Richmond

We left Hughenden on Wednesday and headed to Richmond where we stayed for three nights.

The campsite was next to lake Fred Tritton and this had a lovely walking path around it and a water play area for children. Richmond itself is very small and a lot of stores have closed down but Kronosaurus Corner is well worth going to see.This is a place where you can go to relax and do nothing.

Sunset at Sunset Lookout Hughenden

Almost last shot of the sun going down

Last shot

 We are not professional photographers but these images of the sun going down aren't bad for a small digital camera.

Richmond Caravan Park entrance

Bush Tucker gardens on the walkway to the Lake

Play area for children on the side of the Lake

Lake Fred Tritton

Kronosaurus Korner

Fossil display

Fossil Display

Fossil Display

Fossil Display

A living fossil (Me)

Wednesday 26th September

Today is for relaxing - hence all the catch up posts. We did some shopping and my brother rang from England to say he was now a Grandad. His son Carl and his girlfriend had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl over 8lbs and they have named her Olivia - he is over the moon and rightly so.

Just before lunch we decided to visit the six Mt Walker Lookouts so here are the pictures.

Raey Lookout

Jardine Valley Lookout

Mount Etna Lookout

Sunset Lookout

Ironbark Lookout

Hughenden Lookout

As you can see from these pictures the area is very dry and I am sure that it would look dramatically different in the wet

Porcupine Gorge

Porcupine Gorge is a gealogical formation not unlike the Grand Canyon in America, and is approximately 60-70 kilometres from Hughenden. We visited a couple of places on the way as  per the visitor fact sheet and one of these was Eagle Hawk Gorge Lookout.

Unusual tree at the top of the lookout

Eagle Hawk Gorge

This is just to show that I climbed the hill to the top of the gorge lookout

We then proceeded to Porcupine Gorge Lookout which just takes your breath away, don't know if the photos will do it justice.

We then went to Porcupine National park Campground and walking track down to the bottom of the Gorge.It says in the brochures that the Gorge walk is 2.4klms - what it doesn't say is that it is straight down and then you have to climb back up.  the walk down seemed like 7klms and I was tired out by then, and extremely hot ( it was 38 degrees that day). Stephen did his best to placate me as I kept winging about not being able to get back up (he is so patient). He had to take his felt cowboy hat off and dunk it in the water to keep my head cool (worked a treat). the Gorge bottom is beautiful and has pools that you can swim in so Stephen had a dip. Then it was time to go back up. Oh my what a time I had I thought I was going to die, kept having to stop and take a breather, eventually we ran out of water so Stephen found me a shady place to rest while he ran back up to the car to get more water and lemonade for a sugar fix for me. The trip down took 30 minutes but the trip up took one and a half hours. Never again. We think it was the heat that caught me unawares as I have been doing ok with the walking and climbing.

A small pool at the bottom of the gorge

Pyramid Porcupine Groge

Stephen swimming in a pool at the base of the Pyramid

 

Hughenden

We left Charters Towers on Monday morning and decided to visit Hughenden. We booked in at the Carvan Park ( must say very reasonable rates, excellent facilities and drive through sites and council pool next door)and then proceeded to the Flinders Discovery Centre and Information Office. This houses a replica of the famous Muttaburrasaurus Dinosaur and a wide collection of fossils, they even have a touch table for children of all ages. The town isn't large but they seem to have everything that you need.

We purchased meat from the Flinders butchery and also bought groceries from the local food store as well as petrol and beer - all of which were not that much more expensive than anywhere else.

Replica Muttaburrasaurus Skeleton in the Flinders Discovery Centre

Pteradactyl sculpture on Main Street

Dinosaur sculpture on Library wall

Muttaburrasaurus statue just off main street

Sunday 23rd September

This is our last day in Charters Towers and what better way to spend it than on a "Texas Longhorn Wagon Tour" with Billy Tea and Damper.These tours are conducted by an extremely friendly and likeable Husband and Wife team called Michael and Lynda Bethel who also run Bethel Saddlery from "Leahton Park" their home.

We arrived at the homestead not knowing what to expect and finding a small group of american men one of whom served in the second world war and was stationed at Charters Towers. All of them had fathers who had been stationed at Charters Towers and were visiting to unveil a plaque to remember those who served and died during this time including several australians that flew with them. The eldest was a sprightly 93 year old who was having such a lot of fun.

We met the owners Mick and Lynda  and we started with an introduction by Mick about the Texas Longhorn and then had Tea and Damper - both made by Mick earlier that morning. Then we boarded the chuck Wagon and went for a ride across the prairie (fields) to see the steers and the water buffalos and the kangaroos, all the while mick is telling stories to us and answering any questions we might have.

Leahton Park is the home of a Texas Longhorn by the name of JR who holds the Guinness Book of Records Title for the Longest horns in the world.

This was a tour that I am glad we didn't miss and everyone visiting the area should take the time to see it.

Display Chuck Wagon

Texas Longhorn Steer

JR whose Horns are the Longest in the World

Another Steer

Yet another steer

Water Buffalo

The covered wagon we rode in 

Towers Hill lookout

Saturday 22/9/12 we visited Towers Hill Lookout and did some of the walking tracks there. We Saw the remains of several gold mines and there are lots of mine shafts but they are all fenced off so you can't hurt yourself. There are also world war two bunkers on the hill which you can visit and a seismagraph station. After this we went to the Miners Cottage in the middle of charters towers and watched a demonstration on panning for gold.

Then we visted the antique fair that was being held as part of their centenary celebrations and then home for lunch, after we visited the weir where Stephen caught a fish (on Thursday morning) called a grunter or black bream which he brought home and we are going to bbq soon.

The view from Towers Lookout at Charters Towers

Stephen at the top of the lookout

The Weir where Stephen caught the fish

Another view of the weir

Birds in the paddock next to the caravan rubbing their bodies in the dirt

More birds doing the same thing - approx 6 here

Ravenswood

We visited the small hamlet of Ravenswood about 100ks towards Townsville from Charters Towers, we will be remembering this one. Beautiful old buildings, very friendly and helpful people, not a lot there but if you are after peace and quiet for relaxation you can't beat it. they have an upper Caravan Park and the lower one is at the showground and it is only $70 a week and has toilets and I think power (will have to check that one out). Pictures below.

History of the town is gold mining then a slump when evryone left and now open cut mining has satrted again and brought a little prosperity to the town. The school is the oldest in queensland still being used.

We visited the cemetery so many childrens graves in the late 1800's it must have been a harsh time for all.

The ambulance station built approx 1908

The Thorpe Building  which now houses and arts and crafts store

The Imperial Hotel built 1902 - originally built in wood but when it burnt down they rebuilt in brick

The School of Arts Building -  built around 1880

The Roman Catholic Church

The Open Cut Mine being used today from the top of the lookout

The Courthouse and museum

The Post Office

The Railway Hotel built 190l

One of the mines

Miners Cottage built around 1889 and it is said they had 21 children in this house at one time

The outside dunny (Loo)