Man, I don't know of I could handle a long drive like that. And in those temperatures too! Interesting to read of the solar system laid out along the highway.
Wait till I end up in towns such as 'Gin gin, Iron knob, Mt Disappointment, Bunya-bunya and the You Yangs.
The story isn't quite as dramatic as you may think you. Goondiwindi is the local aboriginal term for 'a place to rest'. How Toowoomba got its name however, is a bit more interesting as no-one actually knows where the name came from.
We have some absolute cracking town names in Australia. Some of them very funny, while some are just plain bizarre.
For example - We have a town called 'Moe' (usually pronounced Mo-e these days), however there's a power-station built outside of it called 'Yalorn' - Geddit? Mow Ya Lawn....
Great tale, worth averting my eyes from work for. Toowoomba is the local aboriginal word for swamp. Grand Central, the haunt for bored youths which houses a Myer, has been engineered to compensate for the swamp like subgrade surface it is precariously perched upon. That info could be slightly inaccurate, but that's what I recall anyway, it's been a while since I climbed the mountain.
I say.... do we have another Queensland resident in our midst? Thanks for that. I heard similar about Toowoomba, but there was no certainly of it. Anyway, stick around, as this take is just getting warm.
Born and bred. To which you may exclaim, 'good golly, ain't it a small world?' However I believe it is simply a case of your Adwords paying off nicely; I stumbled upon your blog when Googling 'typewriters Brisbane'. And I shall indeedy stick around, I too have travelled this well worn path of yours and have rather pleasant memories.
A type in you say? If that involves chanting in unison on the quandaries of modern life coupled with copious amounts of wine and maypole dancing count me in. Unfortunately though, I do have to admit I'm a rather fraudulent tourist of this 'typosphere' - as it would so happen I only have one typewriter with no inclination of accumulating any more. She is simply a nostalgic means of communicating some words I think more carefully about than others - and truth be told, I'm going to be at a terrible loss when the ink runs out...
I reckon the Newell is the only reasonable means of getting from Brisbane to Melbourne. The number of small towns along both the Pacific and the New England is annoying, anywhere within 150km of Sydney is annoying and you're forever slowing to 50kph. I reckon both would take much longer. The good old Newell is a direct route, is in the middle of nowhere and you can burn on down at 140 (ahem), sorry I mean 110kph for great long uninterrupted stretches.
The theme of the planets along the way is paying homage to the huge solar observatories the government run near both Coonabarabran and Parkes (see the film 'The Dish'). Many of the towns (particularly Boggabilla, Moree, Dubbo, West Wyalong and Nerrandera) are also excellent places for playing the "Spot the Single Teenage Mum" game; an entertaining means of breaking up a long drive. Gosh I love that highway, I even wrote a song about the Newell I love it so much (no joke). Your typewritten travel-blog is giving me itchy traveling feet already!!
AH! I'd love to hear this song, Steve. Incidentally, you seem to have pre-empted part 3 of my tale. All the best stories naturally have an interwoven plot. And of course, I was certainly heading to 'the dish'.
Great story! What a good idea to have planets along the way - sort of a "Hitchhikers Guide to the Solar System". Did they include Pluto?
ReplyDeletePluto isn't a planet anymore :D
DeleteInterestingly, they actually did have Pluto. It was located on the information booth in Dubbo.
DeleteMan, I don't know of I could handle a long drive like that. And in those temperatures too! Interesting to read of the solar system laid out along the highway.
ReplyDeleteI love driving. But yeah, those temps make it damn hard.
DeleteWhat funny names of cities! Goondiwindi, Toowoomba. Must be a great story behind those. How did people came up with it?
ReplyDeleteWait till I end up in towns such as 'Gin gin, Iron knob, Mt Disappointment, Bunya-bunya and the You Yangs.
DeleteThe story isn't quite as dramatic as you may think you. Goondiwindi is the local aboriginal term for 'a place to rest'. How Toowoomba got its name however, is a bit more interesting as no-one actually knows where the name came from.
We have some absolute cracking town names in Australia. Some of them very funny, while some are just plain bizarre.
For example - We have a town called 'Moe' (usually pronounced Mo-e these days), however there's a power-station built outside of it called 'Yalorn'
- Geddit? Mow Ya Lawn....
Great tale, worth averting my eyes from work for. Toowoomba is the local aboriginal word for swamp. Grand Central, the haunt for bored youths which houses a Myer, has been engineered to compensate for the swamp like subgrade surface it is precariously perched upon. That info could be slightly inaccurate, but that's what I recall anyway, it's been a while since I climbed the mountain.
DeleteI say.... do we have another Queensland resident in our midst?
DeleteThanks for that. I heard similar about Toowoomba, but there was no certainly of it.
Anyway, stick around, as this take is just getting warm.
Born and bred. To which you may exclaim, 'good golly, ain't it a small world?' However I believe it is simply a case of your Adwords paying off nicely; I stumbled upon your blog when Googling 'typewriters Brisbane'. And I shall indeedy stick around, I too have travelled this well worn path of yours and have rather pleasant memories.
DeleteWell! I hope we may be able to coax you out for the up-coming type in.
DeleteA type in you say? If that involves chanting in unison on the quandaries of modern life coupled with copious amounts of wine and maypole dancing count me in. Unfortunately though, I do have to admit I'm a rather fraudulent tourist of this 'typosphere' - as it would so happen I only have one typewriter with no inclination of accumulating any more. She is simply a nostalgic means of communicating some words I think more carefully about than others - and truth be told, I'm going to be at a terrible loss when the ink runs out...
DeleteGreat! The adventure begins...
ReplyDeleteSure does. Lets see if I can get the whole thing down on my blog this time.. Unlike other visits to places!
DeleteThat's a PUB? Looks like a shopping mall! I want to go in.
ReplyDeleteVery entertaining. I think typecast travelogues have a lot of romance.
Well stick around. I have a few more bits to go yet and I think you'll enjoy this. Thanks Richard.
DeleteI reckon the Newell is the only reasonable means of getting from Brisbane to Melbourne. The number of small towns along both the Pacific and the New England is annoying, anywhere within 150km of Sydney is annoying and you're forever slowing to 50kph. I reckon both would take much longer. The good old Newell is a direct route, is in the middle of nowhere and you can burn on down at 140 (ahem), sorry I mean 110kph for great long uninterrupted stretches.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of the planets along the way is paying homage to the huge solar observatories the government run near both Coonabarabran and Parkes (see the film 'The Dish'). Many of the towns (particularly Boggabilla, Moree, Dubbo, West Wyalong and Nerrandera) are also excellent places for playing the "Spot the Single Teenage Mum" game; an entertaining means of breaking up a long drive. Gosh I love that highway, I even wrote a song about the Newell I love it so much (no joke). Your typewritten travel-blog is giving me itchy traveling feet already!!
AH! I'd love to hear this song, Steve. Incidentally, you seem to have pre-empted part 3 of my tale. All the best stories naturally have an interwoven plot. And of course, I was certainly heading to 'the dish'.
Delete