The Homeward Stretch

We returned to Maryborough because we liked the area. 

It also happened to be a weekend and things are pretty quiet....we thought!

I got up early to go to a free yoga class in the Queens Gardens, that I found on the internet, however I was the only one to turn up, but that didn’t stop me doing yoga.

After that I wandered around the park and found these amazing musical sculptures in front of these amazing trees.

I also noticed there was some activity in the Band Hall beside the park and upon investigation I found there was a concert later that day.

The Band Master and conductor, Mel Neilson was a top class flugelhorn player.

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, every thing was in character, even the free tea and cakes on the blue covered tables just off stage!

I went upstairs in the hall to get better photos and found the band trophies, storeroom and sheet music archives. 

All of which speaks volumes about the Maryborough Excelsior City Brass Band.

Even these old instruments are pretty incredible!

As you can see the place was packed and so well appreciated. 

In summer they play outside in the park while a miniature steam train runs around giving rides to kids!

Maryborough every Monday morning has a free walking Heritage tour and we were fortunate to join Ian the guide, and and 5 other Grey Nomads.

That’s Ian doing the pointing.

 A lot of wonderful Heritage buildings in Maryborough.

Ian was so full of knowledge about the town it made the visit to Maryborough much more interesting!

This is the city hall building, with a huge barrel vaulted ceiling, where they have held many events going back to the old Music Hall days.

Dame Nellie Melba performed in this hall on its opening night!

It was the start of the local sugar cane harvest, these trucks run around the clock till finished.

We headed south towards Brisbane, stopping at Toogoolawah for the night.

On my morning walk I discovered it was the sale day for cattle, so we returned later and took in some of the rural ambience.

The guy below with whip across his shoulder and sitting on a horse, is not something you’d see at our local Brightwater sale yards.

This breed, Brahmin cattle, are very docile, as are some of the other breeds, this might be something to do with the heat?

Standard Queensland cattlemen clobber is cowboy boots, jeans, check shirts, cowboy belt buckles, and sweat-stained Akubra hats.

So I got quite a few looks with my outfit!
I read the below sign with some trepidation, however I continued on and every Magpie I saw flew away from me so it definitely wasn’t the nesting season. It must be a major problem tho as cyclist wear cable ties sticking out of their helmets like punk rocker haircuts, to ward off Magpie strikes.

What a great (and impressive) bridge for us tourists to use....and admire!





This bird is called a Willywagtail .... it must be a relative of our Piwakawaka.

We walked down the street in Kilcoy, not sure what this whirling seed is off, but it’s huge.

A Kenworth Truck all loaded up with cattle....everything’s huge in Aussie....Mate!

The local bakery has huge pastries ....which might be the reason we have got a little larger ourselves.

The Woodford Council Chambers poster on their front door goes through the five stages of what to do if you get a snake bit....ugggggh!

Onto Ipswich we visited the Art Gallery, another super modern building with interactive displays, a terrific exhibition showing Silver and Gold objects made in Australia from the 1850’s till 1930’s.

Below is some superb inlay work from Thomas Griffiths a Welshman who came to Ipswich as part of a Welsh influx of miners. He was trained as a wheel right, but soon set up his own timber mill supplying railway sleepers. He then movers to Cairns and by 1903 was the largest mill in North Queensland. Later in life he started making inlay and veneer work out of Queensland woods. Griffiths work has been accepted and admired by their Majesties the King and Queen of England in 1931 and is admitted to be the finest work of inlay and veneer work in Australia.
This is solid silver trophy of three horses, and is engraved as “The Melbourne Cup 1888”

Stunning work with an Emu egg in the middle of it all.

I checked out the Ipswich Men’s Shed and very pleased to say blokes are blokes when there in their Sheds where every you are!

Bob the builder, one of the guys, paints sawblades at the shed. Brian Parker, the secretary showed me around and unscrewed one of the painted saw blades for me to take home!

This Shed has been going for 5 years plus and is very organised.

With a membership capped at around 120 and open 3 part days per week.
Subs are $35 with a daily visit fee!

Brian the secretary also told me they had run some sort of stories night, which went well untill one wife complained about her hubbies content,..so they shelfed them.

There is a huge Bunnings just across the road from their shed and once a week the Men’s Shed has a sausage sizzle where they sell 45KGs of sausages in a day, netting around $1500....they wasn’t sure of this kiwi guy who got his red nose on and started entertaining, juggling and playing whistle for the sausage customers....anyway I had fun!

A great bunch of guys. 

The final few days in Australia will be my last blog, which will follow really quickly because no doubt NZ life and getting back into preparation for our next trip will take precedence.

So take care till we see you again on my last blog.

Cheers from halfway across the Tasman at 30,000ft.

Be safe and be creative.

Cheers

Jimu & Christine.