Month: January 2017

Point of Interest1 Comment

Stranger than Fiction

Itching for Hitching

In our travels I have come across references to two of the sons of novelist Charles Dickens. According to Wikipedia, both Alfred and Edward Dickens migrated to Australia. Edward Dickens, son of Charles Dickens died of consumption in Moree, NSW in 1902. Jessie Devlin Dickens is buried in the Hamilton, Vic cemetery. Jessie was the wife of Alfred who was a Stock and Station Agent in Hamilton. She died in 1878 after being thrown from her carriage when her horse bolted. She was only 29 years old. Alfred Dickens died in New York in 1912 whilst on a speaking engagement. … Continue reading Stranger than Fiction

Point of Interest, Vic5 Comments

Split Level Graves

Itching for Hitching

Yet another town possessing a mineral spa Blackwood, Vic is perched on a hilltop with rustic weatherboard cottages flanking the steep streets. The word flanking probably doesn’t quite describe the way the houses cling to blocks that drop steeply away to the Lerderderg River far below. This was once a mining area and the hills are criss-crossed with wooden water races. The crowning glory is the rambling old wooden pub. Across the road there is a ‘gourmet’ general store (we love our food with a passion in Victoria) and a post office. Higher up the hill is the church on … Continue reading Split Level Graves

The Characters You Meet5 Comments

Little Egypt

Itching for Hitching

Being Saturday night there is a guitarist in the park and tables are scarce. A rather loud and slightly sozzled couple from down south move in on our somewhat squeezy table. Now grey nomads are normally a friendly lot but this was pushing things a bit far. He tells us that he knows music and has sung to 800 people. We’re thinking it must have been karaoke! She dances the Egyptian and flashes a bit of leg like one shouldn’t at an advanced age. Another table becomes available. We make a dash for it. Our group all breathe a sigh … Continue reading Little Egypt

When Things Just Go Wrong3 Comments

Alternating

Itching for Hitching

July 2014 Sat – At 6:00pm we pick up our ‘still working’ mates from Cairns airport, they’ve come to join us for a few days in the sun. On the return drive to Port Douglas the car’s battery light keeps blinking on and off, on and off, we’re all a little nervous as there is nowhere to pull over on the coast road. Mon – Woody takes the car to a local mechanic for assessment and it is found that the alternator has failed. Another one will have to be shipped up from Melbourne. ‘Bill’ the mechanic can’t do the … Continue reading Alternating

Qld, Taking Directions3 Comments

It’s a matter of how you look at it

Itching for Hitching

Bravely we decide to do the self drive tour of Kingaroy, we came undone doing this in Charters Towers when Woody threatened to fling the talking CD out the car window. Anyway we do our best to follow the weird instructions which are as cryptic as a car trial. Out past ex Queensland Premier Joe Bjelke Peterson’s Bethany property then back across town to the Mt Wooroolin lookout with its 360 degree view of the area. More intriguing than the view is the lookout structure itself. It is almost as though someone was trying to avoid building steps and instead … Continue reading It’s a matter of how you look at it

The Pubs, Vic7 Comments

Railway Hotel, Castlemaine

Itching for Hitching

In darkness and driving rain we find the single storey Railway Hotel 1875 in Gingell Street on the ‘other side of the tracks’ in Castlemaine. The bar is welcoming but our fellas have found a cosy corner in the dimly lit dining room near the fire. Low timber ceilings enhance the ambience. The menu is inspired yet still includes the ‘usual suspects’, fish and chips and of course parma. This is just the kind of pub that you dream of finding on a cold Victorian winter’s night.   Continue reading Railway Hotel, Castlemaine