Longreach

We have been to Longreach many times and stayed at the caravan park and the low cost van park, but this is the first time in a motel. This is the third time we have been here in the last ten months. We like Longreach. It is said to be the start of the outback and is located about 1200km north-west from Brisbane and 700km from Rockhampton and 840km from the NT Border. We planned to simply walk around town, even though it was a Sunday. We have been in Longreach on a Sunday, in fact many towns on a Sunday, it is the best time to see the old buildings and the history without the many cars and people.

Walking down Galah Street, past the Masonic Temple and turning down Duck Street to the main street Eagle Street (the streets are named after birds), we walked down one side and up the other.

There are many historic buildings in Longreach, all repurposed into either tourist facilities or local services.

One place we always visit in Longreach is the Merino Bakery, great food, great coffee. There is always a queue and waiting time. Last time Peter went there for his coffee, I had time to walk up the road and back just as he came out. Famous for its peach blossom cake, like a lamington but with jam and cream and dyed pink, but I like their eclairs and sandwiches.

As we walked down the street I was surprised there was no queue or people waiting outside. We saw customers coming and then leaving and when we got there there was a sign apologising for being closed for the day due to solar power company turning off the power for installations.

We had been to the cafe next door to the bakery a few years ago, and as we were walking past there was a lot of renovations going on. There is a new cafe opening soon - Kynda Cafe and Boutique - and I had a look at the menu and it looks great. Definitely going to try at least three or four of their sandwiches.

The site of the bakery and the cafe was once a pub, of course, so many pubs use to be in Longreach. It was originally the site of the Imperial Hotel built about 1892, and rebuilt and renovated after fires in 1898 and 1922. Longreach was gazetted a town in 1897, and was named after the long reach of the Thompson River.. The Imperial Hotel was, in its time, the largest timber hotel in Queensland and was regarded as fine dining. It met its end in 1954 after a fire. Located around the town are information boards telling history.

A few businesses still had Christmas decorations on their window, and we wondered if there was a competition between business for the best display. We liked this one.

Around town are interesting statues, plaques and history.

Further down the street is the now Station Store. We loved going in there for a look and morning tea however, like today, the last two times we were here it was closed. It was once the Central Hotel and is well worth a visit.

Next door is the old Welcome Home Hotel, now the Outback Pioneers Tours and Experiences. It was opened and we were welcomed to have a look around. We hadn't been in here before as we thought it was only a booking office, gee it was interesting. Apparently the Station next door no longer does the teas, they are done here now, as is the old time movie. Very interesting displays.

 The Outback Pioneers is also an accommodation booking agent.

One can book accommodation there, and across the road is a unique accommodation that we would like to try called The Stables.

We walked around looking at all the old horse buggys and even an old car.

Longreach is famous for many things, among them is the QANTAS Museum and the 747-200 Jumbo Jet on display.

Qantas was founded in Winton on 16 November 1920 by Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness and Fergus McMaster, known then as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited. It moved to Longreach in 1921 and then to Brisbane in 1930. At the top of the main street, the information centre is a replica of the first QANTAS Booking Office.

Longreach is also located on the Tropic of Capricorn which also divides Queensland Torrid Zone (to the north) and Temperate Zone (to the south).

 We love Longreach and plan to visit many more times.

Longreach Motor Inn

We looked at all the accommodation options and decided on the Longreach Motor Inn, right across the road from the station and one block back from the main street. Original plan was staying Friday-Monday, 4 nights, so we wanted a pool.

The temperatures get very hot in the outback in Summer, so a pool was a big draw card. The staff were great to talk to, and with all the changes constantly happening, we did need to call a lot of times. Each time we needed to contact them we spoke to a different staff member and all had conflicting information. The room has a coffee maker, we were even told the type so we could buy coffee pods to take, the next person said it didn't. Web site says it did. Who knows? Then there was the booking, different each time we contacted them - 3 adults; 2 adults one child; 1 adult; 3 adults. We had to ring a number of times to get the booking corrected, and in the end we left it and thought we would sort it out when we get there. One person we spoke to said there was no coffee pod machines in any rooms and the room we had booked only sleeps two - website says 3, booked for 3, photos on Tripadvisor show 3 - so he booked us into an open planned family room at the same price as the executive queen, yet when the paperwork arrived it still said executive queen, for 2 adults and one child. We will see. 

Many passengers from the train were also staying at the hotel, and as the train arrived 50 mins early, reception was still open. All very well organised. We ended up in a ground floor unit - Executive Queen Room, with a coffee pod machine, kettle, toaster and microwave. A comfortable queen bed and a single bed.

There was even a comfy lounge chair to sit in to watch tv. It would have been good if there were powerpoints beside the bed to power our phones and devices. The room was clean and perfect for us.

