Charlevillle Country
Thurs 8 & Fri 9 June
We weren't in a hurry to head off to Charleville today! After what was literally a perfect night on a dry Warrego River we headed towards Cunnamulla - a destination that we have gone through often the past couple for years. We thought we 'd go a bit of a back road with the new GPS however working out it would take us 2 hours to get to Cunnamulla thought we'd take the tar route this time.
Usually we head west from Cunnamulla to Eulo, then Yowah - hilariously a family fave seriously in the middle of nowhere! However this time we continued north into Murweh Shire. I came to Charleville once as a kid about the age of 11 and I was surprised what I still remembered. The Charleville Hotel and beautiful wide main streets with a colourful and well maintained verge down the centre. An incredibly vibrant community and wow I'm loving being back in QLD as is the rest of the crew.
Friends had stayed at a place just out of town last year called the Evening Star Tourist Park just out the Adavale Rd on Thurlby Station. An old Scots boy from Bathurst owned it and weren't sure of his name. So out we have come and ran into Mrs Allison, Craigs Mum from Scots times long ago ! Such a fabulous place to stay and yes we do bring the average age down by about 25 years. Incredible welcome and friendly staff with some international flare as well from Finland and Italy who help out whilst on a working visa in Australia. Awesome to see Craig again and catch up on what her has been up to the past 20 years. Some of his old school buddies Hugo is now at school with their kids and so interconnections begin again.
We weren't in a hurry to head off to Charleville today! After what was literally a perfect night on a dry Warrego River we headed towards Cunnamulla - a destination that we have gone through often the past couple for years. We thought we 'd go a bit of a back road with the new GPS however working out it would take us 2 hours to get to Cunnamulla thought we'd take the tar route this time.
Brimble Box Tree
Friends had stayed at a place just out of town last year called the Evening Star Tourist Park just out the Adavale Rd on Thurlby Station. An old Scots boy from Bathurst owned it and weren't sure of his name. So out we have come and ran into Mrs Allison, Craigs Mum from Scots times long ago ! Such a fabulous place to stay and yes we do bring the average age down by about 25 years. Incredible welcome and friendly staff with some international flare as well from Finland and Italy who help out whilst on a working visa in Australia. Awesome to see Craig again and catch up on what her has been up to the past 20 years. Some of his old school buddies Hugo is now at school with their kids and so interconnections begin again.
Perfect evening for a little run up along a couple of fencelines within Thurlby Station...so blissful being back out here again and soak it all up! The feeling on being so free and expansive is hard to put into words. We are hardly hemmed in at Errowanbang...it's just so different.
Started the day off with a bit of school - kids have got a new Govvy, the boyfriend and they had some school time done in a jiffy while I did some Domestic Goddess Duties and chatted to others in the park about some of their favourite campspots close by.
Tree Burl at the Charleville Museum that had such incredibly intricate growth lines on it ...would have loved to see the tree it came off near the river.
At a Native Timber Walk near the Information Centre these geese came out of nowhere to have a chat with the kids along with some ducks and chooks. Sash pulled out some bread and wow they were chased from one end of the wetland to the other throwing bread over their shouders and ending up on this chair for a bit of respite - they knew how to get what they want in a hurry !!
We enjoyed some time at The Bilby Centre - which should be on everyones radar when the go to Charleville - fabulous place to not only learn about Bilbys, but to also learn about the breeding of bilbys in Zoos around Australia and the rehabilitation program at Currawinya NP. Quite extraordinary and very successful so far.
Back at Evening Star we enjoyed a few beers and dinner plus a talk by Craig about social issues, farming in South Western QLD and foreign ownership !! Highly passionate dude who is also the equivalent of a Local Land Serivce Officer in NSW , but in QLD - not sure what the title up here is though?? The girls and I headed off to the Cosmos Centre to do some stargazing - fabulous and the boys ditched the Stars for a shot up the paddock with Craig. Truth be told I would have loved to go for a shot too however spotlighting in a ute with 6 could be a red hot challenge. Huges knew of this opportunity the night before and hoovered through school work so he could head off with Craig and Stu. It doesn't get any better for a 13 yr old....oh and 40 Roos he was stoked with too....where the hell is Dad to see this !! I know he's watching from somewhere.
River Red Gum
We all have settled so easily back into camper life on the road and are loving the freedom of space and time with each other, as well as the people we meet and reconnect with along the way. xx you know I'm going to finish with Infinite Love and Gratitude !!
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