The artist/sculpturer (Kevin Gilders: pictured above) is creating the attraction. Now he is hoping the local council will get behind it and advertise the location properly.
Looks to me like Kevin Gilders is doing a great job. He seems to have a “support” group who are assisting him while he creates his “group of early settlers”. I wish him luck with obtaining support from the local council. (and I will find out more about this in the future.. and get some more/better pics..)
From Win News:
The trees are being carved to highlight significant achievements of Father Julian Tenison Woods. They’ll be officially unveiled by the Catholic Arch Bishop on May 23.
Father Woods’ Tree sits on the Riddoch Highway as trucks and cars pass it every day. It symbolises where Julian Tenison Woods used to take mass. He’s significant because he co-founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph with Mother Mary MacKillop.
Opposite the tree is a park donated by Peter Gartner’s father almost 60 years ago. “Father woods was left a little bit on the side line so he thought he was going to put him up there not in front of mother mary but up there with her,” Peter Gartner said. But the park became overgrown so Peter Gartner decided to do something about it, clearing the land of pines late last year.
With thousands of pilgrims set to make their way to Penola ahead of Mary MacKillop’s canonisation, the community is taking the opportunity to honour the man who helped pioneer education for all.
Father Julian Tenison Woods was the Catholic priest of the Penola Parish in the 1860s and with the Blessed Mary MacKillop, they formed the Order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. It was this order that helped provide education to children in remote areas, a model later used across many centres and countries to provide education and help the poor and sick.
Now, the locals in Penola are planning to recognise the work of Father Woods, at the site of a tree planted in his honour. The Father Woods Tree site, north of Penola, is being renovated to include a series of sculptures made from tree stumps.
Seven tree stumps stand in the middle of the park across the road from the Father Woods Tree, which signifies where the parish priest uesd to conduct mass. These tree stumps are being sculptured into the image of Father Woods and Mary MacKillop, plus symbols of their work.
“The Father Woods park was established many years ago by the Gartner family… this is a significant place of interest,” says Father Woods’ great grand nephew Colin Woods who was in Penola last week to oversee the start of the project. “Julian Tenison Woods also had an interest in science so there will be various themes that will be added here to the park, including the wood carvings which are not only a memorial to Tenison Woods but hopefully an inspiration to younger people.”
Mr Woods says his family is excited by the months ahead with the canonisation of Mary MacKillop, which he hopes will make the public more aware of Father Julian Tenison Woods and his role in pioneering education but also his contribution to science on a world scale. “He was a scientist of some distinction particularly in the area of geology but he was well regarded in many scientific fields and also a popular lecturer and educator,” Mr Woods says.
The man employed to create the wood carvings is sculptor Kevin Gilders, who’s work is well know across a number of regional areas. Based in Melbourne, Kevin has sculptures in a number of regional area including the highly regarded Avenue of Honour carvings in Darmoor, Victoria. Although he had hoped to start slowing down from the physically demanding job of being a sculpturer, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to recognise the important historical figures.
“It’s little communities that are terrific to work with, they take it to heart and you get so much support,” he says. It’s hoped the sculptures will ready for the official rededication of the Father Woods Park in May.
I was near Furner, out doing the early morning run to Millicent. When I spotted this large natural rock wall. Of course I stopped and took these images on my (barf barf) Telstra T6 Mobile Phone.
Looking Left
Looking Right
So I climbed up the wall to see what was at the top. What I found was a fairly open field. So I stood in the middle of it. (Move the mouse left and right over the image below to see a panorama view of the field)
I thought someone might be interested in see’ing the code behind the panorama effect. Created with jquery.js and jquery.threesixty.js
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About 1 klm out of Greenways there are some old concrete slabs in a paddock. It doesn't look like much and your would probably miss it quite easily. The structure is about 20 feet long. (+/- guess) It would be on your left hand side if you were heading towards Naracoorte from Robe, but just before Greenways. I had seen it a few times over the years. I had been wondering what it was for some time. I had had determined that it could be a foundation for a dwelling of some kind. I therefore assumed it to be a relic from when they were initially draining the swamps in this area.
