Date: 27th May 2021
Travelled: 310 kms from Blackall to Charleville
Visited: Charleville, Outback Queensland.
Stayed: Cob & Co Caravan Park, $34, all services.ย S26.39565, E146.25207ย
Budget: 47 days @ $141 per day.
The drive from Blackall to Charleville takes almost 5 hours but we stopped for a post swim breakfast (sardines of course as itโs Thursday), then another coffee an hour or so later, then a late lunch.
Nice picture Pam 
Coffee stop 
This is Australia
We continue on, passing through the town of Tambo as we do. Then more of the same.
Long, wide and it has friends. 
Mowing the grass a 100 kms from anywhere.
Map of Charleville, our icon on the Cobb & Co
Arriving in Charleville we drive straight to the information centre, procure a map and some recommendations. The young lady at the information centre was very keen, but maybe it was her first day. It seemed she was full of recommendations but knew absolutely nothing about anything we enquired.
We drive the overnight options, our first choice the CMCA camp at $10 is three kms from the outskirts of Charleville and no cycle path. Our second choice the Cobb & Co is a kilometre from the centre of town and nothing special, but tidy enough. So Cobb & Co it is.
Once weโve settled in we go for a walk and do some exploring. There are a couple of classic pubs, but many of the shops in the town centre are vacant. Anyway we still enjoy the walk.
Big pub on the Corner 
Another big pub on the corner 
Charleville cenotaph 
Kangaroo kitch 
Nice mural but hard to photograph
We did a little shopping for dinner and head back to the Jayco. The shadows are getting longer and we will be eating in tonight as itโs too far to walk back to the pub.
The weather has turned as we have continued south. Itโs much cooler today and the wind has a real chill about it. So long sleeves are back and so are cold feet apparently.
We had originally planned on two nights in Charleville, but we may just continue on after lunch as neither the campsite or the town itself is holding our interest. Next morning we go exploring a bit further afield.
The Cop shop 
And Court House
We go on to find Charlevilleโs Historic House Museum, as you can see it is housed in the old Queensland National Bank building. Most of the inside is a lot of brick-a-brack but I found the collection of old carriages and vehicles most interesting. Pam prefers the old bottle collection and the dusty dolls.
The museum had a collection of old roadside plinths. One of these is pictured below. They are mostly relating to the bodies of early pioneers found by or near the roadside. Some sad stories…
From here we go on to the cemetery as we leave town.
An interesting walk around Charlevilleโs Cemetery. No grass, just sand but the whole cemetery had been racked by hand, no small job.
Almost forgot to get a picture of the water tower mural, anyway here it is.
So we have done Charleville, without wanting to appear unkind it didโt really ring the bell for us. Anyway weโre back on the Matilda Way once again…
Michael + Pam
