Thursday, October 25

Up early so we could take a walk before stopping to see David before we left Canberra. Take a look at what we saw ... A MOB of kangaroos and lots of birds.








Crimson Rosalla (they love to eat the rosés right off the rose bush.


While we were in Canberra, we visited the Black Mountain Tower. Rising 195 metres above the summit of Black Mountain, the Tower presents 360 degree views of Canberra and the surrounding rural area. You can walk around two open viewing platforms and the views are breathtaking. It's very easy to see the layout of the town.



Then we walked around the Parliament building. What struck us was how quiet it was compared to our Nation's capital, no sirens, very little traffic or people walking around. This is a shot looking down the mall to Parliament from the War Memorial.



Next was the War Memorial. We had a 1.5 hr tour of the history Australia had in the different wars. Very well done.






Our time in Canberra was over. Had to catch a plane to Sydney and the to Armidale.

Location:Canberra

Wednesday, Oct 24

We arrived at Canberra early afternoon after a beautiful drive through the country on narrow and some dirt roads. Saw lots of sheep.



We visited with David Evans for the afternoon. David had stayed with us in the states while he was working on a project with Ted Alter. Unfortunately, he had a stroke and is now in a care facility in Cranberra.


After the visit we went over to his daughters house to stay for the evening. Had a great time getting to know them better.



They had an Australian dessert called pavlova. Very rich but very tasty. It's a meringue base with whipped cream topping and strawberries and mangoes.



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Location:Gundagai to Camberra

Tuesday, Oct 23

We dropped Paul off at the Melbourne airport and headed on our way to eventually see David Evans and Jo and Eddy in Canberra.

We wound our way up the Hume Highway. Stopped in Albury which was a larger town and decided we wanted to stay in a smaller town so headed to Gundagai. Gundagai is home of the famous Dog on the Tuckerbox monument, nestled between Mt Parnassus and the Murrumbidgee River. And they have two wooden bridges that are still standing today (but not used thankfully). I can't even imagine driving on this shaky thing. We talked with one of the bakers and they used to drive across it until 1987!!!







We almost weren't able to stay in Gundagai because all the hotels were filled with road crews. But luckily, we got one of the last two rooms. The next closest town was 100 km and we just didn't want to drive any further.

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Location:Leongatha to Gundagai

Work Day with the Project

Miriam scheduled 4 interviews for us in this lovely town. Leongatha is in the foothills of South Gippsland's Strzelecki Ranges – a lovely country town with a population around 5000.




After the interviews, we went out to eat at a pub and had great food and wine. Then it was back to the room to input our data.

Some more photos of the town. The ever present Roundabout!






This is the park we were able to walk around in the early morning. Most towns had a park and since this was spring, the flowers are beautiful.

Now it's on to Canberra to see David Evans.


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Location:Leongatha, Victoria

Sunday, October 21

Walked with Tilly the dog around Miriam and Paul's paddock and saw two more kangaroos.

Then had a Skype meeting with Tec to bring him up to date on the projects and dicuss engagement and knowledge sharing.

Then it was time to get on the plan at the little Armidale airport to fly to Sydney and then to Melbourne. Because of the vastness of the space, they seem to fly much more than we do.

After we landed, we hired (that's what they call rented) a car to drive to Leongatha where we will be interviewing.

Since we were so close to Phillip Island where the penguin parade is, Bill and I took the car and drove to see the little buggers.  We weren't allowed to take photos, but here's what I took from their website. They are only about 12 inches high and they are dark blue and white (I'd say they are Penn State penguins, wouldn't you!!).  They come out of the ocean at dusk and waddle up predefined paths (that they somehow know which paths to use) and head to their burrows to socialize. What an experience.  Here's the website if you want to explore more: http://www.penguins.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=54&mytabsmenu=1

 

Definitely worth the hour driving time.

Heading back home to Armidale

Had a lovely, long walk along the Brisbane River on Friday morning. They have a bike and walking trail along both sides as well as a bridge that is just for walkers and bikers.



Their jacaranda trees were also in bloom. That's the lavender flower you see in the picture above.





This is the walking and biking bridge


As we were getting coffee and some breakfast, we saw this sign we thought you'd enjoy:



But need to get back on the road again, headed back to Armidale on the Gold Coast Highway. It was four lane in a few places but not all. The going was slow by our standards. Lots of construction where they are building the 4 lane and just slow traffic so even though they call it a highway, it's not very fast.

Stopped at a yachting club in Yamba for lunch and so Paul could show us the beaches.





Here's our lunch of prawns (large shrimp), caught locally this morning






Anyone recognize that this is a Norfolk Island Pine. They get quite big here.

Back in Armidale an having dinner with Paul and Miriam and friends of theirs. Nice relaxing evening after a long day of driving.

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Location:Brisbane to Armidale on the Gold Coast Hwy

Thursday, October 18

Again, we were up early and had a walkabout on a trail along the Balonne River






Look for the writing on the tree. That's how high the river flooded in 2011.

Then on to breakfast that definitely made up for any issues. eggs, bacon and ham and toast and coffee.

This pub was a location that the Rotary met every Tuesday. They had at least 100 flags from different Rotary Clubs all over the world. Saw some from USA BUT not one from ETown, where our favorite District Governor, Denny Zubler hails. So, our recommendation is that you need to bring Linda and us over and hang the Etown flag in St. George!!



Back on the road, headed to Toowoomba, using a map that a local drew for us so we could "save" time.

We stopped at a crossroads to have tea and a biki (we would call it cookies) in Moonie. The gas station was the hub for that area, having an eatery and a bar. Across the street was the information center where they had some local crafts. Found a few cute things to pack in my suitcase!!

