The Adventures of Pearl !!! Host list post's #22 and #23

[r redden]

Good show Mark thanks for letting Pearl visit for a spell. I guess she's off to the land down under.

 

[SVTFreak]

Good show Mark thanks for letting Pearl visit for a spell. I guess she's off to the land down under.

I can't wait to go back! Can I escort her? This should be interesting.

Good to see the old girl still going.

 

[Fodderwing]

Well done Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed you sharing Pearl's visit and appreciate Omaha even more than I already did.

 

[Cambertree]

Well, look who turned up on my doorstep on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia!

I’d just returned from a four day road trip out West:

I was tending to some plants in the sunny vegetable garden. I looked up the driveway, hearing the Postie on their motorbike drop off a package - it had come all the way from snowy Omaha Nebraska, in record time. Thanks Ramrodmb !

Pearl is a seasoned traveller by now, and has picked up some interesting souvenirs in her travels around the USA. Not least of which is a finely crafted travellin’ slip made by brother Dylan. I enjoyed looking at the different postcards Pearl has accumulated since she was in Oregon. Great idea @Pàdruig.

A welcome party was assembled, comprising of one of Pearl’s Bradford PA cousins (stainless awl, instead of a spey blade, but still carbon blades); a friend from the Porch; and a seasoned local Lambsfoot expat from Yorkshire, who will act as a guide to Pearl during her stay.

Pearl got to enjoy a little sun and stretch out a bit, after flying in from a Northern hemisphere winter.

Even though I’d been lucky enough to have been privy to some early pics of @r8shell’s scrimshawing, it was still quite a surprise to see Pearl in person and just how fine and intricate the scrimming linework is. I’m curious what tool you used to do the work @r8shell? Was it a sharpened scribe of some kind?

Pearl showing off her lines in the sun:

And meeting one of the grizzled locals to exchange a few tall tales as the evening comes on:

We went for a quick drive to show Pearl some of the surrounding countryside looking west to the outlying farms on the eastern fringe of the Melbourne suburbs.

I’ve spent many an afternoon and dawn hunting these hills over the years for rabbits (cottontails, I think to you in the US) and foxes (which are a menace during lambing), for the sheep farmers in the area.

In the above photo, you can just see the suburbs on the plain of Melbourne on the right horizon - they go about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from edge to edge.

When we got back, Pearl turned in, exhausted from her long journey to the other side of the world - ready for new adventures in Australia in the morning.

 

[r redden]

It looks like Pearl is off to a good start Chin.

 

[JohnDF]

Looks like Pearl had a warm welcome.

 

[Fodderwing]

Shaping up to be a great visit already. Beautiful scenery Chin.

 

[Lostball]

Pearl has been packed up and shipped off towards her next adventure.
I was unable to make it to the Christmas light display that I had previously planned, but enjoyed my time with her and showing some of the sights of my area here. Thanks for the opportunity to host the ol' gal, Randy r redden .

Mark, I Can't believe I missed your last posts with Pearl. Loved the pictures and history on the CWS venues. I always try to keep up with it every year. Hopefully my Vols will............
I really enjoyed your hosting and posting of Pearl. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful part of the world.

 

[Lostball]

Chin, you have certainly given Pearl a great reception and starting us on a wonderful journey of your part of the world. Looking forward to whats ahead!!!!!

 

[btb01]

I was able to take Pearl to the memorial of the old Rosenblatt stadium here in Omaha. I attended my first CWS game there in 1981 at the age of 10.

Rosenblatt was home to the College World Series (baseball) from 1950 until 2010 when the new TD Ameritrade park was ready for use. Built in 1947 and renamed after beloved mayor Johnny Rosenblatt in 1964, who was instrumental in bringing professional baseball as well as the College World Series to Omaha. Rosenblatt Stadium was the largest minor league baseball stadium in the United States. The record for most consecutive sellouts at Rosenblatt stands at 82 consecutive games.


More about Rosenblatt here: https://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/collegeworldseries.html

A few photos of TD Ameritrade park, the new home of the CWS, at least until 2035.

