faFFing around - The Tour de SEQ - photo & fun heavy

[FenceFurniture]

fletty & FenceFurniture embark upon a short shed tour of South East Queensland. Anything could happen. This time we will have an empty trailer with us. :; It better not be empty by the time we get home.*

The faFF Tour de SEQ will commence next Thursday 10th May.

We'll probably head up to Coffs Harbour for the first night, and stay with a well known daughter. Then, up to Casino, across to Stanthorpe for a squiz at the Granite Belt, on to Warwick and across to Millmerran to stay with Bushmiller for Friday night. Paul has very kindly, although possibly naively, asked me this arvo if we were staying Saturday night as well. "Best ask your wife on Saddy morning mate". He may live to regret that, or indeed it may be revoked. There is talk of «a number» of bottles of red. Starting to sound like plural.

From there we are going across to Brissie where IanW has been equally kind (and silly - he's been warned) enough to offer us accommodation. UnFortunately his better half won't be on hand to keep things approaching under control. There is talk of «a number» of bottles of red. Starting to sound like plural again.

* faFF have just returned from a minor incursion up to Coffs and across to Moree. We were invited to drive a 3 tonne truck from CH to M full of furniture, unload it, pay for our drinks, return the empty truck to Coffs, and then home.

The problem is that it stayed empty. Despite out best efforts to locate Saw mills in the Grafton/Coffs area we only turned up one so far in Bonville, a little south of Coffs. Even then they really only produce landscaping grade stuff, up to 200x50. All green of course, but that's not so bad - we can get it put into a kiln in Sydney.

All the calls we made seemed to lead back to the same lady (although on different numbers). "YOU AGAIN!" was becoming a familiar refrain. It would seem that the mills are all either aggregating, being taken over, or going out of business.

....more in the next post....

[Simplicity]

This will be interesting I will be following all the antics all the way.
And [emoji6] good luck to all those infiltrated

Cheers Matt

[FenceFurniture]

A forum member gave me a list of mills to contact, and this morning I may have struck paydirt. The sawmill at Uki, known as the Uki Sawmill, thinks they may be able to help us, and the Bowraville SM sounded pretty enthusiastic about having some furniture grade timber in a fairly wide variety of hardwoods.

On our way up last Monday we called into Boutique Timbers at Telegraph Point. Man, what a place! I can't recall all the species they have slabbed and stacked, but I would estimate >20. After a couple of pies for lunch with Greg Ward we went cruising the property with him and brother Mal to select some timber. fletty picked up 2 very nice completely clear Red Cedar planks (about 2.3m x 400x50) and several Black Heart Sassafras boards. I have earmarked a few 200x50 figured Blackbutt boards, and a Sydney Bluegum board 200x50. They will be for a table to replace my twisted Ironbark behemoth that I purchased about 20 years ago. We will either pick this timber up on a return from SEQ or they will bring them to the Sydney Show in July.

After a very pleasant 3 hours with Greg & Mal at Rollands Plains we pushed on to Coffs Harbour, and stayed with fletty's daughter. Tues/Wed was out to Moree and back via Grafton and Glen Innes. This took us across the Great Dividing Range past several National Parks and lookouts.

The first really significant thing to catch our eye was the turn off to Raspberry lookout. It was here that we noted a considerable drop in temperature - it's ~1000m up, just like Katoomba. The view is a cracker!

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Pretty sure fletty has a pano of that view.


There were a number of other possibilities, but we really had to get to Moree without much delay, so some mental notes were made for the return journey.

However, a restored 1904 house in the eastern outskirts of Glen Innes demanded, and received our attention.

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I'll leave it to fletty to put up a pic of the front - beautiful detail and paint job. Yours for just $585k!

[ozhunter]

Watching with interest.

[FenceFurniture]

One of the mental notes made was a turn-off to "Boundary Falls" and that was good enough for us. None of our incursions were going to be of any great duration, so the penetration into the parks was always going to be shallow, but nonetheless worthwhile.

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Our timing for arriving here was immaculate, and I believe fletty has a pic that will explain that. It has nothing to do with the Hot 4 that farted its way to park next to us, from which baseball caps at goofy angles sprouting coils of hair emerged. (sotto voce to fletty "Dickhead alert!")

[FenceFurniture]

This was the highlight. It's been far too long since I've taken in rainforest air! Another example of two people photographing the same place in two different ways. I think only one pic between us was almost the same, and even then vertical vs horizontal.

So we walked about 500-700m along the delightful Coombadjha Creek. As other keen photographers will know, that can take *quite some time*.



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I'll leave the others as thumbnails for you to click on to keep the page length a bit sensible.

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[FenceFurniture]

On the road in to Coombadjha Ck and Washpool Ck there was a very nice forested slope.

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[Bushmiller]

Oh! All that booze. I had better get some practice in :- .

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

Yairs. We already have.

[Uncle Al]

You blokes are having too much fun!. Go easy on the red, we want you back in one piece.:D
Enjoy your trip, there are some spectacular waterfalls up in the north eastern part of NSW, not sure how much rain they have had up there lately, but after a decent rain they are a sight to behold.

Happy traveling,

Alan...

[ian]

On the road in to Coombadjha Ck and Washpool Ck there was a very nice forested slope.

