A glorious morning in Barcaldine, we are the first to cook our bacon and eggs at the BBQ (the smell woke the rest).  A great rest area with lovely clean toilets, BBQs, tables, benches and quite neighbours (we are right next to the dead centre of town).  We got to talk to the young couple with 2 young children traveling around Australia in an old Toyota van (our Karavan was like the Taj Mahal with all the mod cons on wheels) told us that we will find a beaut rest area where we can camp for 4 days free at Longreach. (People have been warning us that caravan spots are at a premium at Longreach)  We only had a short drive so we were there by 9.30 am.  First we had a tour of the Qantas museum.  We went through a Boeing 747 Spirit of Bundaberg then 707 The City of Canberra – the last owner was an Arabian prince and ambassador to the United Nations – his name may not be revealed or the table he ate/drank or wrote from cannot be seen.  Most of the other furnishing and wood panelling remained, ensuite with plush arm chair leather toilet, (what I’d give for one of those on a cold Canberra night) bidet, shower, queen size bed, lounge, study, an enormous bar (those Arabs must indulge in a lot of juice and lemonade) the servants and other hanger on-ers (most likely the extra wives) in another area would be the envy of any 1^st class ‘plane traveller.  From my cattle class travel experience it sure seems like heaven.

We went to find a spot at this free APEX caravan park.  It is a big paddock by the Thomson River with quite a lot of campers settled in.  There are toilets, tables and wooden BBQs (that no one uses, we are a push button society).  We had lunch and went back to the museum.  On our return we found that the paddock was filled with about 50 campers!!!  If the refugees would have to live like this they would turn around on their leaking boats and never return.  We cooked dinner at our Taj Mahal.