Roma: 1 night
As we slowly (possibly a little reluctantly) wind our way home, we lodge ourselves for the night in Roma. We did make an attempt, when planning this holiday, to stay at the Wilderness Lodge at Carnarvon Gorge, but with no success. It would seem that with Covid confounding many businesses, in an attempt to work things out, they scale down their operations until they’re barely functioning. I can understand the need to let staff go on leave until there is an upgraded need for them to be employed again, but I really wonder how they will also get customers to return, when they don’t answer their phone or return calls in a timely manner. We waited nearly three days to hear back from the Wilderness Resort and it was in the negative - they had no space for us.
Our last stay in Roma was on our caravan sojourn when we stayed at the Romavilla Caravan Park - a stay that we have been more than happy to forget. Roma was on Day 2 of our journey and the manager of the park insisted Stephen follow his directions only, with regard to backing our van into the spot available for us. As a result we ran into a parked vehicle and also scratched our new Ranger. In an irritated conversation with the manager, who refused to take any responsibility for his lack of vigilance, we were invited to leave the park. It was nearly sunset and we decided to stay. However, I did vote with my fingers on Trip Advisor, and as a consequence, found that there were many, many negative comments about him and his park. My thoughts are that this above all other things, will cause his park to sink into obscurity eventually. So, we are NOT staying there this time, but we notice that the business is now known simply as “Villa Caravan Park”. Instead we have pulled into a Best Western and have been overwhelmingly impressed with what is offered to us. Together with the cheapest petrol prices we have encountered throughout our month-long sojourn, we have been justifiably impressed. We will certainly enjoy our night tonight!
As we slowly (possibly a little reluctantly) wind our way home, we lodge ourselves for the night in Roma. We did make an attempt, when planning this holiday, to stay at the Wilderness Lodge at Carnarvon Gorge, but with no success. It would seem that with Covid confounding many businesses, in an attempt to work things out, they scale down their operations until they’re barely functioning. I can understand the need to let staff go on leave until there is an upgraded need for them to be employed again, but I really wonder how they will also get customers to return, when they don’t answer their phone or return calls in a timely manner. We waited nearly three days to hear back from the Wilderness Resort and it was in the negative - they had no space for us.
Our last stay in Roma was on our caravan sojourn when we stayed at the Romavilla Caravan Park - a stay that we have been more than happy to forget. Roma was on Day 2 of our journey and the manager of the park insisted Stephen follow his directions only, with regard to backing our van into the spot available for us. As a result we ran into a parked vehicle and also scratched our new Ranger. In an irritated conversation with the manager, who refused to take any responsibility for his lack of vigilance, we were invited to leave the park. It was nearly sunset and we decided to stay. However, I did vote with my fingers on Trip Advisor, and as a consequence, found that there were many, many negative comments about him and his park. My thoughts are that this above all other things, will cause his park to sink into obscurity eventually. So, we are NOT staying there this time, but we notice that the business is now known simply as “Villa Caravan Park”. Instead we have pulled into a Best Western and have been overwhelmingly impressed with what is offered to us. Together with the cheapest petrol prices we have encountered throughout our month-long sojourn, we have been justifiably impressed. We will certainly enjoy our night tonight!
With a rich history filled with colourful stories of its pioneering past, Roma offers visitors an array of activities. The city has preserved many impressive public buildings including the Roma Court House which opened in 1901. The heritage-listed Heroes Avenue is lined with more than 100 bottle trees planted in dedication to local soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. At the “Big Rig Parklands and Interpretive Centre” a Night show is put on of Australia’s oil and gas industry and an outdoor light and sound presentation of local early 20th century oil and gas exploration. Roma town was incorporated in 1867 and is named after Lady Diamantina Bowen (née di Roma), the wife of Sir George Bowen, the Governor of Queensland at the time. At the 2016 census, Roma had a population of 6,848.
Magnificent Carnarvon Gorge, is 3 hours drive away and having been there on a few occasions now, we know that it would not fail to impress any visitor to this area. When here four years ago, we took part in an amazing helicopter trip above Moolayembar Gorge (the adjacent gorge to Carnarvon) and experienced a lifetime memory that we will not easily forget. We also attended the cattle sales and watched how business was transacted in this industry as well.
A walk through the centre of town is always amusing when comparing it with city-style businesses. One spot we encounter seems to be doing a line in male blue striped shirts and I cannot help but wonder if the Liberal Party has established this line in mens’ fashions. On the adjacent table are a line of Ugg boots which also display the fashionable thing to wear indoors and out - particularly on a date!! On the next block, we discover a haberdashery store which has so much stuff that it is stored outside the shop against the windows where rolls of fabric are lined up where they might be easily stolen. A glimpse from the front door explains why - I have never seen so many bolts of fabric anywhere and cannot help but assume that the owner is a hoarder!
