Winter 2013

PART FOUR
Richmond to Charters Towers

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As we walked the streets of the tiny town of Richmond it struck us how much of a struggle it must be to live in the bush. Even the Foodlands shop had closed up and a For Sale sign was in the window. In spite of the struggle, Richmond has built an impressive tourist information centre. They have also provided a free overflow parking area for Grey Nomads in their RVs. I'm sure that the handful of daily travellers must play a part in keeping the town viable.

Wind power is "old hat". But the modern wind turbines have only three blades - is this more efficient, or is it because the energy is applied differently? ... ... ... kasi?

There are plenty of these in the outback but I've noticed that most of them have been disconnected from the water pump below and are now just for show.

In any case, obey that "Give Way" sign or you'll finish up like thinly sliced bacon.

I wasn't really trying to emphasise the clear blue sky and the warm weather, but you may have noticed it anyway  :-)

A few kilometers out of Hughenden is Mount Walker with half a dozen lookouts, picnic tables and chairs - thats all. The views are pretty good - especially when you gaze out and try to visualize the ocean here millions of years ago. Mount Walker may have been a small island in the ocean.

As we returned to Hughenden we realised how steep the drive up Mount Walker was. The climb was quite short but very steep in places.

If the road just ahead looks like it goes down very steeply... it does... very steeply.

Back in town for lunch and Connie checks the lettuce for any "creepy crawlies". Actually the hamburger and chips went down well.

Just as we were leaving Hughenden for our next town, we were reminded that when the speed limit is 110 klm per hour, things go wrong very quickly. Inexperienced drivers get overconfident - and this is exagerated by the longer distances and sometimes monotonous scenery.

Ha Ha this brings back memories from 50 or 60 years ago. It is on the main road through Prairie.

This old pub is in the town of Prairie between Hughenden and Charters Towers. Unfortunately it closed down some years ago.

The story I heard.......When the Prairie pub shut it's doors, the cowboys refused to leave and are believed to be still inside - their saddles are still outside on the hitching rail but the horses wandered away.

Shit !!! I didn't know that!

The harder it is to get credit, the more you enjoy it when it comes.

The pubs learnt this a long time ago.

Rivers are all totally dry. I haven't seen a river with water in it since we crossed the Nepean as we left Sydney.

That's not even mud! it's just dry sand.

This is what we mean by a roadside rest area. This is one of our favourites. It is the Campaspe River rest area. If you get here before the 3:00 o'clock rush you can get a great spot with real grass, full sun for solar panels and TV satellite reception. There is a toilet block and a rain water tank (but I wouldn't drink it).

The Campaspe river, like all the others around here may be completely dry, but the bridge is still safe. Connie won't let it down.

The folk in Charters Towers once thought that they had everything in the world that you could wish for (and that included lots of gold). Hence the sign [The World] on this water tank for everyone to see.

"Towers Hill" has had several uses over the years and one of them was to hide an American amunition store.

Imagine my surprise when we visited Australia's Texan Longhorn breeding "Ranch". The first thing I saw was this deer - with no horns at all.

The deer escorted us around the Ranch and showed us the Chuck Wagon. He made us a pretty good damper on an open fire but told us to pour the golden syrup on ourselves. (I mean pour the syrup onto the damper ourselves .. not pour it on ourselves .. you know)!

He never told us his name - but he told Connie a very sad story about his previous owner - in the grave nearby.

When cattle die, the horns are cleaned and polished and some great colours are exposed.

So you think you know what a bad headache is like! Imagine what this poor critter was going through

I had no idea how much work was involved in making a saddle. I also had no idea how much the USA market loves ornamental decorations in the leather, and how much the Australian market wants dead PLAIN saddles like this.

I thought they were banged out on a mchine .... but they are hand made and this one cost four to five grand.

Finally, after a short ride in a horse drawn wagon - we were almost caught in a stampede of the Longhorns (just a touch of exageration in that). The guy in the centre of the pic is "JR" and he is in the Guiness book of records for having a wingspan of 2.77 Meters. Thats the spread from the tip of his horns - measure that out in your living room.

YEP!!!  They're in a hurry and they're coming our way ..  I'm off ... see ya in Part 5..