop House (since Sep 2006), originally Sisters of St Joseph Convent (1915)
Water park at Lake Fred Tritton
Lake Fred Tritton
A pelican and shag and their reflections
The Lake
Marine fossils
Platypterygius australis; 7m long; eats fish, baby turtles & birds; first discovery in 1865
Record breaking elasmosaurid neck, sometimes over half the length of their body comprising 70 cervical vertebrae (humans have 7)
Bottom feeding elasmosaurid
Kronosaurus jaw - wields an estimated 30,000 newtons, almost twice as much as a saltwater croc, but they do not twist their prey (smaller white jaw is from a modern salty for comparison)
Eromomangasaurus australis
Skull of Eromangasaurus with bite marks possibly from a Kronosaurus
Shipworms - wood-boring bivalves that destroyed many ships
A 'funny' about digs at the museum
The workers in the fossil preparation room
Australia's most complete plesiosaur; healed injuries shoe it survived several attacks and traces of abnormal bone growth (? arthritis) in neck vertebrae suggest it was relatively mature when it died.
