G'day again ..

Just concentrating on the bit from CT to the Qld border ... (I can't comment on free/bush camps)

CT has a great gold mine worth a look. The tours are very informative & give you an insight to how the communal ore crushers operated in the hey days.  Fantastic local architecture. Lots of history.

Porcupine Gorge just north of Hughenden is said to be excellent.  Conditions prevented us from going there on our only trip up that way.  This is fossil country with fantastic diplays at H as well as a possibly better one up the road at Richmond.  Good CP at Richmond with a couple of sites with great views over their man made lake.

Winton .. Waltzing Matilda country ... have a look at the CP behind the North Gregory Pub in the centre of town  ... was free when I was last there & again full of history.  Lots of touristy stuff in town. 


Longreach  ..  Might need to book at the Gunnadoo CP (Thrush Rd - Might have changed its name recently).  Allow at least 1 day for Stockmans Hall of fame & similar for Qantas ...  A sunset cruise down the Thompson is popular.  I liked strolling down the main street looking at the western stores & pubs.  There is a nearby cattle property that has visitor facilities.

Ilfracolmbe .. Great display of machinery beside the road.  A local museum/junk pile of memrobillia is well worth a look.   Not to forget the local pub who's name escapes me at the moment.

Barcaldine ... Main points of interest are of course the Tree of Knowledge, but also allow time (a day) to visit the Outback Workers Heritage Centre.  A focul area of the Great Shearers Strike of the late 1890's.


Blackall .. Make sure that you stop off at this spot & go out to see the restored artesian bore powered wool scour.   Hot springs & Jackie Howe display another attrtaction.  I did notice that some camped by the river just out of town .. BUT beware any rain .. even a light sprinkle .. this is black soil country & locals have been known to charge a small fortune to pull folks out of the mire.  The CP in the centre of tow is a bit rough but a good experience.  Note that in western Qld, many CPs have gold coin donation, evening bush poets & balladists  .. some have camp oven cooking at moderate prices .. but most of all they encourage great fireside companionship.

Charleville ...  Don't miss a tour of Corones' pub in the main street or the night viewing at the astronomy centre up near the airport.  I think that we stay at the Cobb & Co CP ... where they really pack them in.

I'm not much of a fan of the Cunnamulla area  ... but further down the track Bourke is great, if you stay out of town at the CP a few km on the north .  If we have let any water down the Darling, there was a paddle steamer that plied the tourist trade.  Interesting irrigation properties there but may have gone belly up during the drought.


Given that you are a NSWer you probably know more of the remainder of the trip than I.


ps.  Of course you could always detour from Hughenden via Richmond Julia Creek & Cloncurry, then back thru Kynuna (& the nearby Combo Waterhole of Waltzing Matilda fame) & on to Winton.  only about 5/600km more.

-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 20th of May 2009 10:04:47 PM

Hey Cupie, you went from Barky to Blackall, without mentioning the Gemfields,
Now that is a NO NO man
This place is as good as the rest of the tourist traps and we can give a free tour that will equal any on the map, plus there is free accomadation in the Lions Park,
This also applies to you Wombat 280, as it does to any of you GN on the move,
The more the merrier, we have met 8 of you mob already, and will enjoy more of the same
This place is starting to pick up for the tourist season so get in here before your tyres get cold
Bugger me if you get here we can supply a FREE cuppa for all
Now if you can get here alltogether plus Granney, Gayle, Lone Ranger, Twobob (they are the locals) we could have a ball

mike and Judy wrote:

---

Hey Cupie, you went from Barky to Blackall, without mentioning the Gemfields,
Now that is a NO NO man

---

Sorry ... a Seniors moment .... see the revised submission  ...

..............................................................................

  Of course an alternate route to Barky & L'reach is via the world famous gemfields of Qld's Central Highlands.  Taking the Gregory Development road south from CT will take you past NPs at Blackwood & Mazeppa Nat Parks, Clermont & on to the Jewell of the central Highlands Emerald .. (don't miss the redclaw in the Fairbairn dam .. CP adjacent)

The towns of the Central Highlands are Alpha, Anakie, Bauhinia, Blackwater, Bluff, Bogantungan, Capella, Carnarvon Gorge, Clermont, Comet, Dingo, Duaringa, Emerald, Jericho, Rolleston, Rubyvale, Sapphire, Springsure, Tieri and Willows Gemfields.

The region offers many unique sights and experiences and is right on the Tropic of Capricorn.

Locals and visitors alike can experience-
· The southern hemisphere's largest commercial sapphire producing fields
· Extensive galleries of ancient aboriginal art
· Spectacular National Parks, including Carnarvon and Blackdown Tableland National Parks
· The second largest man made lake in Queensland, Lake Maraboon, and the Fairbairn Dam
· Fishing, redclawing and water sports
· Gold fossicking
· Blackwater International Coal Centre and coal trains more than 1km long
· Pioneering history
· Cultural experiences
· Some of Queensland's oldest and newest towns
· Award winning festivals and events
· The largest seam of steaming coal in the southern hemisphere at Blair Athol. Free tours available Tuesdays and Fridays, bookings essential
· Diverse agriculture - grain, oilseeds, cotton, legumes, citrus, grapes and beef are grown on a large scale. 



Surpassing this of course are the personal guided gemfield tours & hospitality, especially for Grey Nomad Forum Members, provided by local identities Mike & Judy.  They offer a unique experience rarely equalled.


......................................................................

How's that?

 (ps.  Thanks to the CH Tourist website for their input to this post)

-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 21st of May 2009 08:30:23 AM