We’re all doing the Aussie Salute, waving away the sticky little bush flies! They just don’t leave you alone here in Blackall.

We’ve bought every fly net available in town and they’ve had to bring in more supplies. People that swore they’d never be seen dead wearing a fly net are sporting them like the latest fashion statement.

I absolutely swear by my ‘fly ointment ‘ that I bought in Alice Springs in 2015. A little dab around the ears and the flies literally buzz off!

And the gifts for the volunteers at our rally here was this very handy little fly switch.

Everyone is doing the Aussie Salute!

Now I find out from Wikipedia that it is also called the Barcoo salute! Where are we? At Blackall on the Barcoo River! We’re in the thick of bush fly country!

Here’s my poetic comment about flies …..

Flies! The Aussie bush wave is no surprise

As they get up your nose and into your eyes

And be careful you don’t open your mouth too wide

Because those little bush flies will fly inside.

It’s hard to be ladylike hawking and spitting

When you’re sitting at the craft table chatting and knitting.

You open your mouth and in an instant it’s done –

The fly’s in like a shot – a hole in one!

So we live with our fly nets and ointments and sprays

To fight off the flies that ruin our days,

And if we survive ’til the sun goes down

Those little bush flies must go off to town

For they disappear as soon as it’s night

Much to everyone’s delight!

When we leave Blackall there will be many goodbyes,

Fond ones to to the locals – not so fond to the flies.