Barcaldine

22 - 23 October 2021

We rose early on the final morning in our house and had finished all the last minute chores, ready to leave at 7:00am. We had planned a big day's drive from Townsville to Barcaldine. Because of the extreme heat forecast we planned to stay in a cabin for our first night away from home.

Heading out of Townsville we made our way to Charters Towers where we stopped for coffee and to top up with fuel. From there we continued along the Flinders HIghway to Torrens Creek, then turned off onto the road to Aramac. Stopping for lunch at a rest stop along the way, the temperature had hit 40°, with a hot wind.

We continued on through Aramac and on to Barcaldine. It was only mid-afternoon but we had been up early, and had been on the road for 8 hours so we chose our accommodation based on two very important criteria - air conditioning and a swimming pool. The Ironbark Inn had both. The cabin was basic, but adequate for one night. We dined at the on-site restaurant and the meal was very good.

In the morning we spent some time looking around. We went down to the park at Lagoon Creek so Mick could try to photograph some birds. We also went to have a look at the "Tree of Knowledge". The original ghost gum was the site of meetings during a shearers strike in 1891. Following the unsuccessful strike, the Australia Labor Party was formed. This iconic tree was poisoned and died in 2006. The new memorial site is quite magnificent and definitely worth a visit.