G'day from outback Queensland.

Tonight we find ourselves in Cloncurry about 300 kms from the Northern Territory border. It holds the record for having the highest temperature in Australia 127.5f degrees. Tad hot I'd say. Thankfully not today.
We have done an awful lot of kms since we left home 3 days ago.

The days have been beautiful and sunny with quite cool nights. We travelled out through my birthplace Roma which is a lovely country town. I lived here until I was 3 yrs. My Dad was an Ambulance Officer here until is premature death and it is his final resting place. So we usually stop here, have a cuppa and think of Mick.

We encountered a lot of road works. Repair work from the last 2 years floods. We stopped for such a long time at one spot I got out my stitching and stitched a whole heart and holly leaves (a stitcher is never bored tee hee)
After spending our first night in the tiny town of Augathella we headed for Barcaldine which has a very unusual memorial to a 100 year old tree called the "Tree of Knowledge" which was sabotaged and killed a few years ago. The dead tree remains with this sculptural canopy above it. Apparently the Australian labour party was formed underneath the branches of this tree.

Last night we stayed at Longreach gateway to the outback and the home of the "Stockman's Hall of Fame". A wonderful tribute to all those incredible men who spent their lives with horses, cattle & sheep. Lots about droving and the tools of their trade...really fascinating.

Also at Longreach is the Qantas museum a favourite with my husband.

We headed off this morning to Winton which boasts the first time Banjo Paterson recited "Waltzing Matilda" to a lass he was keen on in the district. There is a centre here where you can learn more about our iconic

song. Banjo even has a statue in front of the music to Waltzing Matilda outside the centre. Now I don't know about you but I reckon that swaggie would have had a spot of bother trying to fit this jumbuck in his tucker bag...

On to McKinlay where the pub scenes at Walkabout Creek were filmed for the movie Crocodile Dundee. They have moved the pub from in the township to on to the main highway.

You've got stop and say G'day mate and have a beer. As you can see Gary did.

Well that's it from me out here in the back of beyond. One last thing you should see the road trains out here....HUGE! Not just one trailer 4 & 5!! Tomorrow we are off to Mt Isa and beyond. 

Blessings Michelle xx