I accidentally deleted the photo of Pearl in front of the sculpture "The Road to Omaha"

Great post, Mark! I love baseball stadiums, old and new. As you know, I got to see Arkansas beat Florida in the CWS this summer, and I thought TD Ameritrade was a pretty nice ballpark (but let's not talk about the rest of the CWS ).

My brother and I were talking just the other day about the Arkansas Travelers, the minor league team we used to follow when we were kids in Little Rock. Back then they played at Ray Winder Field, an old school ballpark built in the '30s. Sadly, about 10 years ago they moved to a new stadium in North Little Rock, and the old ballpark was demolished in 2012. Don't get me wrong, it was no Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, but I still thought it was a shame.

Well, look who turned up on my doorstep on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia!

I’d just returned from a four day road trip out West:

I was tending to some plants in the sunny vegetable garden. I looked up the driveway, hearing the Postie on their motorbike drop off a package, which had come all the way from snowy Omaha Nebraska, in record time. Thanks Ramrodmb !

Pearl is a seasoned traveller by now, and has picked up some interesting souvenirs in her travels around the USA. Not least of which is a finely crafted travellin’ slip made by brother Dylan. I enjoyed looking at the different postcards Pearl has accumulated since she was in Oregon. Great idea @Pàdruig.

A welcome party was assembled, comprising of one of Pearl’s Bradford PA cousins (stainless awl, instead of a spey blade, but still carbon blades); a friend from the Porch; and a seasoned local Lambsfoot expat from Yorkshire, who will act as a guide to Pearl during her stay.

Pearl got to enjoy a little sun and stretch out a little, after flying in from a Northern hemisphere winter.

Even though I’d been lucky enough to have been privy to some early pics of @r8shell’s scrimshawing, it was still quite a surprise to see Pearl in person and just how fine and intricate the scrimming linework is. I’m curious what tool you used to do the work @r8shell? Was it a sharpened scribe of some kind?

Pearl showing off her lines in the sun:

And meeting one of the grizzled locals to exchange a few tall tales as the evening comes on:

We went for a quick drive to show Pearl some of the surrounding countryside looking west to the outlying farms on the eastern fringe of the Melbourne suburbs.

I’ve spent many an afternoon and dawn hunting these hills over the years for rabbits (cottontails, I think to you in the US) and foxes, which are a menace during lambing, for the sheep farmers in the area.

In the above photo, you can just see the suburbs on the plain of Melbourne on the right horizon - they go about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from edge to edge.

When we got back, Pearl turned in, exhausted from her long journey - ready for new adventures in Australia in the morning.

Great post, Chin! I hope you and Pearl have a nice time, and I'm looking forward to seeing more!

 

[Vaporstang]

Good to see Pearl made it to the Land Down Under! Awesome scenery (and photography)!

 

[Ramrodmb]

You've been a wonderful host, Mark. Thanks for taking us along on Pearl's journey.

Thank you, John! It was my pleasure!

Thanks for showing Pearl a good time Mark

Thanks a lot, Jack! She was easy to get along with.

Good show Mark thanks for letting Pearl visit for a spell. I guess she's off to the land down under.

Randy, my friend, thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed having her. She's off to warmer climates!

Well done Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed you sharing Pearl's visit and appreciate Omaha even more than I already did.

Appreciate that, Dwight. Thanks for following along and for your nice comments!

Well, look who turned up on my doorstep on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia!

I’d just returned from a four day road trip out West:

I was tending to some plants in the sunny vegetable garden. I looked up the driveway, hearing the Postie on their motorbike drop off a package - it had come all the way from snowy Omaha Nebraska, in record time. Thanks Ramrodmb !

Pearl is a seasoned traveller by now, and has picked up some interesting souvenirs in her travels around the USA. Not least of which is a finely crafted travellin’ slip made by brother Dylan. I enjoyed looking at the different postcards Pearl has accumulated since she was in Oregon. Great idea @Pàdruig.

A welcome party was assembled, comprising of one of Pearl’s Bradford PA cousins (stainless awl, instead of a spey blade, but still carbon blades); a friend from the Porch; and a seasoned local Lambsfoot expat from Yorkshire, who will act as a guide to Pearl during her stay.

