Blackall is located on the Landsborough (Matilda) Highway, 107 km south of Barcaldine. Following the plan of many Queensland outback towns the streets are very wide with generous median strips dividing the traffic.
Notice the tourist information board, bottom left of the photo, these are situated at buildings and points of interest in the town.
This gives the towns a "wide-open" feel of spaciousness like the wide open lands the towns have settled into.
This is one of the 'cross streets' intersecting with the main street. The old petrol bowser, left of photo, has a price per litre of 73 cents, obviously it has been shut down for quite some time.
It seems as though the north end of the town is being redeveloped to a greater extent, with businesses located in newer buildings. There is a great facility, the north end of town, for the aged beside a large Ambulance Station. No, I'm not looking to go into there just yet. Meanwhile the south end of town does have the Community Centre.
The entrance from the street to the Community Centre.
This is the main entrance to the Community Centre,
Blackall claims to be the 'home' of the Black Stump. Sadly, the original stump was burned out and has been replaced with a petrified tree stump in the same location.
Blackall also claims "Jack Howe" legendary sheep shearer and record holder of most sheep shorn in one day. 321 sheep in one shift of 7 h 40 m. (not with my back thanks)
Yet another Blackall claim, this is proclaimed to be the first bore put down to The Great Artesian Basin, oddly, Barcaldine also makes claim to this distinction.
The drill rig that was used for the first bore attempt.
The Masonic Lodge, constructed in the 1880's, still in use today, and in very good shape. The verandah was not part of the original construction but was added in the early 1900's.
The CP is small and cramped with old broken concrete pads and old but clean amenities.
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