ST GEORGE
This is a very tidy and picturesque town on one side of the Bollon River A weir at town's edge ensures that the river is well filled on the town reach for boating and fishing -- it is quite the width of the Brisbane river.
The town has a population of 3300, and is centre to a thriving cattle, sheep and cotton-growing district. It is 540km west of Brisbane by road.
I found its best feature was the terraced parkland all along the river front: seating, concrete walkways, electric barbeques etc. Sets the town off nicely. As usual, there is a very well stocked information centre with helpful staff. The town centre straddles three or four streets, and has a good variety of stores. The usual link to Cobb and Co that marks all these western towns is there too, in the Cobb and Co pub. They claim to have been a stopping point on one of the runs west.
The local RSL had no historic photos they could show me. Apparently it used to be a Memorial Club, locally owned. A few years back someone sent it broke, so it was closed down for 2 or 3 years. Then the RSL stepped in, took it over and re-opened it. They are trying to make it financially viable again. Crowds last night would indicate that should be possible. It has a large cabaret area as well as spacious dining, bar and pokie areas.
Scattered around the town are a number of murals depicting the cotton industry. These are painted on the side walls of buildings.
On St George's Day 1846 Thomas Mitchell crossed the Balonne River at a spot he named St George Bridge. This is where the current weir has been built, and there is a memorial plaque in the parkland adjacent. This was on Mitchell's fourth expedition during which he explored several southern Queensland rivers as he attempted to prove that there was a great outback river that emptied into the Gulf of Carpentaria rather than flow south into the Darling-Murray system. If only they had Google Maps back then! The town eventually grew up nearby.
As I drove out of town past the showgrounds, they were busy setting up for the annual show which is on tomorrow (Sunday).
Photos here
MOONIE
188km east of St George on the Moonie Highway is the village of Moonie. It trumpets itself as the Oil Capital of Australia. In reality it is little more than the crossroads between the Moonie (east-west) and Leichhardt (north-south) Highways, dominated by the BP truck stop cafe, which includes a cafe, bar and motel. There is a little Catholic church, a heritage info house and a couple of houses. Was served a great steak sandwich for lunch. Was given directions to where the Greens used to live, so drove out there for a look. Santos Moonie oil fields are next door, with a landing strip along the road edge. I found the gateway to the property, took a photo, and headed back onto the Leichhardt Highway for the 92km run south to Goondiwindi. Was there in time to find a motel, get to the vigil church service and have a HUGE mixed grill at the Queensland Hotel. Bed beckons!
Photos here
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