Birdsville Bound
We are off to the Birdsville Races.
Held at Birdsville of course which is in far western Queensland, near the border with South Australia and the Northern Territory. About 1600 km west of Brisbane. The races are held on the 31st August and 1st September. The population of Birdsville swells from around 120 to over 6000 for the event. The races are known as the ‘Melbourne Cup of the Outback’. More about the races when we get there!
The pub at Warra, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Not a lot at Warra.
Morven has its race day too.
The week before the Birdsville Races a race meeting is also held at Betoota. It is an uninhabited spot about 140 km short of Birdsville. But the ‘locals’ from far and wide put on a race day and bush dance. We are attending this event as a warm up for the main action in Birdsville. The week after the Birdsville Races, Bedourie to the north of Birdsville hold their race day. These three race events are called the ‘The Simpson Desert Racing Carnival’, in honour of said desert which lies a little further west of the towns. Rumour has it that the same horses run around at these three locations.
At Morven the kangaroos were enjoying lush pasture…………….
Morven was big in sheep, these tin cut outs are on dry, stony ground; much the way the country currently is.
As usual we got away from Brisbane a bit late, around 12.30 instead of 8.00am. This delay put us behind schedule somewhat. But we have now arrived in Quilpie, 950 km west of Brisbane. Along the way we stopped for the night in free camps at Warra (near Chinchilla) and then at Morven. We have stopped at Morven before in the excellent free camp at the town’s Recreation Grounds, best hot showers in the west! $5 a night, great spot.
The country is pretty dry and dusty, drought is taking it’s toll.
About 10 km from Charleville this big Rock Pool is pictured full of water, pretty dry at the moment.
The Rock Pool full of water.
It is about 20 years since we were last in Quilpie. We came through here on a road trip with two teenage daughters. They were not overly impressed my memory recalls. A lot may not have changed in Quilpie since then, we will find out! Allthego though is going to go for a plunge in the artesian water spar tubs in the campground, don’t recall these being here last time.
Posted on August 17, 2018, in Birdsville Races 2018. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Allthegobro 
Haha. You remember correctly… however I do still tell stories of our ‘adventures’ from that trip 😂
Well bon voyage Admiral and First Mate. Trust all goes well in your flash new digs. Perhaps you recall me telling you that my first school was Amby one-teacher school half an hour east of Mitchell. Mum was one of 10 off the land at Amby. My dad and grand-dad were station masters there. Station no longer exists. We transfered to Morven in 1958 where Dad was the station master for four years. We transferred to Brisbane when I was in grade 8. Great memories and a wonderful childhood. Thriving town in those days. Dad had a dance band that played at all the Western balls.
Stay safe. Enjoy life. Be gentle with yourself and others.
Tony and Rosemary 😘🤗💙❤️
There were definitely parts less impressive than others!!