A Flat Tyre and a Friendly Neighbour

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We spent the start of this day, two very cold hours, sitting outside the closed library in Cooroy while Barry re-uploaded the whole of Wikicamps, which wasn’t working properly. It took forever. I started uploading my blog, too, and got the text and photos up but ran out of time to add the photo captions. Looks like another library visit is needed.

I got a bit stiff at one stage and went for a short walk, where I stumbled across a historic sawmill (closed unfortunately but you could see through the grill) which still had the kiln for drying the timber and plenty of other equipment. The board told me that Cooroy had started as a timber camp in the 1880s and a sawmill by 1908. Then the town started in 1910. After many amalgamations and changes, in 1956, the kilns were built to dry the timber faster, with a tall chimney dominating the skyline. After many more amalgamations, in 1999 the Queensland Government decided it was time to conserve their forests and the sawmill and kilns were shut down in 2000. How about that, more new information just as we were about to leave.

Back at the Showground, we then hitched up and set off for the nearest Dump Point at Pomona. It wasn’t far and we had no trouble getting in and off-loading. I then noticed that one of the tyres on the van looked rather low. Barry had a look and discovered a large, long nail embedded in the rubber.

We pulled away from the dump point as someone was waiting to use it, and parked on the grass to change to the spare tyre. Warren came from the caravan right next to us and proceeded to patch the hole for us. He used to work in a tyre company and knows all the tricks, thank goodness. He had it done in a really short time, after jacking up and removing the damaged wheel.

By the time he’d finished it was getting darker so we decided to stay there for the night and move on early. The view across the Grounds was lovely and everything was green and lush.

We could see a close up view of Mt Cooroora nearby, too, with a clearly visible white pathway running up one side, almost vertical for part of the way. We discovered later that this is where a race, the International Mountain Challenge, is run every two years, straight up to the top. They start in the centre of Pomona and have to run up several low hills before getting to the mountain. The record for up and back is 22 minutes 23 seconds. The winner earns the title “King of the Mountain” – I think he earns it. The runners must have nerves of steel to face running down such a steep path. I don’t think I could walk it, never mind run up or down it!


Once we were set up were popped into Pomona for a quick look around the small town. Most places were shut but we managed to spot a cafe/antique shop and went in for a coffee and some fruitcake. The antiques were not all that old – more collectables- and not anything I wanted so Barry breathed a sigh of relief!

Nearby was the Majestic Theatre, built in 1921. It claims to be the world’s oldest still operating silent movie house (although it has been extensively renovated so not much of the original is there). They still show a range of silent movies especially, since 1987 when they were revived, Rudolf Valentino’s “The Son of the Sheik” which is shown on the second Thursday of each month! Groups come out to see it.



By this time we could see the sun setting over the mountain so headed back for dinner.

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Photos

Mount Cooroora, near Pomona, Qld
You can see the white path running up the left side, where the 100 idiots with muscles and nerves of steel take part in the "Mountain Challenge", every second July.

The Kilns from the Straker Sawmill
The sawmill was closed in 2000 when the Queensland Government started to conserve forests.

Cold Posts that Needed Stockings
All the veranda posts along the main street in Pomona were decorated with knitted or crocheted "stockings".

The Majestic Theatre, Pomona
It claims to be the world's oldest still operating silent movie theatre, built in 1921 and (after a great many years of no use) revived in 1987. The favourite movie is Valentino's "The Son of the Sheik".

Pomona Showgrounds, Qld
After the repair to the tyre it was too late to move on but it was a nice spot, anyway.

Mount Cooroora at Sunset
The mountain looks much less intimidating in the glow of sunset.