Some of the photos on this page have been crunched to allow the page to open quicker.

You can access the HD version of the pic by clicking it.

It is better viewed on a computer - not a phone.

Sponsors.

A few months before we left on our journey to out-west Qld, we had a call from the management at the Kedron Wavell Club in Chermside who asked if we could call into the Club to see them. We agreed on a date and got together in the Club’s Kitchen café.

Management told us they had been watching the evolution of Scootaville over the years and they have observed that our principles matched theirs, namely we both cared for the welfare of Veterans. Management knew we had expenses to cover each trip, hire costs for the bus, truck and scooters, food, fuel etc and they wanted to know if they could be the major sponsor for the 2025 Qld event to help cover those costs. This of course took us completely by surprise, but it didn’t take long for us to agree.

A few days later we had an agreement where the Kedron Wavell Club would sponsor us to the amount of $10,000. Marvelous generosity, we thank them hugely.

Then not long after, we were contacted by the management at Orica – one of the world’s leading mining and infrastructure solution providers. Orica also cares for the welfare of Veterans and Veteran’s families and they too offered to help us financially.

Would $6,000 help with your expenses they offered, once again it took us less than a heart-beat to agree. We must thank these two most generous firms for their wonderful support, without them we would not be able to donate a significant amount to our two Charities, Legacy which cares for the families of wounded or missing service men and women who have suffered as a result of their service and also to the Air Force Association which has a program to care for homeless Veterans.

It seems once we finalise our accounts from the trip, we will be able to donate a total of $24,000 to our Charities.  That will take us to a total over $100,000 donated since Scootaville first scooted off in 2022 – and we haven’t started yet!

But we mustn’t forget our other wonderful Sponsors.

Smiths Confectionery have been with us since day one, they are always willing to provide us with a great assortment of “chips” which we give out to the kids at the small primary schools we visit along the way. We spend an hour or so at a number of schools, only the small ones, where we tell the kids about Legacy, about the stupidity of war and how there are never any winners after a war, the kids get on the scooters, start and rev them, and we hand out chips.

The kids love it though how the teachers get them back into thinking school stuff after we’ve left is anyone’s guess.

Right:  Trev Benneworth with a most cheerful and helpful employee at Smiths in Brisbane. This young lady went out of her way to help us load all the chips. We had a full load this time which is good as we could take some to Victoria.

Another wonderful sponsor which has also been with us since day one is Metcash. Metcash trades under a number of names, one of the most well-known is IGA. Each year Metcash provide us with a huge assortment of items which we bundle up to give to the kids, items such as coloured pencils, balloons, books, stickers, drink bottles, toys etc, when we give them out the joy you see on those young faces makes the whole thing worthwhile.

Of course there are a large number of other Sponsors, unfortunately far too many to present here but one we must is the Kedron Wavel RSL Sub-Branch.  KW RSL Sub-Branch are always willing to help and will provide us with a vehicle whenever one is available.  This year they loaned us their Mitsubishi ute which we used as the “chuck wagon”. When ever we left anywhere, this vehicle would head off early and stop about 100km up the road, find a rest area with a table and set up the urn and food. When we got there the water would be boiling, the biscuits (donated by Arnotts, another sponsor) and cakes or sandwiches set out and we’d have a 30 minute break. Very civilised.

Another sponsor that definitely deserves a mention is the ADF. Army are always willing to help, this year they sent along the Army Pep Band which entertained the people at a number of towns at which we stayed. They also sent a Hawkai vehicle with us which was a great attraction, especially with the kids who were allowed to climb all over it.

Army also allows us to overnight at one of their Barracks, this year we had two nights at Milne Bay Barracks in Toowoomba – the opportunity to spend a night on an inner-spring mattress instead of having to blow up one’s bed was warmly welcomed by all.  

They also proved to be very good cooks and took over the farewell barbecue at the Kedron Wavell Club’s car park and rolled out hundreds of sausages for a welcome breakfast.

So, on Sunday morning, 24th August, after the barbecue departure and with the Air Force Cadets lining the road and with two police on motorbikes leading the way, we set out from the Chermside Historical Precinct, another wonderful sponsor, for our 19 day, 3,081km journey through outback Queensland. We were lucky to have several serving members from RAAF Amberley join us, but they rode big noisy bikes, not the petite little cruisers that we had.

