On the Outer Barcoo

Day 213 - Ilfracombe, which is of course the place where our current Governer General lived in her early years. Just a quick correction from the last blog, my handicap is 15.6 not 16.6.

The photo to the left celebrates the fact that Moore Raymond the author of "Smiley" was from Augathella. It was made into a movie in 1956 starring Colin Peterson as Smiley. Wikipedia describes the plot of the movie thus;

"Smiley is a mischievous boy who lives in the small country town of Murrumbilla. His father is an alcoholic drover and he is always getting into trouble with his best friend Joey. He decides to save up enough money to buy a bicycle.

Smiley takes on various odd jobs but keeps getting involved in pranks. He unwittingly helps the local publican, Jim Rankin, sell opium to aborigines who live in a camp near the town.

Smiley's father steals his savings to pay gambling debts. Smiley accidentally knocks him out and runs away to the bush, where a snake bites him. The swagman, Bill McVitty, saves his life. Rankin is arrested and the townspeople chip in to buy Smiley a bike"

All wonderful stuff I am sure but I much preferred the now politically incorrect sequel "Smiley Gets a Gun", it was much more exciting if somewhat less successful at the box office.

Highlights of the Queensland leg of the journey include

  • Dramatically increasing the road kill tally, I can now add two Cockatiels, a couple of Bearded Dragons and a Brown Snake to the list.
  • Driving into Cunnamulla, I was reminded how far into the outback I had driven by the site of two Emus walking down the street.
  • Seeing my first ever Dingo.

A black cockatoo at Tambo.
When Banjo Paterson wrote "A Bush Christening" and told us of "a track seldom crossed, except by folks who were lost", this is the track he was referring to. Note how it is only wide enough for one vehicle, when you meet a road train coming the other way the polite thing to do is get the hell out of its way.
Greys Range western Queensland.
A Wedge Tail Eagle. Jeez they are difficult to get photos of, this one isn't all that flash but it's the best I have been able to do.
Cooladdi roadhouse, make sure you stop next time you go past, it will be worth it.
A road train parked on the side of the road at Ilfracombe.
And for a bit of contrast to the above a 1941 Chevrolet Blitz truck.
Ilfracombe railway station, at least you can see the train coming from a long way off.