Stardate 8-9-15 in the NSW quadrant.
After years of searching far and wide the Johnston boys have finally found their utopia.
The All-You-Can-Eat buffet dinner.
Jack fell into a minor trace when the penny dropped, followed by looks of joyous astonishment and wonder. Jarrah almost just jumped off his chair when he realised that it meant multiple return trips to the self serve ice-cream dispenser. Fletchy yelled "Yay!" and raised both his fists in the air like Rocky Balboa after knocking out Apollo Creed.
It's not that we are starving them or anything but they are growing up and thus want to eat virtually anything and everything. Now, they could actually eat virtually anything and everything. Needless to say, there was a wide variety of foods sampled and many trips to the dessert servery made by all and sundry.
Fletchy couldn't last the distance, however, and fell asleep at the table while the other two powered on through the chocolate cake and the strawberry jelly. Soon enough though we all waddled our way out of the South West Rocks Country Club feeling a bit tight around the belt and looking for a nice warm place to hibernate.
Fletch demonstrating the Gucci fashion standards we have strived to maintain on this trip.
This was before he ate himself to sleep.
This was before he ate himself to sleep.
Nambucca Heads
We passed through Nambucca Heads on the way to Horseshoe Bay the other day. Nice place. We had lunch from the van parked beside the beach. Such a beautiful day to be touring along the coast.
What's this?
The Greek Islands, yes?
Nope. Trial Bay Gaol on the NSW coastline. How awesome is this!
Trial Bay Gaol was established in 1889 to house convicts whose primary task was to build a breakwater in the river mouth adjacent the gaol. The main method of transport between Sydney and Brisbane during this era was by ship. As Trial Bay is the mid-point the intention was to provide a 'harbour of refuge' for these supply ships. However, the convicts were dealt a significant blow at the turn of the century when they realised that the ships were now capable of steaming safely between the two cities and beyond without having to use Trial Bay.
So, in 1903 they closed the gaol and dispatched the convicts throughout various colonial gaols. It was stripped of its chattels and left derelict until the 1st World War came along. The building was resurrected into an internment camp for mostly expatriate German and Austrian 'enemy aliens', as they were called at the time. This lasted until 1917 when, due to fear of a possible raid to release the interns by a German warship located in the area, they relocated to Holsworthy (outer suburb of Sydney), of all places.
Having spent a significant amount of time working in the same internment camp now known as Holsworthy Army Barracks, I can claim with utmost confidence that not one of the interns would have enjoyed this relocation idea one little bit. The gaol became vacant again and deteriorated into disrepair. It has since been restored by local volunteers and periodically host various social events such as sculpture and art shows. Pink Floyd played there many years ago.
So, in 1903 they closed the gaol and dispatched the convicts throughout various colonial gaols. It was stripped of its chattels and left derelict until the 1st World War came along. The building was resurrected into an internment camp for mostly expatriate German and Austrian 'enemy aliens', as they were called at the time. This lasted until 1917 when, due to fear of a possible raid to release the interns by a German warship located in the area, they relocated to Holsworthy (outer suburb of Sydney), of all places.
Having spent a significant amount of time working in the same internment camp now known as Holsworthy Army Barracks, I can claim with utmost confidence that not one of the interns would have enjoyed this relocation idea one little bit. The gaol became vacant again and deteriorated into disrepair. It has since been restored by local volunteers and periodically host various social events such as sculpture and art shows. Pink Floyd played there many years ago.
We took a walk through the headlands next to the gaol and had coffees at the local café. Sweet.
Huggy Moment
I bet you have been wondering "Why they heck do they pronounce it 'jail' but spell it 'gaol'?" If not, or you know the answer, too bad 'cause here it is. Apparently gaol is the original spelling popular in the 17 and 18oos but in the 1860's newspapers started using the word 'jails', apparently because it takes up less type-space and it is less likely to be confused with the word 'goal, and it stuck.
So there you go.
The Three Amigos or as I prefer to call them, Moe, Larry and Curly.
We're going to stay another night in Horseshoe Bay and have a lazy day tomorrow. Life is tough on the road but someone has to keep the Australian economy powering along. It's not all beer and skittles you know. Well, no skittles anyway.
Oh and Pink Floyd did not actually play at the Trial Bay Gaol. I just made that bit up.
It will be interesting to see what the highlights of this trip will be for the boys...wonder if the buffet will be in their top 10?
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