Tuesday– Way Out West….

…..where the rain don't fall

Got a job with the company Drilling for oil Just to make some change

Living and a`working on the land

(Lyrics from ‘Way Out West’ – James Reyne)

Classic & Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW - Mystery Run 2012

Part 3 – St George to Roma

So we are off to Roma today.

But first some repacking, space is at a premium in our little car.

Our first stop for the day was at the display of hand carved Emu Eggs,

with a talk from the artist – Stavros.

They really were beautiful, the things that people think to do!

Next stop was at the St George bridge and the weir.

They have had big floods this year, and in 2011 and 2010 – after years of drought.

Above is the weir and bridge in my photo,

below is a shot of the town at the height of the floods back in February this year.

(thanks to Brisbane Courier Mail for the pic)

Hard to imagine SO MUCH WATER!

Here is their flood marker post, the 2012 flood isn’t on there yet – they have to add an extension to the top of the post to fit it on!

We had our photos taken for the local paper in St George and if I get a copy of the photos I’ll add them at a later date.

Next we follow the Cobb & Co route stopping at Rosehill changing station.

Then onto Surat for lunch.

 

 
We reached Roma and our first stop was at the Big Rig.

To learn all about the mining industry in this area. Oil, and coal seam gas.

That night we visited the Big Rig night show before dinner at the Bowling Club.

(Don't forget you can click on an image to enlarge it to read)!

Until next time, Kim

Monday– I Love a Sunburnt Country…..

 

A land of sweeping plains. Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons,I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror .The wide brown land for me!

(Poem – ‘My Country’ – by Dorothea MacKellar)

Classic & Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW - Mystery Run 2012

Part 2 – Moree to St George

Ah ha, we are off to St George today.

Drove through big expanses of wheat fields and past some very expensive silos and other farming setups. I saw some wild budgies!

The car is running like a little beaut, although the door locks on my side seem to be stuffed.

We stopped at Garah for morning tea and excited the local children who ran down their driveways to wave.

The car convoy is like a little parade, we smile and wave.

Attention seekers!

I think you have to be a very special sort of person to live in these dry and dusty, isolated towns. Or be born here…

We crossed the border and into Queensland.

Then we stopped at ‘One Ton Post’ which they claim is possibly the biggest surveyors peg in the world! It marks the NSW/QLD border.

We were warned that this was a SNAKE infested place – but we didn’t see any snakes. There were SO many BLOWIES that they probably carried the snakes away.

(note to self, been watching too much ‘Miniscule’ on Telly)

We also looked at a ‘Turkeys Nest’ which is how they store water in these usually dry parts.

We are driving through areas that have had BIG floods earlier this year.

But today its HOT and we are sweaty.

We stopped at the Nindigully Pub for lunch (which must be a wild spot on occasions e.g. NYE)

AND, onto St George and a SHED.

We met a lovely man called Rob  who gave us lots of info on a town he loves.

They had just sold off HEAPS of their OLD WRECKS– whoops sorry, CLASSIC PROJECTS!

The town is called St George as the bridge was opened on St Georges Day 1846.

(That's the 23rd April our wedding anniversary – but NOT in 1846!)

We spent a nice afternoon, in the cool of the trees, at the Riversands Vineyard and I bought some wine that I now have to fit in the car somewhere.

(I said I could drink it away! Graham says *humph*)

The vineyards were underwater earlier this year .

They even bottle a ‘Floody Chardy’ (I bought some of that!)

Humm, tastes great – cheers!

Dinner tonight was at the RSL club.

That's Col who’s not got his dinner in this photo, but he did get it eventually.

I think we overwhelmed the tiny RSL kitchen on a Monday night.

 

Until next time, Kim

Sunday – On the Road Again…..

Goin' places that I've never been. Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again -Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
(Lyrics ‘On The Road Again’ - Willie Nelson)

Classic & Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW - Mystery Run 2012

Part 1- Armidale to Moree

Its that time of year again and we are off for a week with the car club in our 1964 Lotus Elan.

Its called a mystery run as we don’t know where we are going! Oh, What to pack?

Every morning we get instructions on what we are doing that day and where we will spend the night. We are given a hand out, along with brochures on the sights we will see that day. This makes a big book at the end of the trip. I have scanned some of the contents to share!

Below is todays information sheet. Click to enlarge..

(Thanks Lyn &Mick  – hope you don’t want to be paid royalties)

So, today we found out we were heading North West, spending tonight in Moree.

We started from outside Lyn and Micks house in Armidale.

There are 17 cars and 34 people on this years  run.

Our first stop was Bundarra for morning tea and a look in the Courthouse museum and the gallery of Glass, Bottle display.

We drove via Copeton Dam to have a look at all the work they are doing there – a new spillway since our last visit.

Lunch stop was at Cranky Rock – after a short trip on a very rough dirt road – our poor delicate English car! The places we take it.

We then arrived at the Gwydir Cara park and Thermal springs.

Moree is famous for its hot springs.

I’ve never been to Moree before. Its part of our health service and I get clients from here.

Its very flat with wide streets and I know its very HOT – although there has been lots of rain this year so everything is tinged with green.

The wind picked up this evening and we had a big wind storm with very little rain.

We thought we were going to lose the roof on the shed where we had dinner!

 

We were guests at a BBQ hosted by the Moree Vehicle restorers club at the showground.

Now we know which direction we are going we wonder where we are off to tomorrow.

Me thinks St George in Queensland. I wonder how many more sheds we will see?Ha Ha!!

 

Until next time, Kim

Aussie, Aussie Aussie, Oi! Oi! Oi!

Another cot quilt finished.

The backing is a nice cuddly flannel.

A simple and quick one using some of my scrap Australian themed fabrics.

 

Until next time, Kim