October 2023

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1st - Maggie turns up to request a meeting to plan the month's catering . And joins us for a post-meeting drink 3rd - "The Voice" referendum. The outcome of which embarrasses the duo :-(
4th - Sister Jan gifts the Paulie and Stephen a trio of redness Stephen has big red balls to go The installations find homes .
. 4th - Dinner at Tony Donovan's Storm's last few weeks in France 6th - Let the road trip begin!
Stop over 3 hours in. Arrive at Toni & Kirsten's apartment in Woogoolga (AKA "Woopi" to locals) near Coffs Harbour 7th - off for a 20km pedal on the "Woopi" cycle trail to Arrawarra Video - Near Mullaway the locals get a bit rough
A wee break near Safety Beach . . Back at Woopi
Packing up for the early morning departure 8th - 7:00 am off past one of Woopi's three Sikh Gurdwaras (temples) 6 hours later the team slowdown on the outskirts of Sydney - to the M7 to head inland On the Hume Highway above Canberra near Goulburn
5pm settled in a Yass motel A wee Provence rosé Joined by fellow visitors from Newcastle. 9th - early explore of Yass
. Checking the bikes and off again. Aiming for Yandoit Hills in Victoria- about 630km off On the road to Gunddagai One time Sheep farm resident Paulie checks out the locals
9:30 a stop over at ‎Gundagai . . .
3:00pm around Goulburn . Emu Flat - getting close. Yandoit Hills is between Bendigo and Ballarat . 100km to go We take some dirt roads to get there
Arrived Yandoit Hills. Home of pals Jon (cousin of the Atholad's mother Elizabeth) and Margaret Outridge. Lovely! the old shearing shed near the separate guest cottage Up for early evening drinks .
. The view from the back veranda was lovely- spotting kangaroos 10th - up for a walk around the property .
. Built by an Italian immigrant in the 1800s . And in the basement, the wine press!
. . Some rural reading by the fire in the main house A walk up the street
. . Then 20 minutes into Castlemaine .
. . A long day for all The guest cottage
. . 11th - after two delightful evenings, it's time to head to Adelaide. Nearly half way on this 7 hour drive
. A stop at Kavina for lunch 6:24 - In Prospect, Adelaide, for a drink and then dinner 12th - to Rosie and Greg's lovely pad in Victor Harbor. We last stayed there a decade ago. And the AthoLads were there first in December 2003 (see Photo Archives)
It's been wonderfully maintained and renovated . . The pointing has been done the same way it was done in the 1800s as a photo inside illustrates.
. . Meanwhile at the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum in Rome in unison with the World Food Forum, James is on a panel session lunch time
As the local steam engine passes by Carriages attached and away it goes Movie - a nice lunchtime show .
13th - time for a cycle. Paulie rents an eBike . . We reach Goolwa
and after a tea at the local cafe, head back Looks fast ... ... but we actually slowed down for the photo .
14th - a walk before lunch . . 14th - Lunch with Greg and Rosie at Port Elliot
. . 15th - Olivia is returned home to Adelaide and the duo have a wee walk around after breakfast at Henley Beach Up at Grange Beach are the iconic Marine Terraces built in 1884
Some changes since this 1910 photo (c/ State Library of South Australia) The pier was finished but not all of the planned terraces Paulie and Stephen then head to meet pals David and Jane for a walk up Mt Lofty... ... followed by a drop to drink at their lovely Leebrook home where the duo stayed the night. Good fun.
16th - A few hours in the car and they reach the lovely Skillogalee vineyard and restaurant. Paulie and Olivia ate there en route to Adelaide when Olivia moved there. Their reviews were spot on - lovely place and food. . After lunch it was time to head to the accommodation for 3 nights at Watervale
A quick explore of the Riesling Trail . 17th - freshly baked bread delivered each morning Getting ready for a day on the Trail ...
... after checking out some of the older farming gear... ..and farm pets such as the emu. Off they go .
Into Sevenhill Estate established by the Jesuit priest Father Kranewitter and others in 1848 after the long journey from Austria. Photo by Ross Daniel Best be respectful, so shirt and shots on over lycra Time to taste some of this. It's not just altar wine!
. . . and off again
. Next stop ... ...Tim Adams .
On the cycle home we work out the identity of the head sheep. A Lama! They followed her everywhere. This time a drive to Kilikanooon vineyard . .
18th -off on the next aventure shows that Bushfires are serious threats Near Mintaro is ‎Martindale Hall . Interesting Gothic style built for wealthy pastoralist Edmund Bowman, in 1890
Then to visit the local Olive Oil producer, Clare Estate. A wee taste of their products Then a quick spin to near Sevenhill... ... for a wee taste of Pike Riesling
. A quick trip via Farrell Flats to ... Burra The old copper mines
. Interesting Miner accommodation And then back to our area for dinner- we have the cellar to ourselves at the Sevenhill Pub .
. 19th - time to head home via the outback so time to say goodbye to the local emu . .
Into Broken Hill - heading to the monument on the hill . The monument to fallen miners and the cages they sent them underground in.
The Palace Hotel where scenes were shot for the 1994 film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert " . . Then to the home of a deceased popular artist
Pro Hart, if you didn't spot it on the number plate of one of his 4 Rolls Royces. . In the evening the guys head to the Living Desert National Park to watch the sun set over the desert .
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20th - on the road again and spotting feral goats aplenty . . Lunch break off the Barrier Highway near Noonan.
Yes. Miss Mouse does join us on our stops Vegetation changes . It's evening and we get close to Coonabarabran in Central NSW. We dined at the local Bowls Club (wild) and stayed at the very comfortable Acacia Motor Lodge
21st- over the border in Goondiwindi - back in Qld. Late breakfast The last four hours home across the Darling Downs. 22nd - home and a catch up with Storm and Daniel, recently returned from 6 months in France Meanwhile James in Florence reminds Stephen that his mother called him her Boticelli Baby
28th - we have Akim and Rebecca (with Anäise and Raine) for a nice 7 hour lunch 28th - meanwhile BIG changes with Jan & Jim! They bid on a house in Noosa and get it. The big move in 5 months. Less work, no stairs. 30th - winding down we are joined by a very chilled feathered friend .
31st - Stephen's Birthday so Paulie takes him to lunch. That was a big month.