Fri, 10th May, 2024 Dalrymple Creek Park, Allora, Qld to Community Hall Rest Area, Legume, NSW (sightseeing & waterfalls)

Blue sky and a few clouds, 12 degree minimum so we put the heater on. Did some work on my blog while Steve read.

Clouds coming over so on with the coats and jeans with shoes now as it isn’t going to warm up too much. Took our ‘camp’ photo as it was too dark last night.

Drove into the main street to find the bank house (est 1879) where Mary Poppins’ author, Helen Lyndon Goff, known to us readers as P.L. Travers, lived when she was 7. Sadly her father died suddenly and her life was shattered. Lovely house and apparently the bank vault is still inside. It is opened for visitors for special events like the recent Autumn Festival last weekend.

Across the road is the Sporting Museum. Home of Netball champion, Laura Geitz and also football legend, Wayne Bennett.

Lots of lovely lavender on the roadside.

In the park nearby is a sculpture for Helen Lyndon Goff.

I found an old heritage trail sign - needs updating. Then some more was we wandered down the street.

Great mural on the IGA and lots of lovely trees.

Drove out to the Apex Park for a cuppa. Maps and information.

A lovely church (built 1888) was nearby.

Around to the Showgrounds to check out some amazing murals created by the two Nicholson brothers. They are renowned for their work and doing movie backdrops etc. Unfortunately these murals are behind a wire fence so I couldn’t get good photos to do them justice.

Drove out to ‘Fairview’ - home of Lorenz and Magdalina Geck - Steve’s great great grandparents. I dug out an old photo of it from early 1900s.

Shirilee showed us around. The home has stayed in the family for 4 generations, Lorenz, Harry, Bill & Leona and now Mal & Shirilee but sadly Mal has passed on and their children won’t be taking it on so it will probably be sold as it is too much to upkeep though the neighbours are leasing the land at the moment. Years ago a chap, down on his luck, stayed with Leona & Bill and he offered to do some murals. He did a scene on the lounge wall on the fibro but that has since erupted and being asbestos related they just sheeted over it. The other mural in a bedroom is around the ceiling. We think it is of the surrounding countryside with hills, power poles and lane ways. Shirilee said that the Nicholson brothers live opposite Leona’s home and they did the IGA one and a few others around town too.

The bedrooms are lovely big rooms but the windows have been replaced. She has recently renovated the kitchen area.

Outside the old slab barn still stands.

It was a lovely visit and we wished her all the best as it must be lonely now without her beloved Mal.

The neighbours are growing sorghum on the land.

We headed back to the New England Highway and south again. Across the Condamine River at Warwick. The Condamine is a tributary of the longest continuous river in Australia, the Darling River. The Condamine River itself is approximately 500km long.

We turned off to check out a Horse Monument. Very well done and lots of information.

Had lunch in the camper as the wind is cold.

Into town to the Information Centre which was in the old Town Hall (1888). The chap wasn’t too helpful but we got a map of the walks so went for a wander down the street. Another oldie - the Post Office (1898). Further along was the St Mary’s Presbytery then on the opposite end of the street was St Mary’s Catholic Church (1926). At the intersection with the main road that heads to Stanthorpe is and underpass, complete with lift. Headed back down the street past the old Catholic Church (1865).

Back to the Town Hall then through the car park - found a great mural with another around the corner.

Headed out of town towards Killarney on a new road to mark off in our map book. Nice drive through farming land, across the Condamine River again. Lovely view across to the hills. Another photo further along.

Into Killarney, a small village. We aren’t far from the Qld/NSW border here. Spotted some murals so went for a wander. These were on either side of an artist’s studio - he paints scenes on what look like circular saws but they don’t have the hole in the middle - just the teeth around the edge. Very good too but I don’t take photos of things for sale. Another nice one on the next building.

An old map showing the Condamine River and where Spring Creek comes into it. There are three waterfalls there we are going to check out.

The CWA Hall has been built out over the creek. Must be interesting when it rains.

