In my last email I forget to mention the little township of Ilfracombe, about 26kms before Longreach. We stopped there briefly. The historic Wellshot Hotel has a fascinating assortment of hats, mostly akubras and well worn adorning it’s walls and the ceiling is covered with Australian and foreign currency notes.
Ilfracombe is also home to one of the most extensive historical machinery displays in Australia. The open air museum i know as the Great Machinery Mile and all sorts of machinery, some rare line the side of the highway.