Saturday and Sunday.......

SATURDAY.....
We got an early start this morning, we were on the road at 8.34:)
Seeing that we camped about 10kms out of Barcaldine, it didn't take us long to get there.


We had a look around in the tourist centre, after which we headed out to the Tree of Knowledge.
The Tree of Knowledge, was a silent witness in the first union strike, between shearers and pastoralists, for better conditions and pay.
In 2006 someone poisoned that tree and it died, so the city council decided to make it into a memorial.....


The Tree of Knowledge.....

The kids came across and huge big panflute that someone had made; it had kind of thongs that you could bang on the ends and it made a tune....


Big panflute.......












A clever artist from the town.....


From there we travelled on to Longreach, where we would spend our Saturday and Sunday.
We set up our camp at the Apex Riverside Park, before we headed out for the afternoon.
Longreach has two major attractions, the Stockman's Hall of Fame and the QANTAS founder's outback museum.
Seeing that every town has attractions and that if you went to see them all it would take you years, (and cost a fortune) we got the kids to pick one of the above to go and see.
Guess what they picked?
One is the history of the stockman..... And the other you get to go on a tour through an airplane......
Well duh!!!! The airplane of course!!!


Basically planes......


More planes.....


Even more planes......


Steve being a Queen..... Lol oh yeah and another plane.....

We got to have a tour through a Boeing 707, which wasn't the plane we were after, we wanted to go into the really big one ( Boeing 747) but they had just had to fix the ground under it because it had sunk into the ground about 400mm, so it was being fixed and wasn't safe to have a tour on.....SPEWING!!!


We still got to get close to it though.......


Our tour guide Gene (was very particular how you spelt his name)......


Closest I've ever been to the landing gear of an airplane......


Or the wings.......


The trade mark 'flying kangaroo'......


The airplane we got to go on..... Boeing 707....

This airplane was one (actually the first one) of the thirteen made for the QANTAS fleet, which has been totally restored to original colours on the outside. The inside they left how it was because they couldn't get hold of any of the original fittings.
It was last owned by an Arabian Sheik and was decked out in total opulence for its era.


Shana and Kade sitting at a solid walnut wood boardroom table.....
There was gambling tables, a very big Bar, bedrooms, so quite clearly they got up to lots of no good aboard this plane:)


The cockpit.......


Oh look..... Another plane....... Lol (anyone would think we went to a plane museum)

The kids had a ball going through this place, they will remember it for a very long time.
Longreach also had a Laundromat.....YAY!!!!! Three loads of washing later.... Awesome - nice cleaning, fragrant smelling clothes again:)

SUNDAY.......

We woke up to the camping spot that we're staying at being a LOT busier then when we rolled in....


We're third from the right......


It's not as close as it looks......


Close enough though, to make you wish you were back in the bush....

After pancakes for breakfast, we had church with just the four of us. Dad and Mum Evans attended the local Baptist Church and had fellowship with them after the service. We decided to remain at camp and have our own church.
We listened to the third sermon in Rev S Ollyott's series on Titus. Titus 3 is about being peaceable (not making issues over little things) and not speaking evil about anyone, even of they have wronged you.
By the time that our sermon was finished, Dad and Mum were back from their service, so we could have a chat about our mornings together, and discuss it.


Making rigs is VERY serious business!!.....


Happy as.......

It was a beautiful day, there was a river, the rest is a given..... That means you HAVE to go fishing!!! Pity we had no bait, so squashed bread would have to make do.... He caught nothing, but still had a ball anyway:)

Shana found some crested pigeons that were quite tame and let her feed them some bread....





We spent the Rest of the day enjoying the warmer weather, and the beautiful scenery of God's creation. (which also included having to paint your toenails of course!!!)