TOD Tour 2.0, Day 9: Emerald - Botanic Gardens, Mosaic Walk

Artist Maxine Wilde (right)

This will be a quick read as the head cold I have been battling since we left home has deteriorated into a course of antibiotics and today has been a bit of a stagger. Sue is doing her bit, with a knee injured the last time she visited our daughter, now causing her some serious gyp. Oh the joys of passing into your seventh decade!

Back into town late morning for a coffee at a cafe named for our eldest grandson. We took a photo with the little mascot which has been provided for such times and after seeing the cafe he announced "Mummy, we are going to get into the car tomorrow and go to Queensland and visit my new cafe".

We went back to the information centre to find the Mosaic Walk - 100 Years in 100 Yards. A series of round frescoes, perhaps 800mm across, depict the century since Federation, have been installed in a footpath. A local artist, Maxine Wilde co-ordinated a group of local aboriginal women in the creation of the mosaics, from mostly her designs. They are very colourful and interesting. An added bonus was having the artist on hand to explain the creation process, as she is currently undertaking restoration work on them.

The afternoon was spent at the Emerald Botanic Gardens, which is a wonderfully laid out 42 hectares on either side of the Nogoa River. The six kilometres of walking and bike tracks wend through the different environments you will find in Qld, each represented in the Gardens. I know when I think Botanic Gardens, I think flower beds but in this layout, it is the major plant species and trees which feature. There are a number of art installations, such as the marble game and the Federation Panels. On the southern end of the Gardens, a large windmill pumps water into a reedy lagoon, simulating the importance of artesian water in Qld agriculture. Even though we couldn't cover the ground we might have, it was a deeply impressive green space.

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Both knackered well before our usual expiry date, we returned to the caravan to sulk but couldn't achieve the appropriate state when laughter kept getting in the way. A guy fronting a laptop band and crooning slow, Slim Dusty style country songs was the culprit, although we kept our reactions behind the walls of the van. He finished strongly with "Folsom Prison" as as his sign off. Shades of Charlie Saliva and January in Tamworth.

TOD Tour 2.0 Day 8 - Rolleston to Emerald

Roma to Emerald: 492km (total 1448km)

Rain!

Unexpected pitter patters started during the early morning hours and would continue for much of the day as we shifted camps from Rolleston to Emerald. This made the pack up a little unpleasant but we took our time and shared the responsibilities. Our reward was a visit to the coffee cart in the park at Rolleston. The line ups were long but we arrived before they did.

We stopped at Springsure to look at park which is located in a long narrow band beside the road as you come into town along the Dawson Highway. We had a lovely chat with a pair of volunteers in the museum. The gentleman has spent all but three weeks of his long life in Springsure, after being born at Rockhampton. His mother was a teacher and his dad a cocky. These are the conversations we love to have when we are on the road. The lady came to Australia from New Zealand fifty years ago and agreed she would qualify as a local in another twenty years or so.

Madonna getting into
the groove

Also in the park was a stand of eucalypts planted for those who died on active service in the WWII and some large examples of petrified wood.

Of course, anyone who has been to Springsure knows the main attraction. A stop just outside of town along the Gregory Highway, a roadside stop now used as a free camp by travelers, positions you to view a large section of rock face - part of the abrupt mountains that dominate Springsure. Looking down on us was the Virgin Mary, cradling baby Jesus. I reckon you need to have a good imagination to make out the image but what ever floats your boat.

On to Lake Maraboon, about twenty kilometres from Emerald. Our campsite looks down on what is left of the lake, which is currently at around 20%.



We drove into Emerald during the afternoon, Sue gathering ideas at the information centre and catching up with some of the public art. A large metal sculpture of a dragon ( the real type not the puff type) created by a welding apprentice sits at the front of the information centre but it was the giant art easel with Van Gogh "Sunflowers" towered 25 metres above a former sports oval and is one of three by artist Cameron Cross - the other two being in Canada and Kansas. It was brilliant!

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We returned to Lake Maraboon and went to the viewing platforms over the Fairburn Dam. Lots of work is continuing to make advancements to the dam after the 2008 Emerald flood as a result of the dam over spilling.

Three nights at our current spot, exploring an area we no little about.