Thursday 18 June 2015

Riposi in Pace

Today we farewelled Angelo Da Pos.

Angelo came to Australia from Italy in 1951 and created a new life for himself and his family through hard work and strong family values. He never returned to his home country for a visit.

He was a kind and gentle man with a friendly smile. He had been a member of the Rotary Club of Benalla for 37 years and it was through Rotary that we came to know Angelo.

However it was when we decided to make a real effort to learn to speak Italian that Angelo came into our closer circle. Each week Kelly went along to Rotary with a new phrase to try out on Angelo, sometimes it was met with a wry smile and sometimes it received a response. In his quiet way, we felt he enjoyed the fact that we were trying to learn his native language.


Possa la sua Anima Riposare in Pace

Sunday 7 June 2015

Two weeks in Tasmania 1

In early May twenty-one Travellers set off for two weeks in Tasmania. We took our vehicles on the ferry on the overnight sailing. It was a smooth crossing and a happy start to our trip.

Tasmania has everything you could want in a travellers holiday, all wrapped up in one small state. From the convict settlement history to world class heritage wilderness areas, from spectacular scenery to a great range of gourmet foods, from cute olde worlde villages to the highly recognized art gallery MONA.

The one thing it didn't give us was good weather. May is generally considered a good time to go to Tasmania but we had two mini cyclones, strong winds throughout, rain, hail, power outages, temperatures in single figures and even snow. 

Being a photographers delight, despite the weather, I have too many photos to post a full coverage. I will allow my photos to give you a quick snap shot of our trip to Tasmania.


Convict built bridge at Ross

                                View across Great Oyster Bay towards the Freycinet Peninsula


Bicheno

The Blowhole at Bicheno

                                                                  From Bicheno


                                                     St. Columba Falls State Reserve


                                                                 St. Columba Falls


                                                           View towards Coles Bay


                                           Convict built bridge at Richmond


 It was so cold I thought I was in Antarctica - I was actually at the Australian Antarctic Division
                                            at Kingston, near Hobart


                                        Sea view at The Neck, Bruny Island



                                                     South Bruny Island National Park

That was just the first week, continue on to see week two.


Two Weeks in Tasmania - 2

As we headed into the wilder part of the Tasmanian landscape the weather got even worse, but the World Heritage Wilderness areas of  the Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and the Cradle Mountain Lake St. Clair National Park were stunningly beautiful. Having now seen these pristine areas I have a new understanding and respect for those who fought to retain these areas so many years ago.



             Nelson Falls


  On the West Coast Wilderness Railway from Strahan


    The heritage engine on the Wilderness Railway


Seascape at Macquarie Harbour & Hell's Gate

             Gordon River World Heritage Cruise amongst the wilderness with rare huon pines



     Cradle Mountain Wilderness Area


     The wombat that likes shoe laces


A Tasmanian Devil



 
             Seahorse World at Beauty Point in the Tamar Valley was absolutely fascinating.


There is so much to see in Tasmania that another visit seems likely - in the summer!
Read on to see about the gourmet food we found in the Apple Isle.

A Foodies Delight - Tasmania

A Travellers trip without good food and wine seems very unlikely. Tasmania didn't let us down with its collection of gourmet foods. Because of the size of Tasmania the coast & sea present many opportunities for seafood, the mild climate allows for many products to grow well, the forested areas mean the air is clean and the soil is productive.

Amongst the treats we experienced were lots of oysters, calamari & other seafood, beautiful cheeses, ice-cream & fudge, honey, the best smoked salmon, beer & wine tasting, apple cider, raspberries, coffee & cake, curried scallop pies & that Australian favourite, the vanilla slice.
















Saturday 6 June 2015

The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival in Corryong

In early April our Travellers group was on the road again - this time to make a return visit to The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival in Corryong.
For this extended week-end the town bursts from a population of about 1400 to over 20,000. That this festival is such a resounding success is due to the huge volunteer base that assists with all facets of the festival. Well done Corryong!

It is a simple formula - buy a wristband ticket and you can go to all the events over the period - the re-enactment of the poem of title, the return of Riley's Ride, the parade, the rodeo, horsemanship skills by the hundreds, art show, bush poetry championships, dog jumping, whip cracking, live music with top country music acts, bush markets, food & merchandise stalls, a ute muster, a talent quest and more.

If you can't have a good time in Corryong during the festival then you are not trying.












A selfie

The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival is a wonderful celebration of Australia's bush heritage. You shouldn't miss it!