Day 33 Saturday 10/6/2023, sunny 7 – 21
The crystal, craft & jewellery festival is in full swing and I wander over expecting to see opals and gemstones like we see out in the gem fields. I guess I didn’t pay enough attention to the signs because I quickly realise that the unofficial dress code is happy pants, the gems are polished and there’s an abundance of large phallic-shaped crystals. A clairvoyant is predicting futures or perhaps, she is chatting with those on the other side and healers are welcoming Wiccans (I had to Google that one). Needless to say, it’s not our speed. But, it’s certainly not something you’d experience in a caravan park!
We stock up on more groceries as we’ll be in small towns for a while. VeeWee, who loves her thongs, reckons the locals here should make an effort and wear shoes in the supermarket.
The Brisbane Lions (AFL) are playing this afternoon which means VeeWee will be putting up the do not disturb sign, so she can glue herself to the new TV. At least she’ll now be able to see the scores. I drive over to the Tweed Regional Gallery to see the Margaret Olley Art Centre. Margaret Olley was an Australian National Living Treasure and painted divine still lifes. She grew up in this region and gifted 3 rooms of her Paddington, Sydney house to be recreated in this gallery after her death. She was known for not having a studio as such but painting everywhere in her cluttered home. One can’t help but smile at the eclectic collection. There’s barely room to walk and tubes of paint in every room including the kitchen. It’s uplifting to see a cross-section of her work and of course those wonderful still lifes. She died at her Paddington home in 2011 aged 88.
From the gallery, there are expansive views of the Tweed Valley. It would be easy to settle in this valley if it weren’t for the soul-destroying floods.
Back at camp we buy a gelato from the festival food truck. Passionfruit and pistachio, cold and slurpy and delicious. Happy hour is peaceful as we watch the sky soften from blues to pinks to peach above the range.
Dinner is spaghetti marinara and I’m becoming a dab hand at juggling 2 saucepans on one induction cooktop. And in case you’re wondering VeeWee’s Lions lost the footy.
Accom: $30.00
itchingforhitching 
What a lovely area but so sad about the devastating floods.
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It’s heartbreaking, and so many lives in disarray while governments dither.
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I agree. And they’re supposed to be working for the people. I think not.
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A fascinating abode
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I loved the Tweed regional gallery when we visited a while back, what a view.
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Both the view and the gallery…gorgeous.
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I love Margaret Olley’s art and find her to be a great inspiration. As a sitter/model, she was the subject of two Archibald’s winners, one artist being William Dobell. I saw the chair that Margaret Olley sat in for the portrait in William Dobell’s house at Wangi Wangi, NSW.
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No doubt there would have been a few laughs shared during that sitting. She was quite a character. Have you heard Clive James’ story of sitting for Jeffery Smart? Apparently, many many hours while Jeffery did detailed sketches of Clive. When the ‘portrait’ was finished poor Clive was little more than a small blob standing on the Cahill expressway.
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