The Friendliest Town in Australia....

We travelled 119km along the Matilda Highway (Landsborough Hwy) to the secluded banks of the Barcoo River, about 1km from Tambo. This area was explored by Major Mitchell in 1846. The town has allowed free camping at Stubby Bend, well away from the highway noise. This is where we saw our first 'live' Australian animal, a few kangaroos, and a possum right beside our van. One must be fully self-contained as there are no toilets or water, other than the brown Barcoo River. There are a few concrete picnic tables and bins on the way in/out. A dump point is located next to the petrol station on the highway where you turn. It is an easy walk into Tambo along the Coolibah Walking Trail, and the river has yellow-belly river fish. We had a lovely afternoon chatting to other campers and lit a beautiful campfire to warm us as the night and the cold set in.

From Stubby Bend the next morning we drove to the historic Qantas crash site, where the first Qantas plane crashed, killing three.

We continued into Tambo, the oldest town in central west Queensland. There is plenty of parking in the main street for caravans, and we have stopped here a number of times for Peter to get his coffee fix. This trip, as we are doing shorter drives, we have more time to spend walking around towns. Our first stop was the information centre located in the library, which use to be the court house. Built in 1888, it is famous for housing the 'white bull' involved in the Harry Redford (bushranger Captain Starlight) cattle duffing case. Harry Redford was the basis for the Australian book “Robbery Under Arms”. There is a lot of history about Harry Redford in and around Charleville.

The main street of Tambo is called the heritage area, the information centre has a great booklet about Tambo's Heritage Walk. One of the buildings, The Royal Carrangarra Hotel, is believed to be the oldest licensed hotel site in Western Queensland, established about 1863. It was used as the first post office in Tambo and Cobb and Co. used it as a stop over, one of the first Cobb and Co stopovers. The name Carrangarra comes from the original settlement and is an Aboriginal name meaning feasting and resting place. The hotel was destroyed by fire three times and each time was rebuilt. I really like the history displayed on the outside walls of the hotel. One section showed newspaper articles from around Australia reporting the 1951 fire.

Tambo is famous for its Teddies. Originally created in the back of the telegraph and postal museum, and is now located in the old council chambers. The shop is small and when I was there people were sewing on industrial machines making bears. The bears are beautiful and expensive. I liked the teddies and the teddy murals all around town.

When I think of all the times we have stopped at Tambo briefly, I can't believe we didn't spend more time there. Coffee is great at Fanny Mae's as is the menu, especially breakfast. There is another coffee shop down the road, but Fanny Mae's is the one we have always stopped at. The information centre is well worth visiting, as is the Post Office and the museum. An old fire engine is encased in a purpose built building mid way down the street. Just so much to see. Well worth a longer stop. A bonus is how friendly everyone is. One expects people in shops and info centres to be friendly, but locals walking down the street would smile and say gidday. When walking past the pub one of the local drinkers (it was 11am) waved and said hello. This has to be the friendliest town in Australia.

Beyond the Black Stump - Blackall

After lunch at Tambo we headed to Blackall and a camp we have stayed at before on the banks of the Barcoo River.  Both Peter and I like Blackall,  and if we were to to EVER think about retiring to the country,  it would be Blackall.  We love the history and the friendliness of the people.

We headed straight to the information centre which is located in an old railway carriage in 'Ram Park'. This is where one pays the $8 fee for camping. During the afternoon a volunteer exercises his horse and goes from van to van saying O'Day and having a chat - he was also checking that campers were registered. 

There is so much to see. The main street has history boards telling the story of the buildings and it's people,  there are town murals, and interesting sculptures are dotted all around town. This one is the 'Eagle and the Nest' and is at the end of the camp ground.

The town is famous as the town of World Champion Shearer in 1892, and for the 'Black Stump'. The Black Stump is located at the site used by surveyors in 1888 to establish a principal meridional circuit around the town to work out latitude and longitude. Similar to 'going to the back of Bourke',  if one were going outback one would say 'going beyond the Black Stump. 

Sir Thomas Mitchell explored the area in 1846, and land was opened up for settlers establishing many cattle and sheep properties. The town of Blackall was declared in 1868. It was named after Queensland's second Governor,  Samuel Blackall. 

The first meeting of shearer that led to the formation of the Shearer's Union in December 1886. This group later became the Australian Labour Party. We will visit other sites related to the ALP and shearers in the week to come.
All the water in Blackall is from the Great Artesian Basin and down the road from our van was the original 1885 Pioneer Bore. Blackall was the first town in Queensland to sink an artesian bore.  It was sunk to 800 metres,  and is one of three bores that service the town today. The water is a very hot 58-62 degrees centigrade. 

The bore water overflow runs into the river. The river was originally Victoria River, but was changed to Barcoo, Aboriginal meaning 'ice on water'.

There were about a dozen vans in the camping area when we arrived and about another dozen came while we were there. It is an easy walk to town and the pubs and cafés. We only stayed one night, but will plan to stay longer next time. The town seemed to have more shops open this time,  which is good for the town. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the river.

Bit of trivia - Pauline Hanson was married here in Blackall.