WATTLE FLAT - POPULATION: 364

WEDNESDAY 8.4.2015: Dorothy, Carole's mum, refused to drive down this street. Imagine the cars of the 50's, much wider and longer. During our stay we have witnessed a caravan driving down the street and all the cars having to reverse to allow the van to continue.

EVIDENCE OF SANDSTONE
CURBS & STONE LAID
GUTTERING

 

CUDGEGONG HOUSE
TOWN HALL IN 1892



PRIVATE HOSPITAL
EARLY 1900'S



 

BUILT 1922 - FORMERLY
THE SALVATION ARMY
CITADEL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stopped to take a photo of this beautiful house and asked the owner who was gardening, for her permission. She told us that 8 years ago she and her husband had been doing what we are. They drove into Gulgong on the weekend and bought the Oddfellows Hall on the Tuesday, sold the motorhome and now run a B & B.

ODDFELLOWS HALL c1871 FORMERLY WESLEYAN CHAPEL
(OLDEST INTACT BUILDING IN GULGONG)

PRE-1900 UNITING CHURCH

Across the road from the Oddfellows Hall "our church" (also the one Carole had attended as a child), had only just been sold and at a great price. Oh well, not meant to be!  

 

 

There used to be a bank and pub on nearly every corner of Gulgong so it was only fitting that we should at least frequent one of the pubs - Prince of Wales Hotel!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally left Gulgong and drove to Wattle Flat where we stayed in the local park for the evening. On the way though, just had to stop and take a photo of 'The Peel" in the Village of Peel!

GULGONG

TUESDAY 7.4.2015: As with nearly every other town in NSW, the weather over the past few days has been rather damp! Amazing though, what can be viewed from the comfort of the motorhome - most people stop and stretch their legs when motoring, but in this case it was time for the camels to take a break! We believe they may have been on the way to a charity event camel race being staged at Orange. The human remained in the car whilst the camels stretched their legs. 

Stopped at the old Al ma mater, Red Hill Public School - walked up the hill to look at the mining structure and Carole mentioned that as school children they were advised to look for gold specks as they made their way to the sports afternoons - guess who (just a few years later), was still looking!

RED HILL PUBLIC SCHOOL c1892

 


CAROLE'S CLASSROOM



 
 

 

 

PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE c1870 ORIGINALLY THE LOCAL CINEMA WHERE CAROLE SPENT HER POCKET MONEY

CATHOLIC CONVENT c1881 - KNUCKLES WERE CANED WHEN THE WRONG NOTES WERE STRUCK DURING PIANO LESSONS!

GULGONG SHOWGROUND MOWING CREW!

GULGONG - POPULATION: 1,866

WATTLE LANE, GULGONG - THE PEEL RESIDENCE

SUNDAY 5 - MONDAY 6.4.2015: Why Gulgong? In 1954 the Peel family moved here so that Carole's father Don could take up a position as Deputy Principal at Gulgong Central Public School. The family remained until 1957 then moved on to Narrabri. We are staying at the Gulgong Showground ($12.00 per night, $16.00 with power and water, plus amenities). The caretaker came round to collect the fees and from there it was "a blast from the past". His son had been taught by "John" Peel (did not quite have the name right). As the names of previous residents were mentioned a critique on the living in town, moved away or deceased was provided!

On the drive into Gulgong we passed Ulan and a great expanse of open cut coal mines. Gulgong is a 19th-century gold rush town in the Central Tablelands. The name 'Gulgong' is derived from the name used by the traditional inhabitants, the Wiradjuri, for 'deep waterhole'. Like several towns in this  area, it began as a gold mining centre. However, being founded in the 1870s, it was one of the last to be dominated by 'poor man's diggings', that is by individuals without substantial capital investment. Novelist and bush poet Henry Lawson lived briefly in Gulgong as a child in the early 1870s, while his father sought instant wealth as a miner.

THE SAME PEPPERCORN TREE THAT
CAROLE FELL OUT OF AND
ENDED UP WITH CONCUSSION!

Gulgong street scenes were used as a backdrop to the portrait of Lawson on the first Australian ten dollar note (which was in use from 1966 until replaced by a polymer banknote in November 1993). The town and its surrounding district feature in Lawson's fiction, especially in Joe Wilson and His Mates.
Carole in talking about Gulgong had always mentioned 'Flirtation Hill'. One assumes what one assumes, but no, at the time the only access was by scaling the hill to reach the top. As a child Carole did this and other than a solitary tree and water tank, there was not much on offer. What a difference time makes! Just had to visit "the hill" and yes even it has been developed - seating, barbecue, access road and more importantly, a car park!

