Pubs & Silos

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
I will follow Nev's advice and hold the camera in portrait, not landscape, mode next time.
I hope it doesn't stuff up the forum formatting. Looks ok on my android tablet but don't know what it looks like on a pc or an ipad or iPhone.

Forum settings allow up to 5000pixel upright to 1024 across....there shouldn't be a problem.
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Tungamah

Look hard...see Johnny?

Sitting on the step of the residential entrance to the pub - like father (in the ole days), like son.

.... I think Willo frequents this place.....

Not really, been there about four times in forty years. Twice in the 70's and 80's on RoSTA or RTA business. In those days we were investigating an accident blackspot (ABS) in the town.

Apparently there were two fatalities (from memory) of cars hitting trains on the railway level crossing. Information available from Police and regional RTA people lacked some information. A talk with the engineer from Shire of Tungamah (a Jed Clampet look-a-like) revealed that on two different occasions some locals had left the pub with a skin full (probably a couple of the aforementioned wheat cockies) and driven straight into the side of a stationary train.

The train would shuffle slowly through the crossing whilst wheat grain was being loaded, the sides of the train truck were a matt black and almost invisible in the dark. We funded a couple of large spot lights / street lights to illuminate the train - problem solved.

Two more occasions in 2014 and 2015. The OzSTOC (Oz ST Owners Club) has an overnighter at the pub.

There was a good turnout in 2014:


Despite some pretty tasty entertainment (much better than the pub at South Grafton), the 2015 turnout was not as good:


The balding bloke putting something in the maroon top box was Darren (Hendo) Henderson. Hendo met his demise on the Murchison Spur a few months ago. That's four mates / colleagues in four years. Be careful out there boys and girls, please.
 

John_Johnny

Long Timer



The Yarrawonga silo is still operational. In 2009 the line was upgraded from broad guage to standard guage and the trains began running again, but the passenger service is still bus. There were 50,000 sleepers that had to be replaced and the old sleepers were strewn from one end to the other. After a few locals started selling them, the newspaper published a warning that anyone caught removing the old sleepers would be charged with theft. Didn't really stop it though, and most garden supply shops have the sleepers for sale at 14 bucks each. I got a dozen.

There are lots of pubs in Yarrawonga. This one looks good.
 

John_Johnny

Long Timer
Mulwala





Pubs, pizza, La Porchetta. Stacking on the calories here. Across the lake from Yarrawonga is Mulwala and we went to the Ski Club for lunch at La Porchetta, then after all those pubs I needed a coffee. Johnny had the 'help yourself' water and ice. The photo doesn't show what my eyes could see. Behind Johnny is beautiful views of the lake with willow trees, blue skies, ski boats skipping across the turquoise water, but my phone camera can't capture what my eyes can see. Why? I can see the beauty on the other side of the glass, why can't my camera. Might have to join Moike's camera club. Anyway, take my word for it, this is a lovely place for a coffee or an ice cold beer. The schooners at the bar had frosty condensation on them and the pretty bar maids were filling them up so that the amber fluid was level with the top of the glass and the foamy head was above the rim.
Don't ya hate it when they short change you by leaving room for more beer. I once asked the barmaid if she could fit a wee drop of whiskey in my schooner. When she said "yes", I replied, "well fill it up with beer then!" :killingme


Edit. Look! Knife and fork for a pizza! You austouring guys are a bad influence on Johnny.
 
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Paul n Dixie

Part of the furniture
Hey John, as for the AT crew influencing the use of cutlery for eating pizza, maybe Johnny will get some of the crew drinking through their noses.(the straw in front of Johnny ;) )
That lunch menu looks pretty good value BTW! sure looks like a beautiful spot :)
RE the camera getting blinded by the light- I have the same problem! sometimes forcing the flash on can make a worthwhile improvement, as can shielding or partially shielding the little sensor eye thingy on the front of the camera ;)
Funny you say about getting short changed with drinks, on Sunday we were at Maccas' and a friend asked for her thickshake cup to be full-as it was only about 3/4..well! you should,ve seen the mess the poor girl serving got herself into!. As the cups are filled to a predetermined level by pressing a button, the girl serving couldnt "just add some more". She ended up with several cups covered and overfilled- but finally decanted from the overfilled cups into a clean one ;)
Really enjoying your ride reports John, and its GREAT to see Johnny along also :)
Keep em coming!!
Cheers!!
 

John_Johnny

Long Timer


The mighty Murray river. Just downstream from the weir. The caravan park was standing room only. No one was in the water though. Sadly, the blue green algae has infested the river from Lake Hume (Albury), all the way to Swan Hill.



Lake Mulwala. We're on the Victorian (Yarrawonga) side. The bridge crosses Lake Mulwala to the town of Mulwala on the NSW side. Can you see how the bridge rises as it leaves NSW, reaches a peak with those 3 girder spans, then falls until it almost hits the water. Then, oops, up we go again to reach the Victorian side. What happened?!
As a boy I was always told the NSW engineers were idiots and when they realised the bridge hit the water the Victorian engineers took over. The Chief Engineer from NSW then hung himself from the bridge. True or urban myth?

Edit. Wiki extract..."The road bridge across the lake was built before the lake was filled, commenced in 1917 and completed in 1924. It replaced an earlier wooden bridge built in 1889-1891. The bridge was started from both ends, each by the respective state government. Unfortunately, they didn't coordinate their efforts, and the bridge has a dip and a bend in the middle to make the two ends meet."

And another.... "The infamous dip in the southern end of the current traffic bridge was the result of poor communication between the Victorian and NSW Governments. Construction of each end began independently and at different levels. A redesign was then necessary to ensure both ends of the bridge met, and this resulted in the ‘dip’."
 
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dougman1

Part of the furniture
What a great read, John & Johnny,

The outback towns remind me of our recent trip to NZ, where every small business in the South Island country towns was up for sale.

Once thriving towns are now wasting away on both sides of the Tasman.

Things change for sure, and it was probably Mr Coles that decided to import rice from China, rather than ploughing money into the St James dwindling economy.

I've enjoyed your posts. Thanks! :clap:
 

John_Johnny

Long Timer
Albury

I've always loved the architectural style of this pub in Albury. So retro.

Barnawartha

Barnawartha pub.

Corowa

The Star Hotel in Corowa. Looks like it's falling down.

Oh oh. I'm seeing a pattern here. Albury Barnawartha Corowa Devenish Nev, what have you done to me.

I've got Goorambat but missing an E.
Can you guys add Erica pub tomorrow?
 
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