The last couple of days we have stayed in small towns with not a lot to offer. We have also broken the draught in South Western Queensland and Northern NSW.
I can report we did stay in Roma for 2 nights. Brindi the car went in for a service as she has been making a noise in the front drivers wheel that has been worrying Pete. The one attraction for Roma is the Big Rig it is an out side attraction and due to the wet weather we did not visit. Roma is known for its oil and gas drilling and has the biggest cattle sale yard in the southern hemisphere.
We didn't buy a cow but did watch the cattle sales. It did seem like organised chaos with gates banging close here and there, cows going this way and that. A chap calling out numbers and cattlemen decked out in their akubra's clutching little notebooks and putting up the occasional finger. We got talking to some retired cattle people there property was over 700 km away. This is what we learned and keep it in mind next time you are buying your meat. Their cows sold for $50 per head it cost them $30 to transport them to the cattle sales at Roma. They would have experience other costs, like selling fee's, accommodation and I guess the feed and other miscellaneous cost I have no idea about. It doesn't leave much $$ for our poor old Cattlemen does it?
It's not on the any of the tourist brochures but I am about to tell you Roma's best kept secret. HABERDASHERY!! The ACE DRAPERS #2 the biggest haberdashery shop I have ever entered. Imagine floor to ceilings rolls of fabric either side of a 20 metre long aisle. Turn the corner and down the next aisle just the same with patterns poked in where they fit. The next aisle buttons with cowboy hats sitting on the top shelf. Zippers, Ribbons, Braid, Knitting Needles and what this Pudding Bowls. Wool and school uniforms mixed in together. This may be your own private heaven or hell but you must experience it.
We then overnighted in the most cute little park in St George. It was lovely and clean and there was green grass and shady trees. There was even a pizza oven in the camp kitchen so we had Pizza for tea. The only downfall was the killer Magpie that swooped us as soon as we got out of the car. His nest was right above our site. I had to run back to the check in desk with arms waving above my head, ducking from the magpie to ask for a magpie safe site. I must say that the human occupants of the caravan park where all very friendly and nice. St George was our 69th and last night in Queensland. St George is a lovely village wide streets big houses on big blocks that are well kept. St George sits on the Ballone River and this is a wide river that apparently has some of the best inland fishing.
We have covered some very dry country up here and seen suffering and bony livestock, it makes me very sad. As you go about your lives back in the cities and on road trips like us, please keep in mind how hard people are doing it out west and in the outback.
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