PLANES, TRAINS and FLOWERS

29^th September, 2014

We’ve had an enjoyable couple of weeks travelling down the coast with a stopover at Tuncurry and a house sit near Kurri Kurri where we looked after Bess (the dog), four alpacas, two steers and a rabbit for Sharon and Don (children of close friends Ken and Margaret Smith).  Caught up with our son Trent, while we were close to Newcastle, as well as other assorted friends and relatives.  Trent had given Wok a gift voucher for a jet flight simulator experience for his birthday, so last Friday night the three of us (Wok, Robyn and Trent) flew in a Boeing 737 from Williamtown to Sydney.  Wok was the pilot and Robyn and Trent were passengers.  Of course Wok had the assistance of a qualified co-pilot (and we never left the building let alone the ground) but he did well and we touched down smoothly in Sydney.  The co-pilot encouraged Wok to take off again and do a loop around Sydney with a slight detour to fly under the harbour bridge and then land safely back at Sydney airport again.  Wok said it was quite a workout mentally and the hour flew by.  We (Trent and Robyn) had great fun watching the view through the cockpit – thought we were going to hit the bridge but at the last minute Wok got the plane’s nose down and we scraped under.  We can now say that we have flown under the Sydney Harbour Bridge … well in virtual reality anyway.

Just before lunchtime we pulled into the Model Railway grounds near Berry.  We were met by Roger and Gwen (Wok’s sister and her husband) who guided us to a spot to set up camp near their van.  Roger is a member of the Model Railway group and helps out on open days when he is able.  They had just had an open day over the weekend and had invited us to join them at the grounds for a couple of days before caravanning with us to Bowral where we were to join up with their caravan club which was having a rally at the racecourse.  After lunch Roger brought one of the diesel model engines around for us to see.

Roger, Gwen and Wok at our campsite beside the train tracks

Then it was time for us to go for a ride.

Roger, Wok and Gwen are ready to go ...

The model railway has a large track for the trains to go on as well as a man-made lake complete with railway bridge.

Crossing the bridge

Roger and Wok had lots of fun trundling around on the tracks.  You would think after going around in circles a few times that it would be enough.  Not so!  Many circuits later they were still laughing.  Boys and their toys … !

Wok and Roger ... They never grow up - do they?

The next day we go for a drive to Picton where the boys drop us girls off to do a bit of retail therapy while the boys take a tour of the Train Museum at Thirlmere.  Then it is back to Berry for the night before packing up in the morning and driving up the range to the southern highlands.  At the Bong Bong Racecourse (a few kilometres east of the town of Bowral) we meet up with Roger and Gwen’s caravan club.  Over the next week we join in with some of the club’s activities and Wok spends a lot of time trying his hand out at doing really hard jig saw puzzles.  It’s tulip time in the southern highlands so a visit to the park in Bowral is on the cards.  The display is very colourful

and we wander around the garden beds

taking happy snaps all over the place.

Wok really liked this tree which was smothered in blossom.

There was a craft display being held in the church hall next to the gardens and we opted for a lovely lunch in the community hall attached to the church.

Wok, Helen, Graham, Gwen and Roger - with full tummies after lunch

On another day we went for a drive to Fitzroy Falls. 

Fitzroy Falls

The view point right next to the falls was very impressive.  We could see and feel the power of the water as it gushed over the escarpment and plunged to the valley floor.

Beside the falls

The view down the valley was equally impressive.

View down the valley from Fitzroy Falls

We couldn’t leave Bowral without paying a visit to the cricket oval.  Here a young Don Bradman fine tuned the skills that would see him become a legend in the cricket world.

Cricket oval at Bowral - according to the scoreboard England is next to bat

There is a museum adjoining the oval devoted to all things cricket where Don Bradman’s life and achievements are told in detail.

After spending six nights camped with the caravan club the rally ended and everyone packed up and headed out.  The majority live in Sydney, so it only takes a couple of hours for everyone to drive home and we waved goodbye as they headed off.  We’d paid to stay an extra couple of nights at the racecourse after the club left and by early afternoon all our camping buddies had gone and we were all by ourselves.  The Bong Bong Racecourse is unique in that it is run by volunteers and hosts one big race event each year – the Bong Bong Picnic Races.  In the middle of the course is a hill which gives you a great view over the course and surrounding countryside.

Our camp site at Bong Bong Racecourse

In the mid 1800’s Wok’s great grandparents arrived in Australia from England and settled in the Southern Highlands.  We took the opportunity to visit Sutton Forest where they first settled and spent a peaceful day wandering through the church yards in both Sutton Forest and Bundanoon where some of the Freemans are buried.  While taking photos of headstones at Bundanoon a lady approached us and asked what we were doing?  We explained that Wok’s ancestors had come from this area and we were interested in trying to get more information on them.  She introduced herself and said that she had documented all the gravestones in the cemetery and was involved with the local history society and this was the first time she had seen anyone interested in the Freeman headstones.  We swapped email addresses and she is going to see if she can dig up any information as the Freeman’s were a well known early pioneer family in the area.  What a fortunate meeting!  We aren’t too worried if nothing eventuates but it would be nice if she can come up with some more information to add to our family tree.

Well it was time to leave.  We’d had a great time catching up with Roger and Gwen and had thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area.  Spring is a wonderful time to be in the Southern Highlands with all the trees and flowers in full bloom.  Perhaps another visit to the Southern Highlands may well be on the cards in the near future.