Murwillumbah Photo Gallery

Beautiful countryside

Behind that hill is Surfers Paradise

2000 year old Beech trees

Tweed River

Natural Bridge

Quiet country roads

Mount Warning

Rainforest walk

Madura Tea, Murwillumbah

Madura Tea Estate was established in 1978 in Murwillumbah by a third generation tea planter from Ceylon, Michael Grant-Cook and is 100% Australian owned. Since the first bushes were planted Madura have used clean, green farming practices to produce premium quality tea and there are now over 250,000 tea bushes.

The best tea is made from the two top leaves and the bud. The harvester was specifically designed by Madura to selectively harvest the fresh, new shoots from the top of each bush.

Harvesting is continuous through spring, summer and autumn when only the finest leaves and bud are plucked for processing. Business is brisk - Coles and Woolworths are their biggest customer and there is a growing market in America.

From now on, it's Madura tea, for me.

Surfers Paradise, Queensland

Australians are suddenly waking up to the fact that having an "absolute beachfront" property is no longer desirable. As most of our population live on the coast, plenty of waterfront homeowners choose to ignore it because it doesn't bear thinking about. The dream they have worked so hard for all their lives in now at risk.

The Queensland Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise in particular, is one of the most popular holidays destination in Australia and I wonder how long they can keep dumping more and more sand on the beaches after high tides keep taking it away. Huge investments are at stake and the beach erosion problem that has been ignored for years, with more and more hotels and apartments being built every day on the seafront, is now a frightening reality.

There seems to be three options to the problem: erect a sea wall in front of your property (which which cause erosion for your neighbour further down the street); sand replacement at tax-payers expense (which they've been doing for ages); or government buy-back for demolition (too horrible to contemplate).

The problem seems to have snuck up on us and is going to cause terrible anxiety for homeowners. Retirees come from all over the country to see out their days in a luxury apartment overlooking Gold Coast beaches and anyone who has invested heavily in waterfront properties, should be seriously worried.

Photos are of the Palazzo Versace, the luxury 6 star hotel which opened in 2000.

Murwillumbah, New South Wales

Murwillumbah is among the top ten most desirable places to live in Australia. Close to the Queensland border it has a sub-tropical climate, rolling green hills and beautiful mountain scenery. Because it has an abundant rainfall, everything is lush and green and all the rivers run.

There are idyllic creeks and waterfalls, exotic birds and lots of wild-life. It has a populaton of about 8,000 people and the town was by-passed by a freeway in 2002 which makes it even more attractive. Nestled at the foot of magnificent Mount Warning, the town is surrounded by 5 World Heritage National Parks as well as pockets of sugar cane and banana plantations.

Murwillimbah is also the Hare Krishna capital of Australia and they offer young globe-trotters the opporunity to go WWOOFing. WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms ) is an organization that links people with organic farms. Working in exchange for food and accommodation is the basis of WWOOFing, it means that travellers can see the country cheaply and learn about organic farming.

The farm is 10 kilometers from Murwillumbah in the foothills of Mount Warning. It's a 900 acre certified organic property with orchards, vege gardens, cows, peacocks and gently flowing streams. WWOOFers get to stay in a simple guest house room with shared bathroom facilities and are expected to work about four hours per day, five days a week.

Mount Warning

Tweed River Regional Art Gallery in Murwillumbah used to be the home of the Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Australia's richest portrait art prize, the winner receiving $150,000. To enter, both artist and subject must be Australian citizens. By comparison, the winner of our most prestigious art award, the Archibald, only receives $50,000.

Doug Moran

Doug Moran is an enigmatic character. A self-made millionaire from a working-class background, he started out with nothing and made his fortune in the nursing home industry. He and his family were thrust into the headlines when his daughter-in-law sued for damages, claiming they bullied her husband Brendan Moran and were responsible for his suicide.
.

The family imploded even further when Doug sacked his son Shane, former Chief Executive as well as his sister Kerry who was Chief Executive of the Moran Foundation for Older Australians.

