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.

A ROUND TRIP

 On day four of our trip to Armidale we went on a round trip to see Wollomombi Gorge along the Waterfall Way then turn off at Ebor and take Guyra Road to Guyra to see Mother of Ducks Lagoons then back to our motel in Armidale.

It was a short walk from the car park to one of the lookouts over the Wollomombi Gorge. (Have fun trying to pronounce that, all the vowels are short Wol-lom-mom-bi). There are many other walks in the area including a walk around the rim of the gorge but it was a bit far for our old boys.

Val and Bill, who is pointing out the falls.

It is the deepest gorge in NSW. The Wollomombi Falls are 220m with a 100m single drop. Of coarse it is most impressive after rain. Wollomombi is an aboriginal word meaning 'the meeting of the waters'.

On the way out of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park we passed these icons of a bygone era.

Before we left Armidale we had called into the Information Centre. While there we asked if there was any coffee shops in the area of the falls. The lady said sheepishly, "Yes you can get a coffee at the Wollomombi Village." then she added, "Its a bit rustic." As you can see above it sure was rustic. There were flies buzzing around the table so we opted to sit outside in the back yard in the sun but surrounded by junk, like a disused refrigerator and this weird object below.

However, I found the view towards the tumbling down back fence was quite pretty with the old cart and a few remaining autumn leaves.

We left Waterfall Way (which continues to the coast) at Ebor and turned back towards Guyra (the coldest town in Northern NSW. We passed lots of paddocks, with sheep, cows and horses.

 

We found the Royal Hotel with a warm fire going and a tasty lunch. I love the old buildings in country towns. After lunch we looked for 'The Mother of Ducks Lagoons' where we were to see lots of bird life but we were a bit underwhelmed and decided to drive on to Armidale for a nap.

ARMIDALE TRIP (Day3)

 After breakfast, we set off to explore the villages of Uralla and Walcha, which are just a short drive south of Armidale. The morning was cold and a cloud of fog had settled in the valley.

We stopped in Uralla to get maps from the Tourist Information Centre but it wasn't open and neither was the coffee shop. We were too early. So we continued on to Walcha. 

Hey look we found an autumn tree in the main street after we thought we had missed all the autumn colours.

AND we found a coffee shop for you know who.

Then Val and I dragged the men around the town to see the outdoor sculptures that the little town is known for. This was our favourite.

Val wanted me to sit on the throne. There were many of sculptures scattered throughout the town and in the local park. It was time for lunch so we returned to Uralla for lunch and to visit the information Centre. However, we were thwarted once again. The information centre was being remodelled/extended and it was temporally housed in the library, which was closed for lunch. Ahhh country life....

We found the cafe that our daughter, Carol, had recommended from her trip through here last year. It was very big and very nice and the food was great.

AND it was warm. 

The cafe was housed in a historical building called Trickett's General Store built in 1910. The corner portion with its Victorian Italian decorative parapet was built by CE Solomons. The building was purchased by Fred Trickett in 1920 and extended. Fred was the son of Ned Trickett, world champion sculler1876-1880, Australia's first international sporting champion.

After a delicious bowl of hot, homemade soup, we set off to see a chapel and a waterfall. (next post)