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What !! no signs of recent timber "gathering" ?? :D

[Glider]

Some beautiful country up that way. Have a great time you two!

mick :)

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Sounds like fun travelling to me. The natural bushland photos are great.

I may just have some white cedar (mostly limb timber) up here not far from IanW if you are interested in filling the load? I've found it's a swine to turn but quite pretty once you do so.

David

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hey faFF,

I think that you've posted this in the wrong forum. How can you two honestly say that a shed tour and timber collecting expedition can be called "nothing at all to do with woodwork"?

But, I can see that it would be difficult to see where to put it - so ..... maybe.

It will be good to meet you two, having read of your antics. And at least you've dragged me away from "other things" (like sorting out aged care costs) to the forums again.

David

[FenceFurniture]

Yes, it was a conundrum David; which was debated. You're quite right - it's "Plenty to do with Woodwork, indirectly", but it seems to me that Travel is really more about regular type travel. Doesn't really belong in the Shed subforum either.

[FenceFurniture]

Sounds like fun travelling to me. The natural bushland photos are great. Thank you.
I may just have some white cedar (mostly limb timber) up here not far from IanW if you are interested in filling the load? I've found it's a swine to turn but quite pretty once you do so.Neither of us are turners (but we know plenty). However, if it looks good turned then it should look good for flat work too?

When you say it's a swine to turn, is that because of tear-out?

[fletty]

On our way up last Monday we called into Boutique Timbers at Telegraph Point. Man, what a place! I can't recall all the species they have slabbed and stacked, but I would estimate >20. After a couple of pies for lunch with Greg Ward we went cruising the property with him and brother Mal to select some timber.

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After a very pleasant 3 hours with Greg & Mal at Rollands Plains we pushed on to Coffs Harbour, and stayed with fletty's daughter. Tues/Wed was out to Moree and back via Grafton and Glen Innes. This took us across the Great Dividing Range past several National Parks and lookouts.

The first really significant thing to catch our eye was the turn off to Raspberry lookout.
Pretty sure fletty has a pano of that view.

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However, a restored 1904 house in the eastern outskirts of Glen Innes demanded, and received our attention.
I'll leave it to fletty to put up a pic of the front

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- beautiful detail and paint job. Yours for just $585k!

fletty

[fletty]

One of the mental notes made was a turn-off to "Boundary Falls" and that was good enough for us. None of our incursions were going to be of any great duration, so the penetration into the parks was always going to be shallow, but nonetheless worthwhile.

Our timing for arriving here was immaculate, and I believe fletty has a pic that will explain that.



I think FF is referring to the sudden arrival of a dozen international backpackers who arrived so soon after us that Brett initially feared they had hidden in the back of our own truck! As ridiculous as that thought may have been, I was still relieved to see a 20 seater bus in the car park when we got there?



(picture won’t post!!)

[FenceFurniture]

True, although I didn't hear any banging around in the back, but then again there were lots of bars and tie downs - even blankets to deaden the noise, so it was a distinct possibility that they jumped in the unlocked back at Warialda (a well known people smuggling hub if ever there was one). We'd never have heard them over the noise of the engine anyway.

[Glider]

Didn't you fit a Tampa proof lock?

mick :))

[FenceFurniture]

Just one more pic from me until faFF proper gets underway on Thursday.

Last Thursday, after staying at Boambee we went for breakfast at Sawtell Beach, where there is a cafe run out of the Surf Club.

We were sitting about 40 metres back from this view point but it was still very pleasant (until a dozen rude cyclists sat in a VERY noisy semicircle around us).


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[Enfield Guy]

If your ventures take you any where near the Vicmarc factory in Clontarf Brisbane then I would be rude to not drop in and say hello. I'm 150 metres from there.

Cheers
Bevan

[FenceFurniture]

Unfortunately Vicmarc holds nothing for a couple of non-turners Bevan (and I already have their grinder). But maybe if we can get DoctorBobski to come down from Murrumba Downs for lunch...... (we'll post if that's happening)

[fletty]

I think FF is referring to the sudden arrival of a dozen international backpackers who arrived so soon after us that Brett initially feared they had hidden in the back of our own truck! As ridiculous as that thought may have been, I was still relieved to see a 20 seater bus in the car park when we got there?


(picture won’t post!!)



Hmmm

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Woohoo, it posted BUT I fear it s now so reduced in size that I will need to issue virtual magnifying glasses?

fletty

[FenceFurniture]

Size is fine. Btw if you double-click on it whilst posting (or editing) you can choose what size you want it to appear in the thread.

Viewers may think there is only a handful of bodies there, but another whole bunch are on the left, posing as trees.

[crowie]

You sound like mischievous youngsters on a fling....behave, act you age or are we??

[Enfield Guy]

Ahh then. then is a spectacular burger and craft beer place a mere stones throw away. Pretty much the only decent feed on there west side of the peninsula. I would say the WHOLE peninsula, but I don't want to appear biased.
Cheers

[Xanthorrhoeas]

It's really like a mobile get together.

[Bushmiller]

It's really like a mobile get together.

Is that the mobile conferencing where several people get together and text each other from four paces or the type that you hang from the ceiling? :? .

Regards
Paul

[Xanthorrhoeas]

When you say it's a swine to turn, is that because of tear-out?

