This is the last full
day of our short break and we really made the most of the time we
had. After a brief and quite light shower we packed the car with our
lunch and my cameras and off we set – first to see the lake that is
at the northern end of Lennox Head township. Lake Ainsworth is only a
small lake but at the moment it looks beautiful. Apparently it is not
always so attractive and judging by the odd bits of weed floating
about it will not be all that long before the water hyacinth takes
over once again and turns the clear waters green and lawn like.
Driving past the well
located caravan (“tourist”) park along a gravel road I turned the
car into a side track and we found ourselves at the ramp where four
wheel drives can access the “Seven Mile Beach”. After watching a
family of tiny quail (birds) scratching and feeding in the short
grass just in front of the car we climbed out and over the dunes to
see the beach. We hadn't been there very long when a couple of sea
horses appeared!
You never know quite
what you will find in this part of the world!
Our plan was to drive
to Evans Head, however on the way we had to drive past Wardell –
the little town we turned into yesterday on our drive to Thursday
Plantation. I had read about this place being historic or having
historic buildings so once again I turned the car to leave the
highway and this time swung left to explore in a different direction.
The road I took looped back under the highway and sure enough, led to
the old part of the town.
The old pub has no name
and doesn't even show the name of the proprietor over the door but
judging by the cars out front it still operates as a pub. Across the
road stands a beautiful old brick building that was once a branch of
the National Bank of Australia – the faded gold letters are still
above the door on the corner of the building. A sign board beside the
structure shouts “Sold” so it will not crumble into disrepair as
so many old buildings have. Behind where I was standing to take this
photograph stands a huge Catholic Church. I would say that at one
time Wardell must have been a sizeable town to warrant such large
buildings and such a wide road.
The Pacific Highway
that cuts across Wardell passes over a lifting bridge, further
indication that this area was once busy both on the river and on the
land.
I just had to stop the
car after driving under the highway a second time, I hadn't seen it
before but this time I spotted some amazing artwork on one side of
the bridge.
Good, isn't it?
Evans Head proved to be
another interesting place and although I took several photographs I
will save them for another day – because I want to show you
something different – we took a turn off the highway before we
reached Ballina to take a drive along the narrow neck of land that
lies between the river and sea. I did not expect it to be populated –
it seems so out of the way from shops and amenities but there were
plenty of expensive looking homes with a fair amount of garden around
them as well as several farms planted with sugar cane. The road
seemed to travel along the river for ages and ages and just as I was
beginning to think I should turn around, we mush surely be at the
tip, we came across a ferry.
So really the people
who live on this side of the river do not have so very far to drive
after all! They can tootle up the road and wait for the ferry to come
back over for them and it saves them having to drive about 30
kilometres. The ferry is motorised but is guided by two cables. Maybe
it pulls itself over by these cables, I don't know.
The prices of transport
look a bit expensive – but petrol being as high as it is at the
moment, I guess it does work out to be a saving.
Colin and I pack the
car and leave Lennox Head tomorrow morning, We might call in to visit
a couple of places on the way home though. Our dogs will be happy to
see us again!
AJ
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