As we cruised along in PT, MLP mused, "Are there any other towns in Australia named after a fruit?" Then my mind started to wander. Is there a town called Apple ... or Pear ... or Grapefruit? Ah-ha, there is a town called Banana! I know. I've driven through it many times.
Or is it named after the colour? And, in which case, are there any other towns named after a colour? Is there a town called Yellow ... or Blue ... or Brown ... or Turquoise? Not that I can think of.
Or has the town's name any connection what-so-ever with fruit or colour? Probably not.
And so we head to Orange having these deep and meaningful conversations.
The road twists before us as it snakes its way up and down the edge of the Blue Mountains along the Bells Line of Road ... unusual name for a road too.
Signs warn us of tight turns and steep descents.
Autumn colours begin to punctuate the landscape. The most striking yellow of the poplars clashing with the fresh green of the paddocks newly enlivened by recent rains.
Rusty reds and browns. Autumn colours foreign to a Queenslander. Foreign, but so beautiful.
We pass bucolic scenes which could easily have stepped from the pages of Hardy's "Far from the Madding Crowd."
And road signs warn us to be alert for kangaroos ... yes, we're used to that in Queensland ... and wombats. Blurry wombats. Sorry, we are driving remember.
Wombats. How amazing. We're not used to them in Queensland. Luckily, today we don't see any. They are slow moving and highly susceptible to being killed on highways.
By lunch time we reach Bathurst. MLP's heart skips a beat when I point out the sign on the hill ... Mount Panorama.
His mate is involved with V8 Supercars and Mount Panorama is the ultimate place of pilgrimage. Hopefully, he'll enjoy the experience on that weekend in October at least once while we're living in the south.
But for me it is the majesty of the aged brick buildings.
And the ironwork.
But it is the Court House which is most spectacular. A U shaped structure exuding power and presence.
And the roses. Everywhere. Blooming. Beautiful. In every public garden.
Eventually we move on, reaching the oddly named town of Lucknow. I glimpse a sign that says we MUST stop.
On the roadside are these.
How could I not venture inside?
And what a treasure trove.
This ...
and this ...
and this ...
and these.
Hours could be spent trawling these shelves. But we need to head to Orange, our destination for the next two nights.
To meet up with MLP's family.
To wait for the Easter Bunny.
To explore Orange and its surrounds
in Part 2 of our short break
next week.
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