Yes, exactly that. It seems quite brittle. The reason I mentioned turning is that the pieces are fairly small, so I don't think there would be many (any?) boards in it.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Is that the mobile conferencing where several people get together and text each other from four paces or the type that you hang from the ceiling? :? .

Regards
Paul

HaHa. [warning serious response here] The English language allows many interpretations doesn't it? I'm no language expert but I think the word mobile once just meant able to move or be moved, then some bright spark invented a children's toy that moved so the word broadened. And, in the US they wouldn't understand your first reference because they are 'cell phones' not mobile phones!

And, what you call it may depend on how many bottles of red you have had!

Regards

david

[Enfield Guy]

And Hand Phones in many parts of the world. As long as we are all talking under the influence of said bottles of red, it should be OK.

[FenceFurniture]

And Hand Phones in many parts of the world.Ummm, so in those parts of the world....what do they hold a landline phone with, I wonder? Just asking....

[IanW]

So youse blokes have got me a bit confused - are you somewhere btw. Sinny & Millmerran as we speak, or are you still tying down the load preparing to set out for the Great North?

If you are still on the schedule we discussed last week, I've got a couple more days to finish walling up the cellar (with luck, the paint should be dry & you'll never notice), lay in a bit of extra tucker, and maybe even tidy the shed a bit. Don't expect it to look like somewhere you'd assemble a satellite, but I will need to shuffle a few things around so three people can actually stand inside if it rains. :D

If you are here Sunday 13th as planned, perhaps anyone close by my place who wants to catch up could drop by Sunday arvo? We'll keep it loose & informal, that way it doesn't matter if you suddenly find you have other commitments & can't make it. Coffee & tea available on request. Quite a few local Forumites have been to my place before, but if you haven't & would like to call in, PM me for instructions...

Cheers,

[ozhunter]

I'd say they're at F1's place ensuring the vin rouge intake methods are up to scratch before launch tomorrow.

[fletty]

STOP PRESS
FF is currently at F’s place forming the FaFF team which involves sorting and loading vin rouge and F trying to fathom FF’s detailed spreadsheet. Line 27, cell 5, says we leave early tomorrow. Lines 28, 29 and 30 note visiting 62woolybugger, picking up some left wine at Hunter Valley and dropping a log splitter at Boambee.
In case anyone thinks it is ALL about red wine, I have also packed 6 rum and coke for a promised dinner by an open fire in Southern QLD!
fletty

[Bushmiller]

STOP PRESS
FF is currently at F’s place forming the FaFF team which involves sorting and loading vin rouge and F trying to fathom FF’s detailed spreadsheet. Line 27, cell 5, says we leave early tomorrow. Lines 28, 29 and 30 note visiting 62woolybugger, picking up some left wine at Hunter Valley and dropping a log splitter at Boambee.
In case anyone thinks it is ALL about red wine, I have also packed 6 rum and coke for a promised dinner by an open fire in Southern QLD!
fletty

Aw heck! A rum drinker. That means I may have to introduce you formally to spiced rum (Rebellion Bay) and ginger beer (Bundaberg). We may be able to put to rest the long held fallacy that the rum corps ceased in 1818 and in fact two hundred years later is alive and very well thank you in the Queensland hinterland.

Cheers
Paul

PS: Actually, a gentle squeeze from a thin slice of fresh lime added to the aforementioned brew enhances the flavour: A heavy handed squeeze and it just tastes of Lime :( . We have a tree especially for this purpose. :wink: I suppose you could say that we pluck this out of the woodwork .

[Bushmiller]

The grape vine (very appropriate I thought) has released more information that Fletty might already be indoctrinated in the hall of spiced rum fame. Humph! I think a sibling stole my thunder. Have you noticed how worldly these young folks are?

So now I am thinking laterally and will go to plan "B." Plan "B" never fails: I will introduce these intrepid travellers to.......HARVEY. :cool:

Cheers
Paul

[Simplicity]

So youse blokes have got me a bit confused - are you somewhere btw. Sinny & Millmerran as we speak, or are you still tying down the load preparing to set out for the Great North?

If you are still on the schedule we discussed last week, I've got a couple more days to finish walling up the cellar (with luck, the paint should be dry & you'll never notice), lay in a bit of extra tucker, and maybe even tidy the shed a bit. Don't expect it to look like somewhere you'd assemble a satellite, but I will need to shuffle a few things around so three people can actually stand inside if it rains. :D

If you are here Sunday 13th as planned, perhaps anyone close by my place who wants to catch up could drop by Sunday arvo? We'll keep it loose & informal, that way it doesn't matter if you suddenly find you have other commitments & can't make it. Coffee & tea available on request. Quite a few local Forumites have been to my place before, but if you haven't & would like to call in, PM me for instructions...

Cheers,

Anybody need a quote near Ian's shed.
You don't need to hire us just a quote.
So I can write the Sunday flights off on tax.

Cheers Matt,

[FenceFurniture]

I think a sibling stole my thunder.More a subling than a sibling.

[FenceFurniture]

faFF = pay attention earlier
TOD = Time of Day

Back in the days, fletty and his dear old Dad Don were both keen photographers, and they went on many road trips together. Don would say on any and every given day "12:14" or "10:29" etc, which meant that at 12:14 they would stop the car (or whatever device they were travelling in) and take a photograph of wherever they were.

So a couple of weeks ago, when Al told me about this I thought it might be fun to reinstate this excellent tradition in a current form. Discussed it with the chap and yes, here we are.

