An early Summer's Day dream
A post including a visit to Oberon had to refer somehow to Mid-Summer Night's Dream! Basically, this was a get home day so we arose and took Tammy for a walk around the Showground (adjacent to the caravan park) pulled down the tent and took off.
Our route took us back to Bathurst which was a very reasonable drive. This is because of the number of overtaking lanes in the route, enabling the quite high amount of traffic to keep moving while not being as expensive as 4-lane. Of course, the traffic didn't move through the inevitable roadworks.
Diesel was available at a good price in Bathurst (a better price was seen in Goulburn but getting in early gave us peace of mind). It seems that that Canberra area is the only place in Australia where fuel prices haven't fallen recently.
We turned off the Great Western Highway towards Oberon. This is also the route to Jenolan Caves and Kanangara Walls but they aren't on our itinerary. Other than simply ticking off another town we hoped to add another Memorial to the Register (none being shown for Oberon) and to visit a wood products shop we visited about 20 years ago.
First however we found ourselves going through the village of O'Connell. The entry to the the village was along a Memorial Avenue planted with Desert Oaks.
We then climbed up towards Oberon, noting that we hardly saw a vehicle, although the road was very good quality. Just outside the target town another area of road works slowed us down while we were led through by an escort vehicle. We noted with some suspicion the presence of the Titania Motel. Presumably the Club named after the character with donkey's head wished to adopt a lower profile. Following my thespian roots (Maldon Grammar School, 1966) I do hope that a carpenter in town has changed his name to Peter Quince.
The War Memorial was found thanks to advice from the Visitors Centre.
As well as the memorial pictured above the site featured a sculpture featuring the words of Ataturk:
They're a bit hard to read from the small image, but are quite remarkable sentiments so here you go:
No wonder there is a memorial to Atatturk immeadiately opposite the Australian War memorial in Campbell ACT.
The wood shop we were seeking no longer existed as the owners had sold up and moved to Bathurst. The lady in the VC was giving me addresses etc for Bathurst and seemed surprised that we weren't going back that way. However she, and a helpful Council guy gave me instructions for how to find the better route to Goulburn (going through Shooters Hill).
The road was now fully sealed and thus limited fun, apart from meeting a full sized van as we descended down a very steep and narrow older bit of road to the Abercrombie River. After about 100km we got to Taralga where a Memorial was in the Register.
I have only shown the plaque, as the small, dead tree against which it was positioned was too sad. A bit further down the street was a fair grand War Memorial Hall, the haunt of the CWA and RSL (rather than mice and hen).
Our route took us back to Bathurst which was a very reasonable drive. This is because of the number of overtaking lanes in the route, enabling the quite high amount of traffic to keep moving while not being as expensive as 4-lane. Of course, the traffic didn't move through the inevitable roadworks.
Diesel was available at a good price in Bathurst (a better price was seen in Goulburn but getting in early gave us peace of mind). It seems that that Canberra area is the only place in Australia where fuel prices haven't fallen recently.
We turned off the Great Western Highway towards Oberon. This is also the route to Jenolan Caves and Kanangara Walls but they aren't on our itinerary. Other than simply ticking off another town we hoped to add another Memorial to the Register (none being shown for Oberon) and to visit a wood products shop we visited about 20 years ago.
First however we found ourselves going through the village of O'Connell. The entry to the the village was along a Memorial Avenue planted with Desert Oaks.
The War Memorial was found thanks to advice from the Visitors Centre.
Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives …. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly Country, therefore rest in Peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lay side by side in this Country of Ours.
You the mothers who sent their sons from far away Countries, wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons too.
These are the words of MUSTAFA KEMAL
ATATURK, Commander of the 19th Div 5th Army who fought
against the ANZAC forces in defence of the Gallipoli Peninsular 1915. Later to become the 1st President
of MODERN TURKEY
No wonder there is a memorial to Atatturk immeadiately opposite the Australian War memorial in Campbell ACT.
The wood shop we were seeking no longer existed as the owners had sold up and moved to Bathurst. The lady in the VC was giving me addresses etc for Bathurst and seemed surprised that we weren't going back that way. However she, and a helpful Council guy gave me instructions for how to find the better route to Goulburn (going through Shooters Hill).
The road was now fully sealed and thus limited fun, apart from meeting a full sized van as we descended down a very steep and narrow older bit of road to the Abercrombie River. After about 100km we got to Taralga where a Memorial was in the Register.
Another rumble through Goulburn and Taralga got us back to Bungendore where the Plumed Whistling Ducks were evident including quite a few swimming on the dam.
Thence just a quick trundle back home.
This wasn't the most exciting trip we have done, although much of the scenery was very pleasant. It is of course good that we have been to a number of new places and learnt a bit about them. The essential problem was the apparent lack of professionalism in many of the operations designed to extract things (such as money) from tourists. Perhaps the local industry is totally focused on the Sydney weekend trade?
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