The only negative was the two beetles and the rather large cockroach that came to visit. Beetles we understand as there is a garden area outside, but the big cockroach gave us a fright - all are dead now! There is a big gap under one of the doors.

We had breakfast the first morning at Harry's Restaurant. Named after bushranger Harry Redford, also known as Captain Starlight. I was surprised that there was no reference to Harry Redford at the restaurant - the only mention of the link was on there webpage. Harry Redford was born in 1842 in Mudgee N.S.W., the son of an Irish convict. In 1869 he set up business as a carrier of goods from Tambo to Bowen Downs, over 200kms in distance. With over 60,000 head of cattle spread over a large property Harry thought a few cattle going missing would not be missed. Harry and his partners stole a white bull worth more than 500 pounds and this led to his famous trial in February 1873 in Roma - where he was found not guilty. Harry was immortalised in the classic 'Robbery Under Arms' which is where the name Captain Starlight came from.

The staff were friendly and the food was was really good, even though my eggs benedict poached eggs were overdone, and the muffins were burnt.

Peter had fried eggs

and Jon had waffles.

There is also a cocktail bar, that we were going to go back to in the afternoon, but we went for a swim instead.

Reasonable prices to for breakfast, but dinner menu - which looked good - was way too expensive.

After a leisurely walk around town, we spent some time in the pool and we all got very sunburnt. This photo was taken 7pm at night, with the sun going down. Most of the day the pool is in full sun and there is no shade. The water was warm but refreshing from the heat.

 We enjoyed our short stay at this hotel. Expensive at $170 plus $15 for extra person a night, ($185) but that was the going rate for most hotels in Longreach, and there are many to choose from. Compared to our favourite motel in Brisbane City (@$110-$135) where rooms are smaller, or our favourite hotel on Fraser Island (@$135) where rooms are bigger, both of which sometimes include breakfast, we think it is expensive.

PetalliTravellers: The Big Lap - Week 2.

 We started week 2 heading to Blackall for our 3 day lockdown starting at 6pm. We stopped at Tambo for a walk (and Peter's coffee). Once in Blackall we set up in the RV reserve. The camp beside the river is large and dusty but as many vans as usual so we set up down near the river.

We went to the information centre to pay our $10 a night permit fee and then headed to the hot springs pool for a swim. Good value at $2 each.

It was lovely to stay put for three days – reading, doing crosswords, sewing, just relaxing.

At the end of the 3 day lockdown we packed up and headed north-west to Barcaldine for Easter eggs and lunch then up to Longreach. Masks still needed to be worn inside and outside if one couldn’t social distance. 

It was strange seeing everyone wearing masks, and it made me glad that so many people are being responsible (that, and the fact that police were fining people on the spot for not wearing a mask. 

Once in Longreach we drove through and out the other side to the Apex Park RV site.

We have stayed here before and the cost has gone up from $3 to $5, still a bargin. Right on the Thompson River with a lovely fenced off grassed area with toilets, picnic tables and bbq shelters. It is a very large area of dirt and we were surprised that there were only about 20 vans there. Bonus! We got a good site and set up for the Easter break.

We had planned on a devonshire tea on the Saturday, but the shop was closed. We stocked up with groceries and fresh food, we walked around the railway station,

and talked about where we would stay if and when we do a train trip to Longreach.

We went to the QANTAS museum to see the planes. Good to see they are now under cover.

We took our photos of the Tropic of Capricorn sign. We plan to take a similar photo on the other side of the country in a few months.

On Easter Sunday, and the prediction of rain, we departed Longreach and headed to Winton.

The Winton Way Out West Country Music Festival was about to begin, so wewere unsure if we would get a camp site, but to our surprise the back of the Australia Hotel only had 3 other happy campers there.

Camping is the cost of a beer

 

 – although Peter wasn’t having a drink without the rest of us, so four drinks and dinner, was the cost! 

We were across the road from the original Chinese Market garden and shop.

 

Last time we were here it was a small plaque outside a falling down tin shack. This time the garden has been reclaimed and a large sign is at the front. 

One can walk around the garden and interpretive signs tell one what was grown or happening there.

The old shack is now supported and filled with replicas of what would have been there at the turn of the 20th century.

Great job Winton, I love seeing history portrayed for the younger generation to see. We walked up and down the main street and were lucky to see the open air picture theatre open.

Every other visit it has been closed, thank goodness for the music festival. There is a small museum type room with old projectors and roller skates, not sure what the roller skates are for. The theatre itself has old movie posters around the walls and deck chairs look so comfortable. One day we will see a movie there.

We also went up to the Musical Fence for a play.

We thought about staying a little longer to see the Hill Billie Goats and Sara Storer, but Peter was keen to get moving, so onto Julia Creek and week 3 of the BIG LAP.

See PetalliTravellers on YouTube.