The Australian Roadhouse.

In Outback Australia there are many very long (and potentially boring) roads. Towns are 100s of kilometers apart with very little in between. Except roadhouses!

At their most basic an Australian Roadhouse is just fuel stop (often with expensive fuel) and a cafe/shop. This one had a fine gallery of photos of the tattoos of its clientele.

More elaborate roadhouses incorporate a hotel/motel. This one in Whim Creek is in effect the town of Whim Creek (all the other buildings in the town were abandoned when the mine closed).

Most roadhouses are made of corrugated iron. Whim Creek is eccentrically decorated and...

...clearly strives to be wheelchair friendly and....

...to maintain high standards of hygiene in the cafe. We tried to buy a coffee. Although there were several people wandering about (and a parrot that said "hello Harry") we failed to find anybody to serve us and the bar remained locked. After 15 minutes we left without a drink.

This roadhouse (Sandfire) survived the 2009 cyclone only to burn down soon afterwards. It has recently been re-built. Apparently from a kit.

This web page comes to you from Willare Bridge Roadhouse (S17.72697 E123.65508).

Which (like all roadhouses) serves a range of meat pies (with chips).

It also has a caravan park out the back with real grass!