Friday 25-5-12

Today is cold and freezing!. It rained from lunch yesterday and most of last night. We spent the afternoon in the van. I let Adrian win 2 games of scrabble and I won 2 games of rumicub. Quiet night in the van.

This morning we left the park and headed for the only remaining steam powered wool scouring [wool cleaning] machine left in Australia. It ran from1907 to 1978 thru the golden days of wool to its demise. Was restored with gov money in 90’s. We were shown around by an old drover called Beaver, who didn’t really like opening his mouth to speak but luckily it was only Adrian and I on the tour and we could hear him in a manner. Saw all the shearing sheds with their stands and had explained all the complexities of cleaning and baling the wool. It was worth more cleaned. Uncleaned full of burrs, grass, dirt… They used to waste the lanolin but now of course it is a product in its own right. In those days the wool was worth 1 pound per pound of wool - $2/half kilo.

Dingoes are still are problem locally and the only people licensed to shoot them are the roo shooters.

We saw sheep and goats and have a picture of a goat on its back legs eating from a tree. There were also shearers quarters. The machines used the local gidyea wood pronounced gidgee[ because of yesterday’s rain, the smell from this wood is very strong like the smell of burnt wood smoke] and the ash from the machines was in a big pile. The locals used to collect it for their gardens but are no able to as the whole place is heritage listed. They have mainly tourists and school groups thru. I liked it because of the connection to my dad and his dad who both did some shearing.

Then we headed off to see the Black Stump and then off to Barcaldine. About 100kms from Blackall. Easy trip and different vegetation. Still plenty of grass with scrub and shorter trees. Still fairly undulating and the black soil. The railways were a great boon for Qld because the bullock wagons would get bogged in the black soil.

We checked out the local showground to stay as it has all the amenities. The cost was dearer then the caravan park so we opted for the park. Once again Tony and Clare are here. We were to meet for billy tea and damper for afternoon tea but it was cancelled for today.

We spent the afternoon at the local Heritage Centre. This is an area celebrating all the different working men that have helped to make Australian what it is today. Great exhibits about the cattle and sheep men, the railways, women in Australia, shearers, emergency services. Also exhibits about Golden casket, one teacher schools, Aboriginal history etc.

For those amongst us who are rabid Labor Party supporters there is much about miners strike of 1890’s and how this is where the Labor party came into being under the Tree of Knowledge which is in Barcaldine. My knowledge on this was greatly lacking so I found it all very interesting. More on the tree tomorrow when we visit it.

Also on the same site there is part of the 1988 Bi-centennial travelling exhibition. It is a big tent like a big top from a circus. The whole place reeked of early Australian history with lots of pictures and also audio presentations. We could have spent longer there but I was freezing. Have added extra layers of clothing.

We are very excited back at the park and can access their internet via wireless for free. We are going to watch some ABC thru computer as still no luck with TV. Will have to investigate better aerial. Spoke to a lady today from Adelaide. She said Western states do free camping sites much better then eastern states. Will have to investigate on another trip. Anyone thinking of coming out this way should do it. The country is beautiful and unexpected and people very friendly and helpful. Once again petrol is cheaper here then lots of places we have been.