20210723 Qld Middleton Historic Hotel

20210723 I would be happy to stay another day but Des is keen to move on, I guess there's not much to do, well there's actually nothing to do but gaze at the nothing and watch the cattle stroll in for a drink leaving behind there droppings as proof they dropped in.  What's ahead, we have no idea, but that's what makes travelling this country so special, the unknown.  All of a sudden my eye light up and I'm gazing at a 143-year-old hotel that's broken through the distant mirage we just came through. Mesmerized I jumped out of the van and there stands the Middleton Hotel and what is left of the town, WOW!.

Inside I go and a beer was had then out came a new bottle of tequila, ya gonna have a tequila with me Scott said, now that could get dangerous, the last time I had a tequila was over 30 years ago in Mexico, so how could I knock that back.

A lick, sip and a suck and down it goes, omg that was really smooth, I could go another one of those.

I'm snapping away when out come's this charactor only to find out it's the crazy publican and a hell of a guy.

There was a few travelers in the bar so Scott and his right had man put on a show and got the bar going by inventing there own corona shot, only this one affects you in a different way, well they had the bar in laughter and the tequila certainly helped.

Middleton’s history begins in 1862 when John McKinlay passed through the area searching for the lost Burke and Wills, as we all know, didn't end well. The Middleton Hotel was built during the Cobb & Co. era and it was 1 of the 9 Pillars of the Cobb & Co loop that was approximately 833km. In the 2016 census Middleton had a population of 9 people.

Middleton was built as a changing station for Cobb & Co horses in the 1800s, but now the hotel, a campground (nicknamed the Middleton Hilton), and a disused dance hall are all that's left. It is said that the hotel has the distinction of being one of the most isolated pubs in Queensland.

The 9 Pillars of Cobb & Co is a loop drive approximately 833km that stopped at the outback towns of Winton, Elderslie, Woodstock, Middleton, Makunda Hotel, Lucknow, Hamilton, Warenda Bore and Boulia, it was 1892 when Cobb & Co won the contract as a mail service. The coach took 4 days to complete the 240 miles (384km) and were paid a sum of £1615 per annum, the last Winton to Boulia and return coach was run in 1912.

Welcome to the Hilton Hotel, a great place to party.

Telstra has the monopoly in the outback, as a lonely old booth overlooks the emptiness of it's surroundings.

All that's left of the disused dance hall but it makes for a great pic.

   In need of repair this old wagon is a true reminder of our past.

Petrified Wood is a fossil of the original woody material that often exhibits preserved details of the bark, wood, and cellular structures.

These guys stopped for a wee break and there cars has a tail of it's own.

This is the true outback, love it.

Cawnpore Lookout viewing platform in the outback and a place I would love to camp only I don't think the van would make it up there.

Strange as it is after driving through miles of nothing then there's this.

A fly by shot of a wreak slowly rusting away.

My first sighting of the town of Middleton or what's left of what was once a bit of a busy town in it's hay days.


A GREAT PUB IN A TINY TOWN

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