Blog #7 Cloncurry, John Flynn (The Flying Doctor Service) and The Stockmans Challenge.

Cloncurry is 800 kilometres inland (west) of Townsville. We took this a bit faster than our usual pace, but still leisurely enough to have a look around and take in the smaller places along the way.

First stop was the Blaze Aid people Ian & Karen, who, after some form filling, took us down to the Showgrounds where we camped for free on power and water.

The bird life in Cloncurry in town is very busy with huge numbers of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Kite birds, dipping down very near the ground.

These are the noisy cockatoos, squawking as they fly.

I really felt like I was back in America, with this shop.

Here are the cockatoos again flying from the trees beside the John Flynn Flying Doctor Museum.

 And the man himself who came up with the idea and made a flying doctor service happen for the isolated people in the outback of Australia. 

This is a model of the first plane they used...

....and where there was no power to work the radio, they used a pedal-operated generator.



This is one of the Flying Doctor medical kits that people in the remote areas have on hand, so that medicine and other treatments can be administered before the doctor arrived. It is all numbered, so the doctor can tell them what number to use and how much. 

 At this time in town was the Stockmens’ Challenge, and cattle men and women from far and wide were in town to compete.

The barrel race demanded a fast horse and a competent rider. 

 And things could and did go wrong very quickly, however she was not seriously hurt.

The reining competition certainly demanded precision. 





Later that night was the Rodeo event and as you can see it’s a dangerous activity.













The bull riding event was even more scary, with a lot more unpredictable weight and movement to handle.

Our call came in from Blaze Aid who told us to head 180km north to the Burke & Wills Roadhouse, and a further 100km north was our destination.

We stocked up on food as we could be well away from any shops/supermarkets for a week, and headed into the Outback.

Blog 8 will start from Nardoo Station, which is where we were heading!

So take care be safe and creative...till the next blog....no worries Mate!   

 Jimu & Christine