12th May - Emerald

As we hit the highway it wasn't long before we come across these eagles on a road kill.  Of all the wedge tail eagles we have seen out here it wasn't till we get almost home that I manage to take a photo, of sorts.    The wedge tail eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and can grow up to 105cm in height and weigh up to 4kgs (male) or 5.2kgs (female).   They have a wedge shape tail, feathered legs to the end of their toes and a wing span of around 2.3m - an awesome creature.

The best dunny sign I have seen all trip and believe me we have seen some.   Apparently there was good reason for this sign being put up.   The owners of the Rolleston servo decided to do up the dingy loos, spic and span, white and clean.    They used to leave open 24/7 in case anyone needed a loo when filling up at the self serve after hours or just passing through town, that was until only a month after renovating, the owner arrived in morning to find both men/ladies loo had been horribly vandalised.    Hence now the loos are shut after hours.   Some people are just grots.

The Rolleston pub where we had a quick lunch. The steak
sanga was nice but the filling kinda slipped out, bit messy but still good.

 The Planet Inn first opened in 1862 in Brown Town (as it was known before changing name to Rolleston).  In 1912 the new licencee, Charlie Nicholson  demolished the building to rebuild a more spacious and comfortable hotel they renamed "Planet Hotel".  Unfortunately poor Charlie died before construction was completed and the business was carried on by his wife.  The boys around these parts wear, wrangler shirts, RM jeans, big belts and THONGS! Must be their week-end wear......

We passed through Springsure, this town being 322 metres (1057 feet) above sea level and is one of the few inland towns to have a "sea breeze" or, as it is locally known,  the "nine o'clock breeze".  The unusual escarpment  overlooking the town is called Mount Zamia. A noticeable feature on the eastern side of the range is known as the Virgin Rock (left in this pic).  Inside the niche of the rock is a weathered likeness of the Virgin Mary holding her child.

Emerald, named not after the gem, but for the lush green pastures that once surrounded the town.   Emerald is the hub of the Central Highlands area.  A feature of the town, the historic railway built in 1900 and restored in 1986, features wrought iron lacework and pillared portico.  Emerald's primary industries include coal, sapphire and gem mining, cotton, wheat, maize, sorghum, oats, barley, sunflower, soybean, beef, aquaculture, citrus, grapes, avos, mangoes, native flowers, peanuts and many more small crops.  Busy little place!

No, this isn't the shopping centre car park, this is the 20 hour free camp near the botanic gardens.  Nestled between the busy highway and the railway line, there were quite a few tents here too, it must be a safe place.   We opted for power tonight, stayed at a very nice van park here.  The Botanic Gardens situated on the banks of the Nogoa River covers an area of 42 hectares.  We went for a ride through part of the gardens, piles of plant rubbish visible signs of the clean up after floods hit the area not that long ago.

Once famous as a major sunflower producer, Emerald is now home to the world's biggest Van Gogh 'Sunflower' painting on an easel, located in Morton Park.  The superstructure is 25 metres high with approximately 13.6 tonnes of steel involved in its construction.    This park is by the info centre which is the first 'straw bale' visitor info centre in Qld.  Yep apparently the walls are made from bales of straw.    Not that we didn't see as it was closed when we were there.

The Centenary of Federation Mosaic Pathway leads you through 100 years, in 100 metres, of Emerald's colourful history.  It runs alongside the Pioneer Cottage Complex which showcases a small historical village, including a lockup, church and museum.     This mosaic part of the "Creation" section.  "In the Dreamtime all the earth lay sleeping.  Nothing grew. Nothing moved. Everything was quiet and still. The animals, birds and reptiles lay sleeping under the earth's crust."

On leaving town, we were directed off the road to make way for a "wide load".   Okey dokey, considering this wide load took up the entire width of our side of the road, we have no option.  It is pretty awesome how they transport these monster machines.