Maranoa River in flood: a formidable force

With our home in Mitchell situated alongside the Maranoa River, the level of water in the river is of great interest to us.

Today the river is running at 9 m. The previous high was 8.6 m in 1990. To put it in easier to imagine terms, the river is flowing over the road bridge. Mitchell is cut off from St George in the south, Roma to the east, and Charleville to the west. As far as our house is concerned, the river has spilled over the bitumen road towards our place, and is over the nature strip and flowing up our path -- towards the house.

There's nothing we can do!

Phone calls and the Internet keep us informed. The council has put sand bags at three points along Louisa Street. All the houses along our road have been evacuated, as more rain is expected.

This, the fastest flowing river in Queensland, floods with a mighty roar. It is truly an awesome river and although I know it runs the very real risk of being flooded, I'm still glad we live alongside the Maranoa River in Mitchell.

PS.
I'll include a photo of Stego. He's thinking of the view he'd get from his Mitchell home on the verandah. He'd be able to see the river extending over the road and flowing up the path.

The photos of the river, taken in July 2011, give some idea of the river today. All would be full and overflowing down streets. An evacuation centre has been established and people are moving out. Some people have emptied their houses of valuables.

Garden Day at The Peaks: Outback Queensland

Marion Moore's garden -- located on the eastern side of The Peaks, north of Mitchell -- is spacious, a riot of colour and has magnificent views across naturally rolling grasslands.

An elderly blue flyer kangaroo (female red kangaroo) called Roo grazes within the garden and is as bonded to Marion as a dog. Wire netting protects some plants, but by and large Marion tolerates Roo nibbling hibiscus, rose and other delicacies.

West Australian eucalypts are a feature of the garden with some in full flower at present -- especially Eucalyptus woodwardii (yellow flowers) and Eucalyptus youngiana (red flowers). Bottle trees, Chinchilla gums, eremophilas, geraniums and an amazing variety of other plants and trees grow in Marion's garden -- also vegetables, passionfruit and lemons.

Here is a place where plants, kangaroos, echidnas, birds, butterflies, lizards and frogs are welcome, and live in harmony. With a balmy temperature of around 27°C and a gentle breeze, wandering with friends around the garden, through patches of dappled shade and pools of sunshine was a delightful way to spend the morning.

Marion Moore is the perfect hostess.

Mitchell Library and Art Gallery: food for the mind

The Mitchell Library -- located in the main street, in a central position -- used to be the Mitchell Picture Theatre. At the present time, books and art sit side-by-side, giving the people of Mitchell and surrounds a rich selection of fiction, non-fiction and reference books-- as well as an art gallery that hosts an exciting schedule of local artists and touring exhibitions.

A bank of a historical records, an attractive children's corner, computers and magazines add to the many things on offer to those wishing to extend their minds. Our librarians and volunteer helpers give excellent friendly service and are respected members of this remote outback community.

A unique atmosphere exists within the walls of this building, an atmosphere created by the books and art on offer. From these walls, the social panorama of Mitchell spreads out across the arid landscape. The community is, however, secure within a loop of the Maranoa River.

The Mitchell Library (that includes the Mitchell on Maranoa Gallery) is the heart of town, a place that feeds the mind and opens up the creativity that exists within each and every one of us.

Growing vegetables in Mitchell, outback Queensland

Our vegetable garden (actually, I should say Doug's vegetable garden) is coming into full production with our first cabbage and broccoli picked today. Lettuce, silver beet, spinach and rocket are still going strong, with sugar peas, leeks, carrots and beetroot well on the way towards maturity.

Our 40 plus stored pumpkins are beginning to show rot in places, so we're giving them away at an even faster rate than before, to avoid waste. Pumpkin soup is still one of my favourite lunches.

Our neighbour Marg has been giving us sweet potatoes grown over the summer months, as well as turnips and eggs. The sweet potato in this photo is amazingly heavy.

With warm sunny days, river loam soil, horse and chook manure, compost and plentiful water, vegetables grow exceedingly well in Mitchell. Greens are the most important vegetables to grow, as far as I'm concerned. Greens freshly picked from the garden taste much better and have superior nutrients to those that are frozen and grown in China.

PS

I couldn't resist including two more photos in this blog that have rounded off my day. First is a view up the Maranoa River from the old crossing. The second was taken from our front verandah, looking over the river to the full moon.

Mitchell identity: John the Horse Whisperer

Today -- August 13, 2011 -- John Murray celebrated his 82nd birthday by walking around the shopping centre of Mitchell with his horse Honey. Under almost perfect voice control Honey behaves better than most dogs, scarcely ever needing the light rope looped around her neck.

The bond between man and horse is built on absolute trust. John and Honey crossed the busy Warrego Highway, socialised on the pavement, strolled along the river -- as one. Honey is always on the lookout for tasty tufts of grass and never wastes an opportunity for a mouthful.

Yesterday I met John and Honey while on my river walk. Naturally we stopped to chat and for Major to give Honey a lick on the nose. Major met Honey when he was 12 weeks old and smaller than Honey's head. Honey was kind to Major and from that day till this, whenever we meet, it's clear that horse and dog recognize and like one another. Friendships between different species are special.

John is a well-respected colourful Mitchellite and it's always a pleasure to meet up with him and Honey.

