A day in Roma (85 km east of Mitchell) gives a full-on look at the mining boom that's currently hit inland Queensland. Factories and new housing estates spill out onto the wide open plains surrounding this town, and big machinery moves slowly along roads lined with bottle trees. With a population of around 7000 people you can buy anything and everything in Roma. Indigenous to the area and planted widely throughout Roma and along most roads, bottle trees give this outback town an air of distinction. The bottle trees are, however, a reminder of all the young men and women of this area who lost their lives in war. Plaques in the main street remind us of their sacrifice. The intersections in Roma are the most pedestrian-friendly roads I've ever come across. I always associate Roma with hot sunny days, a big sky and bottle trees. Although a day in Roma is necessary every now and then, I'm always glad to return to our much smaller, friendlier Mitchell.
Due to an exceptionally wet winter, vast areas of country around Roma are under cereal crops, with other land prepared for summer sorghum. It is shaping up to be a bumper year.
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