This morning I said "12:14" which found us in Karuah in search of Oysters and Prawns for early evening consumption. Now the pics have to be virtually time stamped 12:14 so no fudging pics at 12:41 of the STU-BLOODY-PENDOUS King Prawns and Oysters that followed. (previously the best prawns I have ever had were 20 years ago at Narooma, but these never been frozen Yamba prawns have seriously damaged that reputation.

At 12:14 we hadn't quite made it to the Oyster selling precinct, which was visually no more, or less, interesting than the main drag, aka The Olde Pacific Highway.

So, long story even slightly longer, here is my offering for the very first faFF de TOD Photo reviving a ~45+ year old tradition. Pics have to be taken in a very short window (perhaps 5 mins)

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Contestants are allowed 3 images each.

Actually I just made that up on the run, as I happen to have 3 images of the only semi-interesting building in sight at 12:14 today. :D However, 3 is a good number and we may stay with that, pending flett-meister's approval.

[ian]

Anybody need a quote near Ian's shed.
You don't need to hire us just a quote.
I need a quote @ Ian's shed.

Please quote to supply similar -- building and basic fit-out at a location to be determined.

Might be f&FF's trailer :)

[NCArcher]

Having seen photos of Ian's shed I am also suitably impressed. Matt I would like a quote for an exact replica of the shed and fitout. Could I also get a quote for a lifesize, cardboard cutout of Ian so that it will look like there is at least one person in my new shed who knows what they are doing.

[Bushmiller]

Back in the days, fletty and his dear old Dad Don were both keen photographers, and they went on many road trips together. Don would say on any and every given day "12:14" or "10:29" etc, which meant that at 12:14 they would stop the car (or whatever device they were travelling in) and take a photograph of wherever they were.

Contestants are allowed 3 images each.



That is a wonderful concept, although you may have to up the strike rate to increase the chances of obtaining an interesting shot, particularly if travelling through the wide open spaces of the Australian interior. Probably not so much of a problem with the road you are travelling today.

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

Today's time set by f is 13:17.

Standby.

[fletty]

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The boy was SO desperate for WIFI that we had to stop at Maccas!

[FenceFurniture]

Sorry about the delay chaps. Wifi difficulties, but now sitting in Maccas Casino....errr....they don't have a Casino, but that's where we are.

Some pics from our Karuah stop yesdy.

Actually, the first pic is from our little detour via Wollombi to kill time before the winery opened so we could pu the bottle that got left behind last week.:doh:

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All that was biting was this dopey Shovel Nosed Shark. Why dopey? This was at least the second time for this particular one to have a hook wrenched out of its mouth.....
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The bridge across the Olde Pacific Hwy.

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EDIT: forgot a pic.

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[FenceFurniture]

Friday we drove from Coffs to Casino, which was really pleasant (Grafton-Casino road). From there we headed NW to Kyogle and then across the Mt Lindesay Hwy to Warwick and then Millmerran, where we are currently being superbly looked after Bushmill and Leanne.

TOD was nominated as 13:17 which found us on the Mt L hwy.

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[FenceFurniture]

Last week we earmarked some boards at Boutique Timbers in Rollands Plains (near Port Macquarie). On Thursday we were able to return with ShaneSmith80's trailer (THANKS MATE!) to pu our booty.

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If you have never been to BT or seen pics of it.....there are slabbed logs EVERYWHERE

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[FenceFurniture]

faFF TOD has been set at 15:42 today.


In the mean time, here are a couple of burls we spotted. (don't even think about it....World Heritage Rainforest at Tooloom NP)
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That last pic is the road into the park.....very pleasant.

[FenceFurniture]

Adam, didn't you say Greg had some pine for you? He didn't mention anything to us.

[FenceFurniture]

I had a recollection from 30 or so years ago that Warwick had some pretty special architecture. It didn't disappoint, although we only had 30 minutes that we could spend there. We had been warned to be off the road around Millmerran by 5pm because after that the roos are a real problem atm, with the lack of available water. As it was SatNav Sheila was telling us that it would be 6pm arrival.

We saw exactly 2½ roos (the ½ was a loose sheep that didn't fully qualify, as it wasn't suicidally stupid, unlike the 2 roos).

The first building to catch my eye in Warwick was St Mark's Anglican Church. I was driving at the time, and I heard a reasonably urgent "watch this guy reversing out" from the passenger seat. :D

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[FenceFurniture]

I think this might be the most special regional PO I've come across. Overall shots without cruddy cars and stuff are impossible, so a couple of detail shots. (check the sandstone in the round columns)

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The Criterion Hotel. I didn't take any pics of the outside, as I knew that f had covered that. I'm sure he will post some if he ever returns from Mars.

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[rwbuild]

The mason work in that PO is stunning so is the grain in the stone. It almost looks like it has been refurbished.
Some very interesting architectural design elements used, it looks like 3 distinct styles have been used. Most unusual.

[FenceFurniture]

A fairly quiet day, not travelling to a destination. f, Shmiller and I headed out to Mt Basalt - just a short drive out of town. A short but tough walk to the top. Difficult in that finding somewhere to stand whilst holding my hats between my knees to take pics was really hard to do.

