Author: Splinter

Since I was in Canberra this weekend and had nothing better to do, I went for a drive to Bateman’s Bay on the NSW south coast.

Until I was looking through the Canberra street directory I did not realise how close to the coast Canberra was, on 120Km’s or so. Now that is an easy Sunday drive.

So I got up early and packed the Echo (hired from Hertz), with my iPod, camera, a novel (Sputnik Sweetheart) and my work laptop (I am not allowed to leave it unattended, it might get lonely). Now I knew I had to go through Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Braidwood. This was a good as I know where Queanbeyan was, and I just hoped that the way was easy from there.

I did not have to worry as it is well signed and a very well used minor highway, I was soon aware that I was not the only one with the idea of a Sunday drive. I knew it was going to be an interesting drive when I stopped at the Bengendore wood works gallery. Right there near the Café was parked around 20 bikes, looks like this was a road that the Café racers liked. This meant the road would be windy, hilly but well surfaced. I thought this would be great, fun drive, then I remembered that I was in the Echo, not the most exciting car to drive. Oh well, I was going to take it easy and stop whenever I saw something interesting. Now before you ask, no I do not have any pictures, yet. The digital camera is at home with the family, but I do have the small 35mm camera and I will get them processed as soon as possible.

Ok where was I, that’s right Bengendore wood works gallery. This place is amazing, the stuff in there is great, I would love one of the clocks but at the price they were I decided on a gift for my wife instead (I cannot tell you what it is until I give it to her next week). People that can work wood into these creations have my greatest admiration, I mean I cannot cut a piece of wood in half.

I had breakfast in their Café and really enjoyed the Latte, bacon, sausages, mushrooms and eggs, in the quiet surrounds. About 12 of the bike riders where still there, owners of BMW’s, Triumphs and Kawasaki’s, looked like members of the Ulysis club. The owner however informed me that they were a group from Canberra called the “Bad Eggs” and they do a ride every month.

After breakfast I stopped at the leather store over the road and picked up something for my daughter and a wallet and hat for me. Looks like this drive would be the one to pick up the “I’ve been away kids!” presents.

Leaving Bengendore and heading onto Braidwood I saw some great sites that made me chuckle. A sign advertising turf had the line “We guarantee you 1,000’s of roots a year!”, and I saw a site that inspired me to come up with a new gallery, IT in the country. Hopefully the photo’s will work and you will see it later in the week.

Braidwood is an old gold mining town, with some very very old buildings and sights. I walked through the local museum, very much like any small town museum, run by the local historical society. One thing set it apart however, they had a collection of Chinese artefacts. You see during the gold rush many Chinese people moved to Australia and made it rich. Several families of Chinese decent became rich and powerful in the area around Braidwood and a significant number of their cloths, photos and artefacts are now in the museum. Braidwood must rely on the tourist dollar quite a bit as it has the strangest collection of shops I have seen. I went into the little store that only sold model cars, not ones you make but the die-cast ones. I kid you not, only model cars. Near it is the little toy shop, that specialises in toys like you used to get in the 50’s and 60’s. Tin wind-up cars and robots for the boys, and little dolls furniture (in wood) for the girls.

Braidwood to Bateman’s Bay was the “fun” part of the drive, down the Great Dividing Range and onto the South Coast of NSW. Now I am from Queensland where we have beaches called “80 mile beach” because, well, it is 80 miles long (not real original I know). In this part of Australia however there is just a lot of bays and inlets, and small secluded beaches, where a family could be on their own. I stopped at at least four beaches during my drive and three of them had less than two families. It was a beautiful warm clear day and perfect to be on the beach, shame I did not have swimmers or a towel.

Well it was about three in the afternoon and I decided it was time to head home. This time I found out how popular this place was with local Canberrans. The road was full of people coming home from a weekend or day on the water, many got very impatient and I hope they all got home ok.

I will post photo’s sometime soon.

Today I spent a few hours in the Australian War Memorial. It brought back memories of my Granddad, recent wars and the devastating loss that conflict brings.

The Australian War Memorial is an amazing place, from the huge stone walls, to the panoramic view, the many diaromas and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

I am a pacifist, I do not believe that going to war solves anything, in this global economy I think trade and aide provide much better leverage than force. I do however have the highest admiration and respect for the men and women that felt strongly enough in our country, values and freedoms to fight and possibly die.

The newest exhibit is about the night bombing raids over Germany and Berlin. It is centered around a rebuild Lancaster bomber called “G for George” and includes some Messerschmitts as well as anti-aircraft guns.

This exhibit moved me as my Granddad was one of the men who fought and was lucky enough to return home. He joined the RAAF in October 1943 when he was 31, leaving behind his wife and my dad. He was trained and became one of the bomb aimers that made those night raids into Germany and Berlin.

I learnt this only in the last couple of years of my Granddad’s life. He showed us his medals, including the caterpillar, he told us how every person that survived, bailing out of a disabled plane. Luckily because of the skill of his pilot they made it to friendly territory before bailing, otherwise he would have to rely on his wits and a small silk map showing the location of the front line. I plan to request copies of his service record so I can find out more.

Being in the memorial became a little “difficult” at that point, I was feeling some very personal sorrow and regret. Regret I had not talked more to my Granddad, that I had not discovered more about this brave man and sorrow that he was gone. I left the crowds at that time and went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I just sat for 15 minutes in that quiet and very amazing place.

I have included some photos, but really they do not do the place justice.

Pool of Tranquility

Courtesy of Ivette01, I have been prompted to take photos of the skies over Canberra today. So click on the heading and see for yourself.

So here are a few to look at 🙂