Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia
We have had a lovely visit to Tuncurry and have very much enjoyed catching up with Peter's fathers cousin and his family.John Batten's cousin Ben Barriball was in the Navy and settled in Australia after the second world war. He started his married life in Kempsey would you believe, and then went to Gloucester to work in the dairy industry. Their holiday spot was Tuncurry and in the late 60's they built the house they still live in. Tuncurry for them has been just like Drummond Cove has been for us! Bit more growth here though! Ben visited the farm once, on his own, just before we were married. He told us some stories of helping John put in our hot water system! What a surprise it was to help in putting together the old 'Donkey Heater'! The 'Donkey Heater' was the old 44 gallon drum placed on a frame with a pipe coming from it to bring hot water into the bathroom. Each afternoon I used to light the fire under it and burn big logs of wood. I would go out and push the logs in as they burnt down. Those were the days!After John died, Ben and wife Norma visited Geraldton.
Evelyn got on very well with Norma and enjoyed a number of holidays at Tuncurry. John and Evelyn spent some time with Ben and Norma when they travelled around Australia with their caravan in 1976/77. Each year when Ben writes at Christmas, he asks when we will be visiting them. So a visit to Tuncurry was definitely a must! And I have quite a story to tell. Peter rang Ben from Bonny Hills to say we would be there the following week. Ben informed Peter, that his third son John, was also caravanning in Bonny Hills. Without going into too much detail, we found each other in the same park and introduced ourselves. Also had quite a night together two nights later! John told us his Mum would turn 90 the week we were in Tuncurry! I should have checked the family history data I have on the laptop, but we certainly hadn't planned our stay to coincide with a 90th birthday celebration! John and his partner Judy also suggested that we stay at the park that was near the rock pool, walkways, bowling club and also just down the road from Ben & Norma's home. Which of course we did!Norma wasn't looking forwarding to turning 90, but when two of her lovely granddaughters asked if they could take her out to lunch, she certainly couldn't say no. What a lovely surprise it ALL was for her. I must share that Ben was quite worried about how she was going to take it! Norma hates surprises! Her three sons and daughter, spouses, partners and Peter and I, were waiting to sing her "Happy Birthday" as she walked in.
Mark (second son) who lives in Darwin had been to Sydney for the Bruce Springstein concert and he and his wife had hired a car and driven to Tuncurry for a few days. What a super dooper surprise that was for her! We felt very priviledged to be included in the celebration and it was so special to meet so many members of the family. Granddaughter Tara and her husband AJ and the youngest granddaughter Dana . Dana is studying at Newcastle to be a PE teacher and plays on a scratch handicap at golf. She is considering when and if she will turn professional.A number of you may have met Ben's sister Barbara from Sheepwash in England. Barbara spent Christmas this year with the Batten Family and has had a few visits to Geraldton over the years. I have a "Family History" question for Delma and Jenny! Is John Barriball a third cousin to Peter and Ben a second cousin? Just doing some editing to this blog 9 months on and neither answered my question! I will have to ask them in person.
