Hi to all from outback Charlieville. 

One of the bigger small towns in the area.  The first thing you notice when you come into the town are the wide roads.  The are probably the equivalent of 4 highway lanes wide.  They were made that way to cater for the bullock drays, way back when.  They were made wide so that the bullock drovers could turn their drays and carts around.  There you go, this weeks history lesson. 

Booked into the Bailey Bar Caravan Park and thought I had moved into Mumbai.  The sites were so close together and any spare bit of grass was taken up by a tent.  There was a junior football carnival in town, with the result being that there were literally dozens of noisy savages running around the park, destroying the serenity.  I had to be guided into my site, as it was only big enough for probably a small pop top.  Was just like threading a needle, avoiding other vans, cars, trees, tents and savages.  After all that, no room to put out the awning or park the car.  Pretty average really. 

Checked out the info centre and not a lot to do in Charleyville.  Most of the attractions are overpriced.  You even have to pay $20 to have a muffin and a look around the inside of the Charleyville Hotel.  A very old establishment but think I will pass.  The day time weather here has been just awesome.  It has been sunny and over 20C ever day that we have been here.  The payback is that it is freezing overnight.  Last night it got down to 1C and was a frost.  Awesome.   

Went and checked out some historic old cannons that were pointing to the sky.  They were brought out here from Europe way back in 1902 in an attempt to break the drought.  The idea was to fill them up with gunpowder and fire them into the clouds.  The resulting higher air pressure from the explosion would, in theory, break up the cloud and make it rain.  Alas, it did not work.  Have a BIG Bilby statue in the town and a really good RSL memorial. 

 

Went to check out the Bilby display and found out that they only come out at night.  Of course we paid our fee and trekked back for our nature lesson.  The Bilby is actually one of Australias highly endangered species.  Watched an old episode of the Australian Story, 2002, and got to go outside to check out the bilby display.  Alas, they only like it dark, and their display is only lit by a red flourescent light.  Not really conducive to taking photos.  I did try of course.  At least Deb got to hold a little joey whilst we were there.  Bilby fact:::::  They have the 2nd shortest gestation of any mammal, being only 12 to 14 days.  Just a bundle of knowledge aren't I.

 

Hard to believe but its there. 

Charlieville is a really dry town and it is hard to believe that in 2008, 2010 and 2012 they had severe flooding.  They have a huge levee bank protecting the town from the Warrego River but it has not been enough on a couple of occasions. 

Anyway, enough of your nature lessons for now.  Tomorrow we will be off to a little place called Miles, where we are going to stop at a little free camp.  Weather permitting.

Bye for now.