Two months in Townsville.

[drron]

So nothing but work during the week but weekends apart from 1 free.This weekend I did watch the last 2 competitive stages of Le Tour until the end so sleep ins were the order of the day.Saturday and off to Charters TowersGold was discovered there in 1871 and led to it being a very prosperous area for at least 60 years.Gold mining has been occurring again since the 80s.
At one time it was the second largest city in Queensland,had the second Queensland ambulance station and during WW2 some 3000 US servicemen were stationed here mainly the Air Force.Now to see how it is today.
First the library which also houses the local genealogy society.Maybe Rooflyer might make a visit.Pity they dont open on the weekend as I believe my paternal grandmother's brother lived here for some years.

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The bank of NSW had a magnificent building.

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But across the road Westpac has vandalised an old building.

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But on we go with some more significant building.

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Anyone for a Chinese buffet.Lucky for me they no longer open for lunch.

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[drron]

So then I came across this building just outside the main shopping area.

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It is a local museum.A collection of local artifacts.

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Just north of town was the Air Force site.

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And how Charters Towers came to exist.

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A 1924 Chevy ute.

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And we had one of these when we lived in Maitland.

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The old telehone switchboard.

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I can remember the bread coming on one of these.

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[drron]

A little more of the museum.Not well known outside QLD but public hospitals here weren't free.

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And the fire engine in service until 1974.

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The climate isn't bad for flowers.

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I was getting a little peckish and saw this sign outside of Perry's Bakehouse so I decided I would partake of their offerings.

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Nice flaky pastry on a meatpie with garlic and mushroom.

 

[drron]

Wandered into the tourist bureau which is in the original National bank building though it was moved to this site.

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Next is the restored Stock Exchange building owned by the National trust.

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Beautifully done but doesn't look to be a commercial success.Though it does have Robbie Katter's Electoral office.
So more buildings as I walk back to the car starting with the CWA-the heart of a country town.

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The fully restored Royal Hotel.Again doesn't appear to be thriving.And restoring the old theatre.

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[tgh]

Nice to see some pr for another chunk of our dying bush, keep up the good work

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Nice to see some pr for another chunk of our dying bush, keep up the good work

Ron works to pay for expensive cruises - oh that right our next cruise got cancelled !!

 

[drron]

It's a labour of love tgh.You get a different perspective of a place when working there.Of course I do love the country and country folk.So I like to give something back.

 

[drron]

The last few buildings on the way back to the car.

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[drron]

It was then time to walk up Tower hill.You certainly get a great view of the surrounding country.

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There were a lot of raptors lazily circling.

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I thought that I had got lucky.Saw one of the birds appearing to catch something.Then hassled by another and dropped it.I caught the recapture.

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But then the bird dropped it.

Turned out to be just a large piece of white paper.

 

[drron]

There has been much activity on Tower Hill over the years.It was the site of a lot of the mining and processing of gold.In the last war a lot of bunkers were built over the hill for bomb and Ammo storage.Inside of 2 of them they have small displays of wartime Charters Towers.

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They have built great pathways up both sides.I had to go back the way i came as the car was at the bottom.They haven't quite finished all the work.But worth a look if you are in the area..
Now time to leave.My plan was to drive up the Lynd highway and turn right at Hervey Range road which ends virtually at my unit.Pass more old pubs.

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And a beautiful bouganvillea.

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[drron]

There is very little between Charters towers and the turnoff.There is a huge rest area at Fletchers creek.however there were more than a hundred caravans or campervans there.So people try to get out into the outback so surround themselves with a couple of hundred other people.It was a nice looking place but I had no desire to stop.
My original plan was to stop at the Heritage tea rooms at the top of the Hervey range.However it closes at 4pm and due to my late start and walking up Tower hill I made it at 5 past 4.I did stop when i saw this fellow-a blue winged kookaburra.

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A couple of lookouts as you come down the range towards Townsville.

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An enjoyable day comes to an end.

 

[drron]

Sunday.Once again I had stayed up to watch Le tour.Geraint Thomas was impressive in the last 3 stages and deserved his win.But that meant another sleep in.By the time i had showered it was after 1100.So I waited until after lunch then walked part of the Riverway which goes right past the units.A lovely da,nice scenery and very relaxing.A good variety of bird life-the feathered variety.

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A little egret.The view back to the ring road bridge.Then the Art Gallery

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Magnificent trees.

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Ducks and tortoises getting fed by a couple of young boys.

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Swimming pools.Quite busy for winter!

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[drron]

A picturesque walk.

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Magpie geese and egrets.

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Obviously nesting season for the geese and a couple have a nest in the tree just outside my unit.Noisy critters.
But occasionally the serenity was shattered.

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[drron]

A warning on the path.

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And they were right.

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Come and see Townsville's big Snake!
Then I come to one of the weirs.

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A pub across the weir.looks like a good place for lunch.

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Ibis in a tree.

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[drron]

Time to take a little detour as the QF flight goes overhead.

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The path is very different.

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And smaller thing with wings

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Lovely views.But then the JQ flight.

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[drron]

And here in the middle of suburbia-

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A bridge over a little creek next to the pub.little creatures there obviously get well fed.

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On this side of the river-lotus.

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Then this couple flew in.

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A pair of crested hawks aka the pacific baza.Their prey includes stick insects and dragonflies-major predators!

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[drron]

Another little creek to cross.Led to a small billabong.

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Then the VA flight-it is a bit late.

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There were lots of little birds flying around but they wouldn't sit still.
But the VA plane flushed out another resident.

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[drron]

The units I am staying in.My block is behind the big tree.

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Now back to the A1 bridge.Pedestrians are below.

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And as is usual under bridges-the welcome swallow.

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[drron]

In to the finishing straight-views up and down the river from the bridge.

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Again the trees are impressive.

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[Straubs]

It's a lovely area - was it a nicer spot to stay than the previous apartment?