We must thank the Air Force Cadets who did a wonderful job, lining the road and giving us the salute as we passed by on our way to Toowoomba, our first night’s stop.

Click the big arrow at the bottom of the pic at right to see the video.

Unfortunately we had a mishap only a few kms from Chermside, one of our riders, no names but most know who he is, had a problem with the back wheel of his scooter, the tyre seemed to roll completely off the rim making the scooter uncontrollable. This occurred on the Centenary Hwy, where it meets the Ipswich Mtwy and our rider did a remarkable job staying with the scooter until it tossed him off. He was carried to hospital by ambulance where it was found he had severely damaged a leg and wrist. He’s home now but doesn’t think he’ll be playing football for a month or two.

We have a rule where we stop every hour or so for a brief smoko and if needed for a rider change. Our first stop on day one was at the F-111 stand at the main gate to RAAF Amberley. The RSL Sub-Branch ute had gone ahead and by the time everyone else arrived, the urn was boiling, the coffee, tea and sugar was set out, cups were ready, smoko number one was underway and enjoyed.

From Amberley it was off to Toowoomba where we were to spend 2 nights with the Army. Gary Graham from the AFA and RSL in Toowoomba had organised it for us and it was most welcome. On arrival at the Milne Bay Barracks, each selected a bed site though it was obvious no-one was keen to chance their luck with a top bunk, getting up there and safely getting back down again in the morning seemed too much of a risk.  Balance isn’t what it used to be these days.

Participants in the Scootaville Events have come to realise that they never have to worry from where their next meal is coming – or even if there will be a next meal. Although not complaining, some say all they seem to do, apart from blowing up and letting down beds, is eat.  Toowoomba was no different.

The night we arrived the lovely ladies from the local RSL Sub-Branch and the AFA got together and prepared a magnificent meal for us not-yet weary travellers which we enjoyed in the Mess Hall. And to top it off, they did the washing up too.

Thank you ladies!

Geoff McDonald, the Mayor of Toowoomba, had invited us to a Civic Reception, so next morning it was comb the hair, clean the shoes and onto the scooters and bus for the short trip to the Town Hall. Geoff welcomed us all to his town, thanked Army for bringing their Pep Band “up the hill” to entertain the townsfolk, after which we got together for the customary group photo.

With the official part of the reception completed, Geoff invited everyone to enjoy a most welcome morning tea. Must remember next time to skip breakfast as the food offered was wonderful, fit for Royalty. Some of us were looking for doggie bags.

We eventually said our thank yous to Geoff and his staff, got together at a small park next to Town Hall where it was time for Army to strike up the Band.

As well as providing music for Toowoomba, Army also had one of their vehicles on display. Military vehicles are always an attraction, people love to look at them, get in and on and touch them and the people of Toowoomba were no different.

Very well done Army, thank you.

By mid afternoon, as no-one required lunch, the general consensus was it was time for a nana-nap, so it was back to the bunks for a lie down.

That evening the Committee from the Toowoomba Sports Club had offered to provide dinner for everyone, so once again at about 6.00pm, it was time for the 5 S’s, then into the bus, into town and into the Club.

Toowoomba Sports Club is situated in the middle of town and was established in 1992 as a joint initiative between Northern Suburbs Hockey Club, Toowoomba Brothers All-Whites Rugby League Football Club, Toowoomba Valleys Rugby League Football Club, Toowoomba Basketball Association, and Toowoomba Southern Suburbs Rugby League Football Club.

The meal they offered us was amazing, a huge steak with chips and salad followed by a “wow” desert  Thank you Melissa – it was really appreciated. See you next year?

Next morning Gary Graham, the wearer of many hats in the Toowoomba region, had arranged for Channel 7 to interview us as we left town. We met Fergus Gregg from Ch 7 at a small park, not far from the Barracks.

Click Fergus to watch the interview.

Then it was time to finally leave Toowoomba for our next overnight stop which was to be Goondiwindi, 222km west.

