It was fun to spend time together with old friends from way back. We had our little reunion in Tamworth this year, where Diana and Graham live. They took us sight seeing. The first day we did a country drive from Tamworth in a circuit to Goonoo Goonoo, Wallabadah, Quirindi, Werris Creek and Currabubula. Don't you just love those country town names.
In Wallabadah we stopped at "The First Fleet Memorial Gardens". It was the passion of Ray Collins, to make a memorial for those who were on the first fleet of ships to transport convicts from England, the first white settlers in Australia. The Liverpool Plains Shire Council supported his idea. Collins discovered that he was a descendent of a convict on the first fleet after it had been kept a secret in his family for years. For over a hundred years it was the norm for people to hide the stigma of being a descendent of convicts. However, today it has changed and Australians who can trace their heritage back through many generations to the first fleet are now very proud to be from a line of the oldest Australians. They call themselves "The First Fleeters"
The First Fleet left England May 13, 1787 and arrived in Sydney Cove on Jan 26, 1788 with over 1000 convicts, soldiers, sailors and a few free settlers. It so happens that one of our friends, Dianna, is a First Fleeter. Naturally she was proud to show us the memorial gardens and plaques.
In Wallabadah we stopped at "The First Fleet Memorial Gardens". It was the passion of Ray Collins, to make a memorial for those who were on the first fleet of ships to transport convicts from England, the first white settlers in Australia. The Liverpool Plains Shire Council supported his idea. Collins discovered that he was a descendent of a convict on the first fleet after it had been kept a secret in his family for years. For over a hundred years it was the norm for people to hide the stigma of being a descendent of convicts. However, today it has changed and Australians who can trace their heritage back through many generations to the first fleet are now very proud to be from a line of the oldest Australians. They call themselves "The First Fleeters"
The shade sails over the picnic tables are in the shape of sails of the 11 ships that were in the first fleet.
Dianna and Graham provided us with morning tea.
There is a plaque for each ship and nearby are plaques with the names of all the passengers on that ship. These plaques are scattered throughout the gardens. The flag is a replica of the 'Union Flag' flown by Captain Arthur Philip over the first settlement in Sydney to show that it was a colony of England.
Dianna shows me the name "Ann Martin" who is one of her forebears. She was transported for stealing 2 scarves.
Ann Martin came on the Lady Penryn Ship.
Bill is reading part of this amazing story.
The story is set out on a huge board.