Pearl got to enjoy a little sun and stretch out a bit, after flying in from a Northern hemisphere winter.

Even though I’d been lucky enough to have been privy to some early pics of @r8shell’s scrimshawing, it was still quite a surprise to see Pearl in person and just how fine and intricate the scrimming linework is. I’m curious what tool you used to do the work @r8shell? Was it a sharpened scribe of some kind?

Pearl showing off her lines in the sun:

And meeting one of the grizzled locals to exchange a few tall tales as the evening comes on:

We went for a quick drive to show Pearl some of the surrounding countryside looking west to the outlying farms on the eastern fringe of the Melbourne suburbs.

I’ve spent many an afternoon and dawn hunting these hills over the years for rabbits (cottontails, I think to you in the US) and foxes (which are a menace during lambing), for the sheep farmers in the area.

In the above photo, you can just see the suburbs on the plain of Melbourne on the right horizon - they go about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from edge to edge.

When we got back, Pearl turned in, exhausted from her long journey to the other side of the world - ready for new adventures in Australia in the morning.

Chin, so glad she made it safely and wow, that was record time! Not more than 5 or 6 days! Looks like she made herself right at home.

Just lovely pics so far and I'll be following along with great interest, my friend.

Mark, I Can't believe I missed your last posts with Pearl. Loved the pictures and history on the CWS venues. I always try to keep up with it every year. Hopefully my Vols will............
I really enjoyed your hosting and posting of Pearl. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful part of the world.

Thanks for the kind words, Jerome. It was my pleasure!

Great post, Mark! I love baseball stadiums, old and new. As you know, I got to see Arkansas beat Florida in the CWS this summer, and I thought TD Ameritrade was a pretty nice ballpark (but let's not talk about the rest of the CWS ).

My brother and I were talking just the other day about the Arkansas Travelers, the minor league team we used to follow when we were kids in Little Rock. Back then they played at Ray Winder Field, an old school ballpark built in the '30s. Sadly, about 10 years ago they moved to a new stadium in North Little Rock, and the old ballpark was demolished in 2012. Don't get me wrong, it was no Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, but I still thought it was a shame.



Great post, Chin! I hope you and Pearl have a nice time, and I'm looking forward to seeing more!

Thanks, Barrett! I wish we could have gotten together for a beer but such short notice, maybe next year. It is a little sad to see the smaller, older venues give way to new, big fancy ones, but such is life I guess.

 

[Jack Black]

Well, look who turned up on my doorstep on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia!

I’d just returned from a four day road trip out West:

I was tending to some plants in the sunny vegetable garden. I looked up the driveway, hearing the Postie on their motorbike drop off a package - it had come all the way from snowy Omaha Nebraska, in record time. Thanks Ramrodmb !

Pearl is a seasoned traveller by now, and has picked up some interesting souvenirs in her travels around the USA. Not least of which is a finely crafted travellin’ slip made by brother Dylan. I enjoyed looking at the different postcards Pearl has accumulated since she was in Oregon. Great idea @Pàdruig.

A welcome party was assembled, comprising of one of Pearl’s Bradford PA cousins (stainless awl, instead of a spey blade, but still carbon blades); a friend from the Porch; and a seasoned local Lambsfoot expat from Yorkshire, who will act as a guide to Pearl during her stay.

Pearl got to enjoy a little sun and stretch out a bit, after flying in from a Northern hemisphere winter.

Even though I’d been lucky enough to have been privy to some early pics of @r8shell’s scrimshawing, it was still quite a surprise to see Pearl in person and just how fine and intricate the scrimming linework is. I’m curious what tool you used to do the work @r8shell? Was it a sharpened scribe of some kind?

Pearl showing off her lines in the sun:

And meeting one of the grizzled locals to exchange a few tall tales as the evening comes on:

We went for a quick drive to show Pearl some of the surrounding countryside looking west to the outlying farms on the eastern fringe of the Melbourne suburbs.

I’ve spent many an afternoon and dawn hunting these hills over the years for rabbits (cottontails, I think to you in the US) and foxes (which are a menace during lambing), for the sheep farmers in the area.