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The Darling Downs is amongst the richest farmland in the country and Millmerran is at the western edge. I've just been told by Leanne that there is one place that has around 10 metres of topsoil - that's enormous! Apparently the best brains want to frack this area.:doh::~ Fracking idjits.



Terribly dry at the moment.

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[FenceFurniture]

Ian, my mobile coverage in Millmerran is patchy. Responded to your SMS, but just to confirm that we are aiming to be there late morning Sunday.

[IanW]

No worries, Brett, I did get your text & saw the missed call - was out in the yard at the time. All is in readiness for your arrival, sirs. As long as I remember to put it on in the AM, there'll even be a fresh-baked loaf ready for our lunch. Let the yarns commence....

Cheers,

[ozhunter]

Adam, didn't you say Greg had some pine for you? He didn't mention anything to us.


He has, but I may have neglected to remember to talk to him about FaFF couriers. All good. I'll wait till the TWWS. You chaps look like you are having a blast. Keep up the good work.

[FenceFurniture]

Today's faFF TOD was called off - it only applies when we are travelling.

Just about to tuck in to a pretty damned good smelling roast pork.:harhar:


Oh and :drinks_wine:
:helpsmilie::giveup3:

[ian]

It's Sunday arvo, getting on to 4PM


there should be a report from faFF's encounter with IanW

[Bushmiller]

It's Sunday arvo, getting on to 4PM


there should be a report from faFF's encounter with IanW

After filling their faces with Ian's home baked bread and then waltzing through his shed being treated to some plane delights (that's nearly an oxymoron) and other jewels, I would not be expecting any literary sense until about two hours after dark which would be around 7pm!!!!

[ozhunter]

You won't get any sense out of any of them 2 hours after dark.

[Bushmiller]

You won't get any sense out of any of them 2 hours after dark.

That has been my most recent experience, but I didn't like to say. It didn't make any difference. We still had a wonderful time.

Regards
Paul

[Xanthorrhoeas]

The 'encounter' went very well. ianW, faFF, Yachtie and I all had a great chinwag and Yachtie surprised us all with the most amazing bottle of red ... but that's his story to tell! I had to depart for Mother's Day duties but suspect that they're all still getting along famously.

A great example of what makes these forums so enjoyable.

David

[Xanthorrhoeas]

At the meet, Fletty and I were chatting about restoring old furniture (in amongst a whole lot of other overlapping conversations) so I thought that he would be interested to see one of my chance encounters on the way back from ianW's place - that someone had put out for the roadside 'large items' cleanup currently in that area. It is an Australian cedar kitchen chair that has been left in the weather, is falling apart and has packing tape on it for some unknown reason (as it doesn't seem to be covering any breaks - but further exploration will reveal).

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It will look a whole lot better once I restore it. There's no chance of any 'original' finish on this one, but it will be fixed with hide glue and French Polished! I'll post that in the restoration forum.

BTW, I will do my best not to sand it, Oxalic acid for a starter I think, then we'll see.

Regards

David

[crowie]

Thanks for all the beaut photos Brett, especially of Warwick were I spent the first 5-6 years of my life....Cheers, crowie

[IanW]

It's Sunday arvo, getting on to 4PM...there should be a report from faFF's encounter with IanW

Apologies for the temporary interruption to service, folks, it's due to my being in a black spot for mobile phones, & I couldn't find the damn key for the router, so the lads couldn't attach to the web yesterday.

However, the faFF WERE sighted, so don't panic. I last saw them clearly at around 2.:30 PM talking with yachtie (facing camera) & Xanthorrhoeas on my back veranda: 435256

As you can see, throats were being lubricated, in preparation for a lot of work over the ensuing hours. That's the first bottle of red cracked already - it was followed by one or two others. There's a story goes with that bottle. Without my specs on, the label bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain species of plonk that is usually faaar outside my budget. I was appalled not so much at the thought of scoffing it as a random 'quaffer', but the fact I could read "2014" on the label - it would be infanticide!! Yachtie gets the most delighted grin on his mug & says "Put yer glasses on & take a proper look". I did, & saw I'd been sucked right in. It's a home-brew (and quite a good one, too), with a bit of fun added with the label. Good one, Yachtie!! :U

After that, things are a little hazy, but I sort of remember we had a very pleasant afternoon & evening - I'll leave it to the OPs to tell their stories..... :D

Cheers,

[FenceFurniture]

HELLO, WE ARE BACK. Well, I am. :D Monsieur f may be returning from Mars shortly.

We are relatively fine, all things considered, and thanks for your concern. I will attempt to post in chrono order.

[FenceFurniture]

Saturday afternoon coffee and Lamingtons in Millmerran. I knocked up the Lamingtons in a spare few minutes that I had. Not quite sure why I packaged them in a commercial tray with plastic wrap so that they looked like they were purchased at the market, but I have been known to do odd things at times.

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Paul and Leanne have done a brilliant job with the garden (Paul builds, Leanne plants). In fact the property feels a little bit like a resort at the back - a little cluster of buildings in a sympathetic shape (orrite, they are mostly containers, but one of them is the studio, which was my room). It was a really excellent stay, and I would recommend it to all. The rates ARE STUNNING! Thanks very much P&L, we had a really great time with you!

