First
day of Spring but it is still winter for us. Outside temperature got down to 6
degrees and inside at 6am it was 12 degrees. Sun rising was blocked by low
heavy foggy clouds which slowly cleared to clear blue skies again – we have
been so lucky. Met a couple from Snowy Mountains who are setting up a website
business called Dendromia – tree obsession. They are visiting all the nurseries
and are creating an online ordering of all the trees etc from each of the
nurseries.
Into
Glen Innes looking for a dump point and ended up finding the Standing Stones
Celtic Monument. Glen Innes applied when the Government were wanting to erect a
monument to celebrate the contribution the Celtic community have made to the
development of Australia. Very interesting, would be good to come to the
Festival in first week of May.
“Arthur”
trying to pull the sword out of the stone.
As
a fundraiser for the monument they had a wall where different clans etc could
put a plaque and a stone from their hometowns etc.
Brothertons have Macpherson's in the family tree
Nice
mosaic work around the fire hydrant. Lovely old buildings and history here.
The Celtic cafe
The
trees around this district are so different.
View
from the lookout near the Celtic stones over the countryside and over Glen
Innes.
Many
parks and we eventually found the dump point in the Anzac Park. Cute little
galah wandering around the ground.
Some
art work!!
Big
drive south – 5km to another Celtic balancing rock for morning tea.
I
got some photos of the sheep and their lambs, even one feeding.
There
are massive rocks everywhere and one was doing its own balancing. Amazing the shots I can take as we are whizzing by.
Saw
another good letterbox – a tractor – too slow on the camera though to get off a
shot. Passed a Main Roads weigh station but luckily they were all inside having
smoko. Sneaky police here too as they don’t have any markings on the bonnet of
their cars so you don’t see them coming – not that we have an issue with our
speed!!!
Lovely
restaurant building in Glencoe.
Poplars
everywhere – I have only seen them like this so will have to come into spring
to see some foliage on them.
These
trees have a yellow glow to them – must be a moss on the trunks.
Climbed
Ben Lomond Range 1410m to Guyra who claims to have the highest caravan park in
Australia at 1330m. Passed some alpacas and deer.
Missed
the turnoff to Captain Thunderbolt’s cave and as we were descending the other
side of the range (200m drop in altitude) we weren’t going back up again to see
it. Got to have some things to look at on the return trip when we can dawdle.
Through
Armidale looking for fuel – it has been slowly getting dearer 167.9 etc. Onto
Uralla and stopped at the Information Centre to find out about the fossicking.
Lots of alluvial gold and gemstones – even diamonds. Got some fuel for 159.9.
Found Thunderbolt’s grave in an old graveyard. His real name was Fred Ward.
Someone
even left him some bullet shell casings.
Out
of town to the Wooldridge Recreation & Fossicking Reserve on Rocky Creek.
Lovely place, will stay 2 nights. Met a Tasmanian couple who have found some
small gemstones. Fresh water on tap so out with the washing machine and
generator for Wash Day.
2
hours later had it all done and hanging on the line under the awning.
View
from my laundry is pretty good.
Dinner
in Steve’s BBQ cooker so he got the fire going for some good coals.
Delicious
meal and lovely sitting around the warm fire with a glass of port and a rum for
Steve. Back into the van for a shower and dessert of strawberries and rice
cream as the temperature was dropping – 15 degrees in the van.
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