Charters Towers Sunday Sightseeing

Sunday saw the MB family on a whirlwind sightseeing tour of Charters Towers with mother of MB and step-dad, Steve.
Luckily it was the second Sunday of the month and the local markets were being held at the CT showgrounds. Our party swarmed into the markets, scouring the stalls for underpriced treasure. Lots of country style crafts and some nice fresh produce on sale. MDR & MB are honey fans and found some excellent Bloodwood honey being sold by a smiling eyes local honey producer. MB also spotted a couple selling chickens and was able to have an illuminating discussion on the relative merits of the Transylvanian Naked Neck hens, apparently they are very good in the heat as their featherless necks can shed heat quickly. MB harbours a strong desire to establish a chook pen and so have a ready supply of the freshest eggs possible.
After the markets it was a stroll downtown and coffee at the cafe in Australia's first stock exchange. The slowest coffee ever, 50 minutes wait for a lukewarm latte. Charters was once the second largest city in Queensland and has a fine collection of heritage buildings, all in very good shape.
PB treated us with Lunch to go which he picked up from Chez Coq Rouge for a picnic by the Burdekin River Weir (pictured). CT is so well supplied with water that the Qld Govt. wants to pipe their water down to the parched south-east.