From Charters Towers To Beyond!

On our last day in Charters Towers, we rose late in the morning. We decided to visit Zara Clark Museum and Lissner Park, knowing little about either of these attractions. We reviewed the situation once we saw all the flying foxes hanging in the trees in Lissner Park. The previous evening, a fellow camper had regaled us with details of an infection she had contracted from Mataranka Springs, another favourite haunt of flying foxes. We crossed the park regrettably off our list.

Zara Clark Museum, made possible by the lady of the same name, left monies to the Charters Towers and Dalrymple Historical Society to preserve a substantial collection of "The World" and her past. We had no idea of the scope of the museum's impressive artefacts until we stepped through the welcoming doors.

Upon entering, we chatted to Joyce and Pat, the volunteers on the front desk. Then we were taken under the wing of Geoff, Charters Towers born and bred, who had a wicked sense of humour and worked out our interests in about five seconds. We then embarked on a magical mystical tour of the Zara Clark Museum with ringmaster Geoff.

We were incredulous at the displays. Suddenly we wished we had allocated more time to this place. So, with Geoff's help, we swiftly moved from one room to another. We were struggling to view all we wanted to see.

Michael vanished for the last fifteen minutes. We had already passed the official closing time for the museum at two o'clock, but Michael was determined to photograph as many of the displays as possible. Eventually, Geoff located him and we were gently tossed out onto the street.

Wow.

The rest of the afternoon was spent stocking up on snacks, prescriptions and more vino. We had dinner back at the caravan park - fish, chips and salad - and retired to bed after a spot of television.

This morning, we set out for the Atherton. The drive was long and reasonably interesting. We are staying in a dinky little cabin in Mt Garnet this evening.  Basic but clean, comfortable and quiet. And the birdlife is prolific. We move onto Herberton tomorrow. Google Herberton. I guarantee you will be as excited as we are. And we are going there and staying the night as Undara Lava Tubes accommodation was full so our plans had to change.

Sometimes, the unexpected proves to be better than the original plan.

At Zara Clark -

Birds and a pink caravan at Mt Garnet Travellers' Rest -