25th June: visited Roy Banjo at the Cultural centre and he told us that the access road to the  2nd lot of cave paintings was still impassable, so we headed to the first day of the Laura Rodeo, a huge affair with 5000 visitors expected all camping in the show grounds. We strolled around chatting to various people, some of whom approached us. The Rodeo has been happening since 1977 with the Laura Races component since 1887! The Campdraft has been happening along with the Rodeo since 1977. This consists of riders mustering one cow from a herd and mustering her around poles and through a gate in a certain order!

We met one man who said he used to take part in the Rodeo when he was young but still comes every year from Ravenshoe to be part of it and see his mates. This year he bought a bus for $2000 to sleep in!

We met another organiser of the event who has been coming since age 15 years. He told us this year the Musgrave River flooded the racecourse and a lot of the infrastructure floated away! 

We then went over to the Ambulance tent. The paramedics come up from Brisbane and have an amazing set up with multiple beds and a private area for treatment.

We then had a look at the Campdraft in the Novice category.No-one excelled!

In the afternoon we drove into Lakefield National Park to see the Old Laura homestead remains with meat house, and blacksmith work shed and Aboriginal station hand quarters. Behind the building was a stand of Corypha Palms-extremely tall and they take 50 years to flower and then they die!

We proceeded into Lakefield National Park along the Endeavour Battlecamp Road. In the environs of Battlecamp a massacre of 80 Aboriginals took place in 1873, as a reprisal for resistance to miners invading their land.

We drove over a number of river crossings along this road. We returned to Lake Emma to look for birds during the golden hour before dusk. We saw Australian White Ibises and a rainbow bee-eater. 

We returned to Peninsula Hotel for Stumpy’s Chicken Parmi as they had run out of Barramundi. Stumpy Kevin Carmody was the previous owner of the Peninsula Hotel who was eaten by a crocodile whist fishing in Lakefield NP, originally from Sutton, and great friend of Stuart the current owner (from Waramanga) who has just sold the hotel and is due to leave in 2 weeks.

Blue- winged kookaburra
Bus home from Ravenshoe
        Musgrave River which floods racecourse 
Paramedic vehicle

Campdraft
A good view
          Blacksmith workshop Old Laura homestead
Old Laura Homestead
Corypha Palm


     Ridge below which Battlecamp massacre took place
Lake Emma
                   Australian White Ibis

                   Rainbow bee-eater


















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