Hanging out the washing

[Warrigal]

This photo was taken recently at the central Queensland town of Birdsville.



This man is a local and he is not really doing the washing. It is a staged photo.
What is interesting about this photo is that Birdsville was experiencing a "dry flood".
It hardly ever rains at Birdsville but when it rains further north, the dry rivers start to run and the water can continue running all the way down to Lake Eyre which is usually just a dry salt lake bed.

When the dry rivers begin to run there is an immediate influx of wild life that flourishes and breeds until they dry up again. It is an amazing phenomenon.

I've been to Birdsville, famous for its annual picnic races. It was just after heavy rain to the north and the ground was already beginning to become saturated. Let's just say, the track was considered to be "heavy".

Local's photo stunt in outback town lauded for showing 'Aussie resilience'

 

[Capt Lightning]

That looks like a 'Hills Hoist' rotary line. They are the most commonly one used in this area and I have one in my garden.

 

[Mike]

Isn't he afraid of crocodiles Warrigal, from what I know
about Australia, which is not very much, I wouldn't think
about hanging washing, near any river, never mind standing
in one to do it!

Mike.

 

[timoc]

There's a right 'orrible cloud who lives or hovers above my house, and when I hang out my washing, I hear the blighter laugh and say, "Here ya go, Tim, I'll just water your garden for you." Then he tips up this monster watering can, but I always foil the mean sod by hanging my washing in the greenhouse.

 

[Warrigal]

Isn't he afraid of crocodiles Warrigal, from what I know
about Australia, which is not very much, I wouldn't think
about hanging washing, near any river, never mind standing
in one to do it!

Mike.

No crocs in Birdsville. Most of the time the river is dry as a bone.

 

[Warrigal]

That looks like a 'Hills Hoist' rotary line. They are the most commonly one used in this area and I have one in my garden.

The Hills Hoist is an Aussie invention, and an icon.

 

[jujube]

We lived next to the railroad tracks when there were still a lot of coal-burning trains.

When my mom would hear one coming, she'd scream "GET THE LAUNDRY!" and everyone would race out and start madly gathering the wet clothes before the "smuts" would fall on them and they'd have to be washed again.

You didn't want to be around if my mom had to do the laundry all over again....

 

[Warrigal]

@jujube "Smuts"...

There's a word I haven't heard in a long time. Also, when we travelled on steam trains to a country destination we used to hang our heads out the open window to see the engine as we went round a bend, and we would get cinders in our eye. If we could see a tunnel coming up the windows were hastily closed else the carriage filled with smoke.

 

[LoveTulips]

I wish I could hang out clothes to dry on a line just like when I lived at home. No way now in a condo.