In the above photo, you can just see the suburbs on the plain of Melbourne on the right horizon - they go about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) from edge to edge.

When we got back, Pearl turned in, exhausted from her long journey to the other side of the world - ready for new adventures in Australia in the morning.

Wow! What a welcome! Great start to the Aussie leg of Pearl's tour, looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful country Chin

 

[Cambertree]

Thanks very much for the kind words all. I’ll have to make this next post in a couple of instalments to keep it manageable on the ‘phone.

So with Pearl up early the next day, the first task is to brew a cup of strong, black coffee, and take it outside to look over the garden, before the heat of the day gets too fierce - with particular attention going to my thirty or so chilli/pepper plants.

Pearl helped water the garden, then prune a few plants.

Though she was born in PA, she says she’s a Carolina gal at heart, so she immediately took to clowning and posing in the Carolina Reaper plants:

Here she is opening up some bags to mix up some soil for repotting.

Later, Pearl helped me harvest some vegies from the garden for lunch. We also had some sprats fried whole in a spicy Sri Lankan batter, and half a Kingfish curry pan roll - they’re kind of like a pie with curry and half a boiled egg as the filling instead of a meat/gravy mix. Melbourne’s great for being able to get good food from all over the world. We dipped the sprats in some homemade habanero hotsauce, and washed ‘em down with a sharp, refreshing, locally brewed sour ale.

Next up: In Which Pearl Hits the Road and Heads up into the Local Hills:

 

[Vaporstang]

That lunch plate looks delicious, almost as delicious as that beer. Those trees are awesome! Thanks for the update.

 

[Cambertree]

Well, my Porch friends: Pearl and I have been having a lot of fun since we last checked in here.

Luckily her visit coincided with me being able to take a bit of time to hit the road with her and really show her some of Victoria, the parts that tourists don’t usually get to see, as well as a few of the more well known places.

But I realise we’re overdue in sharing some of our travels here.

Now, when Pearl left the shores of America for her first trip overseas, I promised brother Randy r redden that not only would I take good care of her, but I wouldn’t forget that she’s a hillbilly gal, at heart.

Well, no fear of that Randy, my friend - us hillbillies are all over the world!

So continuing on from the last post, after our tasty lunch, Pearl and I went for a drive to one of the local forest parks, where I thought we could go for a walk and she could read some of the plaques describing the history of my area.

As we pulled into the park, Pearl expressed interest in the curious bird and animal species in Australia.

Here are a couple of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos - seemingly regarding a sign with one of the local council by-laws on it, then indulging in a bit of civil disobedience!

As we strolled down a forest path, we came to this plaque:

Occasionally you will find a spot in a clearing in the forest, where one of those old settlers houses once stood, usually surrounded by some gnarled old fruit trees and old-school 19th century ornamental plants gone to seed, from the faded days of the British Empire. Most of the forest in this area is now a National Park.

It’s a strange, wistful kind of feeling to imagine what the life of the families who lived here from the 1890s onwards must have been like. They would of necessity have been tough, self reliant people. Having said that, some of the free selectors endured, and even thrived, but many ended up returning to the working class suburbs of what is now inner Melbourne.

I recall hearing an observation once that there is a kinship between Australia, the US and Canada because we all have a relatively recent pioneer heritage. The saying went on, that in many parts of Australia, we are maybe a generation closer to that heritage, than elsewhere.

The upper storeys of the forest here are dominated by the mighty Mountain Ash - Eucalyptus Regnans - the tallest flowering tree in the world. Most of the trees you will see in these photos are actually second growth forest, only 100 or so years old.

This next plaque estimates the current Mountain Ash trees to be about 65 metres (213 feet) tall, but I daresay the trees would have gained another 5 metres (16 feet) at least, since that old sign was placed there.

The illustration from 1878 shows a crew of foresters at work, felling an old growth Mountain Ash tree with axes.