Finally (after driving past it for nearly 5 years) I decided to investigate.
If you would like to find this structure yourself. It is located just off the main road (Naracoorte to Robe) Perhaps only 15 to 20 feet on the other side of a barbed wire fence inside the paddock. The area looks quite overgrown. It seems to be slowly returning to its natural bushland state. Compared to the well used paddocks on the other side of the road. Although from google maps, its pretty easy to determine that both sides of the road were cleared for agricultural use at some time in the past.
Well.. It isn't a foundation of a dwelling. It looks like a sheep dip or something. I really dont know what it is. There are broken slabs of cement? laying around. But there are also intact slabs in place. I don't really know what to make of it. It certainly looks old. But looks can be deceiving.
If anyone is able to shed any light on what this may be.. Or the age of it..
(Scoff if you must.. But you just never know.. Someday.. Oneday.. A wise internet sheepdip specialising historian, a veritable expert in sheep dippery may perhaps be able to place this thing exactly in history… And be thankfull for these very images.. Cough.. And then again.. Maybe not..)
Hmmm.. Yep your probably right.. I couldnt see how the sheep would be able to negotiate the beams.. and then there is the problem of it being above ground. lol..
In 1985 the ‘Millicent Rotary Club’ setup a ‘Cairn’ at the Narrow Neck Cutting. The ‘Cairn’ marks this location as the place where the first drainage works were constructed in the Millicent district.
Started 1863
By July 1864 the original cutting at the “Narrow Neck” was completed on “Glens Run” to drain waters from the Cootel Swamp at Rendelsham westward to Lake Frome. The original cutting was 6 metres wide with a maximum depth of 3 metres and was completed at a cost of aprox $163.28.
The South East of South Australia is a high rainfall area which is without natural drainage in the form of rivers or streams. Consequently, water ponded behind the serier of low sandy ridges which run parallel to the coastline.
Flooding occurred on the fertile flats between the ranges and artificial drainage was necessary to remove this water and allow the land to be developed. Drainage has been constructed in stages from 1862 to the completion of major works in 1969.
This involved the removal of some 25,000,000 cubic metres of material which required a capital expenditure in excess of $19,000,000.
Dimensions of the drainage channels vary from 0.5 metres to 100 metres in bottom width and depth of cut from a few centimetres to 20 metres. The total length of drains constructed by the Government is 1,450 kilometres and 755 bridges have been built together with 275 other structure, eg. weirs, inlet and outlet structure etc.
An area of 360,280 hectares has benefited from the drainage scheme which is administrated and maintained by the SOUTH EAST DRAINAGE BOARD from funds provided by the state Government.
In August, 1867, 100 unemployed men from Adelaide were sent down to the drainage works and were transported across Lake Frome by boat to a jetty which was built near Narrow Neck. By the end of that year the cutting had been enlarged to 27.5 metres wide with a maximum depth of 4 metres. At that time, the present drain was constructed through the cutting having a top width of 20 metres, bottom width 12.2 metres and a depth of 2.1 metres.
Five kilometres of associated drains were completed at that stage and relieved 8,000 hectares of the Mount Muirhead flats which previously flooded every winter. Prior to construction, water ponded to a depth of 2.6 metres at the Narrow Neck, 1.7 metres average depth over the flat, and formed a sheet of water east to Mount Muirhead.
A total length of 170 kilometres of drains in the District Council of Millicent area now discharge through this cutting with benefits an area of 20,000 hectares.
Opposite Clovelly is a signpost that declares a "Stone Reserve" lies somewhere that a way.. So since we have lived here for 2 years or so.. I decided today that it was time to investigate.
The "Stone Reserve" appears to be some kind of long abandoned quarry. Likely part of the "Clay Wells" wells as well. (Sorry... I just had to..)
