Chapter 8 - Trip Home

Day 39 - Saturday 28th July

It was a very early start to the day as we got up to see the lunar eclipse - apparently the best for the 21st Century.  The first photo was taken at 4:27 am, the last at 5:24 am.  It was pretty impressive.  It was then back to bed for a while.

4:27 am, 4:53, 5:06, 5:17 & 5:24

Packing was completed and we rolled out of the park around 8:20 am. It was the start of a magnificent day.  We headed towards Toowoomba.

We had our first stop at a place called Esk, because we needed a break and there was a market.  We bought a coffee and strolled around the very small market ans the main street of Esk. 

I was amused at the car parked in the main street.  It looked like an old Mini Moke with a number of DYI modifications.  It was actually a VW. A local informed me that the Germans used them during WWII in Africa because they were great at traversing sand - even though they were only 2 wheel drive.

VW

We then moved on to Gatton (on the main Brisbane-Toowoomba road) and were amazed at the amount of market gardens.  We saw a lot of cabbages.  We were in the fertile Lockyer valley.

Jolly Swagman

Our final five km in to Toowoomba consisted of probably the hardest hill that our car & caravan have had to climb.  We climbed around 600 metres in that distance and the slope was mostly between 10 and 12 degrees.  We both breathed out as we came to the crest and coasted in to town.

After checking in to the Jolly Swagman caravan park, I took a photo of "Jolly" himself out the front.

We had lunch, then went looking for art and gardens.  We saw plenty.

Our first stop was Picnic Point Park to take a photo of where we had come from.  The view was superb.



Lockyer Valley from Picnic Point Park

We then drove to Laurel Bank Park and were amazed at the volume of flower seedlings that had been planted.  We also enjoyed the flowers, the sculptures and the sculptured hedges and plants.

We drove, walked, drove and walked and saw the following wall murals, as well as double that are not included here.

Painted by Adnate, who painted a grain silo in Victoria (My favourite)

Note Shirley in the photo - to indicate size

All of these photos were ground to roof in height - some single story, some double story.

There was also a garden full of statues with an indigenous theme.  Three are shown below.



Rhythm Man, Black Mother, Brolga Man

Our final activity for the day was to visit Queens Park Gardens, another one of the many gardens in Toowoomba.  The locals are spoiled for gardens, and many seem to take advantage of their great assets.  Numerous families with small children were using the great spaces.



Park Entrance

Left - Orange Trumpet Creeper                      Right - Camelia

We drove back to camp, relaxed and had pork chops for dinner.  It was not a late night.

The late drama for the day was that my camera seems to have "died". Stay tuned for more on that saga.

Today we drove about 265 km.


Day 40 - Sunday 29th July

I started the day knowing that all photos taken today would be via my mobile phone.  I was hoping that my superb zoom on my "dead" phone would not be needed.  [A later visit to a camera shop has prepared me for the worst.  I may need to charge royalties for access to my blogs.]

It was a slow start as the Cobb and Co Museum did not open until 9:30.  We were parking across the road (with caravan) as they opened the doors.

The museum is recommended to anyone who has not been there, particularly if you wish to learn more about our early and/or indigenous history (specially horse-drawn travel).  The photos tell the story.

A Blacksmtting Workshop

There were also buggy-wheel making workshops available.

Part of an Alice in Wonderland exhibition - provided by Museum Victoria

Cobb & Co Coach 112

If the people inside the coach wished the coach to stop they would pull a rope that was attached to the leg of the driver.  If they say on top of the coach they would simply call out.

Royal Mail Coach

Street Wagonette

An Early Caravan

An Ambulance

We enjoyed a coffee and a lamington in the cafe and then wandered out the front door to take photos of the numerous windmills and a Bunya Nut Pine tree.  The Bunya Nut Pine tree apparently has a tasty nut and only grows in a few places, like the Bunya National Park.

Numerous windmills, all rotating, mostly in different directions.

Bunya Nut Pine Tree

We said gooybye to Toowoomba and drove around 20 km south to Cambooya to take a photo of the magnificent Bull and Barley Inn.  It was far too early to sample their wares.

Bull and Barley Inn

We headed another 30 km south to Nobby where we visited Rudds Pub - rather a different class of establishment. Folklore has it that Steele Rudd wrote his famous (to the older generation) Dad and Dave stories here.  It was a busy place and was packed out for Sunday lunch.