222km is a long way when you’re riding a 110cc motor scooter. Although unbelievably reliable, they are not designed for highway cruising. Our little rides are much more suited to small inner city hops, not cruising the highways with the Harleys and Trumpies, yet they never cease to amaze us with their capabilities. 110cc is about one third the size of a can of Coke and as most of us could not be described as petite, with our weight on their backs they will sit on 85kph – 90kph all day, without protest. Amazing engineering.

Being designed for city use, the little machines do not have a huge range. Most cities have hundreds of service stations, most less than 4-5 km from each other so for city use fuel wasn’t a problem. When the 5 litre tank got a bit low, you just found a servo and filled up. When you have 222km to cover, fuel becomes an important concern.

Each tank holds a minuscule 5 litres of fuel and normally the little scooters would cover about 200km on one tank, but that’s when they are being operated at city speeds on level roads. We used them a little differently, we normally rode at close to full throttle and the terrain was never flat so in some cases we were lucky to get about 120km from each tank.

This of course meant we had to plan constant stops to refuel our little friends which was a good thing as it meant riders also had regular stops. We had arranged to stop every 100km or so for smoko so when we did, we did a fuel check. We always carried 40 litres in drums as some times servos were spaced further apart than our little friends could cover on one tank. Not a problem if you were in a car, truck or bus as 150km was nothing, but it was a big deal to us. Sometimes this necessitated fuel stops on the side of the road.

“Pinkie” Ryan (left) and Keith Porter topping up.

So on leaving Toowoomba our first rest stop was to be Millmerran, 82km up the road. Millmerran has a Memorial Park that has tables and chairs, the all important toilet and also a couple of servos so it was smoko for us and fuel for the scooters.

Sue Trimmer and Rob Collins, our much appreciated catering couple, had gone ahead, and when we got there the table was set.  We all tucked in as though we hadn’t eaten for two weeks, stories were swapped, some riders took a break, we refuelled and set off for Inglewood, another 68km further west and where we’d arranged to stop for lunch as by then we’d all be starving. Riding scooters is gruelling work – a person must eat to sustain oneself.

We had arranged with the Inglewood Hotel for them to provide us with a steak sandwich lunch, served in the beer-garden at the back of the hotel. As it was a warm sunny Queensland day, we decided to dine under cover instead of out in the open. It was nice to see “Swampy” Marsh (standing) who dropped in to see us.

After lunch, it was back onto the scooters for the next leg of the journey, the 90km run out to Goondiwindi but we weren’t going to do it in one go. About 40km west from Inglewood is the small town of Yelabon which is famous for its wonderful grain silos. We pulled off into the car park viewing area opposite the silos and out came the cameras.

The mural concept is titled ‘When the Rain Comes’ and portrays a young boy playing and cooling off in the Yelarbon Lagoon. In his hand, he holds a paper boat, destined to sail across the Yelarbon Lagoon, depicted along and over the shorter six silos.

The paper boat, crafted from historical newspaper remnants discovered in the old Yelarbon Jail, symbolises the region’s rich history and the innovation required for future progress.

The old Yelarbon Jail, situated within the local caravan park, also exhibits other mementoes from the town’s past.

The project was executed in two stages, commencing in 2018 and concluding in February 2020.

We left the silos for the final 50km easy run on the Leichhardt Hwy into Goondiwindi.  Just before Goondiwindi, on the left hand side of the road, you’ll find a series of large Easter Island type statues along with many other items, all made from discarded items.

Another stop – another photo opportunity.

There are five of these Easter Island type statues, known as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Lot's Wife. Artist Angus Wilson, on whose property the items are displayed, started this off back in 2014 when he crafted the huge Australian Coat of Arms. You can see the size of this sculpture by comparing it to the couple on the bottom RHS of the pic.

You can see information on these amazing items HERE.

We left the statues and in no time at all we were at the Goondiwindi Showground where we were to spend the night. Goondiwindi, being a Society Ground and not owned by Council,  is one of the very few showgrounds in the country that charge us for the use one of their pavilions but thankfully, the Goondiwindi RSL Sub-Branch very kindly pay this for us. We thank them very much.