Tuncurry - On now to our stay at this lovely spot on the East coast of Australia. It is a very pretty place with the bridge across the Wallis Lake joining Tuncurry and Forster. Why Forster is pronounced as Foster we don't know, but by the time we left we said it the right way most times! We did most of the touristy bits and a few day trips, north and south. On one of our day trips we went south on 'The Lakes Way'. Our first stop was Cape Hawke Lookout in Booti Booti National Park. The view was very spectacular and well worth the climb. On a clear day we were told you can see all the way to Port Macquarie. We were able to really put into perspective, Tuncurry and Forster and the Forster Keys canals. When full, Wallis Lake covers an area of around 10,000 hectares and is approximately 25 kilometres long, with a width of 9 kilometres. The waterways surrounding Wallis Lake are well known for oyster production and we had two feeds of oysters and they were divine! On this day excursion we ate our picnic lunch at Green Point and then travelled onto Pacific Palms, checking out a number of beaches all the way down to Seal Rocks. We didn't have time to walk out to the lighthouse, but the holiday location of Seal Rocks, looked a pretty secluded spot where you could have a very relaxing holiday. I imagined it was named Seal Rocks because of these rocks. Peter thinks you have to very much use your imagination! We walked out on the rock groin many times, whilst at Tuncurry. Even had a moonlit walk one night! Shame we didn't take a camera though, because it was the nicest night of our stay and the reflection of the bridge on the water was beautiful. We had a swim in the rock pool, which has a net across, going from one rock groin to the other. Need to keep all those bities out! On our walks we struggled to work out whether the tide was going in or out. It rushed in and out of Wallis Lake with such force. When there is swell, the movement in the water between the two groins is quite something! On the last day I walked the bridge with my camera over my shoulder and got my final snaps of Tuncurry-Forster. I can't finish this blog without recording we had two really good thunderstorms whilst we have been here. Between 30 and 40 mls each time. There was water everywhere! Also had to have a game of bowls and a meal at the Tuncurry Bowling Club. The whole complex was huge! Ben has been on the board of the club and its profit each year is $7 million! Lots of people in NSW and obviously many of them like to play the pokies!
Nabiac - Taree - Old Bar - Crowdy Head and HarringtonOn Thursday 20th February we went north again and travelled firstly to Nabiac and visited the National Motor Cycle Museum. Oh there were SO many motorbikes! Between 700 and 800 of them! Wally and Clara were allowed out of the car again for a photo shoot with Pete. We found a few "Aerials" that Peter's brother inlaw Barry would have been interrested in. But they were racing ones! Nothing like his beautifully retored one! From there it was onto to Taree for lunch and when we came out of the shopping centre it was pouring rain in Taree! That put a dampener on the rest of the day. We did manage to get a photo of the "BIG OYSTER" out of the window. Another "Aussie Icon" found! Apparently it was a restaurant at one time, but it didn't last for long! The property is now a Car dealership. The 'Big Oyster' only gets 6 out of 10 on the "Iconmetre" in THE book! This is a little of what is written about the icon! It is 'A Big Thing honouring the world's most famous and tested aphrodisiac'! We have been back and forth over the two Manning River Bridges a number of times in the last week! We have learnt that the Manning River is the only double delta river in the southern hemisphere. It rises on the north eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range within Barrington Tops National Park. The river descends 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) over the 261 kilometres, from the high upper reaches, through the Manning Valley, and out to sea.The river flows past the towns of Wingham and Taree. At Taree, the river splits and becomes a double delta. The southern arm reaches its mouth near Old Bar and the northern arm at Harrington Point. Peter and I visited Harrington the following day. After our visit to the Information Centre in Taree, our curiousity as to what kept this towns population employed, was satisfied. It is mostly agriculture and oyster farming on the Manning River. What we also learnt was that initially it was a 'Private Town'. I had not heard of 'Private Towns' before. Wikipedia has also informed me that Harvey in WA was a 'Private Town'. Taree was laid out as a private town in 1854 by Henry Flett. 