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Published: October 20th 2012
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When have we ever had to have an excuse to go exploring? SO when Nikki announced she would be visiting Brisbane as part of her round the world trip we started to plan a holiday that would take us to new places of interest aswell as some old haunts. The trick was to time the travelling within a school holiday and Nikki's busy schedule and to try to pack in as much as possible in as short a time! So with research complete and places booked we set off early Friday morning to drive the 6 hour journey to Roma, stopping off at places of interest on the way. I can here you say what on earth is there to see going to Roma...despite the unispiring drive and scenery we stopped at Toowoomba for a coffee at the Lookout, the highest point in the town and looked out across the plains below and stopped to have a wonder around the Japanese Gardens set in the middle of a residential suburb next to the university, a most unlikely location but well worth a visit.
With a long drive a head we continued our 500 km drive through Chinchilla and other smaller
Historical Village, Miles
A reconstruction of a village set in the 1900's towns and as we did so it felt like we were travelling back in time and the pace and overall demeanour took us back 50 years. We drove through road works and detours and travelled behind huge road trucks with large trailers servicing the mid state along straight and dusty roads, then onto Miles where we stopped at the fascinating Historical Village Museum which was nestled along the 'main high street' the most unlikely spot to find such an intersting place. Despite the shortage of time, (we still had another 150 kms to drive to Roma) we were able to wonder along some original and replicated buildings from a bygone era and wonder in and out of the buildings and enjoy the displays so carefully set up recapturing how shops and other dwellings used to look like during the early settlers time and the hardships they endured. You could even experience the Rose Cafe that once operated in the town in 1925. There were also vast shell displays and a War Museum along with old classic cars. Far too much to look at and take in but we all agreed we were glad we took the time to stop and
visit. Thank you to the ladies who allowed us to start our visit at 4pm when the museum was scheduled to close at 5, as they were keen to get home and were worried we would delay the closure of the museum, all very Australian!
The light was fading by the time we got back in the car and with hopes dashed of a cream tea along the way we arrived in Roma to stay in our 'budget cabin' for the night, basic and servicable but interesting to think that accomodation prices are higher here due to the mining and the quality was below average, it just goes to show how demand can raise even the basic of needs, including petrol!
The next morning took us north on the Carnarvon Highway to Injune where we happened upon the Annual Town Craft Fair where the entire population had turned up to congregate in the Town Hall. We were glad also to see that there was a promise of refreshments all beit from a hot water urn, coffee shops are few and far between out there! We were serenaded by some 'local talent singers' and wondered through the bric a
brac and home made jams and cakes. We even got to see the 'best' grown fruit and vegetables, could we have walked into the Radio set of the 'Archers?' The stop was a welcomed one and yet another insight as to how distant communities unite and rely on such events to bring them closer together. Distance is a huge issue and access to commercial supplies, not a shopping centre in sight, in fact not many shops at all, just the all in one shop at inflated prices, no wonder people migrate to the bigger towns and cities.
We drove past cotton fields and large factories beside the road and huge forests which went on forever, it is always easy to forget how vast this country is and what huge distances you have to travel where the scenery remains the same, thank goodness for company in the car and conversation to help pass the time when driving!
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