Abbotsford Convent

 

 

 

 

A peaceful sanctuary
within a busy city.
Abbortsford Covent Melbourne

Lemurian Resting Place

 

 

Helen, Greg and I took Darryl to the place he had asked to rest in. The Stoney Creek, within an hour of Melbourne, gurgles through remnants of old Lemuria. We all agreed that this is the perfect resting place.

Fly free Darryl!
September 2007

Port Fairy Retreat

It was a retreat when I went to stay with my friends, Carolyn and Alan, who have restored and created an enchanted cottage at Port Fairy.

They have a little boat, moored on the Moyne River. The Moyne quay is very likely Port Fairy’s most beautiful aspect.

I stopped to savour the boats and think of Darryl who loved harbours and ports.

Enchanteur shopped with a passion and paraded her new clothes.
And I was just Heather
who relaxed and lived
for four days in the sea air.

Abandoned Mangalore

Setting out from Charleville and proceeding down the river in the year 1874, the traveller at a distance of forty miles reached Dillalah, then under the management of Mr. Frederick Walter. Being upon the main road, and no accommodation near it, proved a rendeazvous, where, amongst other travellers, the squatter and the drover preponderated. Opposite to Dillalah stood the abandoned station of Managalore, where much capital had been expended in buildings and yards, and it was then in the market for disposal.

The growth of Mitchell grass illustrates the tangible value of the Warrego River country whilst the mulga ridges which comprise the back country are grassed with what is known as the Mulga grass, beside which rich herbage abounds, so that the Warrego district is not inaccuarately described as the garden of Queensland. In any case it is one of the most valuable sections.

About seven miles below Dillalah was the station of Murweh, where a few years previously the owner was murdered by a notorious blackfellow named Dillalah Jommy, who pushed his head first into the waterhole, which had very steep banks, as he was drawing a bucket of water. Jommy had his hands stained with several murders, and, only a few weeks before my entrance on the Warrego had waylaid a boy riding his pony on the outskirts of Cunnamulla, exercising a diabolical cunning by breaking his skull so that it would appear he had been kicked in the head by his horse after being thrown.

The next station down the Warrego was Claverton, formed by Messrs Bigge, of Mount Brisbane, and Geary. A large amount of captial was invested in the formation of the station which carried both sheep and cattle. The reputation which this station held in the district for hospitality was indeed well merited.