We have had two nights staying at the free camp at Irvinebank QLD
This place is a semi -ghost town, was once so historically significant it's influence was felt around Oz, if not the world.
Irvinebank was established in 1882. ( Tin mining )
We found this place like no other and the surrounding area is like no other,as it offers the visitor a glimps of a village which was once the centre of a vast mining empire.John Moffat was the owner of this vast mining empire controlling 25% of Oz base metals trade.
He was thought so highly, the workers children routinely asked gods blessing on John Moffat in their evening prayers.
He married very late in life and had no children of his own,but as we stood in the romantic bed room of Louden House now a museum and tourist info centre ) I understood why there was never any children,as the bedroom looks over the workings of the mine -his wife was his house keeper before they married.
This town had a population of 3000 back during it's time,now maybe 200 people. ?
The trip in it's self is a history lesson in it's self ..We drove from Herbertson a lot of old mine workings on the right of road as you
come down Watsonville Range...Slow down as the tiny hamlet of Watsonville has it's windmill in the middle of the road.
From there we passed through the Bakerville area with it's stands of Eucalyptus Alba (white smooth bark and lge leaves )
Just after Bakerville is Stannery Hills ,turn off and take road to left and you come to Jumna Creek area which is the most accessible places to view the rare Purple Wattle (Acacia Purpureapetala and Grevilla Glossadenia. this is the only area in the world where these plants grow.
The camping at Irvinebank is great in the town common near the creek with good even ground and if like us you have a camper trailer you can cross over the creek and find a spot to camp.
good facilities and good harty meals served at the pub/ tavern ,,if you go into the pub have a look at the flood marks on the wall
we were amazed to think that the flood waters could get so high considering how big the creek is.
