Boulders and Winter Chill

Tenterfield Adventures - Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 June, Part One.

I was excited when friend Jan invited me to join her hiking in the Bald Rock and Boonoo Boonoo National Parks. A 4 hour drive from Brisbane takes one to the New England Tableland and Tenterfield, where we based ourselves. The area has an average elevation of 900 metres and experiences cold frosty winters and the very occasional snowfall.

Day one - left Brisbane at 7.30 am, temperature 19 C. By the time we had climbed up onto the plateau, it had dropped to 7C.  A hot cuppa was enjoyed at Bald Rock picnic area, before our ascent of Australia's largest granite monolith of 260m height. I love climbing, but my body often stalls, so I wasn't sure if I would succeed climbing the open face.

Let the fun begin!

Jan could quite easily have raced up, but was very supportive of me. This was one of numerous rest stops. Had I not had my poles with me, I would have had to have turned around. 

The higher we climbed, the more spectacular the views became.

Success! The worst is done.

From here on up, the trail was very comfortable to walk, with many photo stops for the view and not for calming the racing heart.

The summit.

Sunshine warmth for our low temperature snack break.

Heading back down.

We joined a 3 kilometre track for our descent. This trail also had the wow factor with all its giant boulders.

Looking back to Jan.

After a wander along the main street of Tenterfield, we made our way to our motel on the town's outskirts. This striking 'winter' tree was outside our room and looked amazing against the late afternoon sky. You will see more of it in my next post.

A cuppa was made, and rugged up, we headed outside to watch the sunset, sitting in the motel rotunda. 5C.

Wow, we were treated to a spectacular colour show, that lasted a good hour.

It was an exhilerating, triumphant day under glorious, sunny winter skies. The climb and those vast views are unforgetable. Watch this space for day 2.

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A Blooming Brilliant Day Out

 Esk Garden Fair 

What an unexpected delight the Esk Garden Fair turned out to be!

As we approached the town, we were greeted by hundreds of cars parked along every street, laneway, and every spare patch of grass. It seemed extraordinary for a country town, but it didn’t take long to understand why. The annual Esk Garden Fair was in full swing,  Visitors had come from far and wide.

Now in its 10th year, the fair has become one of the Somerset region’s premier events, celebrating not only gardening but also the creativity, talent, and community spirit of its residents. The town was alive with colour and activity as we explored hundreds of stalls showcasing everything from specialist nurseries and rare plants to handcrafted garden art and unique gifts.

Garden enthusiasts were spoiled for choice. Dozens of expert growers shared their knowledge. There was an impressive selection of plants rarely found in mainstream garden centres. Guest speakers, live music, and demonstrations added to the atmosphere, while the tempting aromas from food vendors made it impossible to resist sampling some local treats.

One of the highlights was the trio of al fresco food courts. People gathered beneath beautifully yarn-bombed trees at tables with handcrafted decorations. The colourful displays created a very cheerful and welcoming setting. 

The fair supports a wonderful local cause. Proceeds from the event contribute to the Esk Mosaic Legacy Project, an inspiring community initiative responsible for the town’s distinctive volunteer-made mosaic totems, that are adding character and charm to the Historic railway precinct. This a completely not for profit event. Entrance was just $5.

Photos from the day. (There were a few!)

Find a spot!

We were amazed at the crowd, and the numbers who had come prepared and bought up big.

I should have had these in my garden!

Table decorations

A new 'Lady' has been created for the past 3 years.

Just modelling.

The mosaic totem pole project.

An ongoing project to crochet the wisteria to drape the length of the historic Esk Railway Station.

Crinkle Creek Garden Art sold out very quickly. 

This morning I happened upon this summary of the fair by one member.

The hours spent knitting crocheting, mosaicing and planning is mind boggling. We happened to sit with a member of the garden club. We were told that the club has more than 100 members. Many of these are also members of the craft groups. 

The Esk Garden Fair is very, very impressive — A true celebration of community, creativity, and country hospitality.  It's an event I will be adding to my calendar. Perhaps not noticed before as I am usually visiting PEI. 

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