Interestingly, although Sheffield-made goods were the gold standard of pocket cutlery and chisels and planes; Australian woodsmen exclusively used American, and locally made axes. I think this reflects that English woodshaping tools were intended for a much more established, settled kind of lifestyle, where you probably would have worked milled or salvaged or coppiced timber, rather than having to fell giant trees, then limb them, and hew them with broadaxe and froe, from first growth forests. Later, the English Elwell axes from Wednesbury forge, and the Brades ‘Cockatoo’ axes became more common, but by that time, they were copying the classic 4 1/2 pounder US felling axe patterns. Plumb axes were especially favoured here, and of course the famous Kelly ‘Tasmanian’ and ‘Dandenong’ patterns were also commonly in use.

This tall, dense, straight grained timber was naturally used for all sorts of things, but what it was especially prized for, was refitting sailing ships with replacement masts.

Often trade clippers would lose their masts on the way from Britain to Australia as they were battered by the fierce storms around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

This area is where the jury rigged ships, eventually limping into Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne would have their new masts sourced from.

Many of the roads among these hills on the fringes of the east side of Melbourne, are unusually wide, considering they were once ‘game trails’ and walking paths of the ancient indigenous peoples of the area.

This is because they had to take large bullock teams dragging timber drays with the felled logs from the old growth forest to the flatlands out on the plain of the city of Melbourne.

One reporter at the start of the Gold Rush in 1852, counted 138 ships berthed in Port Phillip Bay, so this gives an idea of the bustling maritime traffic of the day. Many of these vessels had been abandoned, as the crew and officers alike ‘jumped ship’ and trekked out to the goldfields.

Indeed, this is how my mother’s side of my family came to be in Australia - we are apparently descended from a ship’s master out of Aberdeen, Scotland, who also ‘jumped ship’ in 1852, afflicted by the fever for gold, and the promise of a better life in the New World.

One of those characters who came to thrive in this area was an iron foundry worker named Tom Tregellas.

Every weekend, he would leave the industrial clamour of his job, and make the trek out of Melbourne by train and foot, and enjoy the solace of these forests.

He built a dwelling out of a huge hollowed out, fallen Mountain Ash log and would stay there, returning to his work on Monday morning.

He particularly loved and was fascinated by the shy and reclusive Superb Lyrebirds which have lived in these forests for at least 15 million years, according to the fossil record - natures most accomplished and masterful mimic, and a true wonder to listen to.

One of the early buses which ferried passengers from the end of the train line, up into these hills:

Of course, long before the first European naval explorers, whalers and settlers made landfall in Australia, the indigenous First Nations were here. The current estimation, based on archaeological evidence, is that humans have lived in this part of southern Australia for at least 40,000 years.

This plaque shows some of the other local animals and plants which sustained them.

The Wathaurong, Wurundjeri and Boonwarrung tribes all apparently shared access to these forests on Mt Dandenong as a place of abundant plant and animal resources.

As this plaque notes, this area was known as a ‘healing place’ and there are a number of springs which run with ‘sweetwater’ all year ‘round.

Here, Pearl and I head further away from the tourist spots, and off the beaten paths, as I show her one of these sacred springs, which is used by locals to this very day:

The spring runs into this small creek:

I know we have a few keen fishermen on the Porch, so I’ll confirm that yeah, there’s rainbow trout in these creeks!

This is where, after having travelled elsewhere for a while, I always stop by on my return.

I get out of the car and take deep lungfuls of the fern and eucalyptus scented air. I drink deeply from the spring, then fill a bottle and pour the water over my head in a traveller’s bush baptismal - washing away the dust of Far Off Other Places - and tell myself: ‘I’m Home’!

So, at the end of a long, hot day by now, I introduced Pearl to the Aussie answer to the punishing summer heat: our very own ‘sweetwater’ - a refreshing, freezing cold, locally brewed beer!

Next: Pearl and I trek into the heart of the ancient forest, as we search for a glimpse of the elusive Superb Lyrebird.

 

[Jolipapa]

Thank you for the amazing journey!

 

[JohnDF]

Well, my Porch friends: Pearl and I have been having a lot of fun since we last checked in here.

Luckily her visit coincided with me being able to take a bit of time to hit the road with her and really show her some of Victoria, the parts that tourists don’t usually get to see, as well as a few of the more well known places.

But I realise we’re overdue in sharing some of our travels here.

