Gladstone tour....

and views on the drive home.

I'm a bit behind with this but hoping you won't all want a refund!

What's a rural village without a pub? This is the Heritage Hotel (formerly Gladstone Hotel) circa 1873

How's this for a Police station! It used to be the Court House and was opened in 1885.  The 2 storey residence to the right was added in 1898. The trial scene in the movie "The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith" was filmed here. Both parts of this building are National Heritage listed.

Uniting Church built in 1921. Love the design of this.

Office area of Gladstone Public School. There has been a school on this site since 1877. I love how it looks.

Another view of the Macleay River from the area in front of my car before I left to go home.

This is about the half way point on my drive home. One of the few lengthy straight stretches of road.

Ssshhhh...I stopped the car momentarily to take this as there's hardly any traffic on a Sunday afternoon. This is the long hill going into Willawarrin. Near the curve at the bottom is a bridge over Hickeys Creek.

Our section of Hickeys Creek near our farm. Doesn't have quite the same "country feel" since they recently fixed the bridge and put those stripey marker posts there :(. I've never heard of anyone actually driving into the creek in about the 70 odd years the bridge has been there.

Ten minutes after arriving home the sky put on a beautiful display. A lovely finish to a lovely day :).

Cheers,

Rob xo

Gladstone Markets

Visited these markets again on Sunday and remembered to take my camera :). I know....I go nuts when I have a camera in my hand! I'm trying to keep the photos under 10 per post.

There weren't as many people there as last month and everyone was warmly dressed as the breeze off the Macleay River was chilly.

I haven't bought any of these yet but the fruity/herby smells wafting on the breeze always make me feel hungry and I love the way it's set out! The lovely proprieter was a little camera shy.

I bought a mozzarella cheese this time (haven't opened it yet) and a curry buffalo pie for lunch here. This is one of the Ausbuff boys - they really know their products and they smile a lot :) . Lol, I managed to convince myself that I'd have an ice cream next time. I'd already spoiled myself with a pie and the cheese....too much of a good thing....

These terrific ladies decided to pose for me after I bought some delicious caramel waffles to take home with me (now you know why I didn't have ice cream). Next time I'm buying the lemon myrtle waffles before they sell out as the taste test was YUM!

There's someone obscured here as they wouldn't let me post their photo but I really wanted to show the stall they help run with the gorgeous hand spun and hand made items they make.

Another stall member spinning alpaca yarn. She had to keep warming her hands. She can't spin if she's wearing shoes as she needs to "feel" how things are going.

Come back tomorrow for some touristy photos. I love the area I live in!

Cheers,
Robyn xo

Afternoon walk - very photo heavy

Yesterday afternoon my two "trainers", Flash - the Border Collie and Annie - the German Shepherd, and I went for the usual afternoon walk. After admiring the changing views over the past week I remembered to take my camera with me this time. The photos are in order but some of them have been taken looking back where I'd already been as the afternoon light was brightening out the view otherwise. The lighting makes the vegetation black in some of them where it was actually a mid/dark green.
For convenience sake I've posted in medium size mode but if you particularly want a better view of any just click on the pic :D. Some of my most liked ones are saved in a bigger size.

Walking away from home.....

Our paddocks are both sides of the road here.

Above is looking over one of our paddocks into the neighbour's place SW of us.

Next corner, that's the right angled corner ... still our paddocks either side.

Western neighbour's driveway in the distance, our paddocks cease there.

View of Anderson's Sugarloaf on the right from the above neighbour's driveway. When the Sugarloaf has a cloud cap on it it means it is going to rain in the next 24 hours.

A flock of straw necked ibis that flew across the paddock and alighted in one of the trees in our top paddock. They must nest there every night as they were very settled on our return home :).

I've just walked down this hill but walking back up is a unique exercise!

Pre-sunset

There's the bottom of the above hill. Dogs waiting while I fiddle with taking photos. They don't like to leave me behind :).

View across the neighbour's paddocks to the hills.

Upper side of the road (east) exhibiting some lovely pastels.

Looove cloud patterns

...the return trip...

The sky was a bluer colour than this

Another hill that I didn't think to photograph on my way out ....it's just as steep as the first one which is why the dogs are waiting again....puff....puff...puff....

More pastels but this time in the west.

5 minutes from home.

View across our paddocks, the SW neighbour's place and beyond to the Great Dividing Range. Makes you feel like you live on top of the world!

Hope you enjoyed an afternoon walk with me and I'll invite you on another walk in the future.

Cheers,
Robyn xo