Longreach QLD Day 2

An early start with breckie outside and then off to Longreach School of Long Distance learning. This is where kids on stations which are are taught from prep to year 10. There are few year 7-10's as the kids are usually in boarding school. The Longreach school covers a distance twice the size if Victoria and has 171 kids. In the past they used HF radio,but now they use 1800 telephone #'s and use computers. The sessions vary, but the majority of kids get 2 * 45min classes per week and then typically their mother or a governess (teaching nanny) ensures the kids follow the curricular. All the kids meet up a few times a year and the teachers travel. Some of the stations are over hrs travel via 4wd.

I could never have been taught this way and i top my hat off to the kids and parents ensuring their kids get a great education. We watched a prep class. 1800 for comms, web cams and computer. Very impressive.

Room where teacher teaches. 

As the kids stay in Longreach a few times a year, they stay in these quarters.

Classroom taking place.All virtual.

CAMELS!!!!

Longreach is the home of QANTAS. Do you know what QANTAS stands for???? I didn't :( They have a great museum and have a few planes. I took the 747-200 and 707 tour. I learnt a lot, but the highlight was the 707.

The 707 below was the first one QANTAS purchased out of a total of 13. John Travolta owns the 13th (last) 707. After it was decommissioned by QANTAS it was owned by a few ppl, one of them being a  Saudi family who used it for their luxury transport. It was decked out with a bedroom, couches tables, wood everywhere and top notch bathrooms. It could only transport 30 ppl.

I have seen how the ultra rich now live.

Stockman Hall of Fame was a let down. $30 and I was out within an hour and half.  It shows how life was on the stations from the 1700's to now plus a display from the RFDS. I already had a tour at Broken Hill of the RFDS, so nothing new there.

Now which bike would you prefer? I forgo to add this pic yesterday. Taken at BlackAll Woolscour. Lie down bike with a trailer. I never met the rider, but we saw them on both the Oodnadatta trip and Birsdville trip we have done. Nutters, but it takes all sorts. Huge effort tho.

Off to Winton tomorrow, short ride of 180kms and will be attending the Banjo Patterson musuems.

Enjoy
RP