This sign tells a bit about the town and the history




The Crossroad store was also a place that had the most feral pig display. Here's one of them.


Both Paul and I tried to get Bill to buy this Akura hat but couldn't quite talk him into it.


As we were driving, we stopped along the road to take a picture of a prickly pear. Never saw them get this big!!


Now we're hoping that we make it to a gas station. Just like when we were in Alaska, you need to remember to gas up whenever you see a gas station because it's MANY kms between gas stations.

Made it to a little general store and gas station in Cecil Station, very much like the store that my dad and mom owned and operated. The gas pump was right along the road and the store had something for everyone.



It's very hot here, about 33 degrees c. One of the phrases we hear a lot is "how ya going?" as a greeting.

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Location:St George to Toowoomba and Brisbane

Thursday, October 18

Again, we were up early and had a walkabout on a trail along the Balonne River






Look for the writing on the tree. That's how high the river flooded in 2011.

Then on to breakfast that definitely made up for any issues. eggs, bacon and ham and toast and coffee.

This pub was a location that the Rotary met every Tuesday. They had at least 100 flags from different Rotary Clubs all over the world. Saw some from USA BUT not one from ETown, where our favorite District Governor, Denny Zubler hails. So, our recommendation is that you need to bring Linda and us over and hang the Etown flag in St. George!!



Back on the road, headed to Toowoomba, using a map that a local drew for us so we could "save" time.

We stopped at a crossroads to have tea and a biki (we would call it cookies) in Moonie. The gas station was the hub for that area, having an eatery and a bar. Across the street was the information center where they had some local crafts. Found a few cute things to pack in my suitcase!!

This sign tells a bit about the town and the history




The Crossroad store was also a place that had the most feral pig display. Here's one of them.


Both Paul and I tried to get Bill to buy this Akura hat but couldn't quite talk him into it.


As we were driving, we stopped along the road to take a picture of a prickly pear. Never saw them get this big!!


Now we're hoping that we make it to a gas station. Just like when we were in Alaska, you need to remember to gas up whenever you see a gas station because it's MANY kms between gas stations.

Made it to a little general store and gas station in Cecil Station, very much like the store that my dad and mom owned and operated. The gas pump was right along the road and the store had something for everyone.

It's very hot here, about 33 degrees c. One of the phrases we hear a lot is "how ya going?" as a greeting.

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Location:St George to Toowoomba and Brisbane

Wednesday. October 17

Walkabout Narrabri in the early a.m., breakfast at a bakery cafe (because we didn't get our breakfast request in early enough for bkft in our room) and then to the airport to pick up Paul. Checkout this airport. No one had better ever say that UP airport is small. It's quite large compared to the airports in the smaller towns in Australia. This reminds me of what the UP airport looked like when I was growing up in the 60s.


On our way to St George, one of applicants of the Caring for our Country grants met us at Nindigully, a historic site, and one of the places that he holds workshops on the control of feral dogs.




This pub had a wall of Akuba hats that people had hung up to decorate the walls.

And here's a handsome fellow ... a feral pig, one of the large pest management control issues.




Once in St. George, we got the last 2 rooms available at the Australian Hotel and Pub. Paul pulled the short straw and had to stay above the pub which had a few minor issues, windows boarded up and a birds nest near his toilet.



Walked about town a little and found a Craft and Patchwork store (fabric). I had a look about but didn't buy much because all their fabric has to be imported in and cost $22/liter (about 39 inches). So, Linda Z, we better not grump any more about our fabric costs!!

Again, we were up early and had a walkabout on a trail along the Balonne River. This was also a fitness trail so every few kms, there was an exercise station. Paul said that's not uncommon in Australia.






Look for the writing on the tree. That's how high the river flooded in 2011.

Then on to breakfast that definitely made up for any issues. eggs, bacon and ham and toast and coffee.

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Location:Narrabri to St. George

Tuesday, October 16

Up early for a walk and then ready for breakfast. One of the things that's very different for us was that breakfast had to be ordered the night before and then they brought the food to our room in the morning at the hour we had requested. Very nice. Felt pampered.

On the road again to visit with a landholder along Corinda Way Road. Lots of sun (about 31 degrees C). We saw more roos, a wallaby, lots of emus and LOTS of cattle along and on the road.







The cattle picture was taken while Bill was driving 110 km!!


The stations (or ranches as we would call them) had sign posts like this one at the end of a LONG lane to their farm. For us to find this station, we had to watch very closely how many kilometers we had travelled from one road to the next. We were OUT, way out in the bush. The road was very narrow, only one lane. We didn't meet many other vehicles but when we did, you just moved to one side and kept up the pace of 110 km!!

After this interview, we were on the road again to Narrabri through the small town of Corinda. We stopped in Walgett to each lunch in a little park (we had packed some cheese, crackers and fruit). More small towns to Wee Waa on the Kamilaroi Hwy and then to Narrabri.

Stayed at the Atalong Motel because the motel we had booked through a travel agent had booked us for the next night. No worries (as they say in Aussieland). They found us another place to stay. The motels in these small towns are booked through the week because of road crews who stay and work on the roads. I did notice that they don't have the amount of people standing around. There were only a couple people working and 2 flag people (sometimes didn't have these). They were hats with netting because of the flies.



Had dinner at the Narrabri Bowling Center. Not bowling as we know it with pins but more like bocci ball. Played outside on a green, several different teams rolling the bowling balls from one side to the other trying to get as close to the small white ball as possible.


Back to our room to write up our interview reports and then sleep. Lots of driving. We're tired.

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Location:Warren to Narrabri