To Lara Wetlands a dreamy place which is inhabited by birds and caravans in equal measure. Steaming hot water coming out of the ground for the hot tub. The chicks learning their tricks. The vistas eerie.

Barcaldine (Bar- Call- din is how you say it properly) is a little further north. The centre of huge protests from the shearers in 1891 who felt they were unfairly treated by the landowners. Under the Tree of Knowledge they wrote the manifesto of the Australian Labor party. It is also on the Tropic of Capricorn.

Dinner at the Shakespeare Hotel. Chatted to Sharon who served us our drinks. She returned to the town to help the pub survive. On the back wall this poster which made me smile. An instant conversation starter.

We chatted about reading and books. She loves reading and never throws any away. We told her we travel with several thousand books every time we move countries. She was crestfallen over the demise of Bookgrocer, an online book shop which went bust. Amazon doesn’t quite get out here and her closest bookshop is Rockhampton 580 kms away. I was horrified. How would I survive I thought without my books and bookgroup? We cheered on the Aussies in the Olympic pool while exchanging titles. Next time you are heading that way have dinner at the Shakespeare and take Sharon the best book you read that year.