Journey in a Journey

As we head south we have made a few quick stops at a few interesting places.  We stopped at Hebel just north of the NSW border.  The town has a pub, cafe, caravan park and library.  Just a tiny little town but the pub is worth stopping for.  Very cute. We then did a quick stop at Lightening Ridge.  We had a wander down the streets to look at the opals and stopped in to see the John Murray Art Gallery.  Awesome paintings just a little out of my price range. As you can see were not in Victoria yet but the clouds are already forming.  😢

Last night we stayed at Lara Wetlands Bush Camping Grounds.  You have no idea how nice it was to be sitting on grass again looking out at water.  The campground is on a rural property with campers camping around a shallow wetlands area.  It is really relaxing having grass under your feet again just looking out at the birds in the wetland area.  The area also has free canoes to use on the wetland area and a hot and I mean really hot thermal pool. We have now started the journey home.  We stopped at Tambo to see the Tambo Teddies.  The swagman teddy was lovely but above my price range and had a lovely lunch enjoying the last of the winter Queensland sun as we head south.

Today we went to the Stockmans Hall of Fame.  The museum is divided into 5 different zones for different periods of time in Australian history from the Aboriginals to the early settlers through to the stockman that lived and worked in the outback.    They also have an outback stockmans show which was good.  It was a one man show telling you about life as a stockman.  It was a very diverse show including some singing, some very well trained horses and dogs. Even some sheep and a very large bull.

We spent today with Kinnon and Co Outback Pioneers.  We spent the morning on their Cobb and Co Stagecoach experience and what a great start to the day it was.  Morning Smoko of scones followed by a ride in the stagecoach pulled by 5 horses with a gallop home.  This was great fun.  We then watched the Harry Redford Old Time Tent Show.  This show was done by the Kinnon Brothers that drove the stagecoaches.  Very talented boys and very funny.  Late in the afternoon we were picked up by coach and taken to the Thompson River for the Starlight's cruise experience.  We boarded the boat for the trip up the river followed by stew for dinner and apple pie for dessert.  Sitting around the camp fire with entertainment supplied by a poet Scotty and father and son Kinnon's funny antics.  We then watched a sound and light show over the river ending with damper around the fire. All in all it was an awesome day with the Kinnon famil...

Visited the Qantas Founders Museum.  We did the museum and the Boeing 747 and 707 tour.  The actual museum is really good.  Lots of interactive things to see and play with.  Old planes to climb in and not one of those museums that you just wander around reading things. The tour of the 747 is really informative and you get to see the all the inner workings of the plane as well as the cockpit and the upstairs first class lounging area that was converted into more seating as first class passenger numbers dwindled. You even get to stand inside the engine on the wing. The 707 is an old plane that started its life as a commercial passanger plane before being converted into a private jet and being sold to the Arabs and then coming back to Australia to be hired out to people like Michael Jacksons when he toured Australia.  It was interesting to see the interior of the plane set up with bedrooms lounging areas etc not just rows of seats. ...

Saturday 29th July Waltzing Matilda is stuck in our heads as we visited the Waltzing Matilda Centre today.  The centre is fairly new as the old one burnt down and the experience is an audio experience.  You are given headphones and audio equipment that is automatically activated at certain places throughout the centre.  You not only learn about the history of Banjo Patterson and the song/poem but also a bit about the history of Winton.  We continued south and are now in Longreach at an almost free camp $3 per car per night and we will stay here a few days as there is alot to do.  As it is Sunday there isn't much open but the town looks really nice.  We will venture in tomorrow and book some tours.

Saturday 28th July Today we left Lawn Hill and traveled back down the horrible dirt road.  We have to start traveling south if we are to get back to Victoria so today was a boring driving day.  We stopped for the night in a free camp outside Kyuna.  We watched a beautiful sunset and went to bed listening to the sound of light rain and our neighbours frantically packing up and moving to more solid ground.