Rudds Pub

Rudds Pub

Onward we went, next stopping at Warwick.  We were fortunate to catch the last couple of hours of their annual Jumper & Jazz Festival.  All sorts of things were adorned with various types of jumpers.  Music came from multiple directions. We dined on german bockwurst as we listened to the great music in the park.

The art work we purchased cost a lot more than the bockwurst (photo withheld). There were many stalls in the park selling all manner of market-style products.



Our Lunch Venue



The source of music

Trees Adorned by Jumpers etc

We visited the Visitor Information Centre and asked for details of Bald Rock NP which is in NSW.  They were not interested in us as we were still in Queensland. So we departed Warwick as gentle rain started to fall - something the many stall holders in the park did not want.  It did not rain for long.

We stopped at Stanthorpe and asked about camping in local National Parks.  At the moment only day visits are allowed as the drought prevents overnight camping. The volunteer there suggested Country Style Caravan Park at Glen Aplin - just 10 km south.

The caravan park is on the eastern bank of the Severn River.  However the drought has turned the river in to a mere billabong.  However it was a quiet and peaceful location.

Severn River. Left - Looking south.  Right - Looking north.

The BBQ was activated for dinner. As we sat down to eat the rain and thunderstorm activity started and continued at a very steady pace for 90 minutes (as I write this bit).

Today we only drove about 155 km.


Day 41 - Monday 30th July

I was up at 7am to take a photo of the water near the caravan.

We broke camp about 8:20 am and headed to Girraween NP, well known locally as a key feature of the Granite Belt.  It was a short trip and we were walking by 9 am. However on the way we had to cross a railway line with flashing red lights. We were advised by a local that they were working on the line and the lights were probably faulty.

Our first stop was Granite Arch.  My mobile phone camera does not do it justice.

Granite Arch from both sides

We moved on and admired many different rock formations.

Our end destination was The Pyramid - a very big piece of granite that extends well above the tree tops and presents a challenge to walkers.  The path to the start of the final ascent included around 520 steps.  Shirley stopped just before the trees finished.  I went further to get the following photo.  The wind prevented me from considering an attempt at the summit.

A Panorama View from my highest point

On the way back I salvaged a leather hat lost by some walker at some point before today.

The Peak of The Pyramid is centre of the photo

The Pyramid from another angle, taken some time later
My final point was near the square shape on the LHS

It was a lovely walk (apart from the steps) and passed through a lot of native trees.

Near the end of the walk we took a photo of water in the Bald Rock creek.



Wyberba Pool

It was about a 4 km walk and provided plenty of cardiac and leg exercise.

Sir Henry Parkes

We departed Girraween after a coffee and headed south to Tenterfield.  We quickly decided to stay one night and booked in to a caravan park.

After lunch in the local bakery we visited the Sir Henry Parkes Museum.  Sir Henry made a famous speech about federation in Tenterfield and we visited the room in which that speech was made.  He later became known as the Father of Federation. Sir Henry was the Premier of NSW five times.  He started his working life doing an apprenticeship of ivory carving.  We saw a beautiful brooch that he carved for his first wife.

He had 15 children with his first wife, five with his second, and none with his third.

For some reason the following poem was featured along with Sir Henry memorabilia - titled "Federation Poem".

  The boy stood on the railway track
  He heard the whistle squeal
  The engineer got slowly down
  And scraped him off the wheel.

We visited the home of the Tenterfield Saddler, made famous by the song by Peter Allen, and were amused by the sign out the front.

It was closed so we could not go inside. Maybe tomorrow.

It was back in to the car and time for a drive.  The first stop was the cork tree, believed to be the largest in Australia.  I scored some cork to make some wine bottle stoppers!

Cork Tree

Our last tourist activity for the day was to drive up to the Mt Mackenzie Lookout and see the great view.

Tenterfield from Mt Mackenzie Lookout

We settled in to the caravan and readied ourselves for a forecast low of -3 degrees.  Sausages in onion gravy with mash and veges was the order for dinner.


Day 42 - Tuesday 30th July

The forecast low of -3 did not eventuate, but -2 is still very cold.  Our caravan step was like stepping on to a block of ice.  We had no water as I had disconnected it last night, and the hose was also now full of ice.  The green grass of yesterday was now white.

But the sun was shining, and the shower was hot and plentiful.

We departed around 8:30 for Bald Rock NP with good intentions of climbing the largest hunk of granite in the southern hemisphere.  However the easy walk was too long and the short walk was too steep.  However we enjoyed the view.

