A Collection of Favourites

Kevtoberfest #27 The Beginning and The End

It seems fitting to end this Kevtoberfest series as it began, with a few favourites. I started with some special photos of Glen and Kevin to acknowledge their lifelong friendship, and our first destination on the long journey south was Stanthorpe, where we collected some favourite beverages.

In three weeks, we travelled more than 3,000 kilometres and visited many wonderful places. Sometimes though, it’s the little things we remember – these are my favourites.

Poplars, bare-branched at the end of winter. By the time we returned, they were dressed in new spring leaves.

My favourite native bird – a galah, feasting on seed in Kevin’s garden

Giant metal flowers growing up against a corrugated iron wall in Nundle

The ultimate holiday camper – a renovated ice cream van. Travel and ice cream, a winning combination!

My favourite sign, on the wall of a bakery café

This trip was all about beer, with a few craft shops for balance.

Longstocking Nano Brewery at Pambula was Glen’s favourite.

Mine was the Nundle Woollen Mill, aglow with all the colours of the rainbow.

Sunrise at Mallacoota – a glorious start to a new day

Out of the 3,390 photos we took over three weeks I have one absolute favourite, of Kevin and his lovely wife Mary Lou on party night. It captures the joy of celebrating a milestone with family and friends and the anticipation of what lies ahead.

Kevtoberfest has come to an end, and like children playing a favourite new game, we all say “Do it again, Kevin!”

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A Loo With a View – The Kevtoberfest Edition

Kevtoberfest #26

Australian loos have lovely views

from the mountains to the sea,

When you need to answer nature’s call

they’re where you want to be!

~

This bush loo looks a little rough

but believe me when I say,

it’s better than no loo at all

in a bushland hideaway.

The road to Perry’s Lookdown

Perry’s Lookdown, Blue Mountains

~

These stylish loos are made of stone

which is very apt.

They overlook some famous rocks.

At sunset we were rapt!

The Three Sisters, Katoomba, Blue Mountains

~

At Jenolan we found two beaut loos

in excellent locations.

Outside there were garden views

and a hotel for vacations.

Jenolan Caves House, Jenolan

~

The Grand Arch housed a second loo

amongst the cave formations.

Please use this loo

before you start your caving explorations.

The Grand Arch, Jenolan

~

The town of Bermagui

has a loo up on the hill.

With views in all directions,

it really fits the bill!

Bermagui River

Horseshoe Bay, Bermagui

~

This loo may look a little plain

– it’s very practical.

But sunset over the water

is simply magical.

Wagonga Inlet, Narooma

~

This tidy loo is on the lakes –

the water views are fine.

The locals like to gather

and enjoy the bright sunshine.

Lakes Entrance

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So when you’re on a road trip

and the distances are long,

If you find loos with views like these

You really can’t go wrong!

 

More loos with beautiful views!

The original Loo With a View

Loos with views in Western Australia

The highest loo view in Australia

Loos with views around Australia

Loos with views – The Cruise Edition

Loos with views – The Hawaiian Edition

Loos with views – The English Edition

Out of the Ordinary

Kevtoberfest #25 Gundagai and Holbrook

No matter how large or small, country towns and cities in Australia all have memorials commemorating past events. Many are war memorials with the names of long ago battles and those who served. Some recall explorers who passed by or local residents who achieved greatness. Others are either famous or a complete surprise, with a fascinating story to match.

Eight kilometres out of Gundagai is a memorial to the pioneers who journeyed west and settled in what would become the Riverina region. In the early days, supplies were transported from the coast to the inland by bullock drays. The routes were difficult and unpredictable and the bullock drivers, known as bullockies, took many risks to deliver their precious cargo on time. In the 1850s, an unknown poet penned the tale of “Bullocky Bill“, recording the hardships of life on the road for the bullockies and their faithful dogs.

The Dog on the Tuckerbox depicts the bullocky’s dog immortalised in the poem, loyally guarding his master’s food store.  The statue was unveiled in 1932 and has become an iconic Australian symbol.

While the faithful dog is well-known, further south at Holbrook is another memorial much more unusual and not so famous – the upper section of an Oberon-class submarine. Why does a town so far from the sea have a connection with a submarine?

Until 1915 the town was known as Germanton but, with patriotism at a high during World War One, the decision was made to change its name. “Holbrook” was chosen to honour Lieutenant Norman Holbrook, a submariner with the Royal Navy. He had become an international hero after deeds of bravery in the Dardanelles earned him a Victoria Cross. In the years after the war, Norman and his wife Gundula visited the town three times. Following Norman’s death in 1976, she made a bequest to the town for a memorial to submariners in his name.

The submarine HMAS Otway, decommissioned after 26 years service with the Royal Australian Navy, was the perfect choice for a memorial. The funds gifted by Gundula were used to purchase the submarine’s upper casing, fin and stern and they were transported by semi-trailer to Holbrook. The submariners’ memorial and museum were established and opened in a ceremony in 1997, attended by Gundula Holbrook.

Today, Holbrook is known as “the Submarine Town”, even though it is more than 300 kilometres from the sea and no one drives past Gundagai without visiting the famous dog. Some memorials are far more interesting than others!

