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I note our last part of our travels as relayed to the group ended at Ravenshoe where we stayed a few days at the old
railway station, $5 pvpn powered .. good spot, walk to town. They used to run wood fired steam train trips along 7 km of
restored track, but info is that the running equipment had been allowed to "fall apart".
Insurance is also apparently a problem together with complying with Queensland Transport rules and regulations. From
what I understand, this little railway system has to comply with the same rules etc. that mainline passenger railways have.
Included in this, is the volunteer drivers have to have an annual medical .. apparently, to make shure they are fit and not
likely to "collapse" at the controls .. possible heart attack was mentioned! Over the last 9 months a lot of work had been
done and while we were there the loco was fired up for a visit from the boiler inspector. They then had a short ride in the
loco a few hundred metres up the track and back.
On Sunday, there was a market day held at the site .. market held once a month.
Met up with Allan (VK4HBN) and Val whom we had seen at the Cardwell ham radio "do", but previously in Karratha, WA.
He mentioned that the local ham radio operators were providing communications support for a horse endurance trial in a few
days time. So, on to Wondeckla for 5 days of getting up early .. 5.15 am or so. However, we had power, water and 2 evening
meals provided and we were parked close to the comms base station .. which was my job.
After the above it was on to Atherton for some shopping etc then to Rocky Creek War Memorial where we stayed the
maximum legal time of 3 days. That place was the site of a large WW11 hospital .. info is, that it was a 3,000 bed hospital
and 60,000 patients were treated between 1943 and 1945.
Next, visited Mareeba airport and the War Birds museum .. we arrived when 4 of the oldies were flying in the
vicinity. Inspected the old DC3 I gather they hope to restore .. a massive job! Met up with Nick, VK4YT and saw the restored
aircraft radios that were operational. I had worked this station on 40m AM when they had it operational during an air show.
This was a number of weeks ago and we were near Mackay at the time.
They have, I gather, 4 or 5 operation aircraft plus lots of other interesting gear .. including various WWII radio
gear. I didn't have much time to look at it all .. may re-visit later.
Near here is another museum .. the Beck museum which we had visited previously. He has large hanger full .. lots of
aircraft, engines and sundry bits n pieces.
On to Mareeba and the Rodeo Ground where we have been 5 days so far. Guess about 70 RV's of various types and more
arriving daily. There was a small "horsy" event and some entertainment last weekend, the rodeo is next weekend and a
fortnight later is a motorhome "do" .. Christmas in July. So, folk probably started arriving a couple of weeks ago .. they
are parked here for the first 2 events, then move to another site for the Christmas in July "do". At this stage, we are not
sure we will last that long here at Mareeba!
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