August is spring in Mitchell, outback Australia

We are a jump ahead of southern states when it comes to warmer weather, and so August is spring here in Mitchell, outback Queensland.

The branches of 'my' mulberry tree by the Maranoa River are laden with swollen buds and pale green shoots reaching out into heart-shaped leaves.

The peach tree (also by the river), which has hung on to its blossom for four weeks, is now bursting into leaf. It won't be long before birds are nesting, and the treetops come alive with butterflies, flying foxes and nectar-loving birds.

Spring is full of excitement: a season of renewal and regrowth. We're fortunate to get spring a month earlier than those living in the south of the continent.

A botanical feast: outback style

Every ten days or so Doug and I make a point of driving out the Forest Vale Road, which takes us in a northerly direction from Mitchell. Within half an hour or so we reach an area where the land rises gently up a red sandy hillside containing a wealth of unusual plants.

At present, the road is bordered with a magnificent display of slender flowered wattles (Acacia longispicata). The effect is vibrant -- gold against red dirt.

Other treasures include a woody pear with its fist-sized velvety fruits; wonga vine flowers; quinine trees with their small dark green leaves and small, round orange fruits; a kurrajong which I discover is related to bottle trees; and a soap tree whose leaves produce lather when crushed and rubbed in water.

I love learning to identify these arid region plants, all of which are new to us. It's a challenge. It's also very satisfying to be able to recognize and name some of the plants and trees that grow in this part of outback Queensland.

I look forward to learning more when we 'go bush' next week.

Storytelling at the Mitchell Library

This week's storytelling for the under fives -- held at the Mitchell Library and organised by our librarian Glenda and her volunteers Barb and Doug -- centred around the story "The Gingerbread Man".

Sam the puppet and Billy Bilby (both worked by Doug) entertained the children and brought forth many laughs and smiles. Likewise, action songs.

Six large gingerbread men (baked by Barb) were shared between the children. This regular event introduces outback children to books and the library, as well as providing important socialisation for mothers and children alike, many of whom live in remote areas.

Roma, 89 km east of Mitchell -- outback Queensland

Today's trip to Roma was primarily planned around a medical appointment; however, we were able to do other things such as visit the library and art gallery. In this busy mining town you can buy almost anything, so we did a big shop as well.

Jude Roberts (along with Amy Cochrane and Kathleen Hunt) had an art exhibition in the Roma on Bungil Gallery. Jude's paintings are modern and abstract -- inspired by the artesian basin. Many years ago, Jude created the charming mosaics that are set into the pavement up and down the main street in Mitchell. The mosaics are of native birds and animals, fish and historic images.

While coming out of the gallery we met a man carrying a life-sized model to his car and then placing it carefully in the boot. The female model showed the effects of domestic violence and is part of a travelling exhibition heading out west to other outback towns. Education and prevention are the aims of this exhibition.

Before heading off to the shops-- and to take the nasty taste from our mouths-- we crossed the road to enjoy excellent coffee.

Wattles and kookaburras declare Australia

Wattle and kookaburras are well-known things that symbolise Australia. Our floral emblem is a wattle (usually Acacia pycnantha, commonly called golden wattle). No matter where you live in Australia, there is nearly always at least one species of acacia in flower.

The photos included in this blog were taken up the Forest Vale Road, north of Mitchell. When viewed against the red earth of this particular hill, the gold of the wattle looks striking.

Whenever I hear a kookaburra laugh it makes me smile, lightens my spirits. It is as if the sun has emerged from a bank of heavy cloud. The Laughing kookaburra is Australia's largest kingfisher. It has a massive bill able to tackle large snakes. The Blue-winged kookaburra lives in northern Australia, and as its name suggests, has striking blue markings on its wings.

A kookaburra's laugh is a joyful sound that rings through the Australian bush. When combined with wattles in full bloom, the effect is dramatic and uplifting.

A pair of kookaburras live in and around the river red gums over the road from us here in Mitchell. Often we hear their laughter and my hope is that they help clear the area of venomous snakes.

Opportunity to learn from an artist -- in Mitchell, outback Qld

As part of the annual Landmark Art Show, the judge, Des Rolph, gave a one-day workshop in Mitchell. I was one of the 15 keen participants who attended. One of the loveliest things about the group was that our ages ranged from a baby of five weeks to people in their 80s.

Des, who is well-known for adding a spiritual dimension to her landscape painting, showed us various techniques to improve the way we portrait the Australian landscape. There was a warm energy circulating in the room, an energy created by a group of people enthusiastic about art and keen about learning.

All of us love the splendour of the Australian landscape, so to have a teacher who helped us add strength and energy to our work was a great gift.

Thank you, Des.

The photo is of Des and Lesa.

'My' mulberry tree by the river is in resting mode

'My' mulberry tree, growing alongside the bridge that spans the Maranoa River at Mitchell, has lapsed into dormancy, as a result of a series of severe frosts. A few shrivelled brown leaves (attached to bare branches) are all that remain.

For me, this tree is a true example of the abundance of Nature. When winter turns into spring, the tree will bud, grow large hearted-shaped leaves, and then give generously of itself with an abundant crop of delicious black mulberries. Every evening, Major and I walk past the mulberry tree and often we pause, thinking of juicy fruit. Major enjoys eating mulberries too, especially when they are black and sweet.

But for now the tree is resting, tranquil in its setting alongside the Maranoa River in outback Queensland.