100 acres (40 ha) had been set aside for the private township and 40 lots were initially sold. Taree was declared a municipality on 26th March 1885. For the record, Harvey was developed as a private town in the 1890s by a group of investors. This blogging is like going back to school again! But the assignments are much more fun!! Travelling and holidaying is more than sightseeing! There is plenty to see and plenty of information to stimulate the brain! I guess I must have learnt about river "Deltas" at school, but it was a long time ago!The final day trip Peter and I did was to Crowdy Head and Harrington. We once again packed our picnic lunch. We ate our lunch while we watched and listened to the waves making a whistling noise. As each wave moved down over the rocks that had been placed down the edge of the bay, there was a whistling noise. We believed the construction of the Marina had made the tide do strange things in the bay. It was quite fascinating! We found out that evening that young Ben Barriball and Louise had lived at Crowdy Head and Ben had taught in Harrington. We had magnificent views of the great Dividing Range from Crowdy Head and it was well worth the trip north again to see that. We also couldn't get over the fact that the Crowdy Head School is still open. There is another school just down the road at Harrington. It certainly is the 'School With a View' but I'm not sure about the 'School With a View to the Future'! But obviously community passion is keeping it open. Harrington is certainly a retiree's town. The new development on the river is very nice and has a magnificent golf course. I was very taken with the shopping centre and the community church. One would assume it was something that had to be included by the developers. The doors of the church were open and inviting. The Salvation Army conduct services there each week. To conclude our week in the Manning and Great Lakes Region, the four of us had drinks at the relies, followed by delicious oysters and salmon cooked by Pete. John and Judy called by to check out the Oysters Kilpatrick and stayed for dinner. They gave Pete 9 out of 10 and I got 10 out of 10 for desert! I think 'Chef John' might have had too much wine by then! John was a chef in the Navy and he also cooked at Government House for a few years. I think the "10 out of 10 score" is a good note to finish on! It was certainly a week to remember! Whoops! There is more!! Forgot to include another "Aussie Icon". This one is "The BIG Axe" and it is at Kew, which was not far from Bonny Hills. We spent a nice half hour at the Information Centre at Kew, where two CWA ladies were volunteering their services. I had my CWA fix a few days before the new 'Champion Bay CWA' branch was formed in Geraldton.
Tuncurry - On now to our stay at this lovely spot on the East coast of Australia. It is a very pretty place with the bridge across the Wallis Lake joining Tuncurry and Forster. Why Forster is pronounced as Foster we don't know, but by the time we left we said it the right way most times! We did most of the touristy bits and a few day trips, north and south. On one of our day trips we went south on 'The Lakes Way'. Our first stop was Cape Hawke Lookout in Booti Booti National Park. The view was very spectacular and well worth the climb. On a clear day we were told you can see all the way to Port Macquarie. We were able to really put into perspective, Tuncurry and Forster and the Forster Keys canals. When full, Wallis Lake covers an area of around 10,000 hectares and is approximately 25 kilometres long, with a width of 9 kilometres. The waterways surrounding Wallis Lake are well known for oyster production and we had two feeds of oysters and they were divine! On this day excursion we ate our picnic lunch at Green Point and then travelled onto Pacific Palms, checking out a number of beaches all the way down to Seal Rocks. We didn't have time to walk out to the lighthouse, but the holiday location of Seal Rocks, looked a pretty secluded spot where you could have a very relaxing holiday. I imagined it was named Seal Rocks because of these rocks. Peter thinks you have to very much use your imagination! We walked out on the rock groin many times, whilst at Tuncurry. Even had a moonlit walk one night! Shame we didn't take a camera though, because it was the nicest night of our stay and the reflection of the bridge on the water was beautiful. We had a swim in the rock pool, which has a net across, going from one rock groin to the other. Need to keep all those bities out! On our walks we struggled to work out whether the tide was going in or out. It rushed in and out of Wallis Lake with such force. When there is swell, the movement in the water between the two groins is quite something! On the last day I walked the bridge with my camera over my shoulder and got my final snaps of Tuncurry-Forster. I can't finish this blog without recording we had two really good thunderstorms whilst we have been here. Between 30 and 40 mls each time. There was water everywhere! Also had to have a game of bowls and a meal at the Tuncurry Bowling Club. The whole complex was huge! Ben has been on the board of the club and its profit each year is $7 million! Lots of people in NSW and obviously many of them like to play the pokies!
