It's a long way to the top, On the Road, Qld7 Comments

It’s a long way to the top, Day 71 – Rain, glorious rain

January 15, 2021January 13, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 71 Friday Aug 15th 2014 Longreach We all bundle into the car and visit The Stockman’s Hall of Fame. It is an exceptional museum and an insight into the life of people on the land. It covers so many aspects of Australia’s history and it takes us half a day to see it all. It has rained steadily since last night. The red dust has turned to slippery, sticky mud. I can now see how the unmade roads around here quickly become impassable. Just turning around at the end of a residential street we churn up ruts in deep … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 71 – Rain, glorious rain

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 70 – Longreach

January 14, 2021January 13, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 70 Thursday Aug 14th 2014 Ilfracombe to Longreach We wake to a bright orange sunrise and the air smells of the bush. Within an hour the wind is howling from the east, dusty and unpleasant. We drive the grand … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 70 – Longreach

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 69 – The movable towns of Qld

January 13, 2021January 28, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 69 Wednesday Aug 13th 2014 Ilfracombe There are clouds gathering and rain is forecast but the locals are reluctant to talk about it. They’re in the midst of the worst drought in 100 years. The town has an artesian … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 69 – The movable towns of Qld

It's a long way to the top, On the Road, Qld7 Comments

It’s a long way to the top, Day 67 – Ilfracombe

January 11, 2021January 29, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 67 Monday Aug 11th 2014 Winton to Ilfracombe The clouds haven’t been given back to us yet. The long straight road is flanked by the railway line and Mitchell grass to the horizon. The road is littered with kangaroo … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 67 – Ilfracombe

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 66 – Falling for Winton

January 10, 2021January 9, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 66 Sunday August 10th 2014 Winton The Winton Hotel is the oldest in town and there are saddles hanging above the bar. From pack horse saddles to racing saddles. The bright yellow Australian Hotel is cheery with tables on … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 66 – Falling for Winton

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 65 – Winton, dinosaur country

January 8, 2021January 7, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 65 Saturday Aug 9th 2014 Winton Winton has a population of about 1000. The main street has replica heritage streetlamps and a centre strip of lawns and trees, even a water feature depicting the original town site of Pelican … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 65 – Winton, dinosaur country

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 64 – Waltzing with Matilda in our hearts

January 6, 2021January 29, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 64 Friday Aug 8th 2014 Kynuna to Winton Our peaceful night was punctuated by the increasing then fading roar of road trains as they thundered through the night. By 6:30am the roadhouse is open for business again and trading … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 64 – Waltzing with Matilda in our hearts

It's a long way to the top, On the Road, Qld7 Comments

It’s a long way to the top, Day 63 – Kynuna

January 5, 2021January 3, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 63 Thursday Aug 7th 2014 Mt Isa to Kynuna The road to Cloncurry is busy with vans and horse floats heading to The Isa. We go out to the Cloncurry airfield to see where the first Qantas flight (Longreach … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 63 – Kynuna

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 62 – Rodeo in Readiness

January 4, 2021January 29, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 62 Wednesday Aug 6th 2014 Mt Isa It is warm and wet. We drive past Buchanan Park, the rodeo ground. It is already a quarter full of rodeo people, horses and ponies. This year will be the 56th Mt … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 62 – Rodeo in Readiness

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It’s a long way to the top, Day 61 – Mary Kathleen

January 3, 2021January 29, 2021 Itching for Hitching

Day 61 Tuesday Aug 5th 2014 Mt Isa It is a bright, clear and chilly morning. We visit the underground hospital which the miners tunnelled into the hillside during the war. With bare rock walls and an earthen floor it … Continue reading It’s a long way to the top, Day 61 – Mary Kathleen