20250914 Dalby, Bell, Kaimkillenbun to Bowenville Reserve

20250914 On our way to Dalby to catch up with more friends Sue and Richard McNeill who have moved to a new home just out of Dalby but not far from there old home. But first we need to stop to pick up a roast, each time we visit Dalby we buy a roast for Sue to cook and OMG I don’t know what she does but it’s to die for. So far this trip we’ve had three roast meals at each friends home we’ve stayed and all have been different and amazing, I’m thinking we just keep on doing a round trip visiting friends and eating roast meals.

Here we are on the steps that overlook the view from Sues new home, a much better view and wide open space.

We stayed up chatting and catching up on old friends from the past, more so Sue and Des as they knew similar friends while Richard and I plan a drive to check out Jimbour House which he told me on our last visit he would take me the next time we visit.

15/09 After breakfast we pile into Richard’s car and head out to the back of Dalby to see  Jimbour House only to find it closed for a function, bugger. We then drove on to check out the little town of Bell which we realised we had passed through in the past but never stopped, it’s surprising what you find in the back streets of these little towns. 

A spectacular garden featuring plants from the Bible has been established since 2008 on a vacant block of land beside Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church. The vision was to use as many trees and plants mentioned in the Bible and to incorporate a Way of the Cross in a garden setting. 

I do love a cute church.

Inside the Church is a series of eleven paintings portraying a pictorial history of salvation as told in the Bible, some saying’s are a little suss if you ask me.

I’m not real sure about the wording,

YOU SHALL BE AS GOD : SHE SHALL CRUSH YOUR HEAD

Really, sounds a bit violent if you ask me.

Go and get the Lamb ya little shit or she will crush your head.🤣

In biblical contexts, bells symbolize God's divine presence, a call to worship, and a reminder of holiness and sacred duty.  In Christianity, bells, introduced around 400 CE, serve to summon believers, express joy, and commemorate sacred events, though specific prescribed uses are not found in the Bible.

What can I say, I’ve been reborn to the world of wine,🍷 see, god made me do it.

I liked the sculpture ok.🤷‍♀️

What can I say its a make believe tomb.

We then drive onto the town of Kaimkillenbun, where in the early 1980's, the town was the setting of a five part mini series called 'Chase Through The Night' starring Nicole Kidman. Locals were cast in small roles while farmers provided their cattle and golden grass fields for scenes, turning the Bun in the Hollywood of the Western Downs.

The old silos as we enter Kaimkillenbun, they would make an excellent silo mural.

Over 100 years old, this pub is home to an important piece of military memorabilia, including signatures from World War One diggers.

We now head back to Dalby to check out Mary's Place a renowned local icon who was the owner of the Commercial Hotel which sadly burnt down. Mary was incredibly generous and her contributions to the region she called home, and the everlasting impact she had on everyone she met – locals and visitors alike inspired the tribute to Mary for this newly developed public space.

The original Commercial Hotel in Cunningham Street, Dalby, 1919, note the horse drawn buggy parked in front of the hotel.

Mary Barry MBE (1919 - 2010) her famous words 'Happy Days Love' can be found nearby, welcoming you in.

In 2023 this space was officially named 'Mary's Place' with overwhelming support from the Dalby community. Since 1885, the Commercial Hotel has held an important place in Dalby, offering belonging, community, and connection.

An abstract replica of the old hotel bar, a place to sit, relax, connect, and belong, just as the old hotel bar was. The replica bar also features dedicated power points to charge your devices. 

All through Queensland the local pubs have became the social heart of the town and Dalby is no exception, the Commercial Hotel has been a continuous part of this history, built on this site in 1885, before being destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in 1909. In 1952, Mary Barry and Tom Shanahan partnered to run the establishment prior to Mary taking over in 1958. The Commercial Hotel was owned and run by Mary until her passing in 2010 at the age of 91. Following Mary's passing the hotel was renamed Mary's Commercial Hotel in her honour.

Back home again and Sue’s back in the kitchen preparing tonight’s meal as she does and don’t even attempt to help her.

Richard and his sausage dog, he’s one spoiled Pooch.

16/09 We pack up and say our goodbyes, thanks Richard for shown us around and Sue for the delicious meals and next time it’s Pork Roast. We then head to Bowenville Reserve to camp for a few days, it’s a nice peaceful camp ground surrounded by the Condamine River were the birds fly free.

A little piece of heaven on the Condamine River.

Des in his happy place, cooking for his beloved.🤷‍♀️

Night fall from Bowenville Reserve just before Toowoomba.

After a couple of days relaxing at Bowenville we packed up and left for Marburg and just in the nick of time as the vans were starting to monopolise our space, why is it there’s all this land but campers have to practically park on your doorstep. We arrived at Marburg and parked at the back of the pub then walked around, nothing has changed, the old 2nd hand store is still there and what looks like the same old junk. We grabbed a beer and sat in the park opposite the pub and waited for 6pm to roll in so we could go for dinner.

Dinner was lovely and the Marburg Pub is very neat and clean, the dining room is spacious and the table and chairs look new and are so comfortable, not like the wooden chairs you normally get and the publican let us park behind the pub and even asked if we wanted power, how’s that for service.

Well it’s been an interesting fun trip catching up with old friends, some we haven’t seen in years and who all make a mean roast meals followed by many a laughs and some sightseeing to fill in our days and let’s not forget the bike ride around Hervey Bay with Karen and Crosie. Then onto Jodies at Mount Perry were she nearly killed us building fire brakes and picking up rocks and sticks then burning off, although it was still fun.

Thank you all for a wonderful time and a great catch up, see you in another few years.

Homeward Bound