That night we’d challenged the Goondiwindi Ladies Cricket Team to a return match. We thrashed them last time we overnighted Goondiwindi and we’d like to do it again. Unfortunately, the cricket ground was being used and not available but the ladies wanted to redeem themselves and proposed a game of lawn bowls instead – they weren’t going to give up without a fight.

We agreed and a match was set for that night.

The RSL Sub-Branch, as well as paying for our accommodation, offered to put on a barbecue dinner for us at the Bowls Club, which they did and which was greatly appreciated.

Goondiwindi RSL blokes finishing up after a great barbecue.

After the meal and with stomachs full, it was down to the serious stuff. The Bowls Club doesn’t normally open on a Tuesday night but they graciously agreed to open, switch on the lights and allow the grudge match to go ahead.

It was a great night, very friendly, the bar was open, the beer was cold and the game was a lot of fun. A lot of our blokes found the bowling motion was a bit challenging, getting down to earth level to bowl the ball was ok, the problem was getting vertical again, but we persevered.

Unfortunately, and even though our Bike Boss, Sean O’Toole was the anchor player and overall highest scorer (or so he says), at the end of the night we were told that we’d lost but we think there might have been a bit of underhand business involved. The local girls had recruited the Goondiwindi Mayor, Lawrence Springborg, into their team and we believe he might have had a “nod nod, wink wink” word or two to the official scorers.  That means the match scores are now one each, we won the cricket match fair and square, the girls cheated and won the bowls, we’re looking forward to the third game which will settle the series.

Next morning it was up early, down with the beds, breakfast, hit the showers, pack the truck and head west for our next overnighter, St George, a 205 km trip. This time we had a few pre-arranged stops, one of which was a school visit at the small settlement of Talwood.

Talwood, population 130, is 90km from Goondiwindi, it has a small school of 25 students and it fitted in perfectly with our arrangements. 90km is about the limit we ride without a break and with the school, Talwood was perfect.

We pulled up at the school at about 10.00am, parked the scooters, unpacked the “show-bags” from the truck and received a very warm welcome from the young and well-behaved kids.  If you regularly watch the news you’d be forgiven for believing all kids are monsters. Nothing could be further from the truth, over the years we’ve visited a number of schools and always found the kids to be well behaved, courteous, happy, full of energy and with imaginations at full blast.

Talwood was no different.

The kids after been given their “show-bags” and being told a “story” by Paul “Nosey” Parker.

Some of the kids with their “show bags”

You might think that kids who live out west are not as fortunate as their big city cousins, you might think they miss out on a lot, don't have the same opportunities as their city brothers and sisters, miss out on sport opportunities, entertainment facilities, well if you think that we think you'd be dead wrong.

Kids out west are appreciative and still know how to play. They don’t need mobile phones or computer games, or skate parks to have a good time – they have imagination. We watched them with the “show bags”, some of the small toys “became” steering wheels, aircraft, trains and everything we had in the "show bags" was truly appreciated, you’d have thought we had given them items worth a million dollars.

Great to see.

Eventually we had to move on, our next stop was at the famous Nindigully hotel – a further 88km west. The Nindigully hotel (“The Gully”) is one of Queensland’s oldest hotels. The pub license was issued in 1864 after operating as shearer’s accommodation for the Nindigully Station. From the late 1800s it was a Cobb and Co coach change over station. Today, the pub still stands in its original condition and position, located on the banks of the Moonie River, it has become a favourite watering hole and camping spot amongst locals and travellers. 

If you're ever in the area it's a "must-stop" destination.  See HERE.

As it had been a bit over an hour since Talwood School had thankfully provided us with morning tea, we were of course all starving. Luckily the Nindigully Pub wasn’t far away and we'd heard it provided a wonderful lunch.

We lunched.

About to break the food drought at the Nindigully Pub.

After we’d lunched, had a quenching ale, a good look around, it was time to move on. St George was only 45km up the road, and after the kms we’d travelled in the past few days, we were starting to consider a 45km run as “just around the corner” so we set out and in no time at all we were in St George.

