TOURIST TUESDAY: ROAD TRIP TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA DAY TWO

After we awoke to the dulcet tones of the road traffic, we had breakfast, and re-packed the car. Ready, and roaring, to go for another twelve hours or more in the car. Luckily Justin can manage long stretches of driving. 

Me? After 20 minutes or so the internal child in me is asking “are we there yet?” Though I found if I can push past the hour, with a daggy local station on I can do longer drives, until either my bladder or back need a rest.

Jarvis was an amazing passenger. We would alternate between letting him play games on his phone. Or his two favourite travel/car games. Eye spy, which is a tricky game to play with a four year old who spelling is not amazing. Or pick a colour car, or thing first one to spot theirs wins.

First big stop of the day was in Forbes. Can’t say I liked their customer service, seriously how long does it take to make a long black? However, I enjoyed sitting on the river having lunch.

Because of flooding we had to drive the back...back way. Narrow, bumpy, pothole roads. But, the advantage was we passed an interesting town called Weethalle. Not shy of getting our cameras out, Justin and I took turns playing with Jarvis in the park, or exploring the town. Okay town is a huge stretch.. as I could walk it in under ten minutes. But got some great photos. Everything looked/seemed abandoned. Oh, bar for the pub, but of course. And the grilled restaurant, though was not tempted to eat there given the name.

Next was THE most boring stretch of road. I started counting how long in-between spotting another car... Started have Wolf Creek visions which where amplified by a truck that came out of now where than opted to sit right up our back bumper bar. 

Just when the vision of being gutted with a knife was becoming complete, a massive truck passed us. But the truck driver must have been nodding off at the wheel as hit a road post which was flung up in the air almost hitting our car. Shocked into being wide awake we drove into Hay looking for a place to sleep.

Caravan park was okay, but because of the flooding we got attacked by mozzies the size of freaken birds. 

After swallowing a few of them unpacking the car, we walked across the road to the Hay pub, for a parmie and a beer. Well, Justin had the beer. I am so wild, I had water.

On a side note: receptionist at the caravan parks said there are many accidents and deaths on the road into Hay. It is so boring, and straight, drivers go into a road haze/fatigue.

TOURIST IN MY OWN CITY: QUEENSLAND MUSEUM SOUTHBANK

The Queensland Museum Southbank, is as the name states at Southbank on the river, it is situated next the Queensland Gallery of Art and near GOMA. On the bottom level of the museum is the Sciencecentre. The museum is free to enter and open most days from 9:30am to 5:00pm.

According to their website “This fascinating museum of natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement tells the changing story of Queensland.” In 1986 the Queensland Museum South Bank opened in the heart of Brisbane’s cultural precinct. From the museum it is a short walk to Southbank and all of the attractions the area has to offer. 

Jarvis and I each have our favourite sections of the museum, there are five levels to the museum so plenty of things and places to explore. 

Level four is the Discovery Centre, Jarvis will spend hours here, looking at all of the displays. Stuffed animals galore; and dozens and dozens of draws to open and close, filled with all interesting manor of things. 

The top level is an ever changing exhibition space; however the current exhibition is Collectomania. The online website states: “Take a peek inside the private collections of Queenslanders and see how our State’s collectors gain meaning and identity from their collections. Collectomania highlights a very human passion – collecting the things we love, fuelled by a sometimes unexplainable drive or desire to find the next perfect addition, preserve a moment in time or celebrate beauty, function and achievement.”

It is a great place to take Jarvis, on the weekend it is packed full of visitors, however on a week day there is heaps of space for Jarvis to explore. 

TOURIST IN MY OWN CITY: NEW FARM PARK

This week the Tourist in my Own City destination was New Farm Park. According to Wikipedia:  “New Farm Park is a public park located in the suburb of New Farm in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The park covers 15 hectares (37 acres) and is situated at the south-eastern end of the New Farm peninsula on a bend in the Brisbane River.  The Powerhouse Arts Centre is located at the eastern end of the park."

New Farm Park is a great meeting place for locals and tourists, but according to Jarvis, it is a place filled with wonderful adventures.

 Jarvis will wander for ages over the grass and running up and down between the garden beds.

Testing the boundaries of me telling him to stay out of the garden beds. 

 Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Centre

 After playing in the garden beds we will walk along the boardwalk

 I love that you can get the City Cat here. Here is my previous post on the City Cat.

 Such stunning old trees

 BBQs are available

And of course there is the kids play area

  

History of the park

The land that the park now stands on was originally a farm, built to supply food for the recently founded convict settlement on the Brisbane River. A racecourse was built on the site in 1846, which operated until 1913, when the land for the park was acquired by the Brisbane City Council. During the late 1990s the kiosk was based in New Farm Park. The kiosk was a popular meeting point for weekend breakfasts and won many awards. However during 2000 the kiosk was destroyed by fire and has yet to be rebuilt.