I can almost imagine the history of this place. From the Original inhabitants to the Chinese seekers of gold. To the builders of the Princess Highway.. (Guessing this is what the quarry/watering hole was used for..)
I think its a shame someone come along and mined it. In many places, you can clearly see circular holes cut/drilled into the rock as part of a mining process.
Many recent human remains unfortunately litter the area. Rusting cans, Broken glass. Looks like some time ago this place may have previously been used as a local dump.
My kids had paid the place a visit soon after we moved here. But I hadn't seen it until today. This was my first viewing.
Its a mini santuary out here. Fenced off from the paddocks that surround it.
A mini wetland area. That probably fills up considerably when its been raining a lot. Walking through the area was like being in a light swamp.
Surrounded by Rocks Rocks Rocks..
Quite a few different birds were about the area. I saw some black ducks take off from the largest body of water as I approached. Unfortunately, my Nokia 6280 camera isn't up to bird catching action shots.
Driving home to Clovelly after doing the weekly shopping in Millicent. We were just past the Furner turnoff when we went past a guy on a Unicycle. What the heck is someone doing out here on a Unicycle?
Man on a Mission
Well it seems Sid Rajan is a man on a mission. He is attempting to be the first person to Unicycle from Perth to Sydney.
“The 3 Oceans Unicycle Tour is a west coast to east coast, unicycle ride along the Australian southern coast. When completed, adventure unicyclist, Sid Rajan will be the first to unicycle across Australia.”
Part One (COMPLETED!):
Perth to Adelaide along the Southern coast.
Distance: 3700km.
June-July 2009.
Includes crossing the 1200km Nullarbor Plateau from Norseman to Ceduna.
Part Two:
Adelaide to Sydney via Melbourne and Canberra.
Distance: 2049km.
November-December 2009.
“Sid will use the time between the two parts to complete his thesis and fundraise for the ride.
Tantanoola Cave is located on the Princes Highway between Millicent and Mt Gambier, in South Australia. This cave, locally described as the "Pink Cave" or "Jewel of the South East", (South East South Australia), preserves significant karst features. Public access is restricted to a dolomite cavern filled with stalactites and helictites.
Visitors to the site are welcome to also picnic among the gum trees or wander along awalking trail that provides spectacular views of the coast.
The cave is open from 10.15am to 4.00pm. There is no waiting, simply join the duty staff member.
Admission
Charges
Adult
$8.50
Child
$5.00
Concession
$7.00
Family
$23.00
Tantanoola Cave is a single-chamber dolomite cave about 30m across and 8m high. The cave is notable for its superior cave decorations and reflection pool. The cave entrance was modified in 1983 to make it Australia's first wheelchair access cave. However, the cave site is located well above the carpark. Access is via a steep (just wheelchair compatible) walkway.
The main Tantanoola Cave also consists of "Lake Cave", a sealed off underground cave used by scientists as a reference site for other karst features in the region. "Lake Cave" is restricted from public access.
This 14 hectare park is one of South Australia’s oldest reserves, first dedicated in 1930.
The ("Up and Down rocks") dolomite ridge,in which the caves formed, is a stranded marine cliff of the Mount Burr beach ridge complex, an extension of the Reedy Creek beach ridge sequence considered to be approximately 300,000 years old.
The dolomite ridge is overlain in places by shell deposits associated with the Pleistocene marine incursions, although the sea is thought to have been shallow over this area because of the presence of littoral, often tightly cemented, conglomerates.
The shell deposits and conglomerates extend into the caves where cliffing has intersected enlarged joints or solution tubes. As the sea continued to recede, it eroded the ridge to its current stark form, and created a wave-cut nick point in the dolomite, indicating that sea level was ‘stranded’ to just below this level at some stage.
As the sea receded to its current level, beach sands were deposited over the aeolianite limestone along the cliff base and over the eastern and southern aspects of the cliff.
Boyce Lane on 28th Mar, 1930 was the first person to discover the cave. From the nearby town of Tantanoola, he was out hunting rabbits with a ferret. When the ferret failed to return. He decided to investigate by moving some rocks.