Some months earlier, while planning the operation, we had trouble finding suitable or available accommodation in the St George area. We met with ex-RAAF local Gavin McGrath to see if he could suggest a facility and he advised the only suitable hall in St George was behind and part of the Anglican Church.  We went to see Rev Louise Orpe who was only too happy to help. Louise offered us the Church Hall in which to overnight.  Her generosity got us out of a bit of a jam.

Louise told us the Hall wouldn’t be available until after 5.00pm as there was another group using it but after 5.00pm it was all ours. We got into town about 4.00pm so we had an hour to kill which we did very comfortably at The Australian Hotel on the river.

At 5.00pm we moved in, sites were selected, up went the beds, gear stowed away and very soon it was as though we’d been there for years.

Every day Paul “Nosey” Parker, ex-Navy, above right, would put us all to shame. Most people were just content to have a bed on which to lie with the rest of their gear plonked on the ground within easy reach. Not Nosey, each stop he would blow up his bed then lay out all his gear in perfect order, right dressing his shoes at the foot of his bed. Ian Aves, middle, looking on thinking, “Navy must have taught them that – how to live neatly in the smallest of spaces”.

We had lots of bosses, Camp Boss, Bike Boss, Food Boss, Drinks Boss, Truck Boss – next trip we should promote Nosey to Donga Boss, he could become the group’s DI, train us how to “panic” a bed site. Wouldn’t hurt!

That evening Terry Salmon, right, the Secretary/Treasurer of the St George RSL Sub-Branch, had invited us to the Sub-Branch where he said the bar would be open and the RSL and Lions Club ladies would put on a dinner we’d remember for ages.

We went and they certainly did.

The ladies preparing a wonderful “home-cooked” meal.

There wasn’t a lot of talking being done, it was a matter of head down and enjoy the meal. 

Thanks ladies, it was greatly appreciated.

We spoke with Win Salmon, who wears many hats in the Balonne Shire, one of which is President of the local Lions Club, she is also on the committee of the local branch of Toastmasters. In January this year Win was awarded the Shire’s Volunteer of the year award - see HERE. We jokingly told her with all that spare time on her hands she should come riding with us. She said she would love to but hadn’t been on a bike for years.

Nosey overheard this and said “we’ll soon fix that”, he arranged to meet Win next morning and to take her for a ride on the back of his scooter.

Next morning, a jacket and helmet was borrowed, Win was decked out, she hopped on the back of the scooter and away they went - but they did come back.

The invite is still open Win, you'd be more than welcome.

What do they say – “All good things……,”   

It was now time for us to leave St George, cross the Balonne river and head for Cunnamulla where we’d planned to spend 2 nights.  

This was to be a long day, 295km, but we’d planned several stops and once again, one was a school, so we reluctantly packed up and left the Anglican Church Hall for our next stop at the Bollon school.

Leaving St George, thanks again Louise.

The Bollon school was 114km up the long flat road. There aren’t a lot of hills out this way, be a perfect area on which to build an aerodrome but as we were on 110cc scooters, we weren’t complaining.  One thing there was a lot of though was goats – thousands of them. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t rounded up a million or two of them, surely they would be good to eat and they are just out there for free, making more goats.

We arrived at the Bollon School about 10.00am, out came the "show-bags" and a ton of chips and we met the kids.

Bollon township is a bit bigger than Talwood, it has a population of 174 persons but the school is smaller, Bollon school, which first opened in 1885, has only 14 students but they were glad to see us and made us feel very welcome. Although only small, there is a huge amount of pride in these outback schools. Everything is meticulously kept, the kids all in uniforms, teachers devoted to their jobs, you can see it just by looking at the kids, they are all happy.

We reckon the country kids are the lucky ones.

The kids were assembled under a shade, we had a chat with them, gave each a "Show bag", and you could see the shine in their eyes as they tucked into the biscuits and chips. They then wanted to have a look at the scooters, so we got a few ready, had each on its stand with the rear wheel off the ground, the kids hopped on, started and revved them with smiles a mile wide.

We did have pics of the kids on scooters but weren't allowed to show them, shame as they were great little kids. We won't stop there again.

Eventually it was time to go. We still had 180km ahead of us but we'd arranged for our "foodies" to go ahead and set up shop in a rest area about 65km from the school. By the time we'd arrived, everything was in place and we enjoyed a 30 min break.

