Longreach

We opted to stay just on the western outskirts of town at a popular free camp (Camps 6: 355). The camp is alongside a river but basically you only get to see the river when you walk (or drive to it).  The area floods in the heavy wet season.

Longreach is going to be the largest town we will see before we reach Mt Isa and there were a few things we needed to do here including another visit to the doctor re my ruptured ear drum, purchase an additional battery for camping and a few miscellaneous things. We decided to stay here until Monday to allow us to attend church here.  It was not unusual to have 35-50 caravans and motor homes here each night, Maybe the fact that this was the weekend of the Longreach Show might have swelled the numbers a bit.

On the first day here we went to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. It is a huge museum of the pastoral industry of this area. We also took in a horse show that we paid for in addition to the entry fee. 

This was cleverly done with the cowboy showing the various tricks that one or another of his horses can do. There was also a lot of story telling and a few jokes interspersed as part of the show. All in all we spent 4 hours here including a light lunch. 

On our 2^nd day here we did have a quieter day. Bob and Noel worked on their cars. Sandi and I catching up on the internet, reading or craft and such. Sandi even cooked us all some pofferjes for afternoon tea. (These are Dutch mini pancakes)

Noel and Sandi

Felt shapes for "In the garden theme"

Basically the Longreach Show is a local rural show, with a few markets, rides etc as well as cattle sales, baking and craft show competitions and horse competitions etc. Sandi and I went in early on Saturday morning and thoroughly enjoyed a few hours wandering around whilst the guys congratulated themselves that they did not have to come with us. Bob and I went for a drive up some rough river tracks after lunch, but it is nothing exciting to write about.

On Sunday, Bob & I as well as Sandi, went to the local Baptist church, which is a good size for all ages. Afterwards Bob & I went to the Qantas Museum which we thoroughly enjoyed, much more than the Hall of Fame.  The big 747 was unavailable as they had made a huge mistake of putting it on uncompacted ground and the 747 was sinking into the ground and thus deemed unsafe and therefore closed to the public. Someone made a big boo boo.

Bob is wondering if it is worth replacing the Landcruiser motor

Michelle is thinking she'll stay on the land