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Published: July 29th 2010
When I last reported, I had just left Longreach last Sunday, to move onto Winton, a slightly longer trip of about 187 kms. This sector was remarkable for there not being a single sign of any human or animal habitation over the entire journey. The road basically ran parallel to the rail line, but I was not lucky enough to sight one of the 3 trains or so a week that use the line.
Again the country was flat, very open grassland and only few trees and shrubs, until about 40 kms before Winton some small flat hills were seen off to the left in the distance. The local aboriginals used to call these hills "jump ups", in reality they are the last remains of harder rocky outcrops left as the surrounding plains were created by erosion. These "jump ups" have become a little more common in the next few days.
Winton is the middle of what is called Matilda Country, and guess where I stayed for 2 nights, "The Matilda Country Tourist Park"!! The park was about 1.5 km from the CBD, which is a much less concentrated area than most of the towns I have stayed at so far.
Again unless 3G Telstra is your service, then no mobile, no internet, enough said about monopolies.
This Park was a very visitor friendly set up. The management put on a roast beef and vegetable tea each night, for a cost of $15, and plenty of it as well, so I had 2 nights free of the chore of cooking meals. In addition Graham Rodger, a better than average writer/composer C&W singer provided the pre - dinner "golden coin" entertainment. He has won 7 Golden Guitar awards at Tamworth.
And it got better!, They also had after dinner "golden coin" entertainment.!! "Bush Poets on Tour", two women, Melanie Hall and Susan Carey, who refer to themselves as "Two Short Shielas". Melanie is a 3 time winner of the Australian Champion Bush Poet, and Susan was the 2009 Australian Champion Bush Poet. They were seriously good, world class in fact, and apart from writing and presenting most of their poems, they are comics, story tellers, can sing, unacompanied and without instruments.
If you ever get a chance to see them I'd recommend you take it. These 2 groups of artists, rest at the MCTP between May and Sept, the rest of the year they travel to all the major C&W festivals, do private functions etc. Certainly a very different lifestyle, but they are great entertainers. These "buskers" also flog CD's etc of their work, so far I've saved thousands by not buying any.
Oh, and by the way, Winton is the home of the "Waltzing Matilda Centre", dedicated to our National poem/song of course and it's history and origins as a tune, and the words (poem) written by Banjo Patterson on a visit to Winton in 1895. Another 1st class building and presentation and a very good supplement in it's own way to the Stockmans Hall of Fame back in Longreach.
Fascinating to see how a little spot in outback Qld, was the birthplace of our own truely national song, and if you think about it a bit, reflects that in 1895, as in 2010, so many of our people were either immigrants, or 1st generation colonists (no Federation yet), and they brought their own culture then, as now, to be fed into our collective history.
Just think, Scotish folk tune, somewhat rearranged, and words such as Waltzing, and Matilda of German origin, throw in a dash of good old evolving national identity, and vernacular, a possibly true storey of theft, resisting arrest, and suicide, and there we have identified and codified the national identity that we have created for ourselves. Well done by all those in Winton at that time in 1895.!!
Winton also played it's own part in the birth of Qantas, as the 1st Board Meeting of the Company was held at The Winton Club. Other points of interest are the "Opal Walk" and a tour of a still working (sometimes), Open air Theatre, and the dinosaur and artifacts on dispaly at Corfields & Fitzmaurice's store.
The Winton area is now becoming known for its fossil records of the Dinosaur age, and nearby the fossilised traces of the only known Dinosaur stampede any where in the world. These areas, out of town, are currently being set up as tourist attractions although I did not track out to see what has been developed so far.
Other historical highlights in some of these towns are of course the old wooden Pubs, however when you read the numerous plaques on their walls, it's amazing how many times the pub was burnt down, (no reason given) and rebuilt, often 2 or 3 times before the current historical version on the site was built. Obviously no OH&S legislation back in the old days.
So, moving on, I left on Tuesday (27th July) for Cloncurry where I am currently writing this update. The journey was a bit longer, some 356 kms, and remarkable for the large number of locust swarms I encoutered on the way. Some would force me to slow to about 60, not for safety, but to aviod getting hit like a machine gun. Some swarms came and went in seconds, others perhaps for a km or so. Mainly coming across the road from the north east. Something different, and I have seen a few reports that they could be in plague proportions in a few months.
Cloncurry is a rail point for cattle, brought in by road trains, and is located within an area of these "jump up' hills. Also of course the now defunct and dispersed Mary Kathleen uranium mine was located about midway between here and Mt isa, and there is still some mining activity nearby and mineral exporation as well.
The major tourist attraction is John Flynn Place, a memorial to his forsight, persistence and drive to found what became the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The centre is, dare I say it, another well constucted and set out museum, of his life and the history he was responsible for creating. He was of course a Presbyterian Minister and involved in the Australian Inland Mission which was a church body. The 1st flying doctor flights were operated using Qantas aircraft, which were contacted out at 1 shilling per air mile travelled.
A very remarkable storey, and of course the forerunner and model for all the various air evacuation services we take for granted today, including metropolitan areas transporting patients by helicoptor for emergency treatment in hospitals.
The local airport has the original hanger, still in use, built by Qantas for their first air services.
I've added a third day here, basically as a rest day and to mentally work up to crossing over into the Northern Territory. The plan is to drive the 120 odd kms to Mt Isa, tomorrow Friday 30th, stay there for 2 nights then drive off west for another 630 odd kms untill I reach the Stuart Highway, which providing I remember to turn right (not left) will take me to Darwin, which is the next major destination.
So, I now have brought the blog right up to date, and shortly I will be off to listen to tonights lady C&W singer, have a chat or two and a wine or two, and relax.
It's a hard life, but I'm well equiped to cope.
Travelling Pete
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mary cork
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once again I am getting a clear picture of what you are doing and visualising these great places. I would love to hear about some more of the characters you meet. Mary