After smoko, we refuelled the scooters from drums, packed the vehicles and headed off for the 114km easy flat run into Cunnamulla.

We had decided to include the two towns of Cunnamulla and Thargomindah into this Scootaville event. Some months earlier both towns had copped it when the heavens opened and drenched much of the outback in a terrible flood. Cunnamulla survived much better than Thargomindah, thanks to a large levee that had been built some years earlier and most of the town itself remained dry. But not so Thargomindah. Thargomindah went under and stayed under for several days. We thought it would be nice if we could bring a little bit of joy to their lives, so we asked Army if the Band could accompany us further west, which they would, and we got together a bunch of barbecue necessities and off west we went.

The Warrego River that flows through Cunnamulla - which regularly floods.

The roads out west of St George are not well used, traffic is light but the roads themselves are good. We're lucky, we are a huge country with a small population yet our roads are wide, regularly maintained and very good, there are rest areas along the way, mobile phone service might only be available from Telstra but it's there, we don't have a lot to complain about.

One thing there is a lot of west of St George is a huge population of wild and healthy looking goats.  While on the road, about every 10km or so, you come across a group of about 10-20 goats, luckily they have more sense than kangaroos as they don't tend to race across the road in front of cars, you rarely see a "road-kill" goat. We can't understand why someone hasn't/doesn't round a few thousand of them up where they could end up on our plates. Nothing like getting your stock for free.

We arrived at the Cunnamulla showgrounds late in the afternoon and very soon settled into the pavilion graciously allowed us by the Show Society.

Our accommodation, Cunnamulla Showground.

We planned to spend 2 nights in Cunnamulla and after beds had been set up, those that rode took off on the scooters for a tourism look around town, one spot that was visited was the weir not far out of town. This weir keeps the river level high and attractive as it flows past the town.

Next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we started to get ready for the town barbecue. We had spoken with Mayor Suzette Beresford some weeks earlier and we had offered to provide a barbecue for the town just to let them forget those terrible floods. Mayor Beresford offered to provide the physical barbecue while we provided the others. We got together a stack of sausages, onions, bread and sauces, all thanks to the generous gift card given to us by IGA and late in the afternoon we set up shop.  The Army had also agreed to follow us out to Cunnamulla and perform for the town while we barbecued.

The troops hard at it barbecuing.

The Army band hard at it banding.

The troops with Mayor Beresford at the Cunnamulla Fella.

Next day it was time to leave Cunnamulla and head a further 200km west to the town of Thargomindah, once again keeping an eye out for wild goats and this time also for wild emus.

We were lucky in that there was a small town called Eulo only 68km west of Cunnamulla which boasted a great little pub. We decided to make it our first stop. In 1886, the pub, called the Queen Hotel, was originally built and operated by Isabel Gray and her husband. Back then it was known not only as a hotel but also as a store and butcher shop. Gray, often called the "Eulo Queen," gained a reputation for her ability to "enrapture her male counterparts" with opals, which she used as currency.

The current hotel was built in 1954, replacing the original structure which no longer exists.  During the opal mining era, the hotel was and still is, a central part of the Eulo township.

The hotel is operated by Adam and Prue Brancher. Adam is ex-Army and lovingly maintains a wonderful memorial out the front of this hotel.  (Click the plaque to be able to read it).

After another coffee, a hand full of biscuits, a walk around, trip to the toilet, it was back onto the bikes and into the last 53km to Thargomindah. We were lucky that Mayor John "Tractor" Ferguson had agreed to meet us a few km out and ride one of our scooters back into town.

John led us into town, we did a few laps up and down the streets then headed out to the golf club where we were to spend two nights. The Army Band joined us. Origonally we had been allocated the town's shire hall but the recent floods had affected the building badly, inspections had found it was full of mould and not fit for use in any way.

The Shire Hall. The blue tape line next to the wheelie bin, shows the water level through the town at the height of the flood.

The golf club was a few km out and unfortunately the floods had seriously affected the grounds - but the building was in good shape and we were very thankful for its use. And it didn't take us long to set up.

