Always, the unusual and yet ordinary, catches my attention. Soon after leaving Mudgee, whilst driving through open farming country with grain silos dotted through-out the whole area, I noticed this fence on my right.
and
the indomitable spirit of the farming people who live and work this area, impressed me greatly. How hard is it, and has always been, for those live here for instance!
while travelers like us, simply drive through!!
It was interesting to notice this advertisement for a north coastal holiday village, so far out here in the 'bush'.
Meanwhile, Lida, Dylan and I kept working our way north through farming country and, as always, following that "Road less Traveled".
Here in Australia, we often refer to things out in the bush as being beyond the Black Stump. Well, as it turned out, the next town, Coolah, was the official 'Home of the Black Stump', so, where we were headed was indeed past the 'Black Stump'!
Anyway, onwards we went, pausing mainly for Cappuccino and for me to get out and photograph whatever caught my attention.
The Warrumbungles are a mountain range situated slightly to the west of where we were and we were headed for Moree and all stops, however small, in between.
Binnaway seemed like a good place to prop for a short period
so, onwards through country much like this.
It didn't take long to make Binnaway, another small 'dot on the map', but.....big enough to have a Show Ground and, much to Dylan's delight, a Skatepark.
I always enjoy catching him in an action shot and here was the perfect opportunity.
I wandered up to the Grandstand while Dylan played in the Skatepark (it was good exercise after being in the car ), and once again captured both 'Holiday Snaps' as well as simply stuff which took my fancy.
This was a magnificent oval for such a small and isolated country village and, amazingly, I was to be inspected many years later, by this same Sir Eric Woodward when I worked as a full time musician in the Australian Air Force
Whilst at the top of the Grandstand, I couldn't help notice the only 'tiny' bit of graffiti on the whole building (somewhat unusual in this day and age!), written in texta on the back wall. I wonder who had been 'playing' whom!!!
Meanwhile, down behind the ladies toilets, this wonderful little water tank caught my attention...small things for small minds perhaps!
Couldn't help but love the bit of chain between two separate posts with the classic sign "Keep off the Chain".
Back at the park however, Dylan persevered with his 'Spine Transfer'.
(I did try Skateboarding a few years back, thinking I could do anything Dyl could, but hurt myself quite badly and went back to pushing the shutter release and drinking cappuccino!)
Next door to the Grandstand was a huge set of silos owned and run by Grain Corps, all rather impressive, to me anyway!
and, naturally, to that boy!
This rail siding, used only when the harvest is on and then, only when the 'drought' is absent, stood silently as we chatted around its edges.
During my youth I had worked on the Queensland Railways as a Navie or Fettler, on a Flying Gang, and had put down railway sleepers, just like these now decaying relics of our past. Interesting to see the weed growing through it's end.
The sign post stopped me in my tracks as we walked away. Australia converted to fully decimal measurements over 30 years ago yet here was a sign obviously well kept, still in mph! and...for only 1 mph, at that.
Back on the road again, we noticed many signs similar to this, all telling us about astrological data. Stemming from the nearby observatory no doubt!
That sign was here beside this rest stop, to which Dylan even took his precious Skateboard.
We stopped that night in a cabin in Narrabri and used the tray of the ute to best advantage!
Always, grain silos. Everywhere! Looking resplendent in the morning sun.
A little roadside rest area where the grass had been 'loved' provided an interesting sign
and a sunny spot for Dylan.
More silos, more signs, the country side is 'opening up' ......
