The Drive-in, Ayr Queensland

Ayr still has a drive in theatre. (Have shown pictures of it a few years ago). This visit in last winter we visited the drive-in once again.
The first picture greets you at the entrance, the second is of course the ticket box. The theatre is surround by sugar cane.

I'm sure this Sin-bin as we call them is not used and must be there for decoration, I certainly could be wrong.

Below the screen.

Sugar can growing as taken from the window as we drove along another area of Ayr.

Ayr, Queensland

Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  The Parish was founded in 1912? as far as I can ascertain, there is not a lot of history or information about the church. 
The side view, the front and the back view of the church. 

Ayr War Memorial.

The Court House in Ayr, Queensland

The Burdekin region was first settled in the 1860's and the town of Ayr was established in 1882.  The first courthouse was established in Ayr in 1883, which included the police quarters, lock-up and court room.  The population of the town continued to grow, with the support of the increasing number of sugar plantations and sugar growers.

In 1896, the original courthouse was unable to facilitate the needs of the town and construction on a new court house commenced in 1897.  The former courthouse remained erected for use by the police.

A disastrous cyclone, 'Leonta', swept through the Burdekin region and almost completely destroyed Ayr.  Much of the town needed to be rebuilt and the cyclone, including part of the courthouse roof.

So hence the construction of the newer Court House was built from 1935 to 1941 and is heritage listed.

Love the large verandah at each side to keep people waiting in the shade.   Went up the street one of the days we were there to take a photo and so many people waiting to have their case heard plus the street was full of parked cars.

The Police Station above and sculptures in front of the Library.

Shelter in the main street above and below just towards one of the side streets.

Ayr, Queensland

Ayr is a lovely town with all the shops one would need.  The main street in long with shops either side.  There are not shopping complexes as in all under one roof.
Ayr is in the tropic on the eastern side of Australia and we had to go this far north to get warm in winter last year.
Ayr has a population of about 8,738 people and is the centre of the sugarcane-growing area.

The Post Office below was opened in 1883.

A place to sit in the shade and have a picnic in the main street in Ayr.

The town clock in the middle of a round a bout and below the shopping area and main street.
There is shelter in the middle of the road for cars and people.  I chose to take the photos on a Sunday because there wasn't anyone about.

Inkerman Hill, Queensland.

Inkerman Hill, a 10 minute drive south of the township of Home Hill, provides an excellent vantage point to take in the surrounding countryside. With an elevation of around 215 metres above sea level at the summit, local farms, the township of Home Hill, and some waterways around the Groper Creek area and Cape Upstart are visible.

We sat here for quite awhile taking in the view.

The view of some of the sugarcane fields.

Below one can see the Coral Sea.

Still a long way from home in winter 2016

The smoke and burn.

On our travels in the Ayr area in Queensland had to stop and take photo of this Australian Scene.
This taken with my phone camera.

Whilst in Ayr many cane farmers were burning their sugar cane.  Burning it leaves less rubbish and gets rid of the unwanted debris, it allows the next crop to be sewn quicker instead of waiting for the sugar companies removal.
Burning of cane has it's rules, don't burn between 10am and 2pm.  Neighbours are to be informed of the pending burn, they are just a couple of rules.

Each morning there was fine black ash covered our vehicle which we left there, if a little breeze it all came off with no harm to the paintwork, going for a drive it came off.  Amazing as Mr. B was concerned about the paintwork.

We set out one evening to see if we could find cane burning, plenty of smoke in the sky, many roads to travel but never found the cane burning but took these photos

Plantation Park, Ayr

On Tuesday Cyclone Debbie is expected to hit Townsville!  Hope everyone will be safe.

On the way up to Cairns we stayed in Ayr as we did on the way back down the East Coast of Australia, Winter 2016.
There was a gorgeous diamond ring in a jewelers shop in Ayr rather pricey but it was simplistic and took a lot of will power by me not to buy it.

Link to previous post about Ayr and photos and Another link 

Went for a drive whilst staying in Ayr, Queensland and on a corner is this lovely park called
Plantation Park is of a great significance to the Juru people who wandered this district for thousands of years before European settlement - children were born on the banks of the creek, Elders were buried here and ceremonies held.

Gubulla Mundo (Carpet Snake) is the Aboriginal Totem and the protective Spirit for the Biri Gubba people.  It's construction on this site is for the honoring of this sacred burial site where many Aboriginals ancestors are buried.

The Carpet Snake at the park. 

Across to the left of the photo is a big parking area.

To the beach!

Not too far from Ayr are two beaches that we visited.  Lynch's Beach and Alva Beach.

Many people that live there have a tractor to take their boats out to the sea and collect them.  First time we have seen this type of thing.  No photos of the tractors unfortunately.

Cute.

Near one of the beaches.

Ayr. Queensland.

Whilst we stayed in Ary for a few nights we ventured to the town which was only a few minutes from the Caravan Park.  We liked Ayr and stayed again on the way down south....but of course we are still heading north when these photos were taken.

Ayr was named after the Scottish town Ayr, the birthplace of a past Queensland Premier.
The town established in 1882. The Post Office opened in 1883.
Ayr is sugar cane country and it's not far from Home Hill another sugar cane growing area..

 Taken in the main street.

The above photo was taken in the main street.  I'm not fond of water being smooth, for me it looks too artificial so hence this one isn't very smooth.

The town clock, typical in most towns in Australia.

A house which is a bit different.

The Roman Catholic Church in Ayr.  Sacred Heart Church.

Sugar Mill close to Ayr.

At the Caravan Park in Ayr, Qld.

Stayed at Ayr in Q'ld at the Council Caravan Park for a couple of nights before heading further north.
The weather wasn't the best but at least it wasn't cold for winter, by now we are in summer clothing, the temperature was 18 deg C one day and 29 deg C the next. Ok for winter.

On the way to Ayr there were many Cane fields. This photo was taken whilst the vehicle was moving and my phone was used.

A map from Tasmania, Australia to Ayr in Q'ld and it gives some idea how far we are from home. We went a little more inland in places on this map thus making the mileage further.

Upon arriving and after settling in I wandered off to take some photos inside the park itself.

Know to me as the 'Flame Tree' and it's prominent in many places in the north, stands out amid the other trees.

Very old type of ficus roots.

A common flower to see also, a Hibiscus.

Can't recall the name of this one.  Recall it's grown inside in Tasmania.

These two are also grown inside in Tasmania - but of course indoor plants are not popular at this time and haven't been for several years.