Cattle Station, Charleville, Qld

A few more photos of the Evening Star Tourist Park / 30,000 ha cattle station. According to the owner, he is currently running 1,500 head of cattle. Not surprising when you consider the vegetation or lack of feed. Also not surprising that he has diversified and runs a caravan park as possibly a main stream business.

Charleville, Qld

The famous Hotel Charleville - one of the many well known pubs throughout outback Qld (mainly to Queenslanders I think).

Outback Qld

Remnants of the past.

We are currently staying on a 30,000 ha working cattle station 8 klm from Charleville, Qld called Evening Star Tourist Park. We decided to take a short walk from the caravan park section and came across this disused sheep shearing shed. Judging by the condensed milk can and empty packet of Craven A, I would say it has been many a year since sheep were sheared in this shed.

NSW / Qld border

We finally made it. After a long and somewhat boring drive, we eventually crossed the NSW / Qld border. Being central NSW / Qld, the terrain was very dry and baron. Nothing much to see at all in this part of Australia; kilometre after kilometre of dry grass and flat ground with a few trees on it with many dead kangaroos, that had presumably been hit by road trains (big trucks), on the side of the road. Not the most interesting drive we have had.

Bourke, NSW

Bourke...a small town in cental NSW. Not a lot to say really; the shops close at approximately 5:00 pm, and then it becomes a ghost town. Not only that, they pull down these metal shutters to protect the windows; obviously they have had some problems in the past with unrulely behaviour by the locals.

Still, we did have a relaxing couple of days there. We even visited a small pub at the back of Bourke called 'Northy' (built 1893). Quite a bit of history there as well with old paddle steamers and barges, full of cargo and passengers, travelling up and down the mighty Darling River under the old Gateway bridge to Bourke in a bygone era.

Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, NSW

This has to be one of the best open range zoos in Australia. Situated on 300 ha, you can drive your own car or ride a bike around the entire complex and see animals from five continents.

Rani, of course, could not resist this opportunity for a photo...must be the childhood memories coming back.

Eccentric Dubbo Farmer

Just before reaching the outskirts of Dubbo, we came across this ex-RAAF bomber parked in the paddock next to the farmer's house. I wonder if he used it for mustering his cattle.