The view looking up - Still 500 metres to go

The view behind me - above the trees



The view behind me - looking down

 The walk in was very good with  lots of native trees and ferns.

We headed back to Tenterfield and stopped to see the hideout of the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt, who hid around here from pursuing police.  He also hid at other places along our route south.

We stopped again to see inside the Tenterfield Saddlery, and this time it was open.  A very interesting place.  After a coffee we headed south.

We drove in to Glen Innis, a fiercely proud Celtic town. Something I understand.

They have a man-made Stonehenge type structure that has deep and meaningful Celtic significance - too long to include here.  The Australian Standing Stones are very impressive, and well worth a visit.

Australian Standing Stones - Celtic Origin



Above -Rock wall of items of significance from overseas
Below - One item from the above photo

We had lunch and drove on.  We bypassed Armidale but stopped for coffee at Uralla - a lovely small town.  It is well worth a longer visit, as is Glen Innis.

We established camp at Tamworth- the same caravan park as in January, when we were here for the huge music festival.

Today we drove about 370 km.

Day 43 - Wednesday 1st August

The start of our 7th week was very cold, maybe 2 degrees as we headed to the showers (at 7am).  We were on the road soon after 8 am.

Our first stop was Wallabadah (as suggested by a neighbour at Maroochydore - Malcolm). Here we found a First Fleet Memorial Garden that lists the names of all passengers and all crew members - all on stone slabs.  It is a private affair and is very good.

Sails made to look like an old sailing ship

A sample of one of the many stone tablets - One set for each ship

There were some famous surnames

The rest of the day was all about heading south.  We reached Sydney around 1:30 and had a relatively easy trip through the 8km of "horror". The rest was plain sailing.  We ended up at Mittagong, after a drive of about 508 km.

We went for a good walk in to town to exercise the tired leg muscles.


Day 44 - Thursday 2nd August

We thought that we were smart getting a caravan site away from the motorway and the many noisy trucks.  We found out the hard way that we were a short distance from the Melbourne - Sydney rail line.  It is amazing how many trains travel through Mittagong overnight.

Anyway we moved back on to the motorway about 8:20 amand headed south.

We did 513 km for the day with coffee and/or meal stops at Gunning, Tarcutta and Holbrook.  It was relatively easy driving with 2 lanes each way the entire distance (except for off-motorway stops).

We established camp in Wangaratta and went for a walk around town, then booked in to the RSL for dinner.

Day 45 - Friday 3rd August

Well we are home after 5965 km and 45 days. It was a great trip but highlighted how hard our country (farming) families are doing it.

I do not like to use my blogs to thrust a message down your throat. However if you are an Aussie and you love your country then (when you have  an option) please support our families on the land.

We have many many families who have had no income for 2 to 5 (or more) years thanks to one of our worst droughts. For a moment forget politics and what is alleged to be "global warming".  Do something to support them.

Yesterday Shirley was kept awake (in NSW) counting hay trucks heading north up the Hume Freeway, presumably from Victoria.  Tonight the ABC news talked about the great work Queensland coastal farmers are doing in providing hay to drought stricken farmers. Figure that?

I am the first Aussie male Kelly to NOT be on the land. I do know what these people go through - it killed my father. It can be and is so BLOODY hard.

I am now off my soap box to finish my story.

If you liked my story please smile.
If you did not please tell me what I did wrong.

We:

•  Were away for 45 days (a short trip)
•  Drove 5965 km
•  Spent $1675 on diesel
•  Spent $1832 on accommodation
•  Stayed at 16 different places (10 of them for one night)
•  Saw heaps of sculptures, murals and other art.
•  Learned a lot of history and geography.
•  Walked on a beach many times.
•  Saw the best moon eclipse of this century.
•  Meet up with a good number of friends.
•  Scored the end of a jazz festival.
•  Brought home 5 pieces of wood (for me to work on).
•  Zero - the number of metres that Shirley drove for the entire trip.
•  Made new friends.
•  Realised that the First Fleet included Kelly's.
•  Took many photos
  
   and most importantly
•  Loved what we did.
•  One of us came home with tanned legs, one of us did not.

Our Route

Click here to return to the Introduction. 
Click here to return to Chapter 1
Click here to return to Chapter 2
Click here to return to Chapter 4
Click here to return to Chapter 5
Click here to return to Chapter 6


 This post was last updated around 8:30 pm on Friday 3rd August