20121128 VIC Lake Wyangon-Griffith

20121128 After leaving Hillston we heading to Lake Wyangan just before Griffith to camp up for the night, let hope it's a bit cooler on the lake. It's bloody hot so to cool down we go for a paddle in the lake, unfortunately I still can't swim after my op and as for Des he doesn't swim anyway so just paddling was enough to cool us down then a nice cold shower to top it off. All refreshed and ready for a few drinks, we found some campers to drink with had a good chat and had a lesson on how to use our compos.

20121129 There was lovely cool breeze all night and we sleep like a log, I'm sure the drinks also helped. After our chores we packed up, washed the van then had a nice long cold refreshing shower before heading into Griffith.

John Oxley explored the district in 1817 and was unimpressed with the light red sand parched with drought, a perfect level plain overrun with acacia scrub …there is a uniformity of barren desolation of this country which wearies one more than I am able to express…I am the first white man to see it and I think I will be undoubtedly the last, goes to show what he knew.
 
Local settlement started so (the poor aborigine’s, kicked out again) with makeshift accommodation for the men building the canal, this sight was known as ‘Bagtown’, after the old canvas cement bags used for workers tents. The first farms were made available in 1912 and many of the workers were among the first settlers. The residents of Bagtown were initially reluctant to move, however after WW1 many returned servicemen settled on the new farms and there were many Italian migrants, (more like mafia) attracted by the similarity of the landscape to that of their own country bringing with them their traditions of viticulture and market gardening.

Arriving in Griffith we parked the van and walked the streets, the first shop Des walked into was a camp shop and along the back was lined with Rifles.  I stopped to take a photo and thought shit, am I aloud to do this?  I turned around and ask, am I allowed to take photos? Do you work for the papers or are you a greenie he asked, nop not me, we ended up having a great old chat and I was allowed to take my photo then left to explore the rest of the town.

 

I got one photo of the Rifles values from $1000 to over $8000, and the sails man said that was cheap. The Rifles are used for much hunting in Griffith and we were told the worst thing the greenies ever did was stop woman from wearing fox firs because of how many foxes there are now, we haven't found too many people who like the Greenies, "actually" not one person.

 

 

Griffith Soldier Settlers Memorial

In proud and honoured memory of some 2000 returned soldiers who came to this area at the end of the great war 1914-1918.  They cleared the virgin scrub to establish farms which have since provided the base for what is now the most progressive and productive irrigation area in Australia.  It also signifies the debt we owe to those of their sons, many who were raised in poverty and adversity who gave their lives during the World War of 1939-1945.
 

"AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING,  WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"

The memorial is dedicated to the Dethridge Wheel that sits on the top of the memorial.  Used throughout Australia and in many countries to measured the flow of water delivered to farms for irrigated agriculture.  Invented in 1910 by John Dethridge, Commisioner of Victorian State Rivers and Water Supply Commision who declined to patent his invention instead giving its benefits to all who cares to us it.

"WATER" LIFE BLOOD OF THE M.I.A

FAIREY FIREFLY

This aircraft, acquired from H.M.A.S Albotross Nowra, designed and built in Britain during 1941 as WW11 Navel Reconnaissance Aircraft. 

Saw active service on H.M.A.S Sydney to Korea

In Honour of Donald Bruce Mackay

In remembrance for his vision, valour and moral fortitude in supporting those less fortunate in society, and his resolve to keep the city free of the consequences of illegal drugs.  During the 1960s and early 1970s don became alarmed at the escalating marijuana trade in the Griffith area and the lack of effort to halt it.  His action to highlight the supply of illegal drugs attracted widespread media attention and soon became the public face of those who opposed this destructive practice.  Undeterred by the threats on his life he continued his campaign to eradicate drug trafficking, then on the 17 July 1977 Don was callously murdered, shot out the front of the Griffith Hotel.  Up until this time his remains have never been found. 
Sounds like Mafia to me.

After visiting the information centre we thought we would check out Hermits Cave and the Italian Pioneer Park. First the Hermits Cave, it was so hot Des said you can go I'm not walking in this heat, the big sook. After a big drink of water off I go in search of the Hermits Cave, "WELL" I walked and walked, there are no signs for directions it was boiling hot and I was dying of thirst and I was thinking who the dumb one now is. I eventually arrived back to the van, skulled some water and tried to cool down and all Des could do was laugh, I've never known anyone who gets so much pleasure from other peoples misfortunes, he's such a sadist. Down the road to the Italian Museum and as we walked through the door and straight into air con, I'm not going any further. The very kind woman gave Des and I a bottle of water on the house, which could have had something to do with the story I just told her of my adventure with the Hermits Cave of the fact that my face was soo red, and guess what, we were at the wrong site, the Hermits Cave was further down the road.

Binya Homestead made from Cyprus using the drop log construction technique, the building dates to 1869 but was relocated to it's current site in 1981.

Common Wine-Making Objest

Roller Crusher used for crushing grapes and breaking berries togeather without separating the stalks circa 1945. 

