This was Day 4 of our trip and we had already found out some of the things to see and do in Roma from the Roma Information Centre inside the Big Rig.
This trip to the information centre had also given us the Roma Visitors Guide with all of the historical sites and places to see in town.
So with plenty on the to-do list we loaded the squad into car and we were off.
So we started with a place that was close to the hotel, and visited the Big Rig, and the Lenroy Slab Hut Museum.
You pass the Lenroy Slab Hut on the way in to The Big Rig complex.
The Lenroy Slab Hut offers you a brief glimpse of what it was like to live a different lifestyle to what we have now.
The hut was built in Hodgson in 1893 by John Thomas Keegan.
The hut was constructed from adze cut rough slabs of local termite proof cypress pine, and the roof was originally box tree bark tied down to round timber rafters.
The roof was replaced with galvanized iron in 1894, some of this iron remains on the verandahs still today.
The floor was packed earth originally too and upgraded to sawn timbers floors when available.
The Lenroy Hut was transported into Roma in 1980 and then moved again later into its current position.
The Big Rig was opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on the 2nd of March 2002.
It shows you Australia’a living history of oil and gas exploration.
The Roma township and surrounding areas have been a big part of this industry during the 20th Century.
You walk through the entrance to The Big Rig where you have the Roma Information Centre, the Big Rig Cafe, and the Souvenir Shop all under one roof.
You pay your money and head out to the self guided tour through the history of oil and gas that shaped this community, and maybe indirectly shaped Queensland and Australia too.
Outside you can start with the Oil Patch which is a display of oil and gas exploration, and also equipment.
The displays and equipment are explained to you by suitable signs and audio panels.
You will probably need an hour or so to walk around all the displays.
There is plenty to look at, read, and also for the kids, things to climb on and use.
When we had finished at the Big Rig we headed next store for a picnic lunch at the home of The Roma Express, Big Rig Station.
The miniature train wasn’t operating the day we were there, but they have picnic tables in the park there , so this was perfect timing to get the kids fed and rehydrated before heading off to see the rest of the history of Roma.
The Roma Sale Yards was next on the hit list.
They are just out of Roma and are the largest cattle sale yards in Australia.
The Roma Saleyards run two days a week, sadly not while we were in town.
As you can see the raised walkways around the sale yards give you an opportunity for great photos and also the chance to see the whole area from a higher vantage point.
You can only imagine the hustle and bustle when this place is pumping.
And the smells too!
Once we finished looking around the yards we were off to see the big bottle tree back in Roma.
As you can see from the sign Roma’s Largest Bottle Tree’s size is kept up to date by the locals more than the local council.
This bottle tree is huge!
From The Largest Bottle Tree in Roma we went to the Avenue of Heroes.
Heroes Avenue is heritage listed and features around 140 bottle trees as a tribute to all the fallen soldiers from the Roma District who lost their lives during the First World War.
The avenue starts at the Railway Station into Wyndham Street and then along Bungil Street up until the intersection with Hawthorne Street.
There are plenty of car parks in this area, so you can easily park and stroll through looking at all the trees and name plates.
Next on the list to see was the Roma Courthouse.
The Roma Courthouse was built in 1901 and is still in use today.
The courthouse is heritage listed and is a rendered masonry building.
The Courthouse is most famous for the trial of Harry Redford in 1872 where he was accused of stealing 1,000 head of cattle.
The building is great to look at and it is good to see a part of Queensland’s history restored and still looking fine.
Next we were off to see The Bell which was first installed as a church bell in 1876.
This church bell has a long past and journey to get where it is now, in front of the Roma Church of Christ.
As above it was first installed in 1876 in the Congregational Church in Arthur Street, Roma.
The Roma Church of Christ purchased the building in 1896, this purchase included the bell too.
In the Second World War the bell was moved to the ministers residence in William Street to serve as an air raid siren.
From there it was moved again in the 1970’s and stored in the Arthur Street church building.