Accomodation for 2 (couple) in a 130 year old cottage situated in 1.2 ha of terraced cottage gardens, adjacent to Tantanoola cave (and the Princess Highway!) is NO LONGER AVAILABLE. (No matter what the signs say.. year after year.. Used to be Bed and Breakfast per couple per night. $66.)
Now aparently owned by people in Victoria who rarely occupy it and have plans to only use it as their holiday house.
Tantanoola Cottage Gardens B&B, Millicent Road Tantanoola SA.
Naracoorte historically relied largely on sheep and cattle farming. Nowadays tourism has become a major industry. The World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves National Park and the Internationally-recognised wetland, Bool Lagoon are major visitor drawcards.
Wine Region
Naracoorte also receives a substantial number of visitors due to its proximity to the Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, and Padthaway wine regions.
Railway Buffs will definately want to visit V9. The oldest, smallest remaining locomotive of the S.A.R. (South Australian Railways) Setup (to extend future survival) in her own 'Mini Mockup' Station. Still in very good overall condition a visit from the railway buff is a must do when visiting Naracoorte.
Note: Currently (Oct 2009), visitors still have full access to the cab and most aspects of V9.
"V" Class: Unsuitable for Line work?
The "V" Class locomotives proved unsuited for line work, but were successful as shunters and a further four were built locally by James Martin & Co in 1893.
"This is the oldest and smallest remaining locomotive of the South Australian Railways. One of four built by Beyer Peacock and Co. LTD of Manchester England. It was placed in service on the Kingston-Naracoorte Railway in early 1877. It was transfered to the Northern Division of the S.A.R. and excepting for a short period between 1912 and 1914 when it was used by the mines department on the Paramatta and Yelta mines near Moonta. It remained in service in the Northern Division until 1953. Still in perfect working order. It was presented to the Corporation of Naracoorte by the South Australian Railways as a historic relic in 1955. After 77 years of faithful service... Outmoded , but not worn out."
James Martin & Co. of Gawler won two South Australian Government contracts to build locomotives in 1888 and again in 1891. James Martin & Co. completed the first of their fifty two contracted locamotives in 1890. By 1892 James Martin & Co. were employing around 700 workers.
V9 was retired from South Australian Railways (SAR) and plinthed in Naracoorte park in 1955. V9 is currently displayed under a shelter that provides good protection against the elements, but unfortunately makes photography quite difficult.
Forney 0-4-4T?
The “V” Class are similar to the Forney 0-4-4T locomotives which were once common on elevated city railways in the USA.
Travelling from Naracoorte toward Beachport/Robe/Lucindale/Kingston/Millicent you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Naracoorte Nessi. Locals have been regularly reporting sightings.
Note: Naracoorte Nessi is just a bunch of old tires.. ;)
Just nearby Narracoorte Nessi, at Lake Ormerod, is The Unknown Fisherman.
I saw him from the distance. Sitting alone in the wind on one of the benches. So we pulled up and tried to strike up a conversation with him. The Fisherman seemed oblivious to our attempts at communication.
I think he was drunk as a skunk. Or something.. Because he has numerous bottles and cans. Looks like he is set in for the night/week/month/year.
I thought maybe I could bludge a drink or two from him. Eventually we made friends. So here we are together to proove the event. (I’m the one on the right…)
His drinks are warm and quite flat and he doesn’t talk much. But I’m sure I made a lasting friend of the Unknown Fisherman.
If you are lucky enough to make a friends of him too… (Before the local council removes him..) Send me an image and I will (eventually) make a webpage.. lol
(Thinks: I wonder if he will add me on his <<Insert Current popular Social Community Network>> account?)
An expert in sheep dippery? looks like some type of loading bay Ron. You might need an expert in sheep loadery..
Hmmm.. Yep your probably right.. I couldnt see how the sheep would be able to negotiate the beams.. and then there is the problem of it being above ground. lol..
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