Now, when Pearl left the shores of America for her first trip overseas, I promised brother Randy r redden that not only would I take good care of her, but I wouldn’t forget that she’s a hillbilly gal, at heart.

Well, no fear of that Randy, my friend - us hillbillies are all over the world!

So continuing on from the last post, after our tasty lunch, Pearl and I went for a drive to one of the local forest parks, where I thought we could go for a walk and she could read some of the plaques describing the history of my area.

As we pulled into the park, Pearl expressed interest in the curious bird and animal species in Australia.

Here are a couple of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos - seemingly regarding a sign with one of the local council by-laws on it, then indulging in a bit of civil disobedience!

As we strolled down a forest path, we came to this plaque:

Occasionally you will find a spot in a clearing in the forest, where one of those old settlers houses once stood, usually surrounded by some gnarled old fruit trees and old-school 19th century ornamental plants gone to seed, from the faded days of the British Empire. Most of the forest in this area is now a National Park.

It’s a strange, wistful kind of feeling to imagine what the life of the families who lived here from the 1890s onwards must have been like. They would of necessity have been tough, self reliant people. Having said that, some of the free selectors endured, and even thrived, but many ended up returning to the working class suburbs of what is now inner Melbourne.

I recall hearing an observation once that there is a kinship between Australia, the US and Canada because we all have a relatively recent pioneer heritage. The saying went on, that in many parts of Australia, we are maybe a generation closer to that heritage, than elsewhere.

The upper storeys of the forest here are dominated by the mighty Mountain Ash - Eucalyptus Regnans - the tallest flowering tree in the world. Most of the trees you will see in these photos are actually second growth forest, only 100 or so years old.

This next plaque estimates the current Mountain Ash trees to be about 65 metres (213 feet) tall, but I daresay the trees would have gained another 5 metres (16 feet) at least, since that old sign was placed there.

The illustration from 1878 shows a crew of foresters at work, felling an old growth Mountain Ash tree with axes.

Interestingly, although Sheffield-made goods were the gold standard of pocket cutlery and chisels and planes; Australian woodsmen exclusively used American, and locally made axes. I think this reflects that English woodshaping tools were intended for a much more established lifestyle, where you probably worked milled or salvaged or coppiced timber, rather than having to fell giant trees, then limb them, and hew them with broadaxe and froe, from first growth forests. Later, the English Elwell axes from Wednesbury forge, and the Brades ‘Cockatoo’ axes became more common, but by that time, they were copying the classic 4 1/2 pounder US felling axe patterns. Plumb axes were especially favoured here, and of course the famous Kelly ‘Tasmanian’ and ‘Dandenong’ patterns were also commonly in use.

This tall, dense, straight grained timber was naturally used for all sorts of things, but what it was especially prized for, was refitting sailing ships with replacement masts.

Often trade clippers would lose their masts on the way from Britain to Australia as they were battered by the fierce storms around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

This area is where the jury rigged ships, eventually limping into Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne would have their new masts sourced from.

Many of the roads among these hills on the fringes of the east side of Melbourne, are unusually wide, considering they were once ‘game trails’ and walking paths of the ancient indigenous peoples of the area.

This is because they had to take large bullock teams dragging timber drays with the felled logs from the old growth forest to the flatlands out on the plain of the city of Melbourne.

One reporter at the start of the Gold Rush in 1852, counted 138 ships berthed in Port Phillip Bay, so this gives an idea of the bustling maritime traffic of the day. Many of these vessels had been abandoned, as the crew and officers alike ‘jumped ship’ and trekked out to the goldfields.

Indeed, this is how my mother’s side of my family came to be in Australia - we are apparently descended from a ship’s master out of Aberdeen, Scotland, who also ‘jumped ship’ in 1852, afflicted by the fever for gold, and the promise of a better life in the New World.

One of those characters who came to thrive in this area was an iron foundry worker named Tom Tregellas.

Every weekend, he would leave the industrial clamour of his job, and make the trek out of Melbourne by train and foot, and enjoy the solace of these forests.

He built a dwelling out of a huge hollowed out, fallen Mountain Ash log and would stay there, returning to his work on Monday morning.

