THE ROAD TRIP - Day one...................

 I have so many photos to sort that I might divide them into days.....it's been hard working out which ones to show....another decision, do I write an essay for the blog, or just post photos?? 

Monday morning at 9am it was departure time for THE ROAD TRIP. Perhaps I should rename this post to 3 OLD LADIES?? Wherever there was a visitors book to sign the 'other' girls signed as 3 old ladies on a road trip!!

This trip has been in the planning stage for a few months. We are heading north to retreat party with girls from 4 states of Australia and 4 overseas countries. It will be a very international group with ladies from Germany, New Zealand, Canada and the US joining us Aussie girls. During covid chookyblue has held regular zoom sewing days with many of us, and it has been great to 'get to know' many of these girls. So when the Scrub Stitching retreat was planned, it seemed like a good opportunity to head north and personally meet them all. Then we wouldn't suffer from  FOMO, would we?? 

Raylene, aka The Fairy arrived in town by train last Thursday so there has been much action getting things organised. This looks like a LOT of luggage, and there were only 2 of us at this stage. But, I did have 2 large quilts that were quilted to be delivered to a customer at retreat, there were 5 quilts that had bindings ready to hand sew at retreat. (This was for the binding fairy). I have packed my sewing machine and a few projects to work on. There are a few bags with goodies purchased for the BCNA fundraiser that are to be delivered to retreat. I have packed my laptop in the hope of trying to sort photos and post while I am away, before I forget about it all when I arrive home. I also have an esky with food to eat while on the road.   As well as clothing etc for a lot of days, and not knowing what the weather will be. (One of us does travel quite light, so I think I might have more!) 

Val is in residence at Number 8, looking after things for me, and enjoying plenty of space to sew bindings on her quilts.

Next it was time to pick up another passenger, and hope that we could fit all her luggage in too. Here is Raylene, very comfy?? in the back seat with Yvonne's things on the other side. Yvonne's daughter lives up the road and on our way, so is travelling with us to spend time with her family while we are at retreat.

When we started planning the trip it was decided that we would take an extra day to get up there, and see the sights, (mostly the painted silos) on the way. Yvonne has travelled up that way many times so knew of a lot of things to see. She planned the first part of the trip and navigated for us. I was quite happy to drive and be told where to go, and the fairy was the 'back seat' driver and trip recorder. (And also the finance officer, paying for the fuel from the kitty purse).

We headed over the border to Victoria and our first stop was the silo at Arkona. Hopefully you can read the second pic that explains the art.

By then we decided to make an unscheduled stop at Dimboola, to find the nearest.....

..which was followed by an amble around the town. I was rather surprised to discover that Dimboola was bigger than I had expected. The town people have had to come up with ideas to promote the town and get travellers to stop of when the highway detoured the town. 

An old bank building is being renovated to the Dimboola Imaginarium............and is a work in progress, with future accommodation planned for the upstairs rooms.

I like this sign, and the 3 Old ladies felt right at home.

Our next stop was at Sheep Hills. As we approached we could see the silos from this angle, and wondered where the art was??

......but as we drove in from the other direction, this is what we found!!

There was a lot of information posted about this, but was hard to photograph in the light. If you want to find out more info, google sheep hills silo art.

It is sad to see what was once thriving rural communities with buildings no longer used..... this was the Sheep Hills Commercial Hotel, and must have been grand in it's day.

Next stop was for lunch at Warracknabeal, and a top up of fuel as we were heading up into more rural country and not sure where the next fuel stop might be.

Not long after lunch we came to the Brim Silo. This was the first silo painted in Victoria..

The next stop along the way was Beulah. Raylene had googled info about this town to see what we should look at. She read out a long list of sights to see........ and I have to say we were quite disappointed when we arrived to find a lot of buildings falling down, and not a lot of artwork as had been described. There was a couple of paintings though.............

I guess it takes some determined people to keep a town going when the population reduces and young ones move away. Like I said before, it's sad to see.

Next on the list was the silo at Roseberry.................

While not a silo, we stopped at Lake Lascelles where there were a lot of caravans camped all around the lake. It was a very pretty, well maintained town.

Up the road a bit further we came to Hopetoun. A very pretty little town, and also cared for. The theme for the retreat is going to be "What Australia means to you?" and I thought this little scene would be very appropriate, but sadly, there was no room in the car for it!!

We also found this beautiful "Aussie" tree, and wondered if it would survive a 2 day trip further north?

At Woomelang found some more art..........

                      

                                                ......and lots of painted field bins, also very Australian!!

The next stop was at Sea Lake.

By this time it was getting a bit late in the afternoon and we still had a drive to our accommodation, so decided to skip the next silo. We had spent time in Dimboola, which had not been on the plan, and also lost half an hour when we crossed the border into Victoria. I did not want to be driving in the dark, and was very wary of kangaroos.

Our last stop of the day was at the Murray river town of Tooleybuc, and we were now in New South Wales!! I loved this bridge over the river, one lane only!!

We booked into our accommodation and slept very well after travelling 454km! We stopped lots and saw some amazing art. Very clever people in this world!! 

Be back with a report on Day 2, sometime, but not saying when!! 

Blessings From Jude