OK, I've got that off my chest.
Thargomindah was a most interesting stop we chose to stay 3 nights at the Council Caravan Park @ $30 per night. It was beautifully laid out, large drive through parks, new and immaculately maintained ablution block. It made such an impression on my I willingly reported it to the reception desk at the Council building. This is where that stunning mural is. The Australian War Memorial wants it, but the town is not willing to give it up.
Leahy House is one of the few original buildings left. Leafy was one of the major pioneers who was credited with instigating the town and he was even Speaker of the House in Parliament. Sir Kidman bought it then it became National Heritage. Naturally it has a lot of the history in word & photo.
The old post office frontage is original and they have built around it. It also serves as souvenir and craft shop, bus booking, bank and all other services.
The Information Centre has an interesting history, the new one was only opened 2 years ago & also has the Library with wifi, a very nice modern building with informed staff.
The old Hospital is open for a guided tour 3.30 daily & this is where one of the Information Centre staff come and do the honours (she was part aboriginal, grew up in the town & knew the history & customs. Guessing age 19, still living at home, brother in boarding school) it was great to hear local customs from all sides. The Hospital was in use until the new one was buil in recent years then it bacame the Information Centre until 2 years ago. It was the staff that felt it was a shame for it to just remain empty and asked for it to be another tourist attraction, as they only really had the Hydro Plant. They found the old beds that had been stored and even the old Mortuary table with its grooves for drainage. In the olden times the matron and her family lived in the 2 end rooms. There was a building right by the fence for Aboriginal patients and they wouldn't even come over the road to come to the Hospital, the Doctor had to go over and get the patient to come in. They were scared of the white people at that time.
After tat tour we went to the Hydro Plant (same guide, $5pp if you did both tours.)
This Hydro was driven by the force of water from the bore that supplies water at 83degrees to the town. Each town has a cooling plant to make the water useable and also there are huge cooling pings on the edge of town. They were the third place in the world to have electronic street lighting. London, Paris then here. Only a few years ago the locals got fed up with only having electricity from 5 pm to 11pm and they went on the national grid. The turbines were run be diesel in later years and this original one is still working by water only and it was demolished for us and the lights came on.
Food works Supermarket supplied all we needed for the next few days.
Please excuse any typos because I can't go back and proof read. If I touch anything it will all disappear and I would never do any more Blog.
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