Continued up the street to the Heritage Centre. Another great mural. No books for us in the phone box.

The Axeman statue is on a Tallowwood tree. A seat out the front is a limb from a Rose Mahogany tree.

The Heritage Centre was closed. It is in the old bank building and apparently the top floor was blown away in a tornado in 1968. Steve found some friends to chat with.

Across the road the toilets have been painted too. Great information boards. Don’t think we will be doing the 14 River Crossing drive today or the lookout as the sky is still grey and the clouds are low on the hills.

Bought a pumpkin to make some soup to warm up for lunch - I like my homemade soups better than Cup-a-Soup!

Continued on towards NSW across the Condamine River, again.

Turned onto Falls Road that goes all the way to Boonah but we are only going as far as Queen Mary Falls and that might be a wash out too as it looks like there is rain ahead.

Up the windy road, didn’t stop at the first two falls as we will return this way and do them on the way back. Spits of rain started.

We drove through wet bitumen but it looks like we missed the shower. Into the Main Range National Park. Pulled up at the picnic area, took a quick photo of the sign and decided to do the Cliff Circuit first while the sun is shining.

Nice walk. First look at the creek.

Continued on till we reached a bridge. The falls are just ahead.

Went around to the left first to a lookout but it is overgrown to couldn’t see the falls from there. There is another one on the other side.

Across the bridge - you can see where the water disappears over the edge.

Wow, was definitely worth the drive and walk. Obviously with the recent rain it is flowing well.

We continued along the track to get down to the bottom. Wet and muddy in some places but most of it had bitumen.

Selfie time - bit hard trying to get us and the falls in but I did well with my little camera. Took some photos with my photo to put on Facebook for Greg and his photography quest of ‘Chasing Waterfalls’.

Everything is wet down here.

Sheer walls - you can see the lookout at the top.

Steve said - the rock borers are bad down here!

Now for the walk back up. A few waterfalls along the way and nice views through the tall trees.

Oops, this way has stairs - should have come down this way and up the other as it was just flat. We need the exercise!

Made it to the picnic area just as a shower of rain started.

Steve made a cuppa while I checked out the rest of the info board - should have read it more closely as it suggests going down the Falls Circuit track to avoid walking up the stairs! I read the info now and noted it was made a National Park in 1908 and it was on the western slopes of an active volcano years ago. As recently as the 1880s a huge chunk of the cliff fell down and we walked over those boulders on the boardwalk. Glad no more have wanted to fall off recently.

The shower of rain passed so we turned around and headed back down. Stopped at Daggs Falls Lookout. Just a short walk across to the lookout. Another spectacular falls and good viewing platform.

Continued down the road to the picnic area at Browns Falls. Lovely trees about the park and across the road they have beautiful gardens.

Interesting sculpture.

This one is a longer walk, 1.2km. It is already 4pm but we decided to try it. This is the South Branch of Spring Creek. We headed off but didn’t get far when we realised we need to cross the creek so will put this one on the ‘to do’ list for another visit.

Back to the main road and turned to head southward on Border Road. Pulled over at the Qld/NSW border for a photo. A car pulled in behind us but she was going into the house. She got out for a chat. Great address she says - the last house on the left in Queensland. They have just bought a van and are planning to escape soon too.

Continued along the road a bit to Legume. A small village with a Community Hall that we can park behind. Another couple were set up there with their Avan. The grass was very wet and soft so we found a dry spot and set up for the night.

We went for a wander. Checked out the info board - we will be taking the road to Woodenbong then down to Urbenville and then down to the main highway and across to Casino. Great info about the towns.

As we walked back we heard a chap telling the other lady about checking out the platypus in the creek down the road so we headed down there. Unfortunately they platypus were hiding but we had a nice walk as the sun disappeared behind the mountain. Lots of cattle about making a racket as they wandered down to the creek.

Back to the camper for drinks then dinner in the nice warm camper with our heater on, 24 degrees.

All quiet in town. The fog has settled over us as we headed to bed.