Day 124 - A boat for the Outback

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Barcaldine 3km around town

They all started clapping when the driver got out of the cabin. And there is no denying that what we are witnessing, although only a small sliver of the whole, is a logistical masterpiece. It puts every episode of Monster Moves I have ever watched to shame. Since our arrival in Barcaldine, our caravan park hosts have been talking about the "boat" coming through. When they first mentioned it, I didn't quite get it, they said something about a paddle steamer going to Longreach. I thought, yeah, a paddle wheeler to the middle of Outback, sure, how big can this boat be? It turns out VERY BIG. At 5pm in the afternoon a lady started running through the caravan park, yelling "the boat is here!" Then everyone was on the move, jumped into a car and went to the big truck stopping bay down the road. It was like the circus had come to town. But instead of an elephant, it came with a big boat. Watching the spectacle was hilarious and mindboggling at the same time.




A bit of background to this unusual story. The Pride of the Murray was built as a timber logging barge in Echuca in 1924. After its working life it was abandoned and sunk in the River Murray. Captain Maxwell Carrington bought the wreck for $100 in 1973, restored it and the boat was launched as passenger vessel in 1977. Murray River Paddlesteamers ran it as a tourist attraction. At the beginning of this year, Richard Kinnon, grazier and outback tourism entrepreneur bought the retired vessel with the vision to make it part of his Outback Pioneer Tourism  emporium. And as I write this, we hear that the boat has enjoyed a successful arrival at Longreach, now floating on the Thomson River. Our 'friends' at the Big Rigs magazine have also reported about the epic move: here is the Link

But now wait, the story gets better. Back at the campground, where we enjoy the communal Saturday night roast dinner, we are joined by the media company who are covering and filming the entire story for a documentary and by the owner, Richard Kinnon, himself! Despite being regarded as an influential larger than life figure in the region, he is a remarkably modest and humble guy. The only thing big about him is his hat! He shares a few memorable outback yarns around the campfire and has everyone's attention. When sitting next to Louise he said "well, your hair isn't grey enough to be a grey nomad" - to which Louise wittily replied "oh don't worry, I am working on the grey bit". At the end of the night he farewells us with the encouragement to check in at his office in town (Longreach). 

Before the excitement around the boat kicked in, we enjoyed a day out in this friendly town. After a couple of hours at the library, grocery shopping and lunch at the Ridgee Didge Cafe, we pay a visit to the National Monument to Australia's working men and women in the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, which also elaborates on the Great Shearer's Strike of 1891 in great detail. 

On quite a few occasions on this trip, we have missed a local highlight, an event or a show by a few days. But this time we were lucky. I mean, who gets to see a paddle wheeler on its way to Outback Queensland? We do. 




Location: Barcaldine QLD 4725, Australia

Comments

  1. FrancieJune 13, 2022 at 8:29 AM

    That is so amazing. I am enjoying a morning cuppa reading an ABC article about this paddle steamer's journey. Love the selfie. At least Richard Kinnon is doing something relatively useful with his millions instead of Clive Palmer. An aside: huge billboard says "Geez Clive, you spent $15 mil and didn't get one seat." To the side is a pic of an office chair. "You could'of gone to Ikea and got one for $39.95!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. JulietteJune 13, 2022 at 2:49 PM

    Wow! That is a great win to see a boat that large in Barcaldine. I hope you are able to catch up with Richard Kinnon. But make sure you have time to visit the other history point in Longreach as they are as important as the Worker Heritage Centre in Barcaldine. JX

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