Nabiac - Taree - Old Bar - Crowdy Head and HarringtonOn Thursday 20th February we went north again and travelled firstly to Nabiac and visited the National Motor Cycle Museum. Oh there were SO many motorbikes! Between 700 and 800 of them! Wally and Clara were allowed out of the car again for a photo shoot with Pete. We found a few "Aerials" that Peter's brother inlaw Barry would have been interrested in. But they were racing ones! Nothing like his beautifully retored one! From there it was onto to Taree for lunch and when we came out of the shopping centre it was pouring rain in Taree! That put a dampener on the rest of the day. We did manage to get a photo of the "BIG OYSTER" out of the window. Another "Aussie Icon" found! Apparently it was a restaurant at one time, but it didn't last for long! The property is now a Car dealership. The 'Big Oyster' only gets 6 out of 10 on the "Iconmetre" in THE book! This is a little of what is written about the icon! It is 'A Big Thing honouring the world's most famous and tested aphrodisiac'! We have been back and forth over the two Manning River Bridges a number of times in the last week! We have learnt that the Manning River is the only double delta river in the southern hemisphere. It rises on the north eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range within Barrington Tops National Park. The river descends 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) over the 261 kilometres, from the high upper reaches, through the Manning Valley, and out to sea.The river flows past the towns of Wingham and Taree. At Taree, the river splits and becomes a double delta. The southern arm reaches its mouth near Old Bar and the northern arm at Harrington Point. Peter and I visited Harrington the following day. After our visit to the Information Centre in Taree, our curiousity as to what kept this towns population employed, was satisfied. It is mostly agriculture and oyster farming on the Manning River. What we also learnt was that initially it was a 'Private Town'. I had not heard of 'Private Towns' before. Wikipedia has also informed me that Harvey in WA was a 'Private Town'. Taree was laid out as a private town in 1854 by Henry Flett. 100 acres (40 ha) had been set aside for the private township and 40 lots were initially sold. Taree was declared a municipality on 26th March 1885. For the record, Harvey was developed as a private town in the 1890s by a group of investors. This blogging is like going back to school again! But the assignments are much more fun!! Travelling and holidaying is more than sightseeing! There is plenty to see and plenty of information to stimulate the brain! I guess I must have learnt about river "Deltas" at school, but it was a long time ago!The final day trip Peter and I did was to Crowdy Head and Harrington. We once again packed our picnic lunch. We ate our lunch while we watched and listened to the waves making a whistling noise. As each wave moved down over the rocks that had been placed down the edge of the bay, there was a whistling noise. We believed the construction of the Marina had made the tide do strange things in the bay. It was quite fascinating! We found out that evening that young Ben Barriball and Louise had lived at Crowdy Head and Ben had taught in Harrington. We had magnificent views of the great Dividing Range from Crowdy Head and it was well worth the trip north again to see that. We also couldn't get over the fact that the Crowdy Head School is still open. There is another school just down the road at Harrington. It certainly is the 'School With a View' but I'm not sure about the 'School With a View to the Future'! But obviously community passion is keeping it open. Harrington is certainly a retiree's town. The new development on the river is very nice and has a magnificent golf course. I was very taken with the shopping centre and the community church. One would assume it was something that had to be included by the developers. The doors of the church were open and inviting. The Salvation Army conduct services there each week. To conclude our week in the Manning and Great Lakes Region, the four of us had drinks at the relies, followed by delicious oysters and salmon cooked by Pete. John and Judy called by to check out the Oysters Kilpatrick and stayed for dinner. They gave Pete 9 out of 10 and I got 10 out of 10 for desert! I think 'Chef John' might have had too much wine by then! John was a chef in the Navy and he also cooked at Government House for a few years. I think the "10 out of 10 score" is a good note to finish on! It was certainly a week to remember! Whoops! There is more!! Forgot to include another "Aussie Icon". This one is "The BIG Axe" and it is at Kew, which was not far from Bonny Hills. We spent a nice half hour at the Information Centre at Kew, where two CWA ladies were volunteering their services. I had my CWA fix a few days before the new 'Champion Bay CWA' branch was formed in Geraldton.
There are 12 'Big Icons' in NSW and so far we have captured 4 of them. Gary and Julie have also sent us a photo of another. We are doing well grandies!
2025-05-22