Today was a pretty quiet day spent in Blackall. In the morning we headed out to the Wool Scourer which is the only remaining steam-driven scourer in Australia. It operated from 1908 until 1978 when it finally succumbed to technology. It remained idle till a group of local enthusiasts spent 20 years restoring the equipment. To scour (wash) the wool required lots of hot water, and this was provided complements of The Great Artesian Basin, where this open bore in the picture here has been flowing for more than 100 yrs at 56deg C.
The drovers would bring their sheep to these holding yards before shearing began. As you can see, there hasn't been any rain for some time here. 
How's this for a cute little caravan? Unfortunately, when Chris opened the door we soon realised it would be a 'renovator's delight'. We think we'll stick with the Jayco for the time being. The centre had other buildings and equipment on display - shearer's quarters, a meat safe, tractors and trucks etc. and believe it or not, lots of sheep wandering around.
The Blackall Aquatics Centre should be the model used throughout the country. It was well kept, and the mineral rich artesian water was a comfortable 33 deg in the 50m pool and 36 deg in the spa. For the $2 entrance fee it was a real bargain. We are camped next to some people from Victoria who have been here for a few weeks already and are staying for at least another 4 weeks. They swim each day and enjoy a Happy Hour with other campers each afternoon. So have we!
Seen today: The graves of gun shearer Jackie Howe and Roy Dunne, who holds the record for jumping his goat over a 3'6" hurdle when he was a teenager in the early 1900's; a circle of travellers from Tasmania, Sth Australia, NSW and Victoria enjoying Happy Hour.
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