Outback odyssey
23 Jul 2019
John Kaye was a runner up in the 2018-19 Probus Photographic Competition. He recounts his winning trip to us.
This year I was fortunate to come second in the 2018-19 Probus Photographic Competition, winning a trip to Longreach courtesy of Trade Travel. Having been there twice before on our Australian odysseys, we weren't sure whether to take it but then decided to go – and weren't we pleased we did.
The flights up to Brisbane and then the little Dash 8 out to Longreach went without mishap and we arrived to be met by a country gentleman dressed in moleskins, a checked shirt and a good-sized Akubra who introduced himself in a very outback accent as Richard. He was our lift back into town.
As soon as we arrived we recognised the building where we were staying in the middle of town, so not having a car it was no real problem to get around. That night we met up with three other couples who were staying there for a briefing of the upcoming activities. At the end of the briefing we all agreed there would not be too much spare time. We also found out that Richard was the patriarch of Kinnon and company!
Busy days
The days were to be full of visits to outlying properties, sheep shearing, cross-country driving through an animal refuge full of camels, kangaroos and emus in a roofless double-decker bus, plus interesting stories about the cattle duffer – known as Captain Starlight, real name Harry Redford – who operated in the area, and stagecoach rides. That night was the beginning of the food fest with a stone grill dinner back in town.
Next day, an early large breakfast and then into the Cobb and Co stagecoach for a ride through the scrub. Thank goodness for independent suspension and four-wheel drive today, but the highlight was when the drivers, Richard’s two very talented sons, let the horses have their heads for a half-kilometre dash. This certainly raised the adrenalin. Back in town there was a tent show and lunch followed by a free afternoon, and that night down to the Thomson River for a ride in a paddlewheeler followed by more entertainment and more food.
The action didn’t stop, as next day it was in a bus and out to Winton for a visit to Australian Age of Dinosaurs, which had doubled in size since our last visit; Winton Discovery Experience, which had been rebuilt; and then lunch and a meeting with “Banjo Patterson”, who took us through the life of the poet and the birth of Waltzing Matilda at the North Gregory Hotel.
The final day saw us at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame preceded by a one-hour sculpture walk hosted by a laconic Aussie named Scotty who told us the stories and recited poetry at will.
Overall, we have a new appreciation for outback hospitality. We know they were paid, but the Kinnon family runs a customer-friendly family business and treat all their visitors like family.
Thank you, Probus, for choosing my photo.
If you’d like to enter the 2019-20 Probus Photographic Competiton, click here to find out how.
And to experience your own adventure just like John – be it in the outback, elsewhere in Australia, or even internationally – visit the Trade Travel website to join one of their fantastic tours.
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