Sweet Wayfaring

Merry Christmas to all my friends.  We have spent the day out at our bush block and I  am now checking out the new iPhone Santa gave me.  I hope you have all had a wonderful and blessed Christmas.  

The arboretum has 94 forest, most of which are very new, but the Cork plantation is 100 years old.  It as set up by Walter Burley Griffin when the city was built.  I've known about it but not seen it before so was fascinated to see it.  They got specialists out from Portugal to harvest the cork.   And that's the end this trip, will see you next around Christmas time I guess.  

The National Bonsai Collection is out at the Arboretum too.  While the lady seems fascinated by the little tree, I was amazed at the tiny forests and bonsai of native trees.

One afternoon we went for a walk around the botanic gardens which has a great display of native plants but I didn't take any photos.  On another we visited the National Arboretum.  I haven't been here before .. it's quite new, officially opened in February 2013. Had afternoon tea of course!

 A spot of sculpture and people watching at Floriade.

 I could show heaps and heaps of tulips but I will resist.  Water is always nice in a garden.

It was the last weekend of Floriade and the truth is there were still plenty of flowers to be seen, I just rather liked this shot of decaying beauty.

This one is a Fergie (former Royal), now a restaurant in Gundaroo (35 kms from Canberra).  I remember back in the 70's that they used to run boozy bus tours from Canberra to Gundaroo Pub.

Dalton Royal Hotel I love Royal Hotel hunting, not because they are much in themselves but it is such a great excuse to go to little places that are off the track.  I can't imagine any other reason for visiting the small town of Dalton.

The next stop was the pretty little town of Adelong and the next Royal Hotel of the tour.

Tumut, perfect timing for lunch.  Warm sunny weather and wisteria in bloom.  Yummy.

Of course the purpose of the tour was to pick up Royal.  This is the first of four, the Royal Hotel at Tumut.

We drive past farms and pine forests.  Soon to arrive at Tumut.

We're rolling into Wee Jasper I like visiting here because of the lovely countryside and it has such an evocative name, but there's not much here, a closed General Store, a school and a church just about does it.

Hey the earth is showing its veins around here.

If you stop on the other side of the bridge you use the style to climb over the fence and head down to the water.

I love the old bridges with girders that you find all over New South Wales.  That's the Murrumbidgee River we are about to cross.

Spring green pasture is pretty enough but with a backdrop of blue … perfect.

It's been a while but I am back again.  In mid October we spent a week in Canberra and headed out of town on a day trip in search of Royals Hotels.    It's pretty country, especially with the exotic trees sprouting soft new spring growth. Come along for the ride to see what we find.

Well not exactly home but on very familiar turf and getting closer to home.  This is Mudgee where the vineyards were still winter bare. That's the end of this trip.  Not sure how long it will be before the next one.

We pass through the lush Liverpool Plains farming country before turning to Mudgee and how.

Royal Hotel Boggabri Royal Hotel Tambar Springs We went via Boggabri so I could pick up the Royal, the one a Tambar Springs was a surprise. Four Royals on this trip, not bad at all.

It's goodbye to this lovely spot and onto our journey home via a different route to pick up a couple of new Royals which I will show you tomorrow.

Isn't this magical!  Down below in the creek bed there are tumble down organ pipes and markings on the creek bed where other pipes have been worn down by glaciers or something.  I didn't know this place existed and am enchanted by it.

Doing a bit of flower spotting on the walk out to the Sawn Rocks.

Those mountains are Mount Kaputar National Park.  We are on our way out there, passing by canola fields, to see what the Sawn Rocks are all about.

It's nearly spring and some of the wildflowers are doing their thing.  We were not towing the van so I could ask the driver to stop to let me take closer look.  I was surprised to find the fields of white flowers were paper daisies.