This was just up the road, remembering that we are in the outback so it was a forty five minute drive away and our first stop for the day.
Had to leave off as we hadn't been through security, in Brisbane security is downstairs and then go to departure lounge.
Anyway Ken's chat about the station was informative, he told us how big it was and how long he had been there, he started there twelve years before as manager and then took over the lease five years ago. It only operates six months of the year as the rest of the time, in the wet noone can get there.
It had another week to run and then starts sometime in May depending on when the rivers go down. One of the things he ensisted on when he starting managing it was to have live entertainment each and every night. Entertainers come in for at least a week with the mail plane.
Dinner was alright and the accommodation was not the best, it did have a/C. Not a place I would hurry back to and we all agreed that we would not like to work for Ken.
No longer is it a cattle station but a tourist camping place. We were met by the leasee of the place Ken, who welcomed us and told a few things.
Happy hour was at 5.30, a talk about the station was at 6.40 and dinner at 7pm. We had two tables, one of sixteen and one of nine, we were not to move the chairs as then the staff knew what was what
Accommodation was donga type, very small, we had an ensuite and a double bed, others had singles and shared facilities.
Dinner was steak, sausages and rissoles, potato bake and vegetables, grab a plate and line up.
Not far up the road was Archer River and our lunch stop.
A politican by the name of Russ Hinze loved getting out and about and he was a very big man. This was a chair built especially for him when he visited Archer River.
This one was taken just the above from the right side of the bus. There was often a marked difference in foliage
This was lunch, knifes and forks at the end with plates, bread and wraps, then salad stuff and cold meat. There were chairs in the truck to get out and put under shade. Everyone helped themselves to what ever, a cuppa then the clean up and off we would go again.
This was a morning tea stop. The tables come out of the truck, biscuits and fruit cake. There is a plastic drawer of steel mugs and an urn, tea and coffee. Milk from the fridge in the back of the truck, usually 30 minutes.
A couple of steel square basins for washing up, everyone clubs in to help set up and same to wash up and put away.
Another big room and an excellent meal.
Our stop for the night. Massive room. We got there about 4pm, most days we got in about then, time for a rest a shower and in this case a cache before dinner.
Dinner was served to all as a crumbed piece of steak/veal and hot vegies, Panna Cotta and berries for dessert.
