Day 99: Tue 2 Aug - Barcaldine to Blackall

Day 99: Tue 2 Aug - Barcaldine to Blackall

Towed 105km

10 to 26 Deg.  Cloudy most of the day, and some light drizzle as we left Barcaldine at 8:00am, clearing to a sunny afternoon with just a few clouds. We only had a short drive today, but we wanted to arrive early at the Barcoo River Camping Area to see if there were any access issues due to the black soil and heavy rain that fell yesterday. Its also a very popular campground near the town centre and we wanted to arrive early to assure ourselves of a parking spot. We arrived by 9:30am, and found that the campground had been chewed up badly, but it was drying out and we did find a suitable site on higher ground. We quickly setup then walked the short distance into the Information Centre to register our stay and pay the $10 per night (x 2 nights) fee for our stay (Unpowered, but potable water taps spread throughout the ground). First priority was coffee and cake at a nice cafe in the main street before wandering around town a bit more.  I had a particularly interesting walk through the Bushmans Gallery, where I was shown around and told about the history of the old hotel, it's owners, the gallery's no cost occupancy arrangements, and renovations to bring the old hotel back to a different life. After lunch and a rest, Noel went out for a walk, while I rode to the aquatic centre for a dip. The aquatic centre is a very good state of the art facility comprising a 50m heated lap pool, and two spa pools heated to 32deg and 37deg, fed by 58deg artesian bore water. After relaxing in the spa for 45mins, I left and continued riding around town to a few other local attractions before returning for pre-dinner drinks with our neighbours, followed by dinner and a night watching Commonwealth games athletic heats. 



Blackall  - Main Street


Promoting Blackall in Blackall


Shopfront artwork


The Bushmans Gallery, transformed from the old Bushmans Arms Hotel built in the 1800s


Inside the old hotel, now a lovely gallery exhibiting photographic and painted artwork by local artists

Exhibition of photographic and painted artwork by local artists


Exhibition of photographic and painted artwork by local artists

A section inside the old hotel remaining to be renovated. The land and building are owned by the McLean Place Retirement and Nursing Home located behind the gallery, and renovations are being funded through donations and grants

The gazebo behind the old hotel was erected by the Stockwell family to commemorate the life of William Scrase who was a stone mason and brick manufacturer who constructed the Hotel and an underground water reservoir. The water reservoir (now known as the Wishing Well) was cleaned out by local volunteers in 2004, and 60 tonnes of rubbish, including sewing machines, shoes and bottles, was removed.

Busts of the McLean Brothers at the back and Robert Stockwell, local identities and major contributors for the McLean Place Retirement and Nursing Home located at the rear of the gallery


Memorial dedicated to the explorer Major Mitchell 


Memorial to Edgar Towner, born near Blackall and a WW1 VC and MC recipient. Amazing stories about his acts of bravery

Fossilised Tree Stump in the main street believed to be between 1 and 225 million years old

Street Mural 

Donated by the Perry family, the elephant is a symbol of the beginning of the Perry Bros Circus which began between Blackall and Tambo 

Bronze Sculpture of legendary shearer Jack Howe who in 1892, sheared 321 sheep in one day using hand shears – a record that still stands today. 

Showgrounds colour

Beyond the Black Stump. The "black stump" saying came about after a group of surveyors arrived on Astro Station near Blackall, in 1887. The surveyors used a blackened tree stump as the base for their measuring equipment.


The original Black Stump was burnt out and replaced by a piece of petrified wood as a project to commemorate the bicentenary of Australia in 1988.


Bottle Tree Sculpture

Bottle Tree Sculpture


They rode 80 miles to dance...






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