This resulted in even more ligitation involving Moran versus Moran. Instead of sorting out their family problems in private, they chose to take each other to court, where all their sad family business was played out in the headlines for months on end.

Hare Krishner Community

Between 2002 and 2004 Doug Moran took the Tweed Shire Council to court which ended in an out of court settlement. The family are no longer associated with the Tweed Council.

Kadina High School, Lismore New South Wales

Two days after 14 year old Alex Wildman was brutually beaten by school bullies, he killed himself. None of his teathers at Kadina High School in Lismore took any action, instead they chose to ignore it.

When deputy principal Bradd Farrell found out the attack had been recorded on the mobile phone of another student, he had it deleted instead of taking it to police.

When his mother discovered her son's injuries, she told Bradd Farrell she wanted to involve the police but he talked her out of it. When she asked him if they could have a meeting with the bullies and their parents, he didn't like that idea either. Then he told the traumatized boy to "Sit outside the principal's office if you're scared". That must have been the last straw for Alex, he'd had enough.

On the 4th August, 2001,15-year-old Timothy Winkler also took his own life because of constant bullying at Kadina High School.

The Deputy State Coroner Malcolm MacPherson will investigate the failure of Alex's teachers to address the problem of bullying at an inquest which started in Ballina yesterday.

Jessica Watson, lone sailor around the world

Jessica Watson is only 16 and is attempting to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. She has survived a barrage of negative press about her being too young to take on such an arduous task and now it's up to her to prove everyone wrong.

Jessica's father Roger Watson said there was a real chance that she could die in the attempt but he still thinks it would be worse to say 'no you can't go' because of that risk. Mother Julie also gives her support but was very concerned when Jessica had a collision with a 63,000 tonne cargo ship last month. While Jessica was distracted at the departure point, her mother snuck aboard and hid little cards, notes, sweets, a cuddly teddy bear, anything to make her daughter smile when things got tough. Jessica cried as she motored out of Sydney harbour, followed by about 30 boats and kayaks, but managed a smile and a wave to supporters.

Jessica says


My goal is to sail solo around the world non-stop, unassisted. I have chosen a route that is a traditionally recognised path and distance for ‘around the world sailors’. As this is a Southern Hemisphere voyage the significant landmarks are the southern tips of the American and African continents, as well as some of the most challenging oceans a sailor will ever face. The entire journey is a mix of amazing experience and unique challenges.


There are a few key targets I must achieve to qualify for around the world status. The approximate distance is 23,000 nautical miles (about 38,000 kilometres). I must depart and arrive from the same port, cross all lines of longitude, cross the equator entering into the Northern Hemisphere at least once and round the southern landmarks of South America and South Africa.

Yesterday Jessica's blog attracted 610 comments, you can track her progress on jessicawatson.com.au

Byron Bay, New South Wales

Lots of artistic folk live in Byron Bay and the town is considered to be the alternative and creative hub of far North New South Wales. But the city, surrounded by natural beauty, is divided. Five of nine positions on the Byron Bay Council are held by the Greens. Lady Mayor, Jan Barham is also a Green.

There are a lot of very wealthy people in Byron Bay and most of them have waterfront homes. The trouble began when Byron Council adoped a policy of "planned retreat". Council is totally commited to climate change and are convinced that sea levels will continue to rise so future development should be pushed back from the shoreline. Sounds logical, but when wild weather and high tides pounded the coast in May their over-reaction was bizarre.

John Vaughn saw his front yard disappear into the sea so he rang and asked permission to build a rock wall - which he would pay for - on the dunes in front of his house. He said the wall would plug a gap in an existing rock wall that had protected surrounding properties since about 1974. Council said no and issued him with a legal threat if he dared to go ahead - no sandbags, no sea walls.

