Wed, 3rd Jan, 2024 Zonhoven Park, Gayndah to Dalrymple Creek Park, Allora, Qld (Geck Street, Allora and Cemetery)

Quiet night - up early with the birds though. Puffy white clouds and some blue sky with temp 22 to 28 so very comfortable.

Continued south to Ban Ban Springs and stopped for fuel as we noticed yesterday it was 192.9 and bonus for us as it is 188.9 today. Luck went our way for a change.

The blue sky has gone now, just heavy grey clouds.

Continued south to Goomeri then left to Nanango. Nice drive through all the rolling green hills.

From Nanango to Yarraman - another nice country town.

Turned onto the A3 (New England Highway) towards Toowoomba. New road to mark off on our map book.

The sky is clearing - back to fluffy white clouds. Lots of Bunya Pines on the rolling hills. We can see the Bunya Mountains in the distance on our right.

Short steep winding descent down the Cooyar Range.

Fabulous murals at Crows Nest showgrounds.

Stopped for lunch at a rest area beside the skate park.

Saw signs for 2 lakes and national park - still so many places for us to come back and explore.

As we crested a rise we could see Toowoomba - houses all over the hills but to our left it is rolling tree-covered hills.

Wove our way through the streets - no direct road through with the highway. I was last here in 1982 as Miss Cairns for the Carnival of Flowers. I remember the beautiful gardens, the parade etc and also going to the zoo and down to Surfers Paradise with the other festival queens - we had a great time.

Continuing on the New England Highway towards Warwick. Back into farm land. Pulled off to check out a scenic look out.

Continued on - long straight road with lots of open fields.

Past the turn off to Darling Downs Zoo - this must have been the one we came to. I remember a camel putting his head right inside the window of the coaster bus we were in.

The sky is clear again but we are pushing into a head wind - again!

Entering the Southern Downs Region the sign says. Passed some camels as we turned off the highway into Allora. Home town of Steve’s great great grandfather Lorenz Geck who arrived in Australia in 1865 on board the ‘Alster’.

Notes from my family history files.

Lorenz was passenger 94 on voyage 2/94 on board the "Alster" in 1863 when it arrived in Brisbane.

The "Alster" of the Johann Cesar Godeffry Line was a barque of burden 168 C.L. and dimensions of 119'6" x 29' x 17'6". Built in 1846 in Venice. She was Austrian owned and named "Amor Fraterno". She was purchased by Godeffry on 10 December, 1852 and named the "Alster". This was her 6th and final trip from Hamburg to Australia. After leaving Brisbane on this voyage she visited some trading ports then Apia and returned to Hamburg in 1864. On a following voyage which departed in 1864 also she was lost at sea near Apia on the 28th January, 1865.

Lorenz (known as Lawrence) married Magdalina Weiss (also German) in 1873 in Drayton (no far away) and had 13 children here in Allora.

The eldest is Albert Geck who is Steve’s great grandfather and he had the travelling sawmill. Albert ended up in Mundubbera after marrying Theresa Weimers (German) in Toowoomba in 1897. Steve’s grandfather, Claude, was the 4^th born of their 9 children.

Through town to Geck Street. The post has got a bit of lean from when David was here in 2011.

Down the other end of the street someone is growing lots of different cacti.

Back to the Dalrymple Creek Park for a cuppa. Had a wander - lots of flying foxes over in the trees are making a racket. Nice tribute to a local.

Interesting info about the trough.

I looked up the Geck info and photos to try and work out where the family home was in relation to Geck Street etc. 

Rang David to see what he knew about the site of the Geck home. David said to go on the historical society FB page where I found a family member Leona had posted some photos and comments. Lorenz had bought the parcel of land and subdivided it but had reserved to blocks on Darling St and she said Albert had come back to Allora and lived there for a while. We think this is the reserved house blocks.

Stopped at the Museum and got the phone numbers provided. Got onto Colin who would love to meet us so arranged to meet him tomorrow morning. He also suggested we visit Leona Sinton - part of the Geck family. He gave us her address but looks like she is away so I just left a note in the letterbox. Erica & Terry met here when they came here years ago.

We then drove out to the cemetery to find Lorenz & Magdalina’s graves. Found their son Harry and his wife’s first.

Then Magdalina or Magdeline as it is on the grave.

Then one of their daughters, Verina. I have no record of an Ethel Mary - will have to research her. They were all in the Church of England section.

Further over in the Catholic section we found Lorenz.

David had sent us the directions to ‘Fairview’, Lorenz and Magdalina’s home which then belonged to Henry (known as Harry).

Erica had this photo of Magdalina with 2 children in front of the house in 1888. Looks different so not sure if this is the original they revamped or another house they started with.

Other photos of ‘Fairview’, early 1900s then 1940 and 1989 (Henry and Ada’s daughter Leona lived in it then). It has had lots of changes over the years.

A news article with Lorenz’s obituary.

We headed back to the park for the night. Popular rest area as a few more campers have pulled in.

Looked at our map and rang a few people to see if they will be home over the next week so we have sorted our travel down through NSW.

Rang Terry to tell him what we had found. The funeral of his old work mate was nice, very big family. Cleaner has been, mowing on Monday and he has booked his train ticket for 5^th April to get to Cairns to see his great grandchildren. All organised.

As well as the flying foxes the cicadas are creating some noise too. There was also some ducks wandering about and we could hear a peacock calling too. Better sounds than traffic I suppose.