It was sold then to a local Parents and Citizens Association to be used as a fire alarm, it was never used.
It was purchased back by the Church of Christ in 1980.
And, last but not least, it is now on display outside the current address of the Roma Church of Christ after they left the Arthur Street address in 1991.
So this bell is really old and also has a story around it, it’s lucky to be still sitting outside the church for people to see, and of course to have a sneaky ring.
Out to Mount Abundance Homestead was next on the to do list.
It was built in 1860 and is the site of the first settlement in the Roma / Maranoa region.
The above is all we could see sorry, they do run tours on the weekend though.
The Southern Cross Windmill is still operational and sits outside a Roma business.
The windmill was built in 1950 and is the largest commercially operational windmill ever manufactured.
This windmill is pretty big and certainly would be a talking point for the business it sits in front of.
Also good for directions, “Where are you?”, “Can you see the windmill on the horizon?”, “Yes”, “We are there”….
Next up was the Roma Community Arts Centre that houses the 3D Clay Heritage Mural.
The 3D mural as you can see is massive.
There is plenty to look at and they have audio and lights talking about all of the 17 highlights of the mural.
The mural depicts the history of the areas and is made up of 175 clay tiles.
Impressive.
We visited the Roma RSL across the road from the Roma Community Arts Centre.
I only went looking for it due to the fact the meals usually are good in most RSL’s across Queensland and also good for the kids too.
It isn’t an RSL you would normally be accustomed too in smaller towns, the restaurant and pokie filled ones.
It is predominantly used as a hall as it says on the main sign.
We always make a bit of time to go and see the local cemetery in the towns we visit.
The kids think it is morbid and yuck but the wife and I find it very interesting and also it gives you an indication of how old the town is and the nationality of the people that have made its history too.
Roma Cemetery was no different to the others, it has sites dating back to 1881, so some really old monuments and stones.
I have an interest in fonts too, so there is always some old styles on show too.
Apparently there is only about 73 plots left in this cemetery before it is closed, so you better get in quick if you want to be a part of history.
We headed to the White Bull Tavern Cantina 43 Restaurant for dinner.
Very adequate and the pricing wasn’t too bad either.
It was time to head back to the hotel for sleep.
And that was the end of the day for us, and the end of the things to see and do in Roma.
Roma had been a great place to visit and it was pretty easy to fill in the day with the heritage sites too.
There were quite a few more places we didn’t get to see as well, ahhhh, next time we are through.
Here are the places visited and their addresses for you if you want to visit the same places in the same order.
The Big Rig
2 Riggers Road
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4622 2325
Lenroy Slab Hut
2 Riggers Road
Roma QLD 4455
Roma Visitor Information Centre
2 Riggers Road
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4622 8676
Roma Express – Big Rig Station
Riggers Road
Roma QLD 4455
Ask at the Big Rig for Train Run Times
Roma Saleyards
44589 Warrego Hwy
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4624 0402
Roma’s Largest Bottle Tree
At the end of Edwardes Street
Roma QLD 4455
Roma Courthouse
141 McDowall Street
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4624 3033
The Bell
119 Currey St
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4622 1323
Mt Abundance Homestead
Warrego Highway
Roma QLD 4455
Roma Community Arts Centre
3D Clay Heritage Mural
38-44 Hawthorne St
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 1300 007 662
Southern Cross Windmill
Roma RSL
19-21 Quintin Street
Roma QLD 4455
Roma Cemetery
Lewis Street
Roma QLD 4455
White Bull Tavern / Cantina 43
43 Station St
Roma QLD 4455
Ph 07 4622 1133
I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the pictures and also finding out what there is to see and do in Roma.
Keep an eye out as I have to still write about our last day in Roma.
* Read about the next part of our Dalby Road Trip here “Bye Bye Roma”
* Or if you want to head back to the start of the holiday here, “Road Trip Out West”