Exploring again

Once the morning showers had passed we loaded the picnic box in the car and headed South to Ballina. Our first stop was at the Ballina Manor, we had been recommended to take a look at this historic building by our son, Steven. The building itself is timber and not particularly remarkable.

It was built in 1925 as a Wesley Girls School and has been through a few transformations – but in 2000 it was purchased, Heritage Listed and restoration was undertaken – additions to the building removed and painting undertaken using the colours of the era, furnishings used between 1925 and 1931 (the year the school closed) were purchased and later that same year the refurbished Manor House was opened with great pomp and ceremony.

We were given a guided tour through the building calling in to see the rooms (they are hotel rooms with en-suite bathrooms) and given a description of how the room was originally used.

This picture is a small part of the dining room (it was originally the dining room for the girls). I found the décor very attractive and we both found the story of the building really interesting.

Leaving Ballina behind us we made our way to Thursday Plantation, a Tee-tree plantation, once again we enjoyed a free tour, this time of the gardens and rainforest. Throughout the garden and rainforest are sculptures.

There used to be an annual sculpture competition at which there would be an acquisition prize – but apparently some of the sculptures just never went home even if they had not been awarded the acquisition prize! Being a gardener I was very interested in all the varieties of ginger and herbs that were growing there. The young gardener came over and talked to us and he responded enthusiastically to all my queries. I even had the temerity to beg a little piece of root of one of the gingers! Yep! I have some to see if I can get it growing!!! One of the rather unusual flowers we saw there was a “bat flower” what a wonderful thing it is.

No! I didn't ask for a bit of it!

Our next interesting stop was Victoria Park. That is a pocket of unspoiled natural timber – a tiny patch that had never been logged by the timber getters in the early days of white settlement. Originally it had contained a massive fig tree that could be seen from miles away – it had been spotted from out at see by Captain Cook as he sailed up the east coast of Australia in 1770. However that tree is long gone. It was struck by lightning many years ago.

I took many photographs in the rainforest but I will not include any here. . . . because the little town of Alstonville might be more interesting to show here.

The town is attractive, small and popular. It has a country market that draws people from far and wide. Here we are on a Wednesday and the pub is humming with the voices of the many patrons which proves that the town is popular everyday, not just on market days.

My eye was caught by an obelisk standing near the war memorial.

The young man who was awarded the VC was killed in Ypres at the age of 20 in September 1917.

AJ

An unusual town

The little red car knew we had more passengers as it strained to climb the hills. I wasn’t able to fly today! Our day began in Hahndorf, a delightful little town that began as a home for German immigrants and was named after the captain of the ship that brought them to this fertile farming land. The town shed its German name, customs and language in the time of the first world war – there was so much ill feeling about the reliability of German Australians at that time. The name was restored many years later – but to learn about the fascinating history of the place you would need to do your own research!

We discovered a fascinating little place – actually, not as small as I expected, and every quaint building on the main street housed a shop that was worth walking into. There are lots of eating places too and there wasn’t a moment during the hours we spent there that we didn’t see a crowd of people eating and drinking!

Sue and Keith were tempted by a young lady offering free samples of strawberries. We bought a punnet of them to have for lunch.

 There was a sign for the Saturday Hahndoft market so we dropped in for a look.

It is always fun to look at the stalls – half of which were selling jewellery – and my eye was caught by the sight of a vegetable stall. Of course, vegetable stalls are a common sight at a market – but this one had multi-coloured carrots for sale! I was given a taste of them – four different coloured carrots had thin slices cut from them. I tasted the yellow and the purple and was so surprised to find that they tasted exactly the same and both of them tasted like . . . . carrot!

I just have to show you the fun that someone had with topiary. The sight of these two trees caught my eye! Aren’t they funny!

I wanted to kidnap these characters in the following photo. I think they would look terrific on my front lawn. Knowing the Gold Coast, I think I would have to anchor them to the ground or they would disappear one night! But they would look good!

The countryside around Hahndorf is a delight too. We had a wonderful drive around and even visited the Big Rocking Horse and toy factory. But that is another story!

AJ

A true traveller

There are so many things I could tell you about – each day is filled with new experiences and sights and I really should write everything down. But we passed a very special individual today and I am sure that you would be really interested to see pictures and hear a little about him.

Unfortunately my driver did not give me time to hop out and really ask questions – and I would really have liked to – so I do not know this man's name.
I had to beg Colin to slow down and stop when I saw something quite unique on the road ahead. I could see two camels pulling a little trailer. I am sure that Colin just sees the road!

I hastily wound down the window and took my first shot.

I asked the net covered man where he was headed “Here and there” he replied in a strong European accent (at a guess, Yugoslavian) “where ever the road leads us and which ever way my camels take me”.

How long have you been on the road? “ Eight years now.”

Do you sleep in your little van? “ Oh no, I sleep in the open next to my camels, the sky is my roof”

And that was all I had time to ask him before my driver put his foot down and took us on our way. Three photographs and three questions – but an impression of a contented person. He was doing what he wanted and he was happy with his lot.

The man had stopped when we pulled alongside him and was happy to talk to me but when the camels both lurched forward together he started again on his slow walk along the road. They must be female camels, they determine when they leave and how long they stop!

AJ