On the road again

[Justinf]

The motorcycle tour was in full swing and I found out it’s the ride for prostate cancer. Good stuff.
we stopped half at Tambo for some lunch, but the bikers had raided all the cafes.
settled on a wrap and some carrot cake.

 

[Justinf]

To combat driver fatigue, there are some really cool trivia signs spread apart.
genius.

 

[Justinf]

We arrived into Barcaldine after going through Blackall around 2pm and tonight we are staying in a cabin at the Barcaldine Caravan Park.
the park itself is gorgeous but the cabin very spartan.
temperature around 28 degrees, but it felt a lot cooler.

 

[Justinf]

This is from Wikipedia.

Barcaldine played a significant role in the Australian labour movement and the birth of the Australian Labor Party. In 1891, it was one of the focal points of the 1891 Australian shearers' strike, with the Eureka Flag flying over the strike camp. The landmark Tree of Knowledge, under which the strikers met, stood outside the railway station. In 2006, persons unknown poisoned the tree with the herbicide Roundup, which led to its demise.

One of the first May Day marches in the world took place during the strike on 1 May 1891 in Barcaldine. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that of the 1,340 men that took part, 618 were mounted on horses. Banners carried included those of the Australian Labor Federation, the Shearers' and Carriers' Unions, and one inscribed 'Young Australia'. The leaders wore blue sashes and the Eureka Flag was carried. The Labor Bulletin reported that cheers were given for "the Union", "the Eight-hour day", "the Strike Committee" and "the boys in gaol". It reported the march:

In the procession every civilised country was represented doing duty for the Russian, Swede, French, Dane etc., who are germane to him in other climes, showing that Labor's cause is one the world over, foreshadowing the time when the swords shall be turned into ploughshares and Liberty, Peace and Friendship will knit together the nations of the earth.

On the 9 September 1892 the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party was read out under the well known Tree of Knowledge at Barcaldine following the Great Shearers' Strike. The State Library of Queensland now holds the manifesto,[37] in 2008 the historic document was added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Australian Register and in 2009, the document was added to UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register.[38]

The Australian Workers Heritage Centre opened in Barcaldine in 1991 as a museum to pay tribute to Australian workers.[39]

and here we are at the Tree of Knowledge.

 

[Justinf]

First impressions of Barcaldine is that it is a clean and proud town.
very compact as you would expect but a lot of amenities.

 

[Justinf]

It got to 5pm and I don’t need to say it again do I?
today’s pub was the Shakespeare Hotel and she was absolutely magnificent.

 

[Justinf]

We ordered dinner from the restaurant at the Landsborough Lodge -pretty much next door and I walked over to fetch it.

 

[Justinf]

Tomorrow it’s a 5.5 hour drive to Charters Towers.
back in 2008 I wrote a chapter of the Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Lonely Planet book.
i covered Mackay to cairns, so once I get to charters towers I am quite familiar with the territory.
charters towers is absolutely stunning from a gold rush architecture perspective.
I’m really looking forward to getting there again.

 

[Justinf]

You will be right, just take plenty of water and a few snacks in case. I would however check at Barcaldine prior to proceeding. They only finished bituminising the last bit into Torrens Creek last year. The new bridge over Torrens Creek can still flood but it appears to be good at the moment. Last time I went on it was January 22 and it was still dirt then. Most of the time I would go via Emerald or Winton because of this.

If you see a road train on the narrow bit, just get right off and let them stay on the tar.
God Speed, and I am somewhat jealousView attachment 387067!

The road is sealed now and open.
looks like we are heading via Amarak tomorrow,

 

[Justinf]

A good drive from Barcaldine to Charters Towers today.
the road from Barcaldine to Amarac was a bit dicey but I took the advice and just pulled over for the road trains. Unfortunately a lot of the caravans and motor homes didn’t do the same when I wanted to overtake.

 

[Justinf]

Took ages to get to Torrens Creek where we stopped for lunch but there was only a cafe and a pub there, but it did the trick.

 

[Justinf]

Once we got onto the Flinders Highway the scenery changed dramatically.
all the creeks and rivers were dry but it was a lot greener and more mountainous.

 

[Justinf]

I’ve said earlier that I think Charters Towers is a bit of a hidden gem.
absolutely gorgeous gold rush architecture.

 

[Justinf]

Our accommodation tonight is at the central Rix Hotel.
probably the ‘nicest’ place so far and that’s saying something.

 

[Justinf]

After a rest I headed out for some pub research and came across the White Horse Tavern. I had been here before while researching and writing the Lonely Planet book.
it now has a couple of bowling alleys.

 

[Justinf]

After one very lonely beer I headed back to our hotel and into the bar of it. Our motel unit was out the back.
I enquired about a table for dinner and the only slot they could fit us in was 7pm. A good sign that it is so busy.

 

[Justinf]

At 7pm we went for dinner and as this is the last dinner I will get to share with my baby girl for quite a while, it was quite an emotional one.
I had lamb cutlet’s, but the steaks here are renowned.

 

[Justinf]

Tomorrow it is off to Cairns.
i am staying at the Coral Tree Inn in the CBD and then my daughter has to pick up her friend at the airport after flying in from Weipa.
they are staying the night at her friend’s grandparents place in Mareeba before making their way to Weipa on Saturday.
i’ll be driving the final five hour stretch (give or take) and then staying by myself in Cairns before flying back to Melbourne on Saturday.
im quite lookijg forward to trying J on the QF A330 again

 

[Rebus]

I have really enjoyed this trip report @Justinf . I'm an atypical AFF reader who exclusively uses his FF points for family trips to Europe in Y. As such the TRs covering J and F travel are of less interest to me than something like this which is a much more realistic future endeavour. I'm also a relative newcomer to this great southern land and love exploring regional Australia. You have highlighted some really interesting places in this TR. Finally, I'm a dad of two daughters and your final post made me feel somewhat emotional. I hope that both you and your daughter have many happy memories of this road trip. Best of luck to her and her partner in Weipa.

 

[VPS]

We both had a nap and then conveniently I woke at 5pm and we all know what time that is.
say it with me: beer o’clock
i jumped in the car and the plan was to get takeaway Thai for dinner at the Lucky Elephant.
popped into the Hotel Corones where it was happy hour. $10 a pint or $5 a pot (or middie depending on where you are).
this pub oozes history.View attachment 387039View attachment 387040View attachment 387041View attachment 387042View attachment 387043

What a lovely old pub. Another great TR