Charleville tours

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First thing today we made our way down to the Tourist Info Centre and had a very entertaining guide tell us all about the Greater Bilby. Charleville is home to the largest bilby breeding program in Queensland. There was a nocturnal viewing area where we could see 1 male and 2 female bilbies running around their very well simulated desert environment. Currawinya National Park (south of Cunnamulla) is where the Bilby breeding program has released 300 bilbies behind an elaborate predator proof fence. As needs must they bring in other bilbies from northern Western Australia to help keep the gene pool fresh and uncomplicated. Bilbies were once found across 70% of Australia’s landmass but today they are on the endangered list and programs such as the one we heard about are vital for their protection and ongoing survival. They are extremely cute with males reaching 3kg in weight and females just 1.5km. Females can have 4 litters per year with a gestation period of just 14 days, often resulting in twins.



Our second experience was out at the WWII USA secret airbase. During the years 1943-1946 around 3,500 USA air force personnel were stationed in Charleville. Charleville was chosen as the best location because of its remote position from the Australian coastline. In a tag-along convoy we were taken to 7 significant locations around the 25 square km base around Charleville airport – story boards told of life on base. Not much left in the way of ruins – part of the lend lease agreed upon was that all and everything would be destroyed or removed once the personnel departed.



However we did see a Norden Bomb Sight which is kept under lock and key inside a concrete hut. The Bomb Sight was invented by an Austrian who had earlier migrated to the U.S.A. He sold his idea and a prototype to the American airforce for just $US1. Over 3000 pieces of this equipment were produced with 90 coming to Australia. During the Pacific conflict of WWII more than 250 bombers arrived in Charleville for service and repair. The Bomb Sights, which assisted the airmen to more accurately pinpoint a target, were carried under cover to the planes only when they were about to take part in a exercise, with instructions only to uncover them once the aircraft was up in the air and, in the event of being shot down the crew were to fire 2 shots through the top of the Sight and one through the side.



Having enjoyed Charleville we think we will continue on our way tomorrow.

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