Cowra 1

First posted on January 3, 2013

This trip came about because I was invited to Joseph’s 50th birthday party in Canberra. In planning to take a meandering route, my first thought was Canowindra. Why there? I can’t remember what film or TV show it was, but I was surprised it wasn’t filmed on a film set but in a country town, one that was still so well preserved as an example of “the olden days”. There’s something to be said for reading all the credits as they roll! So it was Canberra and Canowindra. Didn’t take long for the corny idea of staying only in places starting with C to take hold – scouring the map was fun!
And after all that, there I was, wandering about, seeing the sights of Canowindra this morning! It’s not perfectly preserved, of course. I think the thing that makes the biggest difference is the keeping of the original verandahs and verandah posts. They were the things most noticeably missing in Blayney when I passed through there this afternoon. Some verandahs were not just awnings but upstairs balconies of two-storied buildings. One missing verandah was a bit startling: a balcony had been removed and replaced with a shelter style verandah – hoping no one actually steps out the door there!

Don't step out the upstairs door!

Canowindra - Main Street

But I was to discover much better examples of preserved old towns this afternoon: Millthorpe and Carcour. In fact, Carcour was so perfect it could have been one of those reconstructed towns such as at Sovereign Hill. But it wasn’t! It was the real thing. Its publicity says it’s the town time forgot – spot on! Neither would be as easy to work with for filming, I think, as Canowindra. The latter has a flat main street with a bend in it giving a few easy options. Millthorpe was a bit hilly and Carcoar like the Big Dipper!

Millthorpe

Millthorpe

Carcour

Carcour

Back to the morning, after Canowindra it was off to Orange, heading north. A lovely drive through relatively hilly countryside, the very edge of the Great Divide I guess. En route I went to the top of Mt Canobolas – the highest point in the line between Sydney and Perth it said on a sign there, giving some great views. The netting covering groves of fruit trees look like factory roofs when looking down on them. Having sworn never to drive on unsealed roads again after my “tyre incident” the far side of Broken Hill, halfway up this hill, with no turning space and definitely no warning on the map I was using – gravel! I gritted my teeth and made it, hoping there’s no slow leak puncture I’m going to discover in the morning!!

At the top of Mt Canobolas

Views from Mt Conobolas

Orange proved to be the biggest town (city really, probably a bit bigger than Ballarat or Bendigo) I’ve been to. All the usual shops and chains from home which didn’t inspire me. A smattering of old buildings. I wonder if the locals were aghast when “developers” got their hands on the Wellington Inn of 1871? In the 1930s they turned it into the art deco Royal Hotel!

Main Street, Orange

Instead I enjoyed walking through Cook Gardens, National Trust listed apparently.

Cook Gardens, Orange

I bought lunch and ate it in another green space, Robertson Gardens, across from the civic centre complex.

Robertson Gardens, Orange

After lunch I crossed the road and had a quick look at the library (well patronised) and the art gallery. Three rooms at the gallery: OK stuff, modern 3-dimensional junk, a series of block paintings that suggested the artist might need some help with his obsession.

Orange library and art gallery complex

I was really really glad that a visit to Bathurst got scrubbed in the early planning stages. Time-wise it wouldn’t have worked but more than that, I didn’t need to see another city.

Then it was time to turn southwards again, Millthorpe and Carcour, as above, with Blayney in between. Not as hilly as in the morning, instead pleasantly undulating. The main drag at Blayney was exceptionally wide. I don’t think it was a visual trick because the verandahs had been shorn off most of the shop-fronts. There was one interesting building though – the Catholic Church: it looks like a cinema!!

Blayney Catholic Church

And one more unexpected sight: a wind farm. The viewing point turned out to be at the edge of a lake where people were camping, fishing and water skiing. It looked just the place for it if that’s your thing.

Finally, Cowra. The one motel I’d pre-paid, the one place (apart from with Alison & James in Canberra) I’m staying two nights – and it’s the tiniest motel room I’ve ever seen!! There’s a double bed – pushed up against the wall. There’s a sofa-bed – but goodness knows where you could fold it out. Basically it’s a room and bathroom for one … with nowhere, perhaps fortuitously!, to spread my junk. This was the one place I wanted to wash a shirt that’s had a wear too many. I did – in a basin that’s A4 size and two inches deep! To rinse it I waved it under the shower!!

I arrived in town at tea time, at the local RSL again. I’ve decided these clubs are like Maccas for grown-ups: all the same predictable fare, nothing exciting but it’s not going to kill you, all the same décor, a step up from a pub. I don’t go near the poker machines. I was queueing to sign in tonight when one pokie desperado pushed in to get change for his machine. I couldn’t be miffed at his rudeness, his losses were subsidising my meal. Sad really.
Back to a bakery for breakfast in the morning before exploring the “Cowra Breakout” history.

Canowindra, NSW (pronounced as though there is no ‘i’, so I was told)

First posted on January 2, 2013

There must have been a few stray bits of outback vegetation approaching Condobolin. Heading south again, nothing the least bit ‘outback’ about orange groves, peach (or nectarine?) trees, and even a small plantation of olive trees!

