We said good bye to B&N again and left Longreach at 8:10am. First stop was at Barcaldine and it just happened to coincide with morning tea time. We parked up, had a wander, found a café (aboriginal support/work experience place) and it was all good. It's only been 12 months since we last visited (via a different road than today) so it was good to see the Tree of Knowledge again and for the first time, a new observation tower that's been built at the Information Centre. It wasn't long before we were back on the road, a new one for us with the van.
We arrived at the Barcoo River Camping Area at Blackall a tad before midday. There were already lots of RVs here, however, we managed to find a decent spot next to a tree, but not under it. It was then off to the Info Centre where we checked in and paid the $10/night fee. Walked around some more to sharpen the appetite and get our bearings. We saw a few more sights of Blackall before heading home for lunch. Just when we decided to have a rest, three vans arrived and started setting up. The whole area quickly filled up.
Time to get the bikes off and go for a ride. Rode out to the Blackall Woolscour, however it was about 3:30pm and they closed at 4pm. Two tours are conducted daily, so we will return tomorrow and do a tour. We visited the cemetery on the way back to town. There is a separate war section, all areas are very well kept. Greg will go back tomorrow after the Woolscour tour and wander, he does like cemeteries. We then found The Black Stump and a place Beyond the Black Stump, so we've been to "It" and "Beyond" now. We found other sights on the map, then made our way back to the van for exercises/stretches, then pre-dinner drinks, left over Indian takeaways, blogging and bed.
Another great day in beautiful Outback Queensland.
WARNING - there are lots of photos tonight
Never get sick of these sunrises
Greg's final pre-dawn walk around Longreach for this trip
Stockman's Hall of Fame
QANTAS Museum and Air Park
Longreach Boy Scouts
Machinery Mile at Ilfracombe
Drive scenery Ilfracombe to Barcaldine
Views from the Barcaldine Information Centre Tower
Barcaldine Information Centre and Tower
C' pattern windmill built in 1917 at Rockhampton; only needs a slight breeze of 3km/h to turn the 27' (8m) diameter wheel
Two of the four remaining pubs at Barcy; there were originally 11
A shearer pledging his allegiance in the fight for justice during the shearers strike
Tree of Knowledge monument
Barcaldine mural
Drive scenery Barcaldine to Blackall
The Big B sign on the Western edge of Blackall; made from photos from locals and tourists shared through Instagram #betterinblackall
Lost Art arcade murals
A mural by Christian Griffiths
Universal Hotel
Jack Howe sculpture
Blackall main streetscape
Cultural Centre
A typical Queenslander
Blackall Masonic Lodge, built 1908, now a National Trust building as operates as a café, antique and art gallery
In 1885 Blackall became the first town in QLD to sink an artesian bore,
but not the first to strike water
Wool, Water and Wood sculpture in honour of the Woolscour's 100th anniversary in 2008
Eagle and the Nest - created entirely from recycled material
No longer operating
War cemetery
General public cemetery
Mural at the Blackall Showgrounds
The Black Stump, a new rendering made as part of Blackall's 150 year celebrations
Beyond the Black Stump
A new petrified version of the old Black Stump, unveiled in 1988
Flora and Fauna murals
Flora and Fauna murals
A 1917 76mm Leichte-Minenwerfer, a German light trench mortar captured on the Western Front
Blackall War Memorial / Cenotaph
Lieutenant Edgar Towner, VC, MC; looks like he has just been issued his army gear
Fossilised stump, related to conifers and believed to be between 1 to 225 million years old
Australian Federation Memorial, commemorating the first meeting
that led to the first shearers' union in 1886
Donated by the Perry family, this elephant is a symbol of the Perry Bros Circus
that began between Blackall and Tambo
