Since we plan to come back through Longreach after Carnarvon Gorge we decided not to stay another day and we will visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame on the return visit.
Have to say it is getting cold these last few days - and there is a definite possibility of frosts at Carnarvon Gorge.
We stopped for morning tea at Ilfracombe - and had a wander around this historic little town -
--- with it's outdoor displays of old machinery (the Great Machinery Mile)
---- and the historic Wellshot hotel which is over 100 years old.
The sign at the doorway reads - "The Public BAA"
Had to laugh at this sign out front of the Wellshot hotel
In the public bar, "hats with character" form a very unusual ceiling border. This is a collection of rustic hats that create an atmosphere reflecting the pioneering people of the area.
In 1872, Alexander Buchanan acquired one million acres of land which became the famous Wellshot Station and for many years this was the biggest sheep station in Australia (measured by he number of sheep) and from 1890 to 1916 it saw more than 400,000 sheep shorn every year. Wells hot is no longer Australia's largest station. In 1900/1901 they lost 220,000 sheep in severe drought and over time the property was subdivided and by 1926, drought and depression had reduced the flock 40,000.
Ilfracombe had a rush of growth (around 1893) when the railway arrived. Whole settlements followed the railhead, pulling up their foundations and moving whenever the airway pushed further inland.
There were many more emus on way to Barcaldine - we had to stop to let a couple cross the road.
Unfortunately we are starting to see much more roadkill again on this stretch of road.
In Barcaldine - the birthplace of what later became he Labor Party - we stopped to view the "Tree of knowledge". The tree was poisoned by someone in 2006 and they have now built a magnificent art work above the dead tree.
After leaving Barcaldine we stopped for lunch on the road to Blackall. So did couple of "stinky" road trains carrying cattle. So lunch was both noisy and smelly.
There was so much roadkill (wallaby mostly) on this stretch of road - the most prevalent we have seen so far in our travels. A rough estimate would be that there was at least 1x carcass every 50 metres.
Today was an easy day really with lots of stops to look around the places we passed through.
We decided to make camp at in Blackall at a free camp down by the Barcoo River. This campsite has toilets and they even provide hot showers (truckies showers) up the road closer to town. By nightfall there was about 20 campers/ travellers that had made camp here as well.
Just after setting up our camper we were surprised to see an old couple come riding through on a small sulky drawn by a Shetland pony - not something you would see everywhere!!!
Blackall is an interesting little town (population 1500) - with the area having first been explored by Thomas Mitchell in 1846. It was Mitchell's enthusiasm for the grasses of the region, which now bear his name, that led to the opening of the area for pastoral settlement in 1861.
In 1885 Blackall became the first town in Qld to sink an artesian bore. The town's water supply is now supplied by 3 bores - with the water bursting to the surface at a scorching 58 degrees C and it is pure drinking water. The water flows from the Great Artesian Basin under its own pressure.
So as with most of the towns with bore water in the outback it is cooling of water that is more important - not heating.
Blackall is also part of the Kunmurri (Rainbow Serpent) Art trail and they have have some unique works of art sprinkled around the town. These sculptures were specially commissioned for this art trail and are very creative pieces completed by very talented artists.
The Wedge Tail Eagle and Nest - fashioned from old tools, and timber and bolts from the old bridge (my photo is unfortunately spoilt by the thoughtless people who made camp right at this art work - when there was plenty of other sites available for them)
The artist describes it: "The nest is a home and a place to raise a family, which is another representation of what Blackall feels like to me"
The "Wood, Water and Wool" sculpture is fashioned from native timbers - to honour the historic Blackall Woolscour's centenary in 2007
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