Wednesday 26 July - Longreach

Wonderful peaceful night where we only needed a blanket for most of the night.   Ian once again did some time lapse photos and I have included one below as well as a sunset shot from our campsite.  Have been in t-shirt and shorts (or my case 3/4 length pants) for 3 days now with the temperature being high 20's.  Sadly we set off this morning and drove to Longreach. Took a slight detour off the development road to Stonehenge.  Didn't actually get out of the car.  A caravan park and information office was all there was.  When we arrived at Longreach we went straight to the caravan park.  We had been told it was small and boy was it small.  They jammed the caravans in.  You could not walk easily between the vans and the cars were parked partly on the road so even to drive down the road tested you.   We actually have the second best site (and it has the development road behind it) although we will be pleasantly surprised if we get out of here without the car getting hit.  I have already told Ian if we ever get a site like the people opposite us we are leaving no matter how long we have paid for.  Their bedroom window is about 2 feet from the mens toilet and their dining table window is 2 feet from the laundry.  No thank you and don't start me on the showers here. Anyway enough complaining, we set up, had lunch and went to the information centre to grab some pamphlets.  We drove out and looked at the other caravan park and free camp.  There were caravans everywhere but if we are ever up this way again we will try the other park.   Next stop was the Longreach Arts and Craft Centre which displayed and sold local arts and craft.  Although it did seem that two women were the major contributors.  One lady was mainly into quilting and the other pottery.   The outstanding exhibits were a lovely quilt of a country scene and an amazing pottery chess set.   There is also an ambulance memorabilia room.  A pleasant way to spend 30 minutes.  Next stop was the powerhouse museum.    Electricity was first generated in 1921 for the town of Longreach.  The shed that held all the engines to supply the power got up to 68 degrees and the noise of the engines could be heard for 4km.  Would have hated to work there.  It wasn't a bad museum, although I was quicker to finish looking than Ian so sat out under the shade of a tree to wait for him.   Back to the van and a chat with the neighbours.