Allan and Connie - wandering about in a caravan - Winter 2017

(the pages change every few days while we are travelling)

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Whether you have been here before or not.. WELCOME! I'm not much of a photographer but I enjoy taking photos that [to me] seem unusual or interesting. Sometimes I think they are funny, sometimes strange and sometimes R rated. In any case you are encouraged to put comments in the visitors book (which doesn't exist any more). I hope I can make you smile or even giggle a bit.

During the "winter" the population of Charters Towers literally explodes. The town crier [left] explained that the locals become rather bored when all the tourists leave in August and September each year and there's not a great deal to keep them occupied (hence so many locals have birthdays in June). Beds-R-Us is one of the biggest money spinners in town.

Once upon a time... Charters Towers was so wealthy during the gold rush that they accumulated anything they wanted (including a cinema and a "drive in" movie theatre). It was viewed by the locals as "the center of the world". Look closely - that's now the picture theatre. In it's hey day, it may have filled up. I doubt it has filled up lately.

True! . . . . During WWII the planes that were based here were occasionally stood on this concrete slab with blocks placed under the front or back to get them into flying position. The guns were then calibrated using the target in the distance. In one instance a farmer's cow could not be ignored and it was blown to bits. The farmer was about to sue the American government for the cost of the cow, but the American pilots passed the hat around and discretely "bought him off".

The kids in Charters Towers are just the same as everywhere else. They break the glass, press the button and run - no time for phone calls.

I found out that the glass panel and button are not connected to anything. They are simply a dummy distraction for the kids to break.

The whole of Charters Towers was based on gold. Everywhere you turn there is a reminder of it.

Prospectors were always waiting for a sign of gold. Some were waiting for a sign from heaven. They all got this at the local pub ....

Each jug could hold a pint of beer. Some jugs were slightly different shapes and sizes. The shape of the jugs was most important to the miners.

Yep!- that's another way to do it, but not on concrete!

Some tourists re-enacted an infamous shooting murder that took place in the stock exchange. It was bloody tricky trying to explain to his wife why he didn't return to the caravan park later.

How the hell are we gonna get the blood stain off the table?

The judge was not very amused when the accused was brought into the court still carrying a gun.

Towers Hill. Bunkers, gold mines, munitions stores, ghosts, and a number of classified items that only I know about.