Art's Farm - Day 2 Wellington to Canberra

Macquarie River at Wellington

We started the day with a walk across the Macquarie River, still in Wellington, a very noisy road bride which incorporates a foot traffic on either side which is inexplicable separated only by a change in surface height but no guard rail between road and passenger traffic. Although it was wide, it was unnerving when big trucks roared across the bridge only a metre away. The views of the river were sumptuous. Even the rusty old rail bridge which had contributed to our sleepy distress, looked attractive in the morning sunshine.

In search of a parking spot and a coffee, we found joy only in the old buildings off the main street and the iconic Fong Lee's Lane, which looks just like a ramshackled laneway behind the facade of the main street. It was, in fact, for more than 80 years spanning two centuries, the lane which connected Fong Lee and Co, general merchants, with their warehouse. Fong Lee and his store, represent an influence of Chinese culture not often remembered. The focus on Chinese heritage in Australia tends to be on the goldfields or in the second half of the 1900's, food. Fong Lee's is a reminder that the Chinese were great traders and merchants where they were able to get established. The Wellington Arts Community celebrates Fong Lee's with an annual festival in the lane.

Off the main street, large complexes occupied by the Catholic and Anglican churches, placed on diagonally opposing corners, speaks to the influence those organisations could have. In still small towns, with limited resources, they could build huge churches, school and magnificent manses for their clergy. Neighbours in small cottages fared not so well.

Wildflowers at Molong

More potholes and pock marks made driving challenging. At Molong with its big U shaped diversion in the highway, we found a hilly park and walked a block to the Wildflower Cafe, chosen because of the collection of touring road bikes parked outside. Anyone who can afford one of these deeply expensive machine knows a thing or two about the best place to find a coffee. We sat out the back away from the comfortable interior. The bikers were right. Good char.

A few more stops on a day that was becoming tiring and lengthened when our chosen destination unaccountably had no room at the inn. First was Morris Park in Canowindra for lunch - just a break for tucker but a large park with a mix of exotic and original species of trees and newish toilets. Because of recent rain, much of it off the cement parks was muddy but we weren't stopping to play.  At Boowora, we parked near the Information Centre with its colourful sheep sculptures created by local artists and its collection of wool related products. Two sweet old ladies offered us tea but we moved on, needing a walk to freshen us up after discovering Yass was unavailable for digs. Boorowa is a very tidy town which appears to have a high level of civic pride if its short main street is a guide. Smartly paved in brick patterns, every window clean and clear of postings and every shop occupied. Old commercial buildings have been retained and maintained and it makes for a good look. 

The colourful sheep sculptures
at Boowora

As we left the home of the Superb Parrot, a couple showed up roadside to bid us farewell.

The afternoon was well past its best when we arrived at the Country Capital Holiday Park, just outside Canberra but in NSW on the Federal Highway.  A park we had stayed in before when visiting family in Canberra, they provided us with a faceless late check. We were in twilight before we had the set up completed

Today's photos

Art’s Farm - Day 1: Tamworth to Wellington

The long awaited and long delayed trip to my brother’s farm started mid morning.

Half of today’s leg was completed by the time we pulled into the generally well maintained Black Stump was rest area, not far north of Coolah. A few shady trees and no one else in attendance meant we could park the van in the shade - fairly important in this sport as it is legendary for flies, so even though table and chairs are provided and a hard roof cover, you don’t want to be swallowing them with you sandwiches. 

There is an amazing array of tags adorning the walls at the back of the shelter sheds and toilets and remarkably few examples of graffiti that you couldn’t show Granny. There was even some good likenesses of characters from the Simpsons.

On into Coolah and an indulgent coffee at the Coolah Bakery who make a good brew and have many a tempting treasure. We were good and just stuck to the hot drinks. Met an old couple who had been diverted during their morning drive from Tamworth when Carrol went under water. They didn’t get to Gunnedah, where the northern side of the town was covered in the dirty tide of the Mooki yet again. They complained of a lack of warnings on the radio, apparently their only means of understanding road conditions ahead of them. Sue tried to convince them they should get the Live Traffic app on their phones but the cause was lost when he said “what’s an app?” and she said “I’ve heard of apps but I have no idea where I get them from.”

How they were going to get to their destination of Forbes is anyone’s guess. It transpired they were from Lismore! You would have thought they would be a little better educated in such things. It does, however, point the deficiencies of a society that is leaving some behind in its continual reliance on technology. What if you can’t keep up?

Today's photos

After our two stage lunch, we continued south and had the choice between getting to Wellington via Gulgong or Dunedoo. It’s had to know if we made the right choice but the road after Gulgong was a nightmare of potholes and slow progress because of road works in order to repair them. We averaged 80kmh over that section of the trip and finally arrived at Wellington after six and a half hours. We’re not in a hurry but it would be nice not to constantly swerving to avoid damage.

We are staying at the Riverside Caravan Park in Wellington, on a huge grassy site right above the river and  an old stand of Red Gums. Dinner was a grazing platter in our deck chairs, watching and identifying birdies and soaking up the serenity. 

On to somewhere near Yass tomorrow.