|
Last updated
19 Sep 2009
Index
Photo Gallery
QCC Weekend at The Crushers, 11-13
September 2009
Above the ashes straight and tall,
through ferns with moisture dripping,
I climb beneath the sandstone wall,
my feet on mosses slipping.
Like ramparts round the valley's edge
the tinted cliffs are standing,
with many a broken wall and ledge,
and many a rocky landing.
And round about their rugged feet
deep ferny dells are hidden
in shadowed depths, whence dust and heat
are banished and forbidden.
The stream that, crooning to itself,
comes down a tireless rover,
flows calmly to the rocky shelf,
and there leaps bravely over.
|
Now pouring down, now lost in spray
when mountain breezes sally,
the water strikes the rock midway,
and leaps into the valley.
Now in the west the colours change,
the blue with crimson blending;
behind the far Dividing Range,
the sun is fast descending.
And mellowed day comes o'er the place,
and softens ragged edges;
the rising moon's great placid face
looks gravely o'er the ledges.
Henry Lawson 1888
|
So wrote Henry Lawson around 120 years ago. There we were in another
historic location blessed with perfect weather and spring blooming
everywhere. Where were we?
Well, we were on another of Henry Lawson’s haunts and since 1878, The
Crushers has been known as Katoomba, once a mining town. Did you know
that sandstone was crushed here for ballast for the Great Western
Railway line? Did you know that there were shale mines in the Megalong
Valley…and at Ruined Castle and top quality coal was extracted under
Katoomba? All these mines were connected by horse drawn tramways. There
is a tunnel under Narrow Neck connecting Megalong Valley to the Jamieson
Valley through which the shale was brought to the cableway now known as
the Scenic Railway. It is all still there even if a little overgrown.
The Blue Mountains shale is some of the richest in the world yielding as
much as 100 gallons of crude oil per ton of shale. The grimy mining town
that might have been is now a Mecca for tourists like us!
We gathered on Friday night for a delicious Chinese banquet in the newly
built RSL restaurant. No one left hungry.
Saturday began with a coach tour with Mark Pentacost at the helm,
regaling us with more history of the early days when the landed gentry
of Sydney sought refuge at Katoomba’s Carrington Hotel from summer heat
and smells. We learned that the 2nd oldest pub Gearins, has a new
innkeeper, Jack Thompson.
On to the old Zig Zag railway where those who chose to travel first
class enjoyed suede upholstered lounge chairs. There must be a swanky
pub somewhere wondering who pinched their lounge chairs.
Yet another ZigZag highlight was the blonde engine driver who seemed to
attract a deal of photographic attention.
From the ZigZag, Mark led us to the Mount Tomah Botannical Gardens, but
the garden inspection had to wait while we devoured another huge meal !
The gardens are a picture with so many native plants in full bloom and
pathways that entice you down and down to enjoy greater visual
pleasures. Problem comes when it’s time to leave. It is a hard slog back
up to the car park, inevitably via the gift shop.
So, we went back to Katoomba for 5 minutes rest before the big Saturday
night dinner at the Golf Club.
Deal or No Deal took on new meaning as the food arrived with servings of
huge steaks, or large portions of fried chicken or equally generous
portions of fish & chips. There was much bartering and bantering
lubricated by a measure of fermented grape juice and much hilarity. All
enjoyed the night but we must resolve to eat less at future events.
Perhaps it was not surprising that few rose early for breakfast on
Sunday morning, and yet the motel breakfast room became very noisy as
some relived the night before.
A few stayed on to visit Bill Avery’s garden display, one of the many
glorious garden sights of spring in the mountains.
Overall, it was yet another great weekend of fun, food and reminisces,
and again, we have to thank the organisers, Ronda & Geoff Nash.
Well done !!
John Watts
Back to top
Photo Gallery
Photos of the formal dinner coming soon, I hope!
Back to top
|
