After breakfast we are back on the road in direction of Longreach where we will stay for two nights. On the highway we decide to ignore the small petrol station in Alpha and instead refill in Jericho - a wrong decision.
Jericho is a small town of less than 500 population and has a small train station. Just, we have not seen a running train in the past 3 days - although the rails were always alongside the road.
The only petrol station we found was a single pump in front of the general store. No diesel! Mhhh, now we will run short on diesel...
...with less than 5 litres remining we reach the next settlement, Barcaldine.
Here we take the first of two stations. The cattle truck driver was lucily almost finished - he filled more than 200 litres.He explains that Jericho had another pump at a garage on a side road - no signs directing there, though.
Barcaldine is a town with a population of 1000. Next to the station there is the "tree of wisdom", some small shops and a hotel. No supermarket since Emerald.
The landscape now changes from forest with small trees...
To the typical outback vegetation. Between April and October there is little to no rain at all.
With 150 killed kangaroos along the road we arrive at our campground in Longreach at lunchtime.
We all enjoy the heated spas.
While the next day they were freezing cold.
In the afternoon we visit The Australian Stockmen's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Center. Here the history of the white mens settlement in Australias outback is displayed. Besides the vitae of famous explorers of the country, there are many histories of 'normal' individual settlers being told.
Also the history of the Flying Doctors is explained - Josh and Jonah "flying" a flying doctors plane.
On our way back to the campground we have a quick look at Longreachs train station. It contains one of the smallest museums I have ever seen - one tiny small room.
At 6pm the sun is down and a wonderful moon is out.
(c) Dirk Frantzen 2012 — published via iPad
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