Wednesday 1 May 2013

ROAD TRIP TO THE AUTUMN FESTIVAL IN BRIGHT, VICTORIA
 Sheep country on the South West Slopes on our way to Cootamundra where Jeff and I lived in l972 and where Daryl went to infants and primary school.
 The Which Craft and Coffee Shop in Harden.  I did some legal work for them 41 years ago when I worked for a Solicitor in Cootamundra.   The craft co-op was purchasing the house and just setting up.  I couldn't believe it is still going after 41 years.
 We had lunch in their cafe.  The old dears had cooked homemade soup and were serving the tables, some  in their 70's and 80's.  The profits go back into the house for maintenance and preservation.  The house was built in l912 by John Bourke, a business man.  We met his grand-daughter at lunch and she told us the history.
 Coming into Cootamundra.  The paddocks were a bit dry and some were ploughed ready for sewing and were a rich chocolate colour.
 Cootamundra District Hospital where Daryl's father worked for 10 years.
 The flour mill which is still operating.  Daryl said they used to climb in the windows and play inside, much to his mother's disgust.

The house where Daryl lived in Thompson Street.
 Jeff standing outside the flat that we rented in l972 for just $20 a week rent. It was in Margaret Street. It had some landscaping done and fences that we never had back then. 
 Busts of all the Australian Cricket Captains.  The first Captain was an Aboriginal man.
 Julie outside one of the gorgeous old houses facing the park.   I don't remember such beautiful houses when I lived there.  Was I too young at 22 to appreciate them?
Magnificent Cootamundra Railway Station.  We put several people on the train here back in l972 for the 10 hour journey back to Sydney.
 The lovely kitchen of the Lawson Motel,  Wagga Wagga, where we stayed on our first night.  It was a shame that we were only there for one night.  A week would have been lovely.  Jeff and I stayed in Wagga for 2 weeks when Jeff was teaching Columbo Plan students from all over the world in l976. We had a very ordinary motel,  our room was on the first floor which was very inconvenient with a 3 year old and a crawling baby.  I would have loved the space and garden of THIS motel!

 The gorgeous Italian Garden with outdoor eating area. 

 Wagga Wagga is a beautiful inland country city with a population of 61,500 people.  The shopping is fantastic.  I love the way they lit their public buildings.

Pre dinner drinks in our room before a lovely smorgasbord dinner at the RSL Club Carvery.

4 comments:

  1. What a lovely summary of our trip. I had forgotten some things, like the RSL Bistro - rmember we hadn't taken any ID!!. Great work, I will enjoy reading the next instalments. Lots to tell. love J.

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  2. I love the beautiful old buildings. It's such a shame that Canberra is too young to have more than just a handful of old farming buildings. Actually, I just found out the old Tuggeranong school house is open two sundays a month. I would love to go there sometime. It's where I used to live in Chisholm - it was derelict and I had no idea it was there until I stumbled upon it on a walk one day. It's at the end of a cul de sac on a large piece of land. You can barely see it from the road. It was restored a few years ago apparently.

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  3. You didn't appreciate the "old" houses when you lived there 40 years ago cos they weren't "old" then, only "middle aged!" LOL! They were 40 years younger!

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  4. Oh granny you should have dropped in to our place for a cuppa. Next time.

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