It’s a Longreach to get rid of Tuross Stale Bread
Far be it for me to bow to peer group pressure, but a very pushy couple from Tuross Head (no names) reckon the bread must be well and truly stale by now (first photo in my last post to this blog) . So just for Di and Peter, here is an overdue update.
Port Macquarie for a week
Workmate Marc and I went to Port Macquarie for an intense week of training in IP telephone systems. Drove to Rocky, flew to Sydney and then another flight on to Port Macquarie. We shared a lovely 2 bedroom studio right on the river foreshore. Trip home was a drag – flew to Sydney, then to Brisbane, then to Rocky, then the 3 hour drive back to Emerald.
The view of the foreshore from the balcony of our unit at Port Macquarie. Oh, that's Marc blocking the view.
Mystery Ride
Back in July I participated in a “mystery” ride. Some 40+ riders set out from Rockhampton on the Saturday morning. The 8 Emerald riders meet up with them at Dingo. We all then headed north up the beef road, refuelled at Middlemount and onto Nebo for lunch. Just a short ride towards the coast for our overnight stop at the Retreat Hotel. A good night was had by all even though it got a bit cold.
The next morning the Rocky group headed for Mackay and trundled back home down the coast. The Emerald group headed inland to Moranbah and Clermont on the way home.
Another Honda
I’d been on the look out for another car – something a bit more comfortable to get about in, given our closest reasonable size town is 300km away and all the roads around here are far from smooth. Finally found something we are happy with – a 2003 Honda CRV. Lots of room for a smallish car and excellent economy. Suzi is currently collecting dust in the boss’s yard. Came in handy for my workmate Aaron who borrowed it while his car was off the road.
Honda no.2 joins our fleet - this one has 4 more wheels than no.1
Longreach
As part of my work I had to do communications audits of 7 banks in our area. North to Clermont, Middlemount and Dysart, south to Springsure, east to Blackwater, west to Longreach and here in Emerald. I organised the Longreach job for a Monday and took Jan out there for the weekend so we could have a look around.
Bogantungan range - 100km west of Emerald
Barcaldine is 3hrs drive west of Emerald passing through a range at Boguntungan. Longreach is an hour further inland. What a waste of public money the Barcaldine “tree of knowledge” memorial is. I’m told they spent over $10M on this and I have just learnt they are about to spend another $2M repairing it. Seems they used green timber and it has shrunk (doh ! ) and is in danger of spearing unsuspecting tourists. Meanwhile Barcky residents are still waiting for a small retirement village after 10+ years of chook raffles, etc.
Tree of Knowledge monument Barcaldine - a monument to gross Government idiocy
Jan revisited her childhood at Ilfracombe where there is a display of old farm machinery that stretches for 1km along the road reserve thru town. Here’s a shot for her Dad, showing her back on a grey fergy – only about 50 years since her last try. Least this time she didn’t hit the gate.
Jan back on a grey fergy for the 2nd time in 50 years. Just ask her Dad about the first time.
A wander through Longreach’s Stockmans Hall of fame is a day well spent.
I also enjoyed the Qantas museum – Jan wasn’t keen and did a bit of retail therapy instead. Not much else to report from Longreach.
Jumbo - up close they are not so big
Collage of the trip out – Alpha and Barcaldine area.
Collage of Ilfracombe farm machinery along road reserve
Farm girl Jan reminiscing
Collage of Longreach’s main attractions
Longreach Stockmans Hall of Fame and Qantas Museum