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Van Trip 2007
Day 14
Kilometres travelled today......425
Kilometres from home.......1928
We left the park at 8:40am for another long day, and travelled through Clermont and then onto the Gregory Development Road to Belyando Crossing where we stopped at the Road House for lunch.
The "Crossing" is about half way between Capella and Charters Towers, and has a population of 5.
It rained for most of our journey with many creeks full and flowing fast, we had to drive through water over the road on numerous occasions. The damage to the road due to the recent flooding was evident in many places. In fact when we arrived in Charters Towers we were told by the staff at the caravan park that they were surprised that we got through as they had heard that the road had either been closed or was about to be closed, also the road west to Hughenden had been closed.
We checked into the Outback Oasis Van Park at 3:40pm, just 6 hours after leaving Capella, to find a very wet and muddy park. At least our site, 36, had a concrete slab.
Charters Towers is 134 kilometres inland from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. In 2006 the population was 7,979. During the last quarter of the 19th century the town boomed as the rich gold deposits under the city were developed.
The town was founded in the 1870s when gold was discovered by chance at Towers Hill on Christmas Eve 1871 by 12-year-old Aboriginal boy, Jupiter Mossman. Jupiter was with a small group of prospectors including Hugh Mossman, James Fraser and George Clarke. Their horses bolted after a flash of lightning. While he was searching Jupiter found both the horses and a nugget of gold in a creek at the base of Towers Hill. Charters originated from the Gold Commissioner, whose surname was Charters. A total of ten major gold reefs were eventually mined.
Such were the boom years, between 1872 and 1899, that Charters Towers hosted its own Stock Exchange. A railway between Charters Towers and Townsville was completed in December 1882. During this period, the population was approximately 30,000, making Charters Towers Queensland's largest city outside of Brisbane. The city was also affectionately known as "The World"', as it was said that anything one might desire could be had in the 'Towers', leaving no reason to travel elsewhere. The town was officially declared in 1877 with John McDonald being elected the town's first mayor.
By 1917 gold mining became uneconomic. During World War 1 labour was hard to find, and as the mines drove deeper, ventilation and water problems arose. This production decline was similar across Australian gold mines, with rising costs and a fixed gold price eroding profitability. The town entered a long period of relative stagnation and little further development has occurred since.
Tomorrow we head for Townsville, which is a short 130 kilometres, where we will meet up with my brother & sister- in- law, Kerry and Peggy.
Kilometres travelled today......425
Kilometres from home.......1928
We left the park at 8:40am for another long day, and travelled through Clermont and then onto the Gregory Development Road to Belyando Crossing where we stopped at the Road House for lunch.
The "Crossing" is about half way between Capella and Charters Towers, and has a population of 5.
It rained for most of our journey with many creeks full and flowing fast, we had to drive through water over the road on numerous occasions. The damage to the road due to the recent flooding was evident in many places. In fact when we arrived in Charters Towers we were told by the staff at the caravan park that they were surprised that we got through as they had heard that the road had either been closed or was about to be closed, also the road west to Hughenden had been closed.
We checked into the Outback Oasis Van Park at 3:40pm, just 6 hours after leaving Capella, to find a very wet and muddy park. At least our site, 36, had a concrete slab.
Charters Towers is 134 kilometres inland from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. In 2006 the population was 7,979. During the last quarter of the 19th century the town boomed as the rich gold deposits under the city were developed.
The town was founded in the 1870s when gold was discovered by chance at Towers Hill on Christmas Eve 1871 by 12-year-old Aboriginal boy, Jupiter Mossman. Jupiter was with a small group of prospectors including Hugh Mossman, James Fraser and George Clarke. Their horses bolted after a flash of lightning. While he was searching Jupiter found both the horses and a nugget of gold in a creek at the base of Towers Hill. Charters originated from the Gold Commissioner, whose surname was Charters. A total of ten major gold reefs were eventually mined.
Such were the boom years, between 1872 and 1899, that Charters Towers hosted its own Stock Exchange. A railway between Charters Towers and Townsville was completed in December 1882. During this period, the population was approximately 30,000, making Charters Towers Queensland's largest city outside of Brisbane. The city was also affectionately known as "The World"', as it was said that anything one might desire could be had in the 'Towers', leaving no reason to travel elsewhere. The town was officially declared in 1877 with John McDonald being elected the town's first mayor.
By 1917 gold mining became uneconomic. During World War 1 labour was hard to find, and as the mines drove deeper, ventilation and water problems arose. This production decline was similar across Australian gold mines, with rising costs and a fixed gold price eroding profitability. The town entered a long period of relative stagnation and little further development has occurred since.
Tomorrow we head for Townsville, which is a short 130 kilometres, where we will meet up with my brother & sister- in- law, Kerry and Peggy.
- comments
wendy Hi Denis and Jude Watching your progress. Looks great ! Wend & Wayne
Graeme & Di Goldrick We have some bad memories of Charters Towers. Two years ago when we passing through there we were booked for not giving way at a "Give Way" sign. We were in unfamiliar territory not realising that we were pulling out on to a main highway (hence the "Give Way" sign) and made the mistake of doing so in front of a police paddy wagon. No a good idea! Good to read your travels - Graeme & Di