A fortnight ago, on one of our sunny Sunday drives, we found a piece of Australian history in a most unlikely place. This house in Bowning, a small town north of Canberra, may not look like much but it has links to two of Australia's best poets and to the Melbourne Cup. The house is Mayfield House. It belonged to the aunt of poet Henry Lawson and he lived here occasionally between 1899 and 1913. Another poet, Banjo Patterson, was sometimes a guest. Google these guys and you will find out about a "feud" between the two poets. It seems like a put-up job to this small bear as they wrote a lot of stuff in the same house and sent it to Sydney on the same train from Bowning railway station. Trains don't stop at the station anymore. Most of the tracks have been pulled up and people live in part of it. The old Coach House and stables are now Mayfield Mews, a garden centre and cafe. There is some interesting local art for sale as well and some of it makes a great climbing frame for small bears; can you see me? Back in 1861, the racehorse Archer was stabled here on his way to Melbourne where he won the first Melbourne Cup (actually, he won again the next year as well). I love our weekend drives, we always find out something new.
Labels: climbing, history, New South Wales
We have settled into our new home and can get back to our drives on weekend days when the weather is fine. Mostly we try to go somewhere new for lunch, and the many wineries around Canberra are well worth a visit. These pictures are from Brindabella Hills Winery, just a 20 minute drive from home. It is on the hills just above the Murrumbidgee River, with beaut views of the river valley and surrounding countryside. The food is good and the wines are great. Well worth visiting. One road sign caught my attention. Does it mean that all the animals in the area are cranky? I couldn't see any, maybe they were hiding.
Labels: Canberra
My new home has great views over the suburbs to the west. That makes my favourite window a prime spot for watching sunsets.The Oldies take loads of pictures of them from our balcony. Here are just a few of my favourite images. I particularly like the "running man" that vapour trails made, and the sun rays beaming through holes in clouds. Sometimes the sunset looks like there is a big fire behind the hills; I hope I never see a real bushfire from my window.
Labels: Canberra
