Croydon is in the Gulf Country, the Gulf of Carpentaria and yep, you can call that the outback. The GPS tells us that we’re 3.3kms from Croydon but where the hell is it? We emerge from the scrub to find half a dozen wide dusty streets. This is a gold mining town whose heyday ended at the outbreak of the First World War. It now has a few houses, a pub, a take away/ store, an historic general store, a police station and the shire council. In fact the council has to provide all of the other services that are required by the community. Council workers even arrange funerals as there is no undertaker. There are a handful of historic buildings that have been restored and are now open daily for self guided tours. This method of touring works very well and apart from being fascinating the buildings with their wide shady verandahs, provide some respite from the searing heat. This dry season heat feels and smells like Central Victoria at the height of southern summer.

We stop in at the Poddy Dodgers Bar in the Club Hotel for a frosty cold beer and chat to a couple from Cape York and the cheery publican. We’re intrigued by the way that beer taps in Queensland hotels are attached to the fridge wall. Whereas in southern states the taps are on the bar in front of the customer and all covered in ice. Like the other buildings in town the pub too has a wide verandah, the underside of which is covered in murals depicting life in the Gulf.

In the bar, wall is pasted with car stickers. “I’ve lost my virginity, but I’ve still got the box it came in.”

Club Hotel, Croydon

Club Hotel, Croydon

Club Hotel, Croydon

Club Hotel, Croydon