We awoke to rain, pouring down, bucketing. It was just on 9am and vans were pulling into the park already for the day, we assume to get off the road and out of the rain. They were welcome to our square of quagmire and muddy trip to the distant loo. Oh, and that smell! Sewer? Rotting meat? Sulphurous bore water? Who knows. I gladly donned the wet weather coat and packed away outside, thankful all the while that it least we weren't in a camper-van or a tent!
Out onto the road north to Barcaldine and into the driving rain. On and on we went, slowing to a standstill only to allow the roos to hop off the road and back to the mud-puddle they had come from. One came tearing back at the last second, decided on a u-turn and rolled itself in the middle of the road. I’m beginning to suspect they are even more unpredictable than emus.
Our approach to Barcaldine is to the west of town. One look up the road into the town itself and at the 10,000 vans parked up with the occupants ogling the dead tree memorial to the Labor Party in the rain was all that was needed for the left-hand blinker to come on and for us to turn west - look out Longreach, here we come. John Williamson sang about Longreach praying for rain; the places of worship must have been doing a roaring trade because it was belting down. We parked up in town and wandered down the main street looking for coffee & food with a view to watching the rain blow over and getting some road-rest. Matilda’s bakery was the best choice, the bank and IG just on the other corner. Finally, pies consumed, coffee drunk, we made our move, grabbed some cash and some groceries and headed back to the parked van. But, ‘someone’ just had to look into the shoe shop, and sorry kids, more of your rightful inheritance was spent on Imelda Black’s shoe collection.
Not to worry, off we go into the pouring rain again, heading for our overnight destination: Winton, one time home to the Waltzing Matilda Centre, sadly burnt to the ground just one year ago. The rain persisted for 100 of the 170 km trip, our fuel supply also moving toward drought level: 70km to go, range 89! It’s the smallest things that take you mind of the boring business of driving these long distances: me trying to juggle the speed v consumption to arrive at all and Judy trying hard not to show her concern but getting twitchy none the less. We arrived with 12km in hand! To be honest though, it’s just why we carry that 20litres in the can in the back...
Who can say what it is about a place that you just like. Winton doesn't appear to be anything special, hardly anything at all, but we just feel comfortable here, even if this time we’ve been stuck out in the back-blocks rather than our usual spot in the inner circle. I suppose our spot is at least not a quagmire, as they have had significant rainfall here as well. After setting up camp, we went straight to the petrol shop, just on the opposite corner, and just as well! Diesels don't like to be run dry and it can be a costly business getting them going again. After refuelling, we went to ‘town’ to have a squiz at the now non-existent Matilda Centre, and to grab a coffee and read a paper in the sun. Ah, lovely!
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| Not quite all thats left of the Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton Qld |
On our way back to the park, we stopped at our ‘local’ for a nice glass of wine and a chat to a local shearer who was having a moan about the rain as it delayed the ‘sheds’ that they had lined up for the week’s shearing.
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| Our 'local' when in Winton Qld |
Even though we knew it was happening, we are disappointed that Mel & Sue aren't here in Winton to entertain us with their bush poetry and humour, the half a dozen or so times we have seen them they have been really great. We first heard the rumour in Forbes, from the travelling singer bloke, whose show we just managed to miss, that Mel & Sue had foregone the pleasures of Winton for a much bigger audience at the Opal Caravan Park at Lightning Ridge. Some people are so fickle! The new poet-person came around a while ago, trying to drum up interest in his show and was a little surprised to hear just how far away the news of ‘the traitors’ had spread. I wished him luck, but he has very big shoes to fill.
Anyhow, we’re taking tomorrow off and maybe even treat ourselves to a visit to the Winton Show. I don't know how we will sleep tonight.
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