28th - 30th June
 

A couple of kilometres south of Yaraka on the Retreat Road is the show grounds. We were about the 3rd lot to arrive and set up camp in the spacious campsite. We picked a nice shady spot under a couple of small trees about 100mt from the bar and kitchen area. You beaut, this was looking good.

We then spent a few hours helping to set up the kitchen and stock the coldrooms for kitchen and bar. It's a great set-up and could easily cater for many hundred people....in a town of population 18. Once the work was done we drove up Mt Slowcombe to get some phone reception and talk to Tom and see how Nick was travelling, he should be on Davenport Downs by now. This of course called for a light refreshment as we enjoyed the solitude and a wide horizon vista.
Return to camp....hell, trucks, 4WD's, tents, trailers, caravans, 5th Wheelers, horses, bikes...the place had filled!
 
Where we had camped, our quiet site, not more than 5mts away there was a cattle truck with a huge ex-Qld Rail caravan behind it, 6-8 horses tethered, about 15 swags on the ground and kit everywhere. Paul Moody came over to say hi, and he introduced us to the owner of this travelling circus, a lovely lady called Lisa from Muttaburra. Lisa had her 5 daughters, there friends and oth followers...she had 13 teenagers on board. Crikey! Lisa asked Roscoe if he'd do patrol at night with a flashlight and cattle-prod to check for uninvited (male) guests...all in fun!
 
That night all over this large camp area were fires, with BBQ plates glowing and camp chairs at a respectful distance and anyone was welcome at any fire. It was a great community and great fun. People had come from up to 500klm away to compete in either the horse or motorbike events. And dust! For 3 days a light wind blew across the competition area, thru the kitchen and bar and straight into the dusty and smokey camp grounds, it was great!