Common Wine-Making Objest

The bottling machine had been acquired from Danilo Bernardi, a wine maker in South Australia. It was hand operated, having a capacity of 80 litres per hour.

                                                                                      

Wumbulgal School 1932-1977

Formerly the Euroley School, was moved to Wumbulgal in 1931 to be the school intil 1977 when it was closed due to lack of student numbers.

Arr look, they left one behind, whats this word Sir?. And the memories come flooding back, these are the same desks from our school days.

The Cellar

Original Cellar,  Cellars such as this one were a common feature in the late1900 century farms.  They were used for storing dairy products and general food stuff.

Cast Iron Tiring Plate c1890-1930

A wheelwright tool for attaching the iron rim to a wooden wheel.  The hot iron is places over the pre-positioned wodden wheel on the plate and quickly submerged into the water trough below the plate, as the iron cools it shrinks and tightens around the wooden wheel.

Although Bagtown was officially a "dry" area groups at the signalmen’s camp opposite Tango Joe's would sometimes put in for a two gallon demijohn of Pinki on Friday nights. Constable Ford, then the only Policeman of Bagtown would patrol the area, he didn't arrest the men, but once they were out cold, he quietly emptied the demijohn. Anyone who became obstreperous was handcuffed to a tree until they sobered up. It was rumoured that some of the hop beer was fairly strong.

PINKIE:Two pints one quart, two quarts one fight, one fight two cops, Two cops one P.M, one P.M £2 or 48 hours.

 

Tango Joe's Cafe

 The most notorious of the Bagtown shops, selling cordial,lemon squash,and hop beer all made on the premises as well as a variety of fast foods.  Crodial was bottled at the bank of the shop were the bottles were kept cool in a large Coolgardie.  Hop beer and Ginger Beer were cooled in the cellar below.

 

 

 

 

 

Bread tokens issued during the 1930's depression could be exchanged for one loaf of bread.  Unemployed people "on the dole" received government food vouchers to the value of six shillings a week.  Some shope owners minted there own tokens to exchange as small change for the vouchers.

The Methodist Ministers Tent-Des recons this is where the minister took little boy.

Mallee Roller. c.1920's
Used to roll 1300 acres of native mallee (woody plants that grow with multiple stems) a team of 10 horsed pulled it.  The extended crossgars of the fram bend the mallee trees foward then the heave roller crushes it down and then burnt.  I have never seen machinery like reminds me of the Flintstones.

Timber Jinker

 The Jinker, pulled by Fordson tractors, hauled Cyprus Pine logs to the mill, last used in 1956 over 50 years.

Check out the wheel on this thing, what a weapon.

Log Jinker-Home made 1870's pulled by bullocks.  I just can't get over the weight of these thinks let alone with logs on top of them.

Cow Bells- Each bell has a differant tone, a single bell was worn around the neck of a milking cow, by listening to the ring of the bell, the farmer or milk maid could identify where the cows were grazing.  Circa:1800-1950's

I thoroughly enjoyed the museum ever if it was bloody hot.

We camped on the canal and sat outside trying to cool down, I went off taken some pictures and left Des sitting having a beer when a couple of aboriginals drinking in the park opposite yelled out “we come join ya” Des just ignored them. A storm hit later on and we were hopping it might cool down, but no luck.

Check out the rubbish in this canal. An aboriginal boy walking past through an empty drink bottle in the canal then jumped in to cool off, I stared at him and he yelled back, "Ya right" I felt like decking the little prick.  Just after that incident another aboriginal woman was walking through the park and through her bottle under a large tree, what is it with these people?

"NOT HAPPY JAN"

30-11-2012 I really wonted to see the Hermits Cave so after a quick breaky we drove back up the hill to the lookout, this time we actually found it.
 

His name, Valerio Ricetti the Scenic Hill Hermit who arrived at Port Pirie,SA in 1914 age 16 years from Italy.  After several years of travelling around doing casual labouring jobs.   On the 14th January 1929 when on the outskirts of Griffith a rainstorm sent him for cover on the hill where he found temporary shelter for the night.  The next morning he moved east along the hill to what was known as the cliff.  Looking down from the hill he could see the fruit farms a big dam and the town rubbish dump where he noticed plenty of rabbits and wild pigeons.  He made a decision, I've walked enough, this is where I will make my home, I have found my Garden of Eden.

The Main Cave

 Ricetti used the main cave as a bedroom, he settled on the rocky escarpment of Scenic Hill to make it his home from the late 1920s until 1952.

The front view of the main cave, like the carefully planted gardens around the cave, it was kept beautifully neat & tidy.  The cave walls were decorated with rock paintings of daisies, hearts, anchors & even film posters.  In the tense atmosphere of WW1Ricetti's unusual lifestyle & Italian origins were concided suspicious, his premises were searched & despite nothing found he was arrested and interned in NSW as a prisoner of war.

 

 

The view from the cave over looking Griffith, from here you could see the thousands of acres of farms and there are many.