Longreach 15 17 July 2014

We have left the hills covered in mulga scrubs and giddie trees behind, to be replaced with endless plains covered in tussocks of dried grasses. We spent a peaceful night at a truck stop about 30km from Barcaldine – very few people are game to drive at night because of the kangaroos. Stopped at Ilfracombe for a look at the folk museum and then onto Longreach, where we camped at a free camp spot just on the edge of town. This is an iconic rural town that we have always wanted to visit to see the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas Museum (and because our RV is a Longreach). The first thing we noticed was that the streets are named after Australian birds, with the streets running east-west named after water birds and those running north-south after land birds. While only a small town of 4,500, there are also a number of other attractions that means you could stay a week to see all of the (mainly expensive) activities. This has given the town a bit of a Disneyland appeal, where tourists can come to one place to experience the ‘real’ outback. On Wednesday we visited the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame, which showcases the history and the culture of life in rural Australia. This is a very good museum that brought back memories for both of us, especially Peter whose father and grandparents were pioneers in western Queensland. Our life has changed so much from those early days and is going to change quicker! The town is also the home of the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, as Longreach was also the original depot for Qantas and includes amongst its displays a decommissioned Qantas 747 that dominates the highway coming into town.