The distraught home owners approached the NSW government for help. The NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change has written a stern letter to Byron Bay Council stating that ratepayers have every right to defend their homes. Mr Vaughan said that Belongil property owners were euphoric when they heard the news. But the Mayor is still defiant. Perhaps she should consider that six councils have been sacked by the NSW government since 2003, some for corruption, others incompetence. Maybe her council should get together and plan their own retreat.

Then there is the problem of holiday rentals. Council says there is unregulated and illegal tourism in residential areas and have proposed a ban on some holiday rentals. Canny investors bought houses in the town purely to rent them out as holidays homes, bringing in huge rents. The Mayor is unapologetic and says the locals are fed up with 'party houses' which are scattered among permanent private homes, they keep residents awake all night and cause real distress. Point taken, but since when does council have the right to tell people they can't rent out their property if they want to.

We Aussies seem to follow a pattern, when we retire, we want to get out of the rat race and move to a beautiful, quiet, seaside town. Byron Bay 30 years ago was a quaint village with an alternative lifestyle and weird looking people in dreads and whacky clothes. Today you have to fight for a parking meter - the charm has long gone. Business owners naturally want to expand and encourage new development like McDonalds and huge shopping malls and the long time residents want it to stay the way it was. Trying to hold back progress in any quaint coastal town I think is a pipe dream and if people want total peace and tranquility, they'll have to move to some place no one else wants to be.

Toowoomba, Queensland

Dry and dusty

The city of Toowoomba is the commercial hub of the Darling Downs, serving a total of 250,000 people. Called the Garden City, they have over 150 public parks and have just celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Carnival of Flowers, no mean feat for a city that's run out of water.

William Henry Groom

Up on the hill at Picnic Point, the outlook is bleak, no green anywhere, just dried up chaff as far as the eye can see. Toowoomba residents are still struggling with strict level 5 water restrictions and are fed up with the ten year drought. The town is now pumping water from an emergency allocation from the Great Artesian Basin (bore water).

Queens Park

Three years ago residents rejected a recycled water referendum when dam levels were at 23 per cent, now they are down to 9.8 per cent. The State Government is working on a 38km pipeline from Wivenhoe to Cressbrook Dam scheduled for completion by the end of January 2010.

The Royal Bulls Head Hotel, 1859 Drayton

They have one of the most beautiful Japanese Gardens I have ever seen. To their credit, under trying circumstances with the water situation, the gardens are simply breath-taking.

Empire Art Deco Theatre

The rich black volcanic soil of the Darling Downs is one of the most productive agricultural areas in Australia. Explorer Allan Cunningham discovered the lush farming land and named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Ralph Darling.

Fibber McGee Irish Pub

William Henry Groom was an interesting character and was considered to be the "Father of Toowoomba". He was an ex convict, caught stealing when he was 13 in Plymouth and sentenced to 7 years transportation. He arrived in Sydney on the 8th June 1849 and was pardoned in October.

He eventually made his way to Toowoomba and over the next 43 years, he became the town's most respected and influential person. He was elected to Parliament, owned several businesses including the local newspaper and served as Toowoomba's Lord Mayor six times.

How did an ex-convict with a tarnished reputation and no money get started? He moved to Queensland and set up as a store-keeper and auctioneer at Drayton.

He met a young lady there called Grace Littleton who he married in 1859. That's when her father, Cornishman John Thomas Littleton financed him and he never looked back. They had four sons and three daughters.

Cobb and Co

In 1853 a small group of American immigrants, namely Freeman Cobb, John Murray Pack, John B Lamber and James Swanton saw there was an urgent need to establish a transport service to the Victorian goldfields so they started a company called the American Telegraph Line of Coaches. The company grew, pioneering new transport routes, delivering mail, gold and passengers in outback areas of Australia and later changed the name to Cobb and Co.

In the early days, they imported their own horses, coaches and many of its drivers from America but soon found reliable Australian coachmen to take their place. Although originally designed in America, the coaches were adapted for Australian conditions. The American Concord