Brisbane, QLD


Tuesday, April 16, 2013

TRAVELLING TO TAMWORTH

On the second day of our road trip we only needed to drive another 3 hours to reach Tamworth and meet our friends. So we decided to check out some local attractions in Glen Innes before setting off on the next leg of our journey. We visited  "The Australian Standing Stones"

"The Australian Standing Stones began as an ambitious project by a small, dedicated group of citizens who wanted to mark Glen Innes's Celtic heritage. It was in Australia's 1988 Bicentenary Year that the Celtic Council of Australia developed the idea of erecting a national monument to honour all Celtic peoples who helped pioneer Australia. Glen Innes responded with a 46-page submission for Australian Standing Stones, inspired by the Ring of Brodgar in Scotland's Orkneys." 
TOH sits at a picnic table made of stones in front of the circle of standing stones.


The main feature of the Australian Standing Stones is a circle of 24 stones, representing the 24 hours of the day. Read more information here:

There is a big Celtic Festival here in a few weeks.

The gigantic boulder of granite rests precariously on a 300 millimetre point amongst other rock formations.
We drove on towards the next town Armidale on the way we stopped to view the 'Balancing Rock.'

 Then we passed through rich farming country. There were many sheep and cattle farms. 

 The countryside was absolutely beautiful.


 We were in Armidale in time for TOH's coffee break. Armidale is a beautiful university town with glorious churches and Autumn trees.

 Next stop Tamworth but first we stopped to see "Thunderbolt's Rock". It is a shame the graffiti vandals have defaced this natural rock formation with a very colourful history of Australia's bush-ranging days.
"Originally known as Split Rock, the boulders afforded 'gentleman bushranger' Frederick Wordsworth Ward, better known as Captain Thunderbolt, the perfect vantage point for monitoring the approach of unwary mail coaches. He first visited the site in 1863 when, after a daring escape from Sydney's notorious Cockatoo Island prison, he and fellow escapee, Fred Britten, used the rock as a hideout. They were surprised by passing troopers while lying in wait at the rock to bail up an approaching mailman. Thunderbolt was shot in the knee during the fiery exchange of gunshots that ensued."

By the afternoon we had reached Tamworth, quite a big country town famous for it's huge annual Country and Western Festival. Here we met our friends for a three day get together to celebrate our time together in Papua/New Guinea in the 60's when we all belonged to a Judo Club and a Scooter Club. Unfortunately we haven't been able to locate all the past members.

23 comments:

  1. so lovely to meet up again with old friends and the drive has been picturesque. I loved the highway bordered with coloured poplars ...

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  2. So nice to read this post and watch the photos. The stones are beautiful, but that graffiti is a shame indeed. Young people have no respect for history nowadays it seems. Great to meet friends from so long ago again. A Judo and a Scooter club, amazing!

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  3. This is beautiful countryside, I agree, Diane. I do hope they do not elect Barnaby Joyce as their MHR.

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  4. very pretty scenery on your roadtrip. love your photos

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  5. Looks like a beautiful scenery filled trip Diane! Those trees are lovely.
    Have a wonderful visit!

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  6. Diane, the rocks and scenery are beautiful! What a great place to meet up with your old friends. Have a great time!

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  7. It looks so cold, and the trees have autumn colouring even earlier than here. Poplars are a menace tree in Australia, but don't they look glorious.

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  8. Yes, Diane, Castlecrag was originally designed and developed by Walter Burley Griffin and his architect wife, Marion Mahoney Griffin, the very same couple who designed Canberra.

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  9. Love the history that you relate with your photos!!

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  10. Magnificent countryside, enjoy your reunion

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  11. beautiful country you passed through and I love the winding road shot. gorgeous. i thought all stone like this were in Ireland and Scotland, had no idea they were in Australia or that Celtics migrated there. learning new things daily

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  12. Love the autumn colours and the photos of 'balancing rock' which, I'm ashamed to say I've never heard of before.... *blush blush*

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  13. Lovely country. Enjoy your visit as I am sure you will.

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  14. some parts of australia are so much like texas (barns, cattle, rough country) but others are not - no huge yellow trees here nor fabulous boulders like that! i love the standing rocks!

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  15. Interesting place to hold this fun reunion~ it is beautiful countryside. The scenery and the story about the mail coach robbery both remind me of our "wild west"!

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  16. What beautiful scenery. I love the balancing rock. And the standing rock celtic heritage sculpture is pretty nifty, too. I recall you posting about Tamworth once before, and thought it sounded like the kind of place I would like to live.

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  17. The standing stones are cool and I agree why do people have to deface things like that. Your fall colors are looking pretty amazing!

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  18. I see you're on the road again and I enjoyed all three of your last posts. The fall colours are gorgeous in Australia. Armchair travel is at it's best with you Diane! Thanks so much for taking us along with you!

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  19. I see Autumn has arrived, the perfect time for a trip as it's not too hot and it still hasn't gotten too cold. I love the country photos as well as the Standing Stones and what fun to get together with dear old friends! This goes without saying but have fun!

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  20. meeting up with old friends looks like a lot of fun!
    very interesting post, diane and i truly enjoyed your lovely photos.

    what a lovely country!

    enjoy your visit:)

    big hugs!

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  21. Makes me think a bit of Stonehedge in the UK.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  22. Autumn is clearly in full swing up that way and I love your rocky theme.

    PS. I do hope they elect Barnaby.

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  23. New England is so beautiful in Autumn!! But SO COLD!!!

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