On the Road...Return from Scrub Stitching...the Final Instalment...

The time had come to conclude the 2023 catch up tour and return back to reality from Scrub Stitching 2024...it was going to be a long day to fit in detours I wanted to make along the way, so the car was packed up reasonably early, with room for E to fit to travel back to Victoria so I could pop her on V/Line (the regional train) Saturday morning to take her into Melbourne to visit with her daughter...it was only 40 minutes to the first stop...across the border from the ACT into NSW to Murrumbateman...the painted water tank is located next to the cemetery but not in the cemetery so I was OK with that...

We were not disappointed with the first stop...the mural is gorgeous...onwards to the next on the list...Murrumburrah and the mill mural...

I think we may have missed some of it and not gone all the way around but it was a bit tricky to figure out as this part is on the side on the boundary with a private residence, not facing the main road. Might have to put it back on the list to visit again.

 

The next stop on the list was Tarcutta but I forgot to back track to Harden to turn down to the Hume Hwy so we ended up going to Cootamundra - not a problem, it was the other option I'd tossed up the night before when mapping what to do. Lunch time was approaching and where better than the Junee liquorice factory.  Every time I go there it has grown, the first time all those years ago it was just a production area with a small area for the shop! It just gets bigger and better.  Lunch was delicious and of course we had to visit the shop - a lot more products now...it's not optional! ha ha ha...

Back on the road as we approached Yerong Creek we spied...another painted water tower! Because the original plan was the Hume Highway and not the Olympic Highway I hadn't thought about this one...bonus!

The colours, the details, all the aspects of community life...great little reserve...very happy we stopped off for a view...we had to keep moving, I had a deadline to meet...

 

Next stop on the list was the painted silo at Walla Walla...a lovely little town and silo...

The deadline was to make it to Howlong in time to visit the patchwork shop Whatever Where-ever Craft...it took a bit to find as it isn't in the wee town shop area but in a residential area...but we made it before 5:00 pm and were greeted very enthusiastically by poodles (the lovely ladies were very friendly and welcoming too!). Where to look first!  A fabric just inside the door caught my eye...such a pretty colour...no you don't need it...move away from the fabric! Into the rest of the shop and I spied the prettiest variegated sashiko thread...a rummage through the sashiko cloths hanging next to the threads and one with water lillies...it was meant to be!  I couldn't leave the fabric behind, it was just screaming take me take me...so I did...being a bolt end it was 10% off if taking the lot so for a bit less than the price per metre I came home with 1.3 metres - bargain! I've realised since that the fabric and the thread are a match made in heaven! Very happy with my finds and would happily put this shop back on the visit list.

No more sightseeing stops, over the River back into Victoria as it was starting to move to dark, just a quick stop in Shepparton to pick up something to eat as it was just going to be that hour too far to worry about tea when we got home and back to reality...Scrub Stitching 2024 and the 2023 make up tour had come to an end....time to start planning for 2025! ha ha ha...

 

Happy Stitching...

On the Road...from Mildura...

My few days in Mildura sadly came to an end all to quickly and it was time to head south again...I pretty much did a straight drive back with only quick stops...the first being some field bin art in Woomelang...too good not to stop for a squiz...On the way into town...

On the way out of town...

I did see there was another one further down the road but by the time I realised I was past the turn...Woomelang is noted for a longer stop another time...

Heading on towards Donald as the next stop and get a late lunch but a pit stop called so I swung into town at Birchip to find the facilities and what did I spy on a corner wall as I came up the main street...

You know it was a no brainer that I was going to stop regardless after seeing a kelpie on a wall! Then on the other side of the main street on the building next but one from the facilities building...

Got to love a bit of unexpected very Aussie street art...

 

After a quick stop in Donald at the Kooka's factory to stock up on some fresh bikkies (my favs) and grab a pie at the bakery for a late lunch and then it was straight back...a short break but worth the effort...

 

Happy sewing...

Sunrayasia...Out to Werrimull...

(*warning lots of photos)There was some playing tourist when I visited Jo for the Mildura Quilt Show...Sunday morning, before heading to Red Cliffs for the show, I ventured out to Werrimull...a small town in the Millewa west of Mildura to see the painted field bins (only about 65 kms/45 minutes so an easy trip out and back to Red Cliffs to the show)...coming in to town I found something else to stop for first...the local war memorial...

 

The poppies are permanent - they are ceramic and each one is different from the next exactly as in nature...just beautiful...behind is the Pioneer Plantation, the trees have plaques with the names of early settlers and their families, kind of like a variation on the theme of an Avenue of Honour but not lining a road, a really lovely way to honour the local community...

Lots of happy yellow flowering gums in the district...

In town, opposite the pub, the recreation oval has been developed by the local school students into the Mandala: Trail of Discovery and the painted field bins are in the front area of the reserve...they all look fantastic with the focus of local fauna and flora...

The budgie is my favourite...

 

I didn't have time (or wearing the right footwear - it was a warm day, sandals and the bush are not a good combo in potential snake territory!) so I didn't walk the trail...and anyway I was keen to get back to Red Cliffs for the show.

Happy Stitching...

Northward Ho!...Off To Scrub Stitchin’…

*Warning...long and photo heavy...

Excitement built and finally the day arrived...Easter Monday…time to leave for Scrub Stitchin’ in Baradine! Wahoo!!! I had booked two overnight stops, allowing for a bit of ducking and weaving along the way for painted silo/water tower chasing…of all the days to sleep in I woke up about the time I wanted to leave...not that there was a deadline but I just felt like I was two hours behind all day which made me a bit anxious about getting to that night's stop, Lake Cargelligo, so I modified the plan as I went and skipped some silos and street art for another day...

 

Finally I set off, via the North East Victoria Silo Trail...starting with Goorambat. Approaching from Benalla the first thing that appears is an owl on a shed with silo behind...

There are two separate themes on the silos…an Australian Barking (aka Winking) Owl and Iron Bark tree hollow scene which is important for the Barking Owl…

And Clydesdales...which were important to the Goorambat farming community...

Onwards to Devenish…where it’s all about honouring the community members who enlisted in WWI and the role of nurses/female medics in service and evolution of the role from WWI to now...

Included is a metal sculpture of Sally, an explosive detection dog who served in Afghanistan… 

Paintings not only on the silos...also the public toilet block…

 

and on the side road a mural of the train station…

Next up was St James…where G.J. Coles began…well hasn’t that business grown!!

 

The original store building is still there but I didn’t realise until I was driving out…

 

Last stop in Victoria before crossing the river was Tungamah…the first silos painted in North East Victoria...they are all about local bird life...

I crossed the river (Murray River into New South Wales) at Cobram and stopped next at Coleambally...their water tower isn't painted but rather a mosaic of scenes of community and district life circles the base of the tower...a clever variation on the painted theme...

That was it for public art for Day 1...

Happy Stitching...