![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenith
Heading out of Canberra today.
I think I shared the phone's version of this on Facebook at the time, but I like it so I'm using it to represent the morning, on the way to the bus. Turns out getting to an early bus is easy if you didn't actually sleep during the night. (Time stamp on the photo is 6.49 am. Given it was an easy 15 walk to the bus depot from the YHA, I wasn't in any hurry :). I took a bag with me, with a drink and the book I didn't read on the plane.
I took some photos from the bus (I had a front seat after all) but they weren't very good and I wasn't that enthusiastic about it.
The bus goes to the NSW southern coast, but the first part of through journey (through Queanbeyan and Bugendore) is mostly east, then it turns south-east to go to Braidwood and so on until it reaches the coast, so these photos are east of the Canberra area. I say this because they look just like the Tasmanian midlands. Weirdly so.
I thought I had some photos already on LJ to show what I mean but I can't seem to find them although there is this one and some where. OK so NSW is a bit greener but possibly not this year and we can pretend it is winter.
Towns are not the same. Architecture is different, and signs, and road markings and all that. It's the country part that is the same.
Trees along the road and a speed sign suggest the end of the trip is approaching. For me, anyway.
Braidwood was established in the 1830s. With the arrival gold in the 1850s, it suddenly grew much bigger. On arriving it's a bit, hmm, overcast. OK grey and miserable. I expect it will rain later too. Still, it's not raining now and I have camera so I head down the road to work out what I'm doing.
The Information Centre is at the front of the National Theatre. (The walls are pressed tin.) Here I pick up a copy of the "Town Walk" map, which lists all the interesting buildings. "From before the whole town was listed" the helpful man here tells me. It's a very nice map, with a description of each place on the back, but unfolder A3 is not a very practical size :(
Of the National Theatre it says Built as a roller skating rink and Electric Picture Palace.
After some folding and consultation of the map, I decide to head down to the southernmost point (the cemetery), then up the main street to the northernmost point, and then, if I have time, check out the back streets to the east.
This building was the Criterion Hotel. Built in 1870, and familiarly known as Torpy's Hotel. One feature was the long stool on the Wallace Street footpath on which patrons sat to watch the passing scene.
This view bothers me, as it seems I remember it from somewhere. Maybe it looks the same as some other place I've been too.
Dating from the earliest days of the settlement and fenced into denominational sections until 1970s. Many important residents and pioneers were buried here and their gravestones and provide much detail about the period. The memorial to the Special Constables murdered by the infamous Bushrangers, the Clarke Brothers, is in the former Catholic section above the creek.
Please shut the gate... so the water doesn't get out.
Some cemeteries are more interesting than others, and this one is just looking like a typical country cemetery.
Although I have to admit, I haven't seen that before, and there's a few occurrences of it. They need to go and talk to the Richmond graveyard maintainers.
The plaque on the left reads:
Charleyong, originally known as Taylor's village, was a
flourishing alluvial mining and agricultural settlement from
about 1854 until the early years of the twentieth century.
William Taylor's store, at the heart of the settlement
sold general provisions and diggers' equipment.
There was a butcher next door.
In March 1871 the storekeeper also became Postmaster.
The store and post office survived until the late 1890's
when, the gold being worked out, miners and their
families were leaving the district.
There's a bit more about the chapel, then The site of Charleyong village and cemetery is situation within lands now owned by the Sydney Catchment Authority.
Then in the centre is a list of burials, and on the right a map showing the location of Charleyong (north-east of Braidwood).
On this side the headstones are getting a bit odd. Quatrefoils and crosses on top of "flat" headstone. Right.
OK more than "a bit". Although it reminds me of here
Mother Mary Laurentia Maher
Sister Mary Emerentia Hinchey
Sister Mary Una Coleman
Sister Mary Patricius O'Leary
Sister Mary Kieran Kelly
Plaque says
NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE
TO COMMEMORATE
THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE MURDER OF FOUR
FALLEN COLLEAGUES
AT JINDEN, NSW. 9 January 1867
Going back. The road here runs between two sets of boulders,
This puts a bit of blip in the road.
