Grandpa’s Guide to Driving in Charleville

Another day with a bad weather. When will those smart people invent suits that will automatically change its temperature depending on its surroundings? Like, it will automatically heat up or cool down to match your normal body temperature if it senses that there is a sudden change in the temperature of its surroundings.

My mood should not be affected by the weather. I remember the movie Peter Pan: Think of happy thoughts! And the first happy thought that entered my mind was when I went to visit Charleville. It’s a “happy thought” because I went there with my older sister. She suggested that we go to Charleville (she said that it’ll be our bonding time after so many years). I loved the place because it was in Charleville where I and my sister had a chance to have fun and bond after being so busy with our careers and lives.

Charleville is a town in the southwestern area of Queensland, Australia. It is the largest town and is the administrative centre of Murweh Shire.

Charleville is about 758 kilometers (by road) from the west of Brisbane. And the town is located on the banks of Warrego River, and it is also the boundary for the Warrego Highway. Due to its location, the district suffered flooding. And the most recent incidents were in 1990, 1997, 2008, and March 2010.

The town has several tourist attractions and when I went there, I visited most of the place’s pride.

1. The Charleville Heritage Trail Drive

The experience was awesome! We hired an audio CD (or you can buy trail maps at the Charleville Visitor Information Centre) and discovered the beauty and history of Charleville on the Charleville Heritage Trail Drive.

We visited the landing site of an early aviator and the ruins of an old Wool Scour. We also saw the site of the old brewery that was once operating in the town. There was also the secret Norden Bomb Site Shelter from World War II! The places were really fascinating. The whole trip was really pleasing to the eyes!

2. The Charleville Historic House Museum

The museum is located at 87 Alfred Street, Charleville (my sister really enjoyed this place because she really likes museums ever since we were kids).

The museum depicts the perfect model of the early architecture in Queensland. It was built in 1888 as the original building of Charleville’s National Bank. And guess what; many of the original features of the building such as its marble fireplaces and furniture are still retained!

Charleville Museum has a vast collection of historic pieces which ranges from photographs, furniture, newspapers, and to old vehicles! The grounds also have a remarkable collection of early machineries —original Rail Ambulance, Denis Fire Engine, replica Cob and Co Coach, and Marshall Portable Steam Engine! Another “food for the eyes” (and mind —all the details and stuff)!

For our bonding trip, she told me to book a car from this site (vroomvroomvroom.com.au) because their rates are cheap but their services are really priceless. At first, I thought she was being funny. But during the trip, she was right (there’s nothing wrong from taking advices from people).

I miss Charleville. I miss my sister.

-Grandpa Ben