Brisbane, QLD


Tuesday, June 1, 2021

LAST DAYS

It was our last days for exploring Armidale and surrounds.We went wine tasting, visited a museum and lookouts. We drove a few miles south to Peterson's Winery. It was a very cold morning.
The cellar door was a converted horse stable.

The tasting was done outside in the sun but it was still cold. The one hundred year old Palmerston Homestead was bought by Peterson's wines  and is now an upmarket guest house.

The vines had lost their leaves. We bought a few bottles and then headed off to Uralla and our favourite cafe in Uralla for a warm lunch.

Then we visited the McCrossin's Mill Museum. Originally built by Alexander Mitchell for John McCrossin in 1870. The old mill was bought by the Uralla Historical Society and converted it into a vibrant museum and function centre. It featured a series of nine dramatic paintings "The Death of Captain Thunderbolt", an infamous bushranger (highwayman) that roamed this area for some years in the early days.

There was an exhibition of Chinese artefacts from the Rocky River goldfields.

Then we returned to Armidale where we found the lookout where we could see the city below.

The next morning we drove into town for breakfast. We had a glimpse of some late autumn trees.

We walked past this mural and down the lane to the mall.
It was a very clean town.
(see more murals on Sami's Blog )
It was early and cold so not any people in the mall except those in the cafe.

After breakfast we set off for home and the warmth of Brisbane. We said good by to the coloured leaves.

We crossed over the Great Dividing Range and came home via Grafton and Ballina on the coast.
 
We said goodbye to the farmlands.

We had lunch in Grafton and stopped here in Ballina for a rest and then home sweet home. It is a five hour drive.

14 comments:

  1. Hello,
    Looks like a great end to your trip, a visit to the winery, the food and the lovely views. Beautiful photos.
    Take care, enjoy your day!

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  2. all the photos are wonderful and it looks so warm but can tell you were all bundled up. love the parrots and that painting is goregeous. gorgeous SKY and that beautiful clean town, looks a lot like one about 20 miles from us. same fountain and buildings

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  3. What a nice little holiday with some very pretty scenery and interesting activities.

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  4. Isn't it great that you can take a five hour drive and enjoy totally different surroundings and climate? Lo ve your photo of the Great Dividing Range.

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  5. You certainly showed by your attire just how cold Armidale and that region is in that picturesque area
    of NSW. But I'd be visiting in summer
    Certainly no mall in Armidale in my days and as shown the place in so clean.
    They are very town clean conscious in Armidale.
    A pity you weren't able to photograph the colleges that are in Armidale, maybe on a SUMMER visit????
    Great coverage of the area, Diane. You always do a great job.
    Cheers
    Colin

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  6. I see you've been on a road trip to see the fall leaves. I liked seeing you all bundled in coat and scarf! It sure looked uncrowded in that town.

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  7. Such lovely photos that made me feel good

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  8. Lovely scenery and my you do look cold Diane.
    Nice looking murals and love that painting.

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  9. What a lovely trip you had Diane.. I remember that kind of cold when we were in the Blue Mountains a few years ago, unbelievable! Winter just doesn't get that cold in Perth ✨ Always nice to get home though isn't it ✨

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  10. This was a wonderful trip, even if the temperatures were on the cold side. The scenery you've shared is gorgeous.

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  11. You look dressed up like being in the Northpole ! and I sit her with 29°C ! It looks all very nice would have loved to go with you ! But travelling this year even between the little European countries (compared to Australia) will be very difficult ! And Belgium lets you in for a day but you have to do the test if you stay over night you have to stay 5 days in quarantine. I wonder who will control all this !

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  12. What a lovely trip Diane, never been to that part of Australia, but it looks beautiful.
    Loved the bird mural and the others in the lane, thanks for participating in Monday Murals :)

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  13. Sounds like a great holiday with plenty to see and do. Looked in a little cold for an outdoor wine tasting though.

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  14. Yes, Diane, you did chilly sitting outdoors and drinking wine, but the lunch looked like it was warming. This looked like a nice getaway with friends and some beautiful colors and scenery, but getting home is always nice until the next trip.

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