[Pat]

Fletty looks comfortable in the last 2 pics!:U

[FenceFurniture]

So TOD was set by FF as 9:11. However, Mother's Day calls (FF) and still eating breakfast at some place in the Lockyer Valley (f). TOD was discreetly reset to 9:41. That found us on the motorway in towards Brisbane, but still well west of Ipswich. What I like about TOD is that it FORCES me to look for pics. Now they may not be great, or even reasonably good pics that I would take by choice, but there have been a couple come out of it that are worthwhile and would not have been otherwise taken without TOD.

FF's 3 entries are as follows:

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Fairy Martin's nest
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A really really small Fairy Martin's nest - in fact the whole family. These were just below Mum & Dad's place, so I attribute them to one each for the kids.
435267

[FenceFurniture]

Fletty looks comfortable in the last 2 pics!:UAnd he doesn't in which particular pic?

[FenceFurniture]

On the road out of Millmerran....

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[ozhunter]

Can you go back and pinch one of those silos for me please. Should be room in the trailer.

[FenceFurniture]

Well we had the best time at Ian's place. Met Xanthorrheas and Yachtie. Before that, Ian pulled out one home-made infill plane after another until a substantial part of his bench was covered with them. (f has a pic to post I think). Now when I say home made.....these could EASILY be regarded as professionally made planes. In fact all that is missing is an engraved logo....might have to get f to give that some consideration.... :D

It's an absolute blast being in Ian's shed. I have seen numerous pics over the years of various trays of chisels, marking gauges, chisels, planes, chisels, marking gauges, files, planes, chisels, try squares, a few more chisels, but seeing them live, being pulled out drawer by drawer, is amazing!

I didn't see all of the contents, but what I did see of the main tool cabinet would indicate that somewhere around 80% of the contents was made (or at least partially made - handles) by Ian.

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Just incredible - the beauty of the tools, because he can. Heavy, beautiful, functional. Anything else required? The attention to detail in the shaping of the pieces of (mainly) Camphor Laurel that house the tools. Sloped beds for paring chisels that fit perfectly with a 4mm wall between them, et al. All so easy to break during construction (chiselling).

I think f may have some slightly better pics than that.



Now you know what the say about certain tools:

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After a really excellent afternoon, Ian cooked us a Moroccan (?) inspired lamb casserole, which was a great accompaniment to three bottles of red. (if you click "Pics required" I will ask Ian to remove your subscription to the thread).

[FenceFurniture]

So we spent exactly 25 hours at Ian's place (11.30 Sunday until 12:30 Monday). It felt like substantially longer!

Ian, thank you so much for wonderful hospitality, your generosity of tools, time and talk. We both had an absolute blast there, just as we did in Millmerran! Two different but equally excellent experiences. God I love this forum, and the camaraderie!

Now you may read some disparaging remarks about the amount of saws in a certain 20' container in Millmerran. Frankly, I doubt there are more than 500 in the first container. OTOH, I also doubt there are more than 50 marking gauges, 100 chisels, and 40 or so planes contained within Ian's room.

Oh, and perhaps 20 mallets.

Maybe 24 or so home made saws (as users).

[aldav]

Hopefully you guys will get back alive, even if you are pickled! :D
You don't see many clamp displays like that one. :2tsup: Most of us have enough trouble buying them. :C

[Pac man]

Is there life on Mars?

[IanW]

As usual, FF exaggerates slightly, but whatever, it was a great visit. There can't be many better things to do than sit on the veranda on a beautiful, balmy afternoon, quaffing excellent booze & shooting the breeze with a couple of fellow wood & tool tragics! But there is one - sitting around the dinner table with some tolerable food & some even better beverage and shooting more breeze. Somewhere around the bottom of the second (or was it the third?) bottle, we had the world sorted out really well, we reckoned. There would've been a Nobel peace-prize coming up for sure, but dammit, no-one could quite remember this morning, what those perfect solutions we'd devised for the world's problems were. :C

I suppose we'll jut have to do it all again. It's tough work, but we are noble chaps all, & we'll manfully bear the burden.....
:D

[IanW]

Is there life on Mars?

You should have posed that question at 10 o'clock yesterday evening. We would have had a very well thought-out & exquisitely-presented answer (or 3)....
:U

[fletty]

OK, OK, I’ve been tardy in posting. I could have blamed reception (especially on Mars :doh:), I could have blamed technical incompetence, I could have blamed alcohol intolerance but NO...... I was just having too much fun to stop and compose. Now, as I took the time today to draft my posts, I realised that FF had already said much of what I wanted to say? However, before I get all bogged down in selecting and downloading pics, I want to say some thankyous. Mal and Greg (Rolland’s Plains), Madeleine, Ben (Boambee), Paul and Leanne (Millmerran) and Ian (Pullenvale) have all housed, fed and looked after us wonderfully. It seems that being involved in woodwork and/or being related to F1 makes you an excellent host and vibrant company.
So, we are now in a motel outside of Kyogle where the manager appears to have had a charisma bypass (he’s obviously not a woodworker) and his disturbing commentary on his own WIFI indicates that posting and uploading could be a tedious affair.
I will post my TOD contributions attached to FFs relevant posts but I will post some ‘pretty pics’ here. Many of them will look similar to FFs because he was, after all, standing beside me.

I can only add to FFs sense of wonder at Boutique Timber. The wildlife is as wonderful as the timber!

