From time to time we discuss whether or not we are in the middle of nowhere or out back of beyond. Officially we are in the outback, though I’m not quite sure where we cross from being in whatever the opposite to outback is, and being in the outback. A long philosophical argument could ensue, but we prefer just to be where we are.
Since we joined the Matilda Way at Barcaldine, the towns are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop the locals from creating significant tourist attractions – and not just large fibreglass fruit and vegetables: they know they’ll be no more than a petrol stop if there’s nothing to pique interest and draw dollars from our wallets.
Longreach, just over 100kms north west from Barcaldine, gives itself the title “Heart of the Outback” and boasts a population of about 3,000. The multi million dollar Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre opened in 1988 and is a riveting look at the history and changes in the outback – from Aboriginal life 40,000 years ago, through exploration, settlement and the agriculture and mining that accompanied it, through to the present day. Divided into various sections there are artefacts as well as videos of people telling their family histories, and stories of outback life.
A section on the flying Doctor Service has recordings of conversations between people on remote stations and doctors giving advice over the radio. If you live remotely you equip yourself with a standard medical chest which has literally hundreds of items ranging from bandages to antibiotics to syringes and drugs – the doctor takes a history then sends you off to the chest and tells you which appropriately numbered item to administer. If the doctor thinks it necessary, the plane is sent to collect the patient.
The Qantas Founder’s Museum details the establishment of the airline by Hudson Fysh – that really is his name – and Paul McGuiness. It’s 1919 and the two returned WW1 pilots are driving overland – no roads, or only bullock tracks – 2,000 kilometres from Longreach to Darwin. In a Model T Ford. They’re on a mission, surveying landing sites for the upcoming UK to Australia air race. The trip was so tough at points they were towed by bullock teams, but they made it. In the process, not surprisingly, came up with the idea of an air service.
There’s a great doco from 2009, in which a group of masochists recreate the Fysh and McGuiness trip in a Model T – but with a film crew and full support in 4WDs, a luxury not enjoyed by our intrepid early explorers. It’s said the Model T is hard to drive, with a review in Car and Driver stating “The odd position of the throttle, brake, and shifter make driving a Model T an archaic and dangerous experience. It’s like trying to do the Charleston while loading a musket after a big night at the speak-easy.”
There are a number of aircraft parked up in display. You can tour a 747 (see the Lavatory Service Hatch, marvel at the Collision Avoidance System). If the mood takes you, for an extra $65 you can walk out on the wing.
Before leaving town we go to the Longreach School of Distance Education for a tour. There are 12 studios and they reach 150 kids from kindy to year 6, over a distance twice the size of NSW and Victoria combined. We watch teachers interact with their classes using smart boards and computers.
Classes are capped at 12 and everyone can see everyone else on small windows at the bottom of the screen – also means the teacher can keep tabs on what the the kids are doing, so no sneaking off to play outside. While the standard Queensland curriculum is taught, they only have one contact hour each day, and theoretically the rest of the day is supervised by a parent of governess – unlikely to be Mary Poppins.
Another 180 kms on we reach Winton, population 1,600 and not going to be outdone with the subtitle, “Dinosaur Capital of Australia”. An attraction called the Australian Age of Dinosaurs apparently has footprints from a dinosaur stampede – further enquiry reveals the dinosaurs were the size of chickens. This information does nothing to attract us as we are not 8 year old boys; the closest we get is a dinosaur foot rubbish bin in town.
But wait, there’s more – Winton is the home of Waltzing Matilda. One evening we go to the historic North Gregory hotel to hear bush poet Gregory North (a coincidence? he says so) tell the story of Waltzing Matilda. First performed at said hotel in 1895, Waltzing apparently comes from a poor translation or transliteration, of the German weg machen meaning make way or similar: a matilda is a swag, so basically waltzing matilda is on the road with a swag. The next day I check out the, again multi million dollar, Waltzing Matilda Centre. I learn nothing more than Gregory told us the night before, but the architecture and fittings of the building tell me there’s a lot of regional development money sloshing around Australia.
Have you ever wondered where the movie Crocodile Dundee was filmed? Nor have I. However, I now know it’s 240 kms further on from Winton at McKinlay, population about 10. The original Walkabout Creek Hotel has been relabelled Crocodile Dundee’s Walkabout Creek Hotel, in case you confuse it with any other Walkabout Creek Hotel. The hunter-gatherer tells me the heap of rust parked outside the pub is the ute Dundee drove.
With no reason to linger longer than it takes to drink a beer, we carry on another 110 km to Cloncurry, population 2,700, subtitled “Birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service”. John Flynn, the founder of the Service, established it here in 1928. In Darwin last year we spent quite a bit of time in the Flying Doctor Museum so give Cloncurry’s a miss.
At Cloncurry the north-south Matilda Way meets the east-west Flinders Way. We divert west to the Mt Isa rodeo but return a few days later and continue north towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. The h-g has it in mind to catch a barramundi so there will be fishing. Stand by.