As we had in Cunnamulla, we held a public barbecue in a public park in Thargomindah and the Army band entertained the locals before also joining the barbecue.

Ace snag roller, Ian Aves, hard at it, being professionally helped out by onion man extraordinaire, Rob Collins.

We had a free day in Thargominday and decided to do some exploring. Two points of interest that we had to see were the old Hospital and the hydro electric scheme.

The old Thargomindah hospital.  Click the open door to see what conditions were like back then.

The Hospital was built in 1888 of locally produced unfired Mud Brick. The bricks were made from black soil on the banks of the Bulloo River just south of the town, at the site of what was the Chinese Market Gardens. After the bricks were moulded (in the machine now situated at the front door of the Meathouse), they were laid out to dry and covered with Yapunyah leaves. During this process, roaming animals often left their imprints. In the hospital itself, there are footprints of dogs, cats and emus preserved on the walls. Once the leaves were sufficiently dry, they were ignited and the bricks were "FIRED", changing colour from mud grey to red. Many of the town's buildings were built from this local brick, however, only four of these buildings remain.

There have been three distinct phases in the life of this building. The first stage includes the first 55 years of Hospitals history, during which the building provided a vital service to the community for two important reasons. Firstly, because it was a Hospital, it supplied essential medical assistance to Australia's pioneers. Secondly, it gave people in the town and the wider Bulloo Shire a sense of security, which is important for a remote community in what can be a harsh and dangerous landscape. The Hospital helped to encourage people to move west and live the Australian pioneering dream.

The second stage in the Hospital's history began in 1942 when a Flying Doctor Base was established in Charleville. This increased the communitys sense of security and meant that a resident doctor was no longer a necessity in Thargomindah. During this period there was also a significant change to the Hospital's management when the reins were passed from the Thargomindah District Hospital Committee to the Cunnamulla Hospital Board in 1946.

The third stage for the building began in 1976, when a new Thargomindah Outpatients Center was opened in Dowling Street. For a time the old brick building was privately owned by the Howard family, who eventually sold it to the local Council that rented it out as residential flats. These flats were not well maintained during this time and it is only thanks to Terry and Vonda Smith, who purchased the building from the Council in October 1995 and began renovations, that the building has survived and remains in such a well-kept condition today. Terry and Vonda not only restored the old Hospital, but they re-established its central position in Thargomindah as an Outback icon. In 2006, the building later became the Bulloo Shire Councils Tourism Office until 2013 when the current Visitor Centre was built in Dowling Street.

Thargomindah early hydro power plant.

In 1891 drilling commenced on a bore to supply Thargomindah with water and in 1893 an exceptionally good supply was struck at 808 meters (2650 feet) with the water at 84 degrees Celsius. The bore was the source of energy for Australia's first hydroelectric scheme to produce street lighting when in 1893 Thargomindah's streets were lit by means of a generator coupled to a water turbine driven by the bore's natural water pressure.

Thargomindah became one of the few places in Australia that enjoyed the benefits of reticulated water and electric street lighting.

How was it that this isolated community revelled in modern luxuries that much larger towns and cities would not enjoy for decades? The answer lies in Thargomindah's location above the Great Artesian Basin which is an underground water resource in which large volumes of water are trapped in layers of permeable sandstone between layers of impermeable mudstone.  The water can be millions of years old and is under considerable pressure.  

Many years ago a spirited townsman named Patterson, while on a business visit to Brisbane, purchased an electric light plant, and this he installed in his store. It was such a success that hotels and stores applied to be connected. In time private dwellings were seeking the same privilege; indeed, there was such a demand for the light that the Bulloo Shire  Council decided to purchase the plant.  This was done, and with many additions it was duly installed in the bore area and worked by bore water power.

The plant is still in excellent working order. 

Next day we decided to return to Cunnamulla while the Army Band decided to head north to Quilpie. We agreed to meet up again in Charleville in a few days. As we did on our way west, we stopped again on our way back east at the Eulo pub for a breather and smoko. Eulo is not a big place but during WW2, a local shopkeeper built an air raid shelter to provide safety for the locals in the unlikely event of an air raid. It's still there today.  Click the pic to read the story,

W.I.P.