wilderness & wine

Posted on November 29, 2016 by kathy

The second day of our transcontinental journey on the Indian Pacific was spent relaxing, reading and watching the scenery pass by.

There were sporadic signs of human habitation in the otherwise desolate landscape.

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The terrain changed the further we travelled through South Australia

and just north of Peterborough, the fertile green fields of farmland contrasted with the barren outback.

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Passengers can commence their journey in Adelaide, where the train stops for supplies and welcomes a new crew. This allows a few hours to enjoy an off train excursion to the National Wine Centre. Built in the year 2000 in the shape of an oak barrel, it has won many architectural awards.

We were taken on a Wine Discovery Journey, beginning with the open cellar.

With the capacity to store up to 38,000 bottles, it is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

The ‘Wined Bar’ would be a lovely place to linger, with 120 different wines to sample in one tasting room.

We were introduced to the technology, varieties and styles of wine

as well as this 150 year old Shiraz vine, painstakingly extracted from St. Hallett’s vineyard in Tanunda.

We made our way back to the dining room, passing some interesting art pieces,

to indulge in canapés and a delicious dinner – with wine, of course. A rainy night greeted us as we left the wine centre

and boarded a coach to return to the station.

I think a good night’s sleep was had by all.

BOFA

Posted on November 22, 2016 by kathy

We recently ventured to Launceston to experience the Breath of Fresh Air (BOFA) Film Festival. Michael had an entry selected for screening in the short film competition and we thought it a great excuse for a weekend away.

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The festival was held at the Inveresk Precinct. Originally Tasmania’s largest industrial site, it is now an education and arts hub. The original industrial buildings remain

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and are now interfused with some modern elements.

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I love this tree outside the Big Picture School.

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The movies were shown in various buildings throughout the precinct, our first viewing was in The Annexe.

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A fabulous gabion rhinoceros stood guard at the entrance

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or was he heading for the coffee van?

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We relaxed with a coffee in the comfortable lounge

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before viewing a wonderful movie, Kedi. Although not particularly cat lovers, we enjoyed the story of the cats in Istanbul and the interaction with the people in their lives. Perhaps humans could learn a thing or two from cats after all. http://www.kedifilm.com/about/#aboutkedi
We lunched at Blue Café Bar at the precinct, the wood fired pizzas were amazing – we chose pulled pork shoulder, pickled jalapeño, avocado, coriander & crème fraiche.

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Also located at the Inveresk Precinct is the Launceston Tramway Museum. You can step back to the 1940s with a ride on Tram No. 29, Launceston’s only surviving double bogie tram,

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lovingly restored over seven years.

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We returned later to the Festival Lounge to enjoy beverages and the award presentation

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before a walk in the rain and superb dining experience at Brisbane Street Bistro (sorry, I didn’t take photos). Next morning, we started the day with a hearty breakfast at Café one0six. The Breakfast Burger and Eggs Benedict hit the spot.

We headed back to Inveresk for one more movie, the Romanian film, Graduation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCPZhdJYLA It was quite sombre and gave us much to ponder on our drive home.
Michael’s entry in the short film competition, Invisible, can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdGHAmIEjM8

Silver City

Posted on November 15, 2016 by kathy

Our journey on the Indian Pacific included some interesting off-train excursions. The first morning, we were supposed to arrive early in Broken Hill and watch the sunrise over the city from the lookout of the Miners’ Memorial. Unfortunately, the train was running an hour late and the sun had risen

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by the time we pulled into the station.

I had been looking forward to discovering Broken Hill after reading a wonderful book, ‘Silver Dreams’, by Pam Bayfield who grew up there. My first impression was the rear view of the Theatre Royal Hotel

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before boarding the coach for a tour of the town. The Theatre Royal Hotel was established in 1886

and within a few years there were seventy pubs to choose from. The Palace Hotel was originally a coffee house, built in 1889 by the Temperance Movement in an attempt to curb the drinking by the miners.

Within three years, the Palace became a regular drinking den and gained more recent infamy thanks to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The ABC radio station was adorned with an impressive mural featuring some of the city’s best known personalities.

We passed the Pro Hart Gallery

and the house he had lived in, just next door.

The Igloo House, as it is affectionately known, was built for Pro Hart in the early 1980s, (also known as Cleavage Corner!).

The sun was casting a warming glow as we continued our tour, shining beatifically on Sacred Heart Cathedral

and the narrow gauge rail cars at the Sulphide Street Railway Museum.

We were surprised to see what appeared to be a mine shaft in the middle of town. The Kintore Headframe is a retired wooden headframe from the 1800s and was relocated to Kintore Reserve in 1984.

The Centennial Hotel was established in 1889. A favourite with the shearers, it closed in 1990.

The Trades Hall has been the home of the union movement in Broken Hill since it was built in 1905. It is the first privately owned Trades Hall in the Southern Hemisphere, built and paid for entirely by the people of Broken Hill.

We were driven to the top of the Line of Lode mullock heap, 54 metres above the city. The Miners’ Memorial building faces east-west, capturing the rising and setting of the sun. The walls are lined with the names of over 800 miners who lost their lives working in the Broken Hill mines.

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The old poppet head at the Line of Lode still stands

and there are far reaching views over Broken Hill and the outback beyond.

Our time in Broken Hill was brief and we soon boarded the train for a hearty breakfast

and a relaxing day enjoying the scenery.

Visit Pam’s website to find out more about her life and books. http://www.pambayfield.com.au/silver-dreams.html

rail recollections

Posted on November 1, 2016 by kathy

This year we crossed another item off our bucket list. Having seen those TV programs of trans-continental train journeys, we thought how nice it would be to just relax on a train and be transported from one side of the country to the other. One Wednesday in August, we flew to Sydney to experience our own 4,352km rail odyssey. Arriving at Central Station early, the engine of the Indian Pacific was waiting patiently at the platform.

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We checked in our luggage and walked into the city for some lunch. When we returned, the carriages lined both sides of the platform.

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We sipped beverages and nibbled canapés while being entertained for an hour or so prior to boarding.

We found our cabin

and made ourselves at home

as we left Central Station behind.

Once our carriage attendant had familiarised us with the routine and off-train excursions, we made our way along the corridor,

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through four carriages, to the Outback Explorer Lounge.

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Many an hour was whiled away and a few bevvies imbibed in the comfort of the lounge.

I finished the book on the journey and left it behind for others to enjoy. The superb meals were served in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant and it was a great way to get to know our fellow travellers.

While we were out, the cabin elves created a cosy bedroom.

There was only one thing left to do after a long day.

wistful walks

Posted on October 25, 2016 by kathy

Poppy is usually accompanied on her walks by Michael but he has fallen victim to a nasty virus and so, Poppy has been taking me instead. We have been exploring the different paths and finding all sorts of interesting things. The morning mist as we start the River Walk is breathtaking

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and the forest is serene.

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Despite the lingering cold and wet, the spring flowers are trying their best.

I haven’t been along Spooky Path for a while. Soon after we moved here, I was walking this path with Poppy and was unnerved by the thumping sounds around me. Memories of the movie, ‘Predator’, whipped my nerves into a frenzy along with my imagination. Hence, Spooky Path was named. Where the path becomes swallowed by scrub, the valley drops out of sight to the Blythe River below and the ridge opposite seems so close.

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