Magnificent Carnarvon Gorge, is 3 hours drive away and having been there on a few occasions now, we know that it would not fail to impress any visitor to this area. When here four years ago, we took part in an amazing helicopter trip above Moolayembar Gorge (the adjacent gorge to Carnarvon) and experienced a lifetime memory that we will not easily forget. We also attended the cattle sales and watched how business was transacted in this industry as well.
A walk through the centre of town is always amusing when comparing it with city-style businesses. One spot we encounter seems to be doing a line in male blue striped shirts and I cannot help but wonder if the Liberal Party has established this line in mens’ fashions. On the adjacent table are a line of Ugg boots which also display the fashionable thing to wear indoors and out - particularly on a date!! On the next block, we discover a haberdashery store which has so much stuff that it is stored outside the shop against the windows where rolls of fabric are lined up where they might be easily stolen. A glimpse from the front door explains why - I have never seen so many bolts of fabric anywhere and cannot help but assume that the owner is a hoarder!
Toowoomba: 1 night
Toowoomba nicknamed 'The Garden City'is 125 km (78 mi) west of Brisbane by road. The estimated urban population of Toowoomba as of June 2018 was 136,861. Toowoomba is the second most populous inland city in the country after the national capital of Canberra and hence the largest town on the Darling Downs.
The Toowoomba region is the home of two main Aboriginal language groups, the Giabal whose lands extend south of the city and Jarowair whose lands extend north of the city. The Jarowair lands include the site of one of the most important sacred Bora ceremonial ground, the ‘Gummingurru stone arrangement’ dated to c.4000 BC. The site marked one of the major routes employed by many Aboriginal tribes to the south and southeast to participate in the triennial bunya nut feast. The feast was Australia's largest Indigenous event, and of cultural and spiritual significance. We tried once to cook Bunya nuts in an oven and they turned out terrible, but my guess is that the Aboriginal people know how to cook them well on a campfire. We have stayed on the Bunya Mountains a few times now and marvelled at the Bunya Pine tree which only grows on this mountain.
The town elected its first mayor in 1861, former convict William Henry Groom, and by 1867 was connected by rail which was the first over the Great Dividing Range. In 1904 Toowoomba was declared a city. Over the 20th century, Toowoomba expanded from primarily agriculture, to services including advanced education and medical.
Now a university and cathedral city, Toowoomba has largely preserved its Victorian era architecture and gardens of which there are more than 150 public parks including the historic Queens Park. The city hosts the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers each September and national championship events for the sports of mountain biking and motocross.
Toowoomba is a beautiful city and which I did think once, I would like to live in. Despite the ambient temperature as we step out of our warm and cosy car when we arrive could well drive me further down to the coast. This is our last night before we arrive home. We’ve come to the conclusion that we are coastal dwellers and that’s an end to it! We have had the most wonderful getaway for the past month and visited places we had never been before, far and wide throughout our state. I would say that the one thing that we gave missed more than any other, is our own comfy king size bed upon which to lay our weary heads.
Toowoomba nicknamed 'The Garden City'is 125 km (78 mi) west of Brisbane by road. The estimated urban population of Toowoomba as of June 2018 was 136,861. Toowoomba is the second most populous inland city in the country after the national capital of Canberra and hence the largest town on the Darling Downs.
The Toowoomba region is the home of two main Aboriginal language groups, the Giabal whose lands extend south of the city and Jarowair whose lands extend north of the city. The Jarowair lands include the site of one of the most important sacred Bora ceremonial ground, the ‘Gummingurru stone arrangement’ dated to c.4000 BC. The site marked one of the major routes employed by many Aboriginal tribes to the south and southeast to participate in the triennial bunya nut feast. The feast was Australia's largest Indigenous event, and of cultural and spiritual significance. We tried once to cook Bunya nuts in an oven and they turned out terrible, but my guess is that the Aboriginal people know how to cook them well on a campfire. We have stayed on the Bunya Mountains a few times now and marvelled at the Bunya Pine tree which only grows on this mountain.
The town elected its first mayor in 1861, former convict William Henry Groom, and by 1867 was connected by rail which was the first over the Great Dividing Range. In 1904 Toowoomba was declared a city. Over the 20th century, Toowoomba expanded from primarily agriculture, to services including advanced education and medical.
Now a university and cathedral city, Toowoomba has largely preserved its Victorian era architecture and gardens of which there are more than 150 public parks including the historic Queens Park. The city hosts the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers each September and national championship events for the sports of mountain biking and motocross.
Toowoomba is a beautiful city and which I did think once, I would like to live in. Despite the ambient temperature as we step out of our warm and cosy car when we arrive could well drive me further down to the coast. This is our last night before we arrive home. We’ve come to the conclusion that we are coastal dwellers and that’s an end to it! We have had the most wonderful getaway for the past month and visited places we had never been before, far and wide throughout our state. I would say that the one thing that we gave missed more than any other, is our own comfy king size bed upon which to lay our weary heads.