LEODESTRAVELOZZ

20120831 The area was first settled in the in the 1840s, but it only came to prominence in December 1961 when it became Australia’s first commercial oil field. In reality it is only a small oil field accounting for less than one per cent of Australia’s oil and gas reserves but the excitement which was associated with its success led to the establishment, in 1969 of a pipeline which joined the fields to refineries in Brisbane.   Travelling along the long stretch I could notice the scene begin to change, no more wide-open plains and many more trees, it really feels like were getting closer to home. Stopping at Moonie Crossroad Hotel /Motel for a coffee and a bit to eat and I ran around taking some photos. Thomassen De Stegg Holland Beam Pump also known as Pump Jack or Nodding Horse, this was the original beam pump used on the Moonie well back in the 1960’s.   Beam pumps are used to lift a variety of liquids from subsurface.   The wells at the Moonie Oil Fie...

20120826 A quick stop at St George our 2nd time here, to stock up on supplies and wash some cloths. After shopping Des asked a lady selling tickets if she knew where a laundry mate was, yep up the road at the caravan park. So off we go, got our cloths and coins and put on our washing, while the washing was on we walked to the weir and back. Next a guy approached us and asked if that was our Motorhome out the front, yes said Des, are you staying the night he said, no Des said, well get your stuff and get out he said, hold on a minute I asked a lady at Footwork’s if she knew where a laundry mate was and she told us the caravan park up the road, this is private property get your stuff and get out, luck for us the washing was at the end of its last spin so we grabbed our cloths and left, what a prick, anyone would think it was free. We camped up at the Nindigully for two lay back days, only it wasn't the same, we really missed the old crew we meet on our first visit, we had such a ...

20120823 The wind was blowing heavy and with nothing but wide-open space the word “prairie” comes to mind as we drive through this huge area of rolling planes with its scatted scrubs .  Driving to Eulo the red dust was flying over the road, at one stage when we looked back it even looked as though it was following us. The narrow road taken us to Eulo with the odd car passing by, thank god. Eulo   Artesian water opened up the outback and the unique town of Eulo (population 48) was settled because of its position on the stock route which was on the banks of the pristine Paroo River.     This old fence was my highlight in Eulo especially once I changed it to black and white, some of these towns are a photographers dream. We camped on the Paroo River and was walking around when I say a guy we meet when we were camped up just outside of Longreach, so we walked over to say, g’day mate. Later in the afternoon I go for my usual wal...

20120821 On to Quilpie, a few more shops and an interesting Museum in the information center.  Time to try a Quilpie pie, they looked alright only I didn't enjoy mine as much as Des did. In 1871 the first Opal lease in Australia was registered south of Quilpie only very little work was carried out on the 360 acre lease other than sinking a couple of shallow shafts, the lease was abandoned after several seasons.   Twenty years later the discovery of Duck Creek further south brought renewed interest in the area, the lease was re-pegged and named Pride of the Hills.   Duck Creek was discovered in 1871 and was renowned for seam Opal of the highest quality, possessed of a brilliance surpassing that of almost all other crystal Opal on the Queensland fields. Quilpie Town Bulls Gully 1951: Adavale-Quilpie firefighters after a bush fire at Bulls Gully, now that's how you do it Ken. Malcom Brown's horse covered in cobwebs accumulated in mulga, about 1946....

20120817   The tiny town of Tambo is a very tidy town with a bit of history and some sad events, they did however have free camping on a creek, but it was too early, and Des wasn’t ready to stop driving just yet, especially after camping up on a station for 12 days.     All the towns have history planks that line the streets and this one in particular got our attention, are you ready for a cry (Donna).   In 1875 there were three Chinese who operated market gardens at Tambo employing about 30 Chinese.   These gardens were watered from Barcoo River and in 1880 a dam was made at the eastern end of the town and in 1888 a free flowing bore was sunk but the market garden could not access either of these.   The Con Foos were Tambo’s market gardeners, arriving about 1919.   There garden was watered from the river by a waterwheel worked by a horse that also pulled a spring horse cart to deliver produce around the town.   One morning when their s...