Starting out, a warm but pleasant morning, pale blue sky broadly streaked with thin white clouds. I used natural air-con as I drove along, i.e. windows down. The cattle and sheep thought it was warm enough though – they were all gathered in the shade under trees.

Halfway to Forbes I agreed with them, wound up the windows and turned on the artificial air-con! I’m sure it got hotter earlier than yesterday. I was travelling along the Lachlan Valley Way, by the Lachlan River, quite pretty but not seeing water until I noticed a bridge off to the left so I quickly swung that way to get a look. Very brown! So not picturesque on that account. But the trees were lovely and the bird sounds amazing, including kookaburras. The birds that intrigued me visually were like crows but when they extended their wings the feathers alternated black and white. I have no idea what they were but I marvelled that nature could seemingly get that alternating thing right on a pretty regular basis.

Lachlan River

There was also a very loud buzzing. I can’t have been too threatening because I wasn’t attacked by some nasty looking waspy things nesting in the bridge structure right near my ear! Looking at another bit of the bridge structure – steel from …. Scotland?! Where was BHP when this thing was being built, or more likely reinforced?

Arriving in Forbes, the first thing I spotted was some gardens that had a village green about them. The Newell Highway as one boundary, gorgeous old buildings – churches, court, town hall, pubs, on the other three sides.

Forbes

I have to say, however crook things still are for farmers after our prolonged drought that hasn’t been broken all that long, the towns I’m passing through look prosperous in that there are fewer vacant shops than in some Melbourne shopping centres, the shops themselves look well patronised, on the whole, the towns are neat and clean, and most have well-tended civic gardens, and often, street plantings that are well cared for too.

After a quick bit of photography, it was time to find some breakfast – or brunch since it was heading on for 11am by now. I parked the car and got sidetracked immediately. The local artists’ gallery was open. I admired the works, bought a pair of water colours …. yes, I was good to the economy of Forbes too!

Forbes watercolours

I said to the volunteer attendant that I was really after breakfast. I knew I wouldn’t starve – saw the golden arches advert on the way into town but didn’t want to resort to that if it could be avoided. Before this I’d done a drive around town and realised not much was open. She suggested McFeeters which I’d passed on the way into town, a motor museum with cafe. Kept driving. It’s the country, I assumed trucks. Finally, in desperation I went back there to eat. Yet another surprise. This was no truck show, it was cars, about 100 of them, roughly 2/3 the McFeeters’ personal collection, the rest on loan. It was fabulous, I loved it. Oh, and I did eat there too. Another fresh salad sandwich!

And I even got to try one …. spot the dummy!!

On the way back through Forbes I stopped to snap a plane perched up by the Lachlan Lake. I pulled up next to a car and caravan that could have straight from McFeeters but they were really travelling home to South Australia from a car enthusiasts gathering at Bathurst.

Forbes

I was hot and bothered by the time I got to Parkes although feeling pleased to have seen a flock of kangaroos in a paddock – made a change from seeing roo road-kill. Some lovely old buildings here too but also there seemed to be more of the not-so-lovely old buildings than elsewhere. Not down at heel, more the poorer people’s housing, fibro and cheap timber places. There would have been many more great views from Memorial Hill where there is both an impressive war memorial … and too much view-blocking vegetation.

Parkes

Down the hill again and the rest of the photos I took I did the lazy way – from the car, only occasionally getting out, doing a lot of U turns to get into position. The things you do when you’re hot and bothered – and it’s a public holiday and no traffic is about! And no police either!!

There was money in Parkes for this sort of housing!

Parkes Court House

Uniting Church, Parkes

Parkes is a bit of a cultural hot spot. They’ve just had a jazz weekend and they’ve got the Elvis weekend coming up. The Anglicans, with their Very Solid church, are getting into the swing of things!!

Anglican Church, Parkes

Then finally I did resort to Maccas – loo break and very cold, if not particularly thirst-quenching, drink.  The saving grace – driving past the crepe myrtles lining the street – imagining them when they’re more mature …

After that, 20km out of Parkes to see The Dish, CSIRO’s radio telescope. It was an amazing sight. I even got to see it move. Apparently you don’t see that very often – it moves a fair bit but usually too little to be seen by the naked eye, so I was told. So I was pretty lucky.

Finally, back to and straight through Parkes, stopping only for petrol, en route to tonight’s stopping place, Canowindra. This road was more twisty than anything else so far, also hills nearer and the whole area more treed. And also, given that it was what I thought of as a bit of a backwater road, quite a few long-haul buses. Eugowra might have been worth a half hour stop, or a bit longer if the craft shops were open, but it was getting late enough for there to be long shadows: kangaroo time, which I wished to avoid. I did do a quick ‘off the main drag’ drive because I spotted these huge boulders in one street. The one that got away, i.e. no photo, was one house that immediately outside the side door there was such a massive boulder you wondered why you’d ever have built there – or how they did.

Eugowra

Finally, Canowindra. Checked into the motel then the hunt to eat. This is a small town with only one pub serving food, other pubs and the RSL had closed kitchens for New Year’s Day. I’ll do my exploring here in the morning.