Windmill Stitches Quilt Show in Kaniva........

 After a good nights sleep, we hit the road and travelled across that border again. They had the sign out at the door and the doors were open.

The quilt show is being held in the Shire Hall, which has some recent additions to the Heritage listed building.

We made some rearrangements to the goods on our table and all was set to go. Notice the hearts pinned to the front of the tables. These were made by my fairy a few years ago for one of the Pink retreat weekends and have been stored in the shed in the "pink goodies" box. Yesterday the fairy had the bright idea of taking them to decorate the tables!! (She is noted over the years for 'scathingly brilliant ideas')

                                 

                               ....and there were just a few finishing touches to the sale goodies and we just had to wait for the quilters to come in the door.

                                        

       This is the vast array of "Snuggly quilts" that have been made by the group................

This corner displayed smaller items and their challenge blocks. I will take more photos tomorrow.

There were 3 shops to tempt you to part with your money, add to your stash..... this one being Little Desert Quilts.....

......and the ladies from Arts on Ormerod from Naracoorte as well as myself.

Sometime during the day I happened to look up and was rather amazed at the ornate ceiling and walls in this building........so took a few photos.... Raylene told me I should lie down on the floor and aim the camera up, and she could have been right, as I did feel rather unbalanced standing and aiming up at the angle!!.........

.... so this evening I went to Mr Google to find out a bit more and have copied the following notes.............

Kaniva Shire Hall
The heritage listed Kaniva Shire Hall was built in 1927 and opened in 1929. It is one of two public buildings in Victoria to feature a cameo ceiling. The upstairs features the old council chambers and the downstairs offices are now used by the genealogy group. In days gone by, the hall was also used as a cinema and roller skating rink. 

After yesterday's post I said I would investigate the connection of windmills to Kaniva and I did have it explained it to me today. But since then I have been to Mr Google again and copied the notes about Kaniva that also explains about the sheep.

The small town of Kaniva is located in the far west of Victoria, between Nhill and the border with South Australia, on the main highway between Melbourne and Adelaide.

Kaniva's major thoroughfare is the Western Highway which is known as Commercial Street through the town centre and is lined with colourful bushes. Kaniva's shops and hotels can be found along this street, many with authentic shopfronts and wide verandahs. On the corner of Commercial Street and Madden Street North is the local visitor information centre and a large windmill which symbolises the town's use of its abundant underground water supply.

On the west side of town along the Western Highway, opposite Douglas Street, is Kaniva Wetlands and Fauna Park. Visitors can observe animals including an emu, deer and peacock, while the aviary section contains cockatoos, parrots and rosellas. The park also includes wetlands with waterbirds and native grasses, a BBQ shelter, picnic tables, playground, flying fox and walking tracks.

The Sheep Art Trail is an 800 metre walk which links Band Park, in Progress Street, with Kaniva's main street and Kaniva Wetlands and Fauna Park. It consists of brightly painted sheep sculptures, each with its own name and story that links it to a place or community group. Just behind Band Park, along the railway line, are grain silos with painted artwork that pays tribute to the flora and fauna of the Little Desert National Park.

The Kaniva Historical Museum displays a large range of household items, farming relics and other items from the district's colonial and Aboriginal past.

Surrounding Kaniva are vast wheat fields and sheep stations - industries that have flourished here since the late 1800s. Large plantations of canola can also be found in the district, creating a colourful display during the early springtime.

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We have another day tomorrow at the quilt show and I will have more photos of the quilts in the next post. Come and see the lovely display and enjoy what the town has to offer.

I will finish off now with a photo of Raylene and I taken today.

                                                             Blessings, From Jude