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Tooloom National Park is worth the diversion

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As is the lovely town of Warwick

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AND, doing an excellent impersonation of of the despatch bay of an 1890’s saw factory, is (one of) Bushmiller’s workshops...

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.... and his unique 3 sided shed...

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..... which adds to the charm of his beautifully and lovingly restored Queenslander.

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Now, my memory of our stay was that I was strapped to a chair and had Rebellion Bay rum and Bundaberg rum and Coke and/or ginger beer and very fine red wine and sticky wine poured down my throat on 2 separate occassions punctuated by a market and a visit to Mt Basalt? Other people there don’t seem to remember it that way at all and, if it had been so, how could it happen twice? The next day was a tentative and sedate drive towards Brisbane with some fantastic agricultural scenery?

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We arrived at IanW’s beautiful house and even more beautiful shed in the Western reaches of Brisbane.

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Ian, like Paul and Leanne before him, was a fabulous host. The same thing happened though and the strapping to the chair, the plastic funnel and the forced feeding of very fine wine continued .... although this time the ‘torture’ lasted only 1 session. This reminds me however of the Scottish distiller who fell into a vat of whisky but got out to go to the toilet 3 times before he drowned. However, I digress, the tour of the shed, the enjoyment and admiration of Ian’s toolmaking skills and this gentleman’s willing sharing of his time, knowledge and cullinary skills was little short of amazing.

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So, that brings us up to lunchtime today ...... FF, could you pass the red wine please.......?

[FenceFurniture]

Always been a favourite of mine.....get off the beaten track as soon as practically possible. That's where the real world is, and photo opportunities aplenty.

From Pullenvale (west Brissie) we went down through Beaudesert to Rathdowney and then kicked off to the left (SE). As soon as the main routes are eschewed the photo opps present themselves. We had previously noted, on the rather ordinary (visually) road to Beaudesert, the the clouds were made for landscape photography.



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Rathdowney:
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The tree to the left of the shed is one that Xanthorrheas should be able to nail for us, with some more detail. Clearly a Myrtaceae, and I believe a Eucy, it has foot long leaves but skinny little trunks, and big hooter flowers. That's the scientific analysis - David can provide the lay interpretation :D

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[FenceFurniture]

A few hundred metres later, another photo opp.

We are all woodies.

We all love wood.

We all love trees.

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That railway bridge is the N-S line for the XPT.

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On the 8th of Feb 1991, the floodwaters were pretty high.

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[FenceFurniture]

Set by f as 15.20, and adhered to.

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I had to in-camera edit out some pics so I could keep shooting (card space), and what would have been a suitable pic of a tractor bearing down on me went begging. :doh: So of my 3 entries there are two from the same sequence. :shrug:

[fletty]

After yet another beautiful lunch with Ian today, we headed towards Kyogle which will be our start point for visiting Uki Mill, Mullumbimby Slab works and HNT tomorrow. FF has covered off the logistics, so I’ll just add some more pics in (rough) chronological order

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As we clambered all over the rail bridge we noticed something intriguing. A tiny, well maintained but sad grave of a 2 week old baby who died in 1923 and a ‘lest we forget’ memorial both on an access track to the rail line. I need to find out more.....

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Our journey continued until stunning late afternoon light and a rainbow stopped us in our tracks....

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We knew that the corrugated iron hall at The Risk would look stunning in this light but there were so many other opportunities on the way.....

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.... that we feared we would miss it. However we got there just in time to catch the last light...

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We felt pretty pleased with ourselves and headed for Kyogle but the setting Sun still had a few more surprises for us...

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I’ll post my TOD contributions later. FF is refusing to pass the bottle......:B

[FenceFurniture]

f1 has a pano of this scene which explains the name a bit better. My little POS P&S is a bit narrower.

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Info on the Border Loop or Cougal Loop here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougal_Spiral). In short, to be able to get up the hill more easily, the railway line goes in a 540° loop (1½ times around). After we left, we could see it represented on the SatNav - very weird.

Watch this YT vid for at least a minute (and note that this train is 1450 metres long):
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vxdUPyP0B4E" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[fletty]

Set by f as 15.20, and adhered to.

435326 .... 435327

435328

I had to in-camera edit out some pics so I could keep shooting (card space), and what would have been a suitable pic of a tractor bearing down on me went begging. :doh: So of my 3 entries there are two from the same sequence. :shrug:


AND F1’s TOD contenders...

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[FenceFurniture]

You should have posed that question at 10 o'clock yesterday evening. We would have had a very well thought-out & exquisitely-presented answer (or 3)....
:UYep, 3 answers minimum, all different, one for each bottle, in chronological order.

[fletty]

So TOD was set by FF as 9:11. However, Mother's Day calls (FF) and still eating breakfast at some place in the Lockyer Valley (f). TOD was discreetly reset to 9:41. That found us on the motorway in towards Brisbane, but still well west of Ipswich. What I like about TOD is that it FORCES me to look for pics. Now they may not be great, are even reasonably good pics that I would take by choice, but there have been a couple come out of it that are worthwhile and would not have been otherwise taken without TOD.

FF's 3 entries are as follows:

435265


Fairy Martin's nest
435266


A really really small Fairy Martin's nest - in fact the whole family. These were just below Mum & Dad's place, so I attribute them to one each for the kids.
435267

AND fletty’s contenders...

