Being the son from a long line of Blacksmiths, it was important for me to stand under the Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine, the place where the great shearers strike of 1891 took place, all of whom were subsequently jailed for over a decade. It is the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party and the beginning of the workers conditions that we all take for granted today in Australia. Unfortunately, the Tree of Knowledge was poisoned in 2006, however, it has been preserved under a large timber structure.
We visited the historic Australian Workers Heritage Centre, which contained many old buildings, vehicles and antique items collected from around the district.
It would be remiss of me not to mention Roses n Things Caravan Park where we stayed in Barcaldine. A small eleven site park, it boasts one of the best cafes we across in our outback travels, with the service to match. Definitely a highlight of our trip.