He particularly loved and was fascinated by the shy and reclusive Superb Lyrebirds which have lived in these forests for at least 15 million years, according to the fossil record - natures most accomplished and masterful mimic, and a true wonder to listen to.

One of the early buses which ferried passengers from the end of the train line, up into these hills:

Of course, long before the first European naval explorers, whalers and settlers made landfall in Australia, the indigenous First Nations were here. The current estimation, based on archaeological evidence, is that humans have lived in this part of southern Australia for at least 40,000 years.

This plaque shows some of the other local animals and plants which sustained them.

The Wathaurong, Wurundjeri and Boonwarrung tribes all apparently shared access to these forests on Mt Dandenong as a place of abundant plant and animal resources.

As this plaque notes, this area was known as a ‘healing place’ and there are a number of springs which run with ‘sweetwater’ all year ‘round.

Here, Pearl and I head further away from the tourist spots, and off the beaten paths, as I show her one of these sacred springs, which is used by locals to this very day:

The spring runs into this small creek:

I know we have a few keen fishermen on the Porch, so I’ll confirm that yeah, there’s rainbow trout in these creeks!

This is where, after having travelled elsewhere for a while, I always stop by on my return.

I get out of the car and take deep lungfuls of the fern and eucalyptus scented air. I drink deeply from the spring, then fill a bottle and pour the water over my head in a travellers bush baptismal - washing away the dust of Far Off Other Places - and tell myself: ‘I’m Home’!

So, at the end of a long, hot day by now, I introduced Pearl to the Aussie answer to the punishing summer heat: our very own ‘sweetwater’ - a refreshing, freezing cold, locally brewed beer!

Next: Pearl and I trek into the heart of the ancient forest, as we search for a glimpse of the elusive Superb Lyrebird.

Wow... Talk about a quality post!!!
That was a wonderful journey, thanks for taking Pearl and all of us along with you.

 

[Rookie82]

Very nice Chin, I look forward to the next chapter!

 

[Prester John]

Well, my Porch friends: Pearl and I have been having a lot of fun since we last checked in here.

Luckily her visit coincided with me being able to take a bit of time to hit the road with her and really show her some of Victoria, the parts that tourists don’t usually get to see, as well as a few of the more well known places.

But I realise we’re overdue in sharing some of our travels here.

Now, when Pearl left the shores of America for her first trip overseas, I promised brother Randy r redden that not only would I take good care of her, but I wouldn’t forget that she’s a hillbilly gal, at heart.

Well, no fear of that Randy, my friend - us hillbillies are all over the world!

So continuing on from the last post, after our tasty lunch, Pearl and I went for a drive to one of the local forest parks, where I thought we could go for a walk and she could read some of the plaques describing the history of my area.

As we pulled into the park, Pearl expressed interest in the curious bird and animal species in Australia.

Here are a couple of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos - seemingly regarding a sign with one of the local council by-laws on it, then indulging in a bit of civil disobedience!

As we strolled down a forest path, we came to this plaque:

Occasionally you will find a spot in a clearing in the forest, where one of those old settlers houses once stood, usually surrounded by some gnarled old fruit trees and old-school 19th century ornamental plants gone to seed, from the faded days of the British Empire. Most of the forest in this area is now a National Park.

It’s a strange, wistful kind of feeling to imagine what the life of the families who lived here from the 1890s onwards must have been like. They would of necessity have been tough, self reliant people. Having said that, some of the free selectors endured, and even thrived, but many ended up returning to the working class suburbs of what is now inner Melbourne.

I recall hearing an observation once that there is a kinship between Australia, the US and Canada because we all have a relatively recent pioneer heritage. The saying went on, that in many parts of Australia, we are maybe a generation closer to that heritage, than elsewhere.

The upper storeys of the forest here are dominated by the mighty Mountain Ash - Eucalyptus Regnans - the tallest flowering tree in the world. Most of the trees you will see in these photos are actually second growth forest, only 100 or so years old.

This next plaque estimates the current Mountain Ash trees to be about 65 metres (213 feet) tall, but I daresay the trees would have gained another 5 metres (16 feet) at least, since that old sign was placed there.