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[fletty]

faFF = pay attention earlier
TOD = Time of Day

Back in the days, fletty and his dear old Dad Don were both keen photographers, and they went on many road trips together. Don would say on any and every given day "12:14" or "10:29" etc, which meant that at 12:14 they would stop the car (or whatever device they were travelling in) and take a photograph of wherever they were.

So a couple of weeks ago, when Al told me about this I thought it might be fun to reinstate this excellent tradition in a current form. Discussed it with the chap and yes, here we are.

This morning I said "12:14" which found us in Karuah in search of Oysters and Prawns for early evening consumption. Now the pics have to be virtually time stamped 12:14 so no fudging pics at 12:41 of the STU-BLOODY-PENDOUS King Prawns and Oysters that followed. (previously the best prawns I have ever had were 20 years ago at Narooma, but these never been frozen Yamba prawns have seriously damaged that reputation.

At 12:14 we hadn't quite made it to the Oyster selling precinct, which was visually no more, or less, interesting than the main drag, aka The Olde Pacific Highway.

So, long story even slightly longer, here is my offering for the very first faFF de TOD Photo reviving a ~45+ year old tradition. Pics have to be taken in a very short window (perhaps 5 mins)

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Contestants are allowed 3 images each.

Actually I just made that up on the run, as I happen to have 3 images of the only semi-interesting building in sight at 12:14 today. :D However, 3 is a good number and we may stay with that, pending flett-meister's approval.

AND, fletty’s contenders...

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[NCArcher]

AND fletty’s contenders...

435348

Fletty, why did you take a photo of a weird old homeless guy? Are you making a statement on social issues in SEQ?

[NCArcher]

Thought you might like to know Brett, we had snow here on Friday. Not much but Lady and Mini NCA were excited.
I'm so jealous of you two. Looks like a great trip.

[fletty]

Friday we drove from Coffs to Casino, which was really pleasant (Grafton-Casino road). From there we headed NW to Kyogle and then across the Mt Lindesay Hwy to Warwick and then Millmerran, where we are currently being superbly looked after Bushmill and Leanne.

TOD was nominated as 13:17 which found us on the Mt L hwy.

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435158

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AND, fletty’s contenders...

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[FenceFurniture]

The Risk. Curious name for a township, and we may re-visit in the morning to closely check out a building that has pressed metal walls (!).

On the way down to The Risk from the Qld border we could see that we were going to get some pretty great light. (those landscape clouds often deliver the goods at the very end of the day).

This was a little hard to resist. However when f set foot in the paddock to shoot the not-so-squashed building with the rainbow behind it (as I was also going to do) a broadly accented, self important voice from across the road came to me:
"Yez can't go in there"
"What's that?"
"Yez can't go in there"
"Well would you minf if we did?"
"Nah, Yez can't go in there"

I suspect that the reason was "because I'm enjoying my little power trip just north of Kyogle where power trips a very few and far between".

Apparently my "conversation" with still Unseen Voice was long enough for f to complete his shot :D
I satisfied myself with shots from the road.

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Tempting though it was, I resisted the very strong urge to "present" (in the strictest baboon sense) to Unseen Voice before I got back in the Disco.
:bartmoon:


We drove on, knowing this beautiful light was coming to an end, and we wanted to get to The Risk City Centre to use the very last of it.

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[fletty]

Fletty, why did you take a photo of a weird old homeless guy? Are you making a statement on social issues in SEQ?

He’s not homeless :;.....

[FenceFurniture]

Thought you might like to know Brett, we had snow here on Friday. Not much but Lady and Mini NCA were excited.
I'm so jealous of you two. Looks like a great trip.Oh! Good thing the cats are black then.

Yes, it is indeed a very excellent trip, but drawing to a close. Mind you, it may finish with a bang....that trailer is still pretty empty.....


Fletty, why did you take a photo of a weird old homeless guy? Are you making a statement on social issues in SEQ?Not so much of the old thank you.

[IanW]

The tree to the left of the shed is one that Xanthorrheas should be able to nail for us, with some more detail. Clearly a Myrtaceae, and I believe a Eucy, it has foot long leaves but skinny little trunks, and big hooter flowers. That's the scientific analysis - David can provide the lay interpretation :D

435302 .... 435303

David may correct me, but I'm pretty certain it's E. ficifolia (it's from W.A. & not native to the east). Had one outside my office window back in the day when I worked for da man - a spectacular parrot caffeteria when in flower!

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Yes indeed Ian, I believe that you are correct. You beat me to it. Very spectacular flowers and large leaves. In the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th century the leaves were often pressed and dried for use as a substrate for miniature oil paintings of (usually) Australian scenes.

[Bushmiller]

E.ficifolia, common name Western Australian Flowering Gum, which leaves little to conjecture, I think has the largest flower of all the Eucalypts. A very impressive tree when in flower. I think we have some as street trees in our divided road outside our house here in Millmerran.

Loving the pix. I hope there are still a few more to come.

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

I had spoken to "Hayden" last week, and he seemed pretty keen to show us some good timber. Red Stringybark and Bloodwood were the ones that caught my eye. They have around 8 species that go through the mill. Very accommodating people, and we spent about an hour or so there. Completely different to our experience of the week before last.

I picked a few Red Stringy boards, and a Bloodwood board. Milled within the last 6 months, so still well green.

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All of those boards were destined to become garden sleepers.....