Richmond

We walked the historical trail through the main street spending time at the Kronosaurus Korner which is a marine reptile fossil museum.  We have learnt so much about dinosaurs this trip. There are moonrocks everywhere here.  They are formed by sandstone being rolled around for millions of years becoming bigger and bigger.  A lot of them have fossils inside or imbedded in them.

 A statue made out of moonrocks

 It is suffering a Landrover lean.  Harry is trying is to solve the problem

This is Richmond Pliosaur - an almost complete marine fossil.

A Kronosaurus rubbish bin, one of many scattered throughout the main street!!

Winton - Richmond

On the road again through beautiful cattle country. Some places the ground met the sky without a tree in sight.. Stopped in Hughenden for lunch at the F.J. Holden Cafe.  The owner's name is actually Frank James Holden.  We then did the mandatory photo shoots taking in Federation Rotunda, Flinders River and of course another dinosaur - well we are still in dinosaur country!!  The loop is Winton, Hughenden and Richmond.
Which brings me to the reason we are staying in Richmond 2 nights - so we can take in yet more dinosaur exhibits tomorrow.

 I can see for miles and miles and miles!!!

 Federation Rotunda Hughenden.  If you look hard you can see Harry

 A Cafe of Holden and Elvis memorabilia and the sign is right.  The Flinders River is a deserts - not a drop

Lark Quarry Conservation Park

Today we drove 110k south west of Winton to step back in time 95 million years!!
The Lark Quarry Conservation Park is amazing.  Dinosaur footprints show a dinosaur stempede caused by a large dinosaur trying to trap small dinosaurs.

 Harry is sitting at the piano where Waltzing Matilda was first played commercially.
And Wayne, this photo is for you - Harry having a drink at the North Gregory Hotel
Below are the dinosaur footprints

Winton - Age of Dinosaurs

We did a tour of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs which is about 24k out of town.  It is a working laboratory and you can actually watch and chat to the technicians as they work.  Absolutely fantastic!  It has only been open about 4 years and they have a lot of work ahead of them.  They are finding so many fossils in the Winton area.  Apparently Winton was on the edge of the inland sea.
We made "music" at the Musical Fence, checked out Arno's Wall and had a drink at the North Gregory Hotel where Waltzing Matilda was first commercially played.
Now I'm looking forward to one of Harry's Weber roasts for dinner!!

 Technician at work at Australian Age of Dinosaurs

The one man band and Harry contemplating how he can get rid of his collectables at home and dinner at Tatts Hotel - yes Don & Liz  I got my lamb shanks!!!

Winton Camel Races

Had a great day - Won one race but lets say we didn't crack open the Moet!!  Our Camel in another race ran the opposite direction and then came home without his rider.  They have to lead them around the track to the start gate so they know their way home - and even then it doesn't always work!!!

 Liked this sign outside the local shop

 Winton Camel Races

Afternoon in Longreach on the 25/7 and Winton today

We happened to be in Longreach on the 25th Anniversary of the Stockman's Hall of Fame.
Got to listen to our first bush poet with tea and damper and washed down with wine.
Traveling from Longreach to Winton through beautiful sheep country, Harry was impressed with the great road that actually had a white line down the centre!! Have checked out the memorabilia in the main street - sheep, opals, dinosaurs, Waltzing Matilda with Banjo Paterson and Qantas which was conceived in Cloncurry, born in Winton and grew up in Longreach.
Very excited - off to the Camel races tomorrow!!!

A Winton rubbish bin

Banjo Paterson

 You don't see Harry on the wagon very often.   And that black head you can see in the canvas chairs is me waiting to see the movie - no such luck.  I'd have to wait until Wednesday :(

 25th Anniversary of Stockman's Hall of Fame and our bush poet with tea and damper

Quilpie - Longreach

We are now back into civilization again - The Internet!!
Monday 22/7 Quilpie - Eromanga "Land of Opals, oil and dinosaur bones". Also noted for being the town furtherest from the sea.
Tuesday 23/7 Eromanga - Windorah  Cold start. 3 1/2 hr. drive on good road for the outback but very narrow at times and the landscape was quite diverse, mainly flood plains as we entered the Channel Country.  Crossed Cooper's Creek just as we were coming into Windorah. Pop. 85 - 7 children at the school.  As you come into Windorah there is a solar farm which supplies most of the power to the town.
Wednesday 24/7 Windorah - Stonehenge passing through Jundah. Stonehenge has a beautiful info centre which also sells basic groceries, a pub that sells the petrol and that is it!!  Not sure why we were told to stop off there??  We put our names to the Stone Address Book on the way out of town this morning.

St.Finbarr's alter made of opals in Quilpie

Oil Donkey in Eromanga

Cooper's Creek Windorah

 Solar Farm Windorah

 Who remembers the manual truck hand signals?  A guy actually lives in this house in the centre of Windorah

Above the treeless landscape and another great sunset at Stonehenge. Below Cooper's Creek and main street of Eromanga

Quilpie - Eromanga

Just letting you know we will probably be off the radar for  2 - 3 days as we work towards Windorah, Stonehenge to Longreach.

Quilpie

A relaxing Sunday after a chilly night round a campfire listening to some bush songs. Harry and David (our camp neighbour) had a little harmonica session!!!
Spent some time at the museum at the Info Centre then did the Bulloo River Walk.  We drove to Baldy Hill for a fabulous view over the mulga towards Gray Mountain in the distance. We were going to go back this afternoon to watch the sun set (which would have been magic) but it has come over cloudy.  We have enjoyed an artesian spa this afternoon and looking forward to another campfire rendition tonight.

Another beautiful outback sunset

 Last night's campfire

 Harry (reluctantly) & David having a jam session!!     What a way to spend Sunday afternoon

Charleville - Quilpie

After quite a bit of rainy, stormy weather last night there were lots of puddles of red soil!!!  The rain extended to Quilpie but the weather now is beautiful blue skies and cool.  Some of the attractions the Info Centre suggested we leave until tomorrow so that it dries out a bit more.  We have checked out Quilpie township and will do the walks etc. tomorrow  Monday we have decided to go to Windorah via Eromanga which is about 100k west of Quilpie.  The Info Centre also suggested we did not take the Jundah-Winton Rd. so we are going to go through Stonehenge to Longreach.  We are staying at the Channel Country Caravan Park for the next 2 nights.

 I'm riding on the sheep's back

 but I've no idea what Harry is trying to do!!!!    And downtown Quilpie on a Saturday morning - that is our car you can see.

Mitchell - Charleville

We had a late start from Mitchell - too busy chatting to neighbours and T Van owners!

Short trip today to Charleville and are staying at Charleville Bush Caravan Park which is 2ks west of Charleville on the road to Quilpie - ready for an early get away tomorrow - maybe!! A few showers this afternoon but they tell us it should clear by tomorrow. The plan is we are going to spend 2 nights in Quilipie before heading to Windorah on Monday.

This photo is for Lin - a sunset at the Neil Turner Weir.  Harry says it is just another sunset!!
The photo below is our Bush Caravan Park

Chinchilla - Mitchell

After leaving Chinchilla around 9 am after the fog lifted we headed to Miles to visit the Historical Village. Very well done by a good team of volunteers.  We spent 2 hours wondering around but could have spent many more.
Stopped for lunch at Roma's Big Rig and then on to Mitchell where we are staying at Neil Turner Weir about 2k west of Mitchell.

 Last night's sunset in Chinchilla

 Miles Historical Village

 I had to add this one for Harry!!

 Mark, these 2 photos are for you.  Harry made me sit there!!!