The illustration from 1878 shows a crew of foresters at work, felling an old growth Mountain Ash tree with axes.

Interestingly, although Sheffield-made goods were the gold standard of pocket cutlery and chisels and planes; Australian woodsmen exclusively used American, and locally made axes. I think this reflects that English woodshaping tools were intended for a much more established lifestyle, where you probably worked milled or salvaged or coppiced timber, rather than having to fell giant trees, then limb them, and hew them with broadaxe and froe, from first growth forests. Later, the English Elwell axes from Wednesbury forge, and the Brades ‘Cockatoo’ axes became more common, but by that time, they were copying the classic 4 1/2 pounder US felling axe patterns. Plumb axes were especially favoured here, and of course the famous Kelly ‘Tasmanian’ and ‘Dandenong’ patterns were also commonly in use.

This tall, dense, straight grained timber was naturally used for all sorts of things, but what it was especially prized for, was refitting sailing ships with replacement masts.

Often trade clippers would lose their masts on the way from Britain to Australia as they were battered by the fierce storms around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

This area is where the jury rigged ships, eventually limping into Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne would have their new masts sourced from.

Many of the roads among these hills on the fringes of the east side of Melbourne, are unusually wide, considering they were once ‘game trails’ and walking paths of the ancient indigenous peoples of the area.

This is because they had to take large bullock teams dragging timber drays with the felled logs from the old growth forest to the flatlands out on the plain of the city of Melbourne.

One reporter at the start of the Gold Rush in 1852, counted 138 ships berthed in Port Phillip Bay, so this gives an idea of the bustling maritime traffic of the day. Many of these vessels had been abandoned, as the crew and officers alike ‘jumped ship’ and trekked out to the goldfields.

Indeed, this is how my mother’s side of my family came to be in Australia - we are apparently descended from a ship’s master out of Aberdeen, Scotland, who also ‘jumped ship’ in 1852, afflicted by the fever for gold, and the promise of a better life in the New World.

One of those characters who came to thrive in this area was an iron foundry worker named Tom Tregellas.

Every weekend, he would leave the industrial clamour of his job, and make the trek out of Melbourne by train and foot, and enjoy the solace of these forests.

He built a dwelling out of a huge hollowed out, fallen Mountain Ash log and would stay there, returning to his work on Monday morning.

He particularly loved and was fascinated by the shy and reclusive Superb Lyrebirds which have lived in these forests for at least 15 million years, according to the fossil record - natures most accomplished and masterful mimic, and a true wonder to listen to.

One of the early buses which ferried passengers from the end of the train line, up into these hills:

Of course, long before the first European naval explorers, whalers and settlers made landfall in Australia, the indigenous First Nations were here. The current estimation, based on archaeological evidence, is that humans have lived in this part of southern Australia for at least 40,000 years.

This plaque shows some of the other local animals and plants which sustained them.

The Wathaurong, Wurundjeri and Boonwarrung tribes all apparently shared access to these forests on Mt Dandenong as a place of abundant plant and animal resources.

As this plaque notes, this area was known as a ‘healing place’ and there are a number of springs which run with ‘sweetwater’ all year ‘round.

Here, Pearl and I head further away from the tourist spots, and off the beaten paths, as I show her one of these sacred springs, which is used by locals to this very day:

The spring runs into this small creek:

I know we have a few keen fishermen on the Porch, so I’ll confirm that yeah, there’s rainbow trout in these creeks!

This is where, after having travelled elsewhere for a while, I always stop by on my return.

I get out of the car and take deep lungfuls of the fern and eucalyptus scented air. I drink deeply from the spring, then fill a bottle and pour the water over my head in a travellers bush baptismal - washing away the dust of Far Off Other Places - and tell myself: ‘I’m Home’!

So, at the end of a long, hot day by now, I introduced Pearl to the Aussie answer to the punishing summer heat: our very own ‘sweetwater’ - a refreshing, freezing cold, locally brewed beer!

Next: Pearl and I trek into the heart of the ancient forest, as we search for a glimpse of the elusive Superb Lyrebird.

You're a great tour guide, Chin. Thanks!