LONGREACH Qld - A NEW MEMBER JOINS THE GROUP

 We have reached Longreach and today, we were joined at the Apex Riverside Park Campground by another "Grey Nomad" member, Colleen, in her Winnebago Motorhome, increasing our Convoy to 5 rigs and 6 people. Colleen had stayed with us for a couple of days back at Bedford Weir and after hearing of our planned great trek west, was excited enough to come along.

Longreach is  the last major town until we make it to Mt Isa, about 800 kms to the NW. The town, around 700 kms from the coast west of Rockhampton on the Tropic of Capricorn with a population of close to 4500, was named after the "long reach" of the Thomson River.  It was gazetted in 1887, and the railway reached the town in 1892, causing population growth. The main industries of the area are cattle, sheep, and, more recently, tourism. It is a friendly place, ideal for the RV traveler with it's Supermarkets, Medical Centre, assorted Variety Stores and the free camp at the Riverside Park, home for us for a few days. There are also many interesting activities and points of interest to keep one occupied for a couple of days although most come with quite hefty participation or entry charges which may, as in my case, be hard to justify on the tight budget of this trip. I am sure though that in the not too distant future, I will return to Longreach to take in the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame that pays tribute to our stockmen and women, early pioneering legends and the Royal Flying Doctor's service; the Qantas Founders Museum commemorating the company and it's contribution to aviation; a Paddle Wheeler dinner cruise on the Thomson River and an authentic ride in a replica Cobb & Co coach complete with I am told, an exciting gallop through the bush.
Unfortunately, although the Riverside park met all our needs and was handy to town it was not very picturesque.