Date: 1-2nd June 2021
Travelled: 210 kms from St George to Goondiwindi
Visited: Goondiwindi, south central Queensland.
Stayed: Rivergums Caravan Park, $35, all services.ย S28.55070, E150.31148ย
Budget: 53 days @ $139 per day.
We escape St George just after 8 am. Happily we refuel the Jayco at $1.30 cpl and our service station attendant of Sikh heritage was very helpful. The bain-maire had an excellent assortment of tastes from the Punjab. But we were a bit concerned that we may be looking at yesterdayโs curries so we continued on.
It is obvious as we continue east on the Barwon Highway we are in cotton country. The countryside changes quickly from scrubby bush land to huge cropping paddocks. Itโs also apparent the cotton has already been harvested as hundreds perhaps thousands of huge rolls of cotton line the road and nearby paddocks for a hundred or so kilometres.
We stop for a roadside breakfast at Tallwood, little remains of the village but an old set of tennis courts. Soon enough we continue on our way.
Lots of cropping 
Lots of trucks 
Map of Goondiwindi, the icon on campsite
Goondiwindi has a few campsite option but the Rivergum is well located nearest to the town centre. It is quite small, probably less than 20 sites which suits us nicely. We check in, before going for a walk around town.
It soon become evident Goondiwindiโs local hero is the legendary racehorse Gunsynd. There are pictures, statues and storyboards about the grey horse everywhere. Goondiwindi has a population of 6,500 people, riding on the Gunsyndโs back from a tourist perspective, however the townโs big employers are all about cotton.
Looking down Marshall Street 
It seems you can get most anywhere from here,
The gates to the Memorial Park 
The Cenotaph
We eventually make our way back to the Rivergum Campsite passing the Queenslander as we do. The sign out the front claims itโs the oldest pub in Queensland.
We have booked for dinner at the Victoria Hotel back in the centre of town for dinner tonight. Itโs a bit of a walk but the reviews are good. We originally planned to catch the courtesy bus home, but we decide to walk off the big meal.
We wake the next morning to clear skies and sunshine. Good day for a bike ride.
Goondiwindi has a number of cycleways. We decide on the McIntyre River cycleway in the morning (8 kms return) which follows the river levy to the townโs Botanic Gardens on the western boundary. In the afternoon we ride the cycleway to the Natural Heritage Park (10 kms return) and then continue on to the cemetery on the far eastern side of town.
The Old Border Bridge over the McIntyre. 
Views from the bridge the river looks full and healthy. 
Goondiwindiโs Tree of Knowledge. The flood river levels are recorded on this old tree.
Dunnie Artwork 
The artist was giving it a touch-up when we stopped for a look.
Panorama of the McIntyre River at Goondiwindi
The Botanic Gardens have an extensive set of gravel paths as well. 
The billabong is full 
The cemeteryโs pioneer wall lists the details of all the older graves with no headstone 
Our day of riding Goondiwindi cycleways complete, we return to the Jayco to find we have lots of new neighbours. We pack away the bikes and get the BBQ going, steak and sausages tonight. Cannot remember where we brought them, but the townโs name probably started with C which limits it to half the towns in Queensland.
Michael + Pam
