It was bitterly cold when we left Barcaldine this morning so we set the heater in the car on full bore and away we went. Our only stop before Longreach was at a place called Ilfracombe. It’s only tiny (about 400 people) but is famous for its machinery museum which stretches from one side of the town to the other. Machinery of all descriptions and vintages has been collected and put on display – pumps, tractors, road making machinery, a wool wagon, trucks etc. We also had a look at Langenbaker house which was moved to Ilfracombe from Barcaldine by a teamster and his family. It’s a remarkably intact example of a late 19th century outback town dwelling.
Arriving at the caravan park in Longreach confirmed what a good decision it had been to stay in Barcaldine the extra day. Even though the ground had dried out a bit there was plenty of evidence of what a slop-hole it must have been.
Longreach has quite an impressive shopping centre and is another town with a really wide main street, wide enough for centre parking as well as angle parking on the kerbs. All the streets are named after birds – Eagle, Swan Pelican etc. Typically the place shuts down at lunch time on Saturday with nothing much open on Sunday at all.
Judging by the clothing, hats, boots and 4WDs Friday must be shopping day for the farmers, their wives and station hands. The picture gives an idea how busy the main street was.
We found a very nice bakery serving good coffee and lots of delicacies with fresh cream – yummo! Probably just as well it closes at lunch time on Saturday!
Mum still hasn’t had a chance to have a swim since we’ve been away – there was a pool heated with bore water at Ilfracombe but not even as Eskimo would have swum there.
A rodeo was due to be held here tomorrow night but has been cancelled because of the wet ground. We’re not disappointed as there’s one at Cloncurry while we’re there and then the big one at Mt Isa.
Arriving at the caravan park in Longreach confirmed what a good decision it had been to stay in Barcaldine the extra day. Even though the ground had dried out a bit there was plenty of evidence of what a slop-hole it must have been.
Longreach has quite an impressive shopping centre and is another town with a really wide main street, wide enough for centre parking as well as angle parking on the kerbs. All the streets are named after birds – Eagle, Swan Pelican etc. Typically the place shuts down at lunch time on Saturday with nothing much open on Sunday at all.
Judging by the clothing, hats, boots and 4WDs Friday must be shopping day for the farmers, their wives and station hands. The picture gives an idea how busy the main street was.
We found a very nice bakery serving good coffee and lots of delicacies with fresh cream – yummo! Probably just as well it closes at lunch time on Saturday!
Mum still hasn’t had a chance to have a swim since we’ve been away – there was a pool heated with bore water at Ilfracombe but not even as Eskimo would have swum there.
A rodeo was due to be held here tomorrow night but has been cancelled because of the wet ground. We’re not disappointed as there’s one at Cloncurry while we’re there and then the big one at Mt Isa.
2 comments:
was the coffee as good as Hortons?
cheers renee
the old Machinery would of been worth a look at
Post a Comment