Obviously I'm not putting photos of everything (or everything on the map). That will get a bit long. Probably another day. Just a selection for now to give a bit of flavour of the town.
The Albion Hotel.
Built by the MacDonald family in 1872 as the "Modern Hotel". A most luxurious hotel during the late 19th and early 20th century, with a renowned hosted and a repution for excellent food. Restored in the early 1980s. The Malone family, who operated a coaching service for many years, had their offices here.
This is the bookshop. I had discovered that the book that I didn't read on the plane was also the book that I didn't read on the bus. And I was tired of carrying it around. So I gave it to the guy at the counter.
The Royal Hotel.
Built in 1890 on the site of the earlier "Royal Hotel" dating from the 1850s. The original name as changed in 1969 for the filming of the movie "Ned Kelly" with Mick Jagger
I just type up what it says. I don't have to understand it. The sign on the hotel does say "Royal Mail Hotel" so make your own guess.
The building across the road doesn't get onto the map, but above the door it lays to claim to being the "Bank of New South Wales".
Going down the hill now, and on the corner is the Braidwood Hotel (formerly the Commercial Hotel).
Built in 1859, the hotel is the oldest in Braidwood still licensed. One of the grandest hotels on the Southern Districts of its era, the building features a magnificent ballroom with accommodation rooms above. The ground floor and cellars house public rooms and bars.
Next door is the museum which was SHUT :(
Built of local granite as the Royal Hotel for the town's Surveyor, James Larmer, in 1845, this grand building was purchased by the Oddfellows Friently Society in 1882.
At the bridge, looking back up the hill. Braidwood Hotel at the top on the right.
As I was coming back up the hill, it started to rain!
I went into the nearest shop. Bought some handmade soap. Went back out. It was still raining :( Seeing as it was just after 12, I thought it might be a good time to find somewhere to sit down and have lunch.
A cafe and secondhanh bookshop. That seems a good idea. Although lunch just turned out to be a cup of tea.
I did some more poking around shops but didn't find anything interesting. So I head over to the back streets.
St Bede's Catholic Church.
Built of local granite by Richard Hannaford between 1856 and 1862. Originally shingled with wood, the roof was replaced with fine slate in the late 19th century.
A charming and intact pair of 1860s cottages which have survived in nearly original condition.
The white place on the left had a sign out the front saying it was a "Collectables and Old Wares" shop, so I went in for a look.
Not really my sort of thing though.
Back on the main street, and as the sky is sort of blue, I retake some of my earlier photos. The map would have me believe that one of those buildings is the old bakery that supplied bread to Braidwood residents for nearly 80 years from the 1850s. There are two floors of private accommodation upstairs. I have doubts (due to the 1889 date at the top there).
This building was built by the Commercial Banking Company in 1888 as a bank and bank manager's residence. The imposing Italianate facade reflects the prosperity of the gold mining era. Now it's a shop with cool gifty things, and these little foam birds that clip onto things, of which I brought three home with me.
The little Westpac building doesn't get a mention. I think that yellow building next door is probably the former bakery. It's the only one with "two floors ... upstairs". Whatever, I've had enough walking by now. Although gel innersoles and lack of hard footpaths made a difference to walking stamina, especially as I rarely got to sit down except in the cafe.
I sit down now, in the park, and eat my chips, sort of, and read magazine, and wait for bus.
This is actually where the bus picks up from. It is not "outside the post office". Outside the post office is angled parking, then a bus zone and then this shelter is at the end of that. I do wish people would realise this sort of thing causes Stress to Travellers.
Back in Canberra (that's Canberra Central), I discover I managed to get sunburnt. On the day it rained, of course. So I heard out to get some sunscreen and anti-sunburn stuff, and something for tea. The fire alarm goes off as I'm heading out. It doesn't go off during the night, but I keep expecting it to. Grrr.
Tomorrow is the last day, and I have a lot of do in the morning.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-13 04:19 pm (UTC)Interesting photos. Would have been cool to go round those little shops together!
no subject
Date: 2013-12-14 02:40 am (UTC)