Unfortunately Mel had to return home on Wednesday for an important meeting so we decided an easy day was in order with a visit to Nicholson River Winery that is nearby. Great wines and a lovely location.
We had an enjoyable, rough and hilly drive to Deptford passed Bruthen on Thursday to a great picnic area on the Nicholson River. Rhys, Millie, and Cooper played in the river at the road crossing while we prepared rolls for lunch.
Deptford was an alluvial gold mining area and we walked alongside the river to a diversion tunnel dug in solid rock in the 1860s to allow mining of the river bed. It is amazing what the miners achieved with hand tools.
It was a delightful walk in the bush with the bubbling sound of the river and bird songs for company. A fireplace was the only sign of a boarding house built in the late 1800s.
Friday saw us at Bruthen at the Bullant Brewery for Pizza lunch and beer tasting. The sampler pack we had with lunch included 4 small glasses of beer for $15 and everyone enjoyed the ones they chose. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. Cam had to take the boys home on Saturday, which was our 50th wedding anniversary. Deen and I went to Lake Tyers Forest Park for a BBQ lunch, a lovely park, but all the fireplaces/BBQs had been removed in the picnic areas. The photo shows Toorloo Arm, great for Kayaking with easy launch spots.
So off to Colquhoun State Forest to Log Crossing Picnic Area near Swan Reach (Marg and I had been before so we knew it had a fire BBQ) and it was still there. A great area with lots of friendly birds.
We have been having wonderful fires every night and tonight we remembered my wedding and the good times we all had with Margie. My neighbours, Ivan and Olga, had given me a Tahbilk 1933 Vines 2000 Shiraz for the occasion, which was delightful. We started with a 2011 Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz and finally a glass of Morris (Rutherglen) 1967 Vintage Port. We did sleep well! The Para Port was a 1947 vintage that we had on April first, Margies birthday. Today we are finishing off our camping trip at the Windmill Pizza Restaurant that is near here and tomorrow we head home. We all enjoyed the break, but would have loved to have Margie with us, she would have loved it all, especially being with the family for the 10 days.
Congratulations Russ on what would have been Marg and your 50th wedding anniversary. What lovely, thoughtful neighbours you have Russ. Sounds as though you were able to enjoy some great beverages. Much love Barry and Rhon xx
Thanks Rhon, we did have a wonderful journey together and I just have to keep thinking about all the good times and not about my loss. My neighbours have been a great support and so caring. We had a good family time together but Deen and I came home a day early this afternoon as the weather looked like it would be terrible, so I’m home now. I hope you are going OK. Lots of love. Russ