Checked out of the recently refurbished Royal Hotel built in 1849 but later remodelled in the 1940's in the "Spanish Mission" style - a strange choice for a regional Australian town you may think?
Although the Prop was eager to see the Tenterfield Cork Tree, Mrs P suggested a visit to the nearby tourist info centre to get the good oil.
Mrs P eventually emerged from the info centre armed with a large map and a smaller sheet depicting a 38 kilometre "Tourist Drive No 9".
Frankly the Prop was a little unnerved by the prospect of another Tourist Drive, but Mrs P had been assured that THIS one was more than worth a long hard look.
First though, to the Tenterfield Cork Tree. Planted in 1861, it is said to be the largest cork Tree in Australia!
The Prop does not know precisely how many cork trees there are in Australia but this is the first one the Prop has ever seen. That is not to say that this may be the only cork tree in Australia but it is to say that, to the best of the Prop's knowledge, there aren't that many
Following the tree inspection the Prop and Mrs P embarked upon Tourist Drive No 9.
The first attraction is "Doctors Nose"
Frankly, the Prop was baffled.
Three observations can be made regarding this feature:
First, it does not look like a nose.
Secondly, it does not exhibit any obvious features that suggest that it resembles the schnozz of a medical man, and
Thirdly, it does look very much like a hill.
(The Doctor's Nose may be viewed from Kildare Road. Perhaps it resembles the nose of Richard Chamberlain who famously played Dr Kildare in the 1960's American television series?)
Just when the Prop thought that nothing could surpass the cork tree or Doctor's Nose, we came upon "Draining Rock". No idea why it is called that although, the Prop accepts that when it rains water probably drains off the rock.
Draining Rock -about as interesting as a large rock can be.
Around the next bend was "Balancing Rock" which consists of a smallish rock apparently balancing on a larger rock. Stunning!
Next, the undoubted highlight of the drive, Mt McKenzie Lookout, which provides an expansive view of Tenterfield and the surrounding region. Trouble is, it's all a bit too far away to see things.
The stunning Tourist Drive No 9 completed, we headed for Glen Innes, a town with some interesting architecture which betrays the evident optimism of its early inhabitants.
And so to the Fossicker Caravan Park for another night in the Tadpole.
5 comments:
From here in the antipodes, I'd be interested in the weather, sporting activities, the general 'look and feel' of the local people, and some culinary information. Can the Prop add this to the next excerpt? I can say from here that it was a fine sunny and calm day in southern Tas yesterday, with a pleasant lunch had by 150 at the Blundstone Arena Green Room, with guest speaker Kerry O'Keeffe in very entertaining mood. The food was superb and the wine took me back to the 1970s. The trip home involved Uber, a couple at the newly renovated Telegraph Hotel, then one last one at the Mayfair (entertaining guess question: what was the former name of the Mayfair Tavern, in the era of Michael Scott, lecturer, Law School Uni of Tas?).
The Clarendon, I believe.
Kerry O'Keeffe with 2 "F's" is presumably the Welsh spelling?
Enjoying a podcast on ABC Conversations with Richard Fiedler, interviewing Benjamin Dreyer, a copy editor, and contemplating that the Prop does not need his work copy edited. However, enjoyed this story re Dreyer's proposition that there is no rule worth continuing that one should not end a sentence with a proposition. Viz:
Two Americans, one a Southern Belle, the other a stiff socialite. The former opens discussion "We y'all from?" ... Reply: "From the place where educated people don't end sentences with a preposition". Response: "So, where y'all from, bitch!"
*preposition
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