45.2021 I NSW Clockwise Unwinding Tour. The Rock and down the Olympic Highway to Albury.

The Rock, 32km south west of Wagga Wagga on the Olympic Highway in the Riverina region of NSW, stands 364m above the surrounding plains and was once called Hanging Rock due to a hanging protrusion on the eastern side, however, when the protrusion collapsed in 1874, locals changed the name to simply "The Rock"

We tackled The Rock at the end of April 2021 

The view of The Rock as witnessed by passing motorists. 

Backyard view of The Rock. 

Sign at the base of the walk. 
Up until now we thought that Lake Eyre at 15m below sea level was the lowest point in Australia. 
This sign states the summit stands 364m above the plain and 225 above sea level.
Hence by our maths the plain must be 139m below sea level.

Onward and upward. 

Natural rain and sun shelter. 

Safety first with timber handrail. 

Silhouetted bird.  

No sign of wild fires here. 

On a clear day, Mount Kosciusko can be seen. 
Today was not clear due to the burn-offs. 

    Chequerboard paddocks. 

Considering having got up here, we now have to get back down. 

Well deserved lunch break. 

We witnessed some of the world's fastest birds which can swoop at speeds of up to 300kph.  

Peregrine in gliding mode. 

Peregrine in stall mode, ready to swoop.
We didn't have a fast enough shutter speed for the swoop. 

Our caravan is in mid frame at the The Rock Recreation Ground. 

This stone evidently does not roll. 

So many towns such as The Rock, honour the armed forces, with all forces represented in the large central traffic island.  

A daisy a day!

A 15km drive down the road to our new campsite at Yerong Creek set us up in the laidback village which lacks all forms of retail therapy including coffee shops and service stations. 

The AFL football ground has been kept meticulously predominantly by the one caretaker since the 1960s, who mentioned the last game played in the grounds was in 1972

Idyllic campsite without neighbours.  

Field with potential sporting The Rock in the distance. 

The neatly mowed grounds. 

Railway line ballet.

The backyard tram swing so common back in the day, however, now said to be too dangerous for public parks.
 

"Sheep may safely graze and pasture
In a watchful Shepherd's sight". 
(Johann Sebastian Bach)

Another 15km drive for several nights at Henty. 

Well presented Henty main street. 

Pending storm over Henty Showground. 
We are planning a four day pushbike ride shortly, so this doesn't look promising. 

The third consecutive 15km move took us to Culcairn, a thriving small town of about 1,500 coffee scene folk and wide streets. 

Autumn colours, three coffee shops to the right and one around the corner. 

Imagine the Culcairn pool back in the day with free flowing clear water, but it has sadly lost condition of the diving platform, banks and water quality. 
The town though is immaculate apart from the leaves playing havoc.    

The heritage listed Albury Railway Station has the longest platform (at 455m) in Australia due to the requirement of accommodating trains from NSW and Victoria end to end allowing transfer of passengers.  It wasn't until 1962 before the standard gauge railway was completed that passengers could travel from state to state without changing trains. 

Australia's longest railway platform at Albury Station

Looking down a time tunnel. 

Monument Hill stands towers over the end of Albury's main street, Dean Street, and features a memorial for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in WW1 and subsequent wars.  The imposing structure was built in 1924 with substantial new works carried out in 2020

The monument can be seen for miles in all directions. 

Memorial plaques for all overseas engagements by Australian armed forces.  

Unbelievable toll, as with so many conflicts over the years. 

With an eye on the weather, we now break our original plans and head across the border to Victoria to tackle the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail on our tandem pushbike.

With that in mind, keep in mind that life is like a bicycle. 

"To keep your balance, you must keep moving!"

Cheers, Don and Carrol. 

(Posted 27th June, 2021)

44.2021 H NSW Clockwise Unwinding Tour. Lockhart. Verandahs, wool art, sculptures.

Lockhart is called the town of verandahs, but should also be equally known for its sculptures.  The town was founded in the 1850s and found by us in the third week of May 2021.

A museum combined with a gallery displaying art work made by wool also added to the uniqueness of the town. 

Big verandahs, long shadows and small crowds. 

Moon rise after sunset. 

Visitor numbers have increased by 37% since Lockhart had their water tower painted in the centre of town, highlighting again the great number of folk on the silo/water tank art trail. 

Photography was difficult due to proximity to buildings, trees and shade,  however, was the intention of the artist to have the artwork blending in with the trees and surroundings.  

Kookaburra perched in tree as intended by the artist. 

Soaring brolgas. 

Pastoral Shadows of Brookong reflects life around Lockhart in the 1980s when the area was a huge sheep station, by use of rusted iron, scraps of steel and other natural materials. 

Life can be a drag for some. 

The shepherd and his horse both appear to have had one too many as he rounds up the sheep for the shearing of their steel wool. 

Carrol discussing "life on the wallaby" with a swaggie. 

Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing, as the milk maid goes a milking. 

The ever faithful kelpie guarding the load. 

Goods and chattels in 3D. 

Back in town, some great architecture, once a bank, now a house.  
Note the similarity to the bank in the previous post from Coolamon.

Scattered around the town are more intriguing sculptures, all out of steel, highlighting the advantage of being inland away from the corrosive effects of a maritime environment. 

Showing all the hallmarks of a knight's rusty steed. 
(or is it meant to be trusty steed?)

The iron horse was widely known as opening up life in the west. 

Fish feeding time.

This set was in one of the town's parks, and as with all other artworks, shows no sign of graffiti, nor anywhere else in town.  

Looking cool.

Entrance built to last with wool bales cleverly formed out of concrete. 

The showpiece of the showground.  The "Grand" Stand 

Binoculars are a must for watching events on the far side of the field. 

 A mob of steel kangaroos heading towards our caravan. 

The pond behind our van. 

Green's Gunyah Museum and the Doris Golder Gallery share the same premises in Lockhart and both have so many unique items, especially the Doris gallery. 

Doris Golder's totally unique artwork is all made of natural wool; washed, combed and undyed. 

 

100 years history of Lockhart tapestry 

The amazing process of wool artwork. 

The 4 Ps just doesn't apply to wool portraits. 

Raw material for all the portraits and artwork. 

"Don't you worry about that!"
(Jo Beilke Petersen)

A favourite, "The Kelpie". 

Distinguished wool portraits of some greats. 

The only limitations are the ones we put on ourselves. 
(Ita Buttrose)

And the Green's Gunyah Museum has gathered some golden oldies. 

Now that's a saw!!

An extensive range of early tractors, none of which ever had flat tyres. 

An 1890s Braybrook Stripper was the earliest mechanical means of harvesting wheat rather than by sickle or scythe; and was ground driven and belt driven. 

Evidence of ramifications of contracting polio. 
Vaccinations have evidently made such a differences to life and lives.
  

The place name of Milbrulong in the Riverina is derived from the local aboriginal word meaning Rosella parrot. 

Give me a home among the gum trees. 
This water tank of rosellas painted to reflect the town's place name.  

Great water pressure in the van. 

A local rosella confirming the town's name origin. 

Three grain storage alternatives; Concrete, metal sheeting and fabric. 

Milbrulong has two roads, this one featuring The Rock rising in the distance. 
The Rock features in our next post. 

Happy travelling in all you do,

Cheers, Don and Carrol. 

(Published on 20th June, 2019)