VIEW FROM FLIRTATION HILL

CASSILIS, NSW - POPULATION: 110

CASSILIS SHOWGROUND

WED 1 - SAT 4.4.2015: Arrr, those intrepid Leylands ensure they consider the weather, holidays - all the vital details! YES, we forgot about Easter and the school holidays - which equates to inflated accommodation costs, caravans, motorhomes and tents in every direction and of course, the inevitable children! Nav was left with the task of again locating a town where we could enjoy Easter without the 'madding crowd'!

CASSILIS BOWLING CLUB

The small town of Cassilis, at the top end of the Hunter Valley, boasts a number of heritage-listed buildings, including the hotel, courthouse and churches. The famous botanical oddity, the Wollemi Pine, is native to this region. An Aboriginal police tracker named Jimmy Governor once lived behind the Cassilis police station before turning to bush-ranging. Thomas Kenneally's novel, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, is based on the tumultuous life and times of Jimmy Governor who is said to have slain 10 people in a brief reign of terror. Sadly, the town is declining - in 2006 there was a population of 346, but now only 110.

NAV PLOTTING THE ROUTE - SHAYDEN'S
TENNIS COURT PLAYGROUND

CHURCH OF ST COLUMBA OF IONA
FOUNDED AT CASSILIS IN 1860 BY WILLIAM TYRRELL

Stayed at the Cassilis War Memorial Park which encompasses the Bowling Club and Showground - $30.00 for 4 nights (includes power and water). Had a meal at the Club and more than anything, enjoyed the quiet that is Cassilis - again, job well done by Nav!
A shout out and Happy Easter wishes to Rohini Sharma. Rohini kindly follows our blog - tried to visit the Hotmail site, but unfortunately the technically challenged Leylands had no success!





ROYAL HOTEL ESTABLISHED c1870

COURTHOUSE c1858 NOW THE LOCAL POST OFFICE  & GENERAL STORE



 

N-E-A-R-L-Y ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

SATURDAY 28 - TUESDAY 31.3.2015: Sun was shining, birds were singing and grass was growing at downtown LTP - the Leylands were preparing for departure on their extended h-o-l-i-d-a-y! The housework, gardens and general organisation is these days, completed at a much slower pace. The aim - leave on the 28th and travel to Branxton to watch Lyn Bowtell, a local artist performing at the Drovers Camp Restaurant. The restaurant as such, is a tin building in a mown field on private property, with a stage for performers - lovely ambiance. Poodle Palace would be parked overnight in the car park (thank you to Neil Jones), then we would continue our trip from there. All the best laid plans..............! Had turned the fridge onto gas overnight - we pack the freezer with all the precooked frozen meals - fridge has not cooled. Returned all the food to the home freezer - worry about eating at a later date! Had to be at Branxton at 4.00pm - arrived hurriedly at 4.15 and took up our position, albeit somewhat flustered!



TOMMY CONTOR &
LYN BOWTELL



LYN BOWTELL



 

 

 

 

 

As per usual we thoroughly enjoyed Lyn's performance, plus local entertainers. Returned to the motorhome - fridge is working! Okay, we will return home and collect the frozen food. Packed the fridge and headed off again. Spent the night at Jerry's Plain free camp. Jerry's Plain was settled in 1822 and has a population of 688. Settled in - fridge is NOT functioning, plus there were four rather loud 'pops' that did not augur well where gas is concerned! You guessed it - rang Damo at Watsons Coffs Harbour and yes he WAS excited to hear from us - H-E-L-L-O! Explained the problem and decided to head to Coffs to resolve the issue. Stopped overnight at Dungog Showground ($15.00 unpowered site) - FRIDGE FUNCTIONED PERFECTLY!  We are now back at Jerry's Plain 33kms west of Singleton and Y-E-S, the trip has begun!!!!!!!!

RETURN TO LTP!

FRIDAY 30.1.2015: Back home with washing, cleaning, washing, cleaning and even more washing on the agenda! Thoroughly enjoyed Tamworth and yes, have even considered returning in two years time! Next getaway is planned for March/April - destination Victoria and South Australia, with the main focus on the Great Ocean Road. As always, thank you to our blog followers - we will be back in March!

SINGLETON

THURSDAY 29.1.2015: Alas the Tamworth Music Festival is over and we are packed ready to return to LTP. Had to stop at Willow Tree Inn for lunch - beautiful, although must say the prices have considerably increased since we were last here two years ago. Onward to our overnight stay at the free camp Rix's Creek just north of Singleton. 

AT WILLOW TREE - LITTLE TOO MUCH SUN!