From Trash to Treasure

Kevtoberfest#24 Mitta Mitta

After our scenic drive through the Alpine National Park, we arrived at the tiny township of Mitta Mitta, home to 31 permanent residents. When Glen asked the manager if there was free Wi-Fi for our phones he laughed and said, “You’ll be lucky to get a TV channel let alone any phone reception.” It was going to be a quiet night.

With a couple of free hours before the sun set, we went for a walk beside the Mitta Mitta River. In the shallows, the water bubbled over the rocky riverbed while on the broad bends the surface was calmer, mirroring the evergreen eucalypts and bare-branched poplars on the river bank.

Kookaburras perched high in a gum tree greeted us, their raucous laugh breaking the silence.

Just as we were thinking Mitta Mitta must be the sleepiest town in Australia we came across some evidence which proved us wrong. Spaced along the grassy path were sculptures, all composed of bits and pieces, discarded scrap metal and household items past their use-by date. The plaque accompanying each piece told us these were all previous entrants in the Bushcraft Sculpture competition at the Mighty Mitta Muster.

We discovered we’d come to Mitta Mitta at the wrong time of year. Every March, the muster attracts thousands of visitors to the little town. Typical country events include a rodeo, wood chop, tug of war and whip cracking, along with craft stalls, horse and dog competitions, athletics and a fun run.

Next time we go to Mitta Mitta, we might need to book ahead!

Join Jo for more Monday Walks

Changing Seasons

Kevtoberfest #23 The Great Alpine Road

With the fun of Kevin’s birthday party over, it was time to say farewell and begin the long journey home. Instead of returning the way we’d come, we had planned to travel through the Alpine National Park to the ski resorts of Mount Hotham and Falls Creek. But late winter snowfalls meant the roads were closed in places and only accessible in other areas with tyre chains.

The alternative was to follow the Great Alpine Road from Bairnsdale into the mountains to Omeo, then through the mountain passes to Mitta Mitta on the other side. We’d heard the road was steep and winding, and we were warned to take it slowly on the narrow curves.

The hills and pastures of the lower alpine region were still wearing their brown overcoats, parched and bare after a dry winter.

As the road climbed we began to see signs of the change in seasons, with wattle in full bloom gilding the steep hillsides. Alpine ashes, tall and spindly, had begun to shed their old bark, revealing pristine white trunks beneath.

Even though spring had definitely arrived, winter wasn’t quite gone either. As northerners, we rarely see snow and our first glimpse of a dusting on the distant mountains was exciting. Icy remnants of long ago snowfalls remained in the roadside culverts.

We paused several times to admire the distant peaks, their white blanketed slopes in stark contrast with the deep green of the surrounding eucalypt forest.

Our frequent stops to admire the views combined with the slow pace of travel on the winding mountain road meant our journey of just 236 kilometres took more than six hours.

Lucky we had plenty to look at on the way!

 

Slow Day on the River

Kevtoberfest #22  Nicholson River

Where there’s water, there are boats!

We spent a day exploring the Nicholson River on board Kevin’s vintage cabin cruiser Deeann J. A wide slow-moving waterway, the river flows south-east for 83 kilometres from the foothills of the Victorian Alps to Lake King.

From a small marina near the Princes Highway we sailed upstream, passing fertile farmland and weathered sandstone cliffs.

Dozens of opaque jellyfish floated just below the water’s languid surface and waterbirds near the riverbank basked in the sunshine.

When we turned and sailed downstream, the landscape changed from gently sloping green hills to grassland and marshes.

We sailed under an aged timber bridge, formerly a part of the Bairnsdale to Orbost railway line. Where trains once crossed over the river, cyclists and walkers now follow the path of the East Gippsland Rail Trail. 

At the point where river meets lake, white markers created an imaginary line across the water. Beyond them Lake King’s vast expanse of water stretched away to the distant shore.

Closer to us a tiger snake swam by, gliding swiftly across the water and passing just a few metres away. Luckily it was more intent on reaching the far shore than bothering with us.

After the excitement of Kevtoberfest, a slow day on the river was the perfect way to relax.

Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Liquid

Party Party Party!

Kevtoberfest #21

After months of planning and brewing by Kevin, his 60th birthday party finally arrived and in the spirit of Kevtoberfest the day had a distinctly German theme.

We made pretzels. Most pretzel bakers take years to perfect their skills, but after some meticulous research and a few hours’ practice, Kevin had mastered the techniques needed to produce these tasty treats. We rolled and shaped the dough in typical Bavarian style. Then our pretzels were boiled, sprinkled with salt and baked until the crusts were crisp and golden. They were delicious!

We ate German food. Kevin loves to cook and he created a feast: tender pork knuckles, bratwurst, green salad, potato salad and potato peanut puffs, followed by apple strudel for dessert. The birthday cake was a Black Forest gâteau, rich and sweet; dark chocolate sponge layers filled with whipped cream and cherries.

We drank German beer and cider. Kevin’s home brews included Kevtoberfest heavy and light, served on customised paddles made by his friend Frank. Traditional Bavarian Märzenbier, Paulaner Weißbier and European apple cider were also on tap.

We listened to German music. Frank brought his bespoke alpenhorn and treated us to a one of a kind performance.

Happy Birthday Kevin!