Bundanoon, Southern Highlands, New South Wales

Bundanoon, located south-west of Sydney, it is the traditional lands of the Wadi-Wadi and Gandagara peoples. A place I haven't been to for many years. I remember arriving on a Friday evening in the dark, and passing an old antique shop in Exeter. What a surprise to see that it is still there and still an antique shop.

In the 1960's we would stay at Rosnel Guesthouse for the weekend. We would hire bikes and go on long bike rides. Rosnel is now a Special Care Accommodation Hostel.

Bundanoon became popular after the railway to Goulburn was established in 1868 and Sydney siders could take the train for some country hospitality and fresh air. It was and is still, a place of tea rooms (as opposed to cafes) and guesthouses. At the peak of Bundanoon's tourist season over the years, there were in excess of 60 guesthouses.

In 1818 the area was explored by Charles Throsby while he was searching for a road south to Jervis Bay. This was the first mention of "Bantanoon", perhaps Throsby's Aboriginal guide knew the area. Bantanoon means place of deep gullies. The first European settlement was nearby at Sutton Forest in 1838 with land at Bundanoon opened after 1861.

Bundanoon has had many different names since European settlement in 1838 - South Lambton, Barren Grounds, Jumping Rock and Jordan's Crossing. The area was mostly farms and orchards until the train came. The tiny village began to grow. Coal, timber and sandstone were in plentiful supply to build houses.

1867 - Erith Coal Mine established - remains can be seen in the National Park. Gambells Rest Campground is in the National Park. We were going to stay there but all the sites were taken. Morton National Park has many bush walking tracks, two coal mines to explore, lookouts and the beauty of nature.

1868 - railway came to Bundanoon. One of the foremen working on the track, Samuel Tooth, liked the area so much that he went back to Sydney and moved his entire family to the area. He established Morvern Valley Farmstay, and being one of the first settlers helped to build the village, including the school and church, close to his farmstay. His legacy can be seen in the tourist attractions of Tooth's Folly, Tooth's Lookout, and Tooth's Walk.

1870 - Primitive Methodist Church established. This was also the first school.

1873 - first railway station built - now the history group meeting rooms. 

1879 - Holy Trinity Anglican Church built, and rebuilt in 1905 after fire destroyed the original building. 

1880 - new school built

1881 - village officially named Bundanoon 

1884 - license granted for the 'Pill Factory' - located on Anzac Parade the building still has the 'pill factory' written on it. Early settler, W.A. Nicholas would manufacture 'Golden Cross' brand powders and potions. It has more recently been a guest house and a restaurant.

1885 - Primitive Methodist Church moved to what is now the Uniting Church.

1895 - St Bridget's Catholic Church built. 

1890's - saw the development of a main street.

1900's - walking tracks were established to promote tourism to places in the National Park and beyond, such as the Glo Worm Caves, Fairy Bower and Echo Point

Bundanoon is famous for being the first town in the world to ban the sale of plastic water bottles in 2009.

So much to do in the area. Bundanoon History Society have a Heritage Trail with information boards, mostly around the railway area. We walked up the main street and back again, trying to find the tea rooms where I first had gem scones, and the bike shop where we would hire our bikes for the weekend. Couldn't find the tea rooms - and there are still so many - but did find the entrance of this shop looking like what I remembered of the old bike shop, but I don't remember stairs.

Continuing on walking and reading all the information signs of the history of Bundanoon and came across this, showing the bike shop.

There it was, the bike shop, and it was the black shop we had just passed.

With no steps, only a ramp.

There are Glo Worm Caves close to Bundanoon and many cycling tracks.

Annual Events include:

Markets every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month 

April - Bundanoon Highland Gathering

July - Winterfest Street Festival (having a break in 2025)

November - Folk Festival 

 

Welcome to Warra, Queensland

Originally known as Warra Warra, named after the Warra Warra pastoral run, Warra is about 260km from Brisbane, and about 50km from Dalby along the Warrego Highway. We stopped here at the donation camp - The Richard Best Memorial Park - for lunch on our way to Wandoan. 

The area, Barunggam lands, is the traditional land of the Cobble Cobble people.

On 4th October, 1844 Ludwig Leichhardt and his party set up camp by the Cooranga Creek, near where the school is now located. There is a memorial plaque on the site with details of the camp.  

The pastoral run of Warra Warra was established in the 1840's by Henry Dennis and from 1848 was operated by Colin McKenzie. About 1864 it was operated by a Mr Thorne.

European settlers came in the 1870's, with a promise of the western railway line extension from Dalby. With the establishment of Jimbour Homestead and property, farming was promoted in the area in early 1900's. The station was relocated from the other side of the Warra Hotel to the Richard Best Memorial Park, where many of the old town buildings have been relocated.

The announcement of the railway line extension prompted Richard Best to move to Warra in 1875 and he later opened the first hotel, post office and store. The first school was opened in 1881 to cater for the farm children and the railway workers children. The post office was located across the road from the park where the hall is now located. All that is left is this horse hitching rail.

 

Just west of Warra a coal mine was opened in 1914 and supplied coal to run the trains. By 1914 the town had two hotels, three butchers, three stores, a church, a school, and a sawmill. The school buildings at the park have been relocated from Haystack, a nearby town.

The mine was worked until 1919 and closed due to continual water seepage in the mine, and the miners strike. 

Shortly after the mine closure, the area was infested with prickly pear and the population almost halved. The story of the prickly pear eradication is an interesting one and information can be found in Chinchilla. Following years saw WWII soldiers settled in the area and another population increase. However, in the 1960's as Dalby grew in size, towns around, including Warra were again in decline.

The Richard Best Memorial Park is on the highway/main street of town, opposite the memorial hall and next to the Warra Hotel. We stopped for lunch and had a walk around. There are picnic tables and bbq's, toilets, and historic buildings. It is also a donation overnight camp.

The old lockup, built in 1904.

 

All the buildings have been relocated to this park.

This map is the town in 1900. Thorn Street is the main street now, and the historic park is on the corner of Robinson and Thorn streets.

The pub is still in the same location where it was built. Originally known as the Sun Hotel, it was established in 1876 by Richard Best as a meeting / drinking place for the workers on the railway. Best also established the post office and general store about the same time. The hotel was renovated in 1901 by Theo and Eliza Burghardt to the two story building one sees today. Shortly after it was renamed Rising Sun Hotel the new symbol worn by the Australian Imperial Forces introduced in 1902. Today it is known as the Warra Hotel and is still an operating hotel, but with limited hours of operation.

Today Warra has a school, a hotel, a hall, and a petrol station. Well worth a visit.

Napier New Zealand - Cruise Ship Destination

Having been to New Zealand numerous times by plane and cruise ship, and even toured around both islands by car and bus, this is the first time we have been to Napier. 

The ship docked at the Napier Cruise Ship Terminal, which is part of the Napier Container Terminal. It is a working terminal so a courtesy bus was provided to take passengers into the old town centre.

Napier is located at Hawkes Bay, on the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is famous for it Art Deco architecture and wineries. 

The bus takes passengers to the information centre located on the waterfront, about 1.5 km away. As it is a working port, one can not walk from the ship to town.

From there, the town centre is across the road. The day we were there the crossing was manned by volunteers to assist with crossing the road, although the road did not seem very busy. We spent the day walking around the town first, then back to the bus via the waterfront.

Originally known as Ahuriri, Napier was established by the government in 1855 and is Hawks Bay oldest town, named after Sir Charles Napier, a British military commander. The Maoris living in the area are believed to be one of the first Maori Tribes to come in contact with European Settlers. Captain (then Lieutenant) James Cook and the crew of Endeavour were the first Europeans to sight the area in 1769. He named it Hawkes Bay after Sir Edward Hawke, the First Lord of the Admiralty. By the 1830's the only visitors to the area were whalers, missionaries and traders. The Treaty of Waitangi was brought to Hawke's Bay in June 1840 to collect signatures. In December 1843 a grant of 10 acres of land was given to William Williams and William Colenso from the local people to establish a mission. Further land deeds were purchased from the Ahuriri Maori people and on 22 February 1855 the settlement was declared a Customs House Port of Entry and the name Napier for the area was used.

The town has a lot of murals and one lane off Emerson St has murals on both sides of the lane.

The earthquake of 1931 devastated Napier, and led to the rebuilding of the town in the Art Deco style of architecture, which Napier is known for. At least 256 people perished in the earthquake. It was lovely to walk around admiring the lovely buildings.

There are statues and plaques along the streets that indicate the history and the architecture of the town. 

There were many cafes and bars open and craft shops along Emerson Street and surrounding streets. At the end is Clive Square, where there was a bush poet reciting New Zealand poetry.  

We were surprised to hear a carillon play while we were walking in the park. Lovely. 

After walking around parts of town we walked along the waterfront back to the bus. Along Marine Parade are a row of six Victorian houses known as the Six Sisters. Constructed early in the 1900's and survived the 1931 earthquake. Designed by Robert Lamb when he lived in Napier, between 1879 and 1895, and were built shortly after his death in 1895.

We then walked along the waterfront back to the information centre and the transfer bus.

There are information boards and plaques along the waterfront describing the history, both Maori, naval and European. 

 

Back at the ship there were these big 'bag/box' type things attached to the ship. We haven't seen these before. They are Automated Vacuum Moorings.

The vintage cars that were at the port in the morning had increased in number and there were also many more people dressed in 1920's costumes. There was a band playing. Really well done Napier, a fabulous port that I look forward to visiting again. 

What to see and do in Napier.

1. The Art Deco Architecture (do a organised walk or walk the streets yourself.
2. Visit a winery.
3. Walk along marine parade.
4. Cycle some bike trails.
5. Cape Kidnappers gannet colony.
6. Napier Aquarium
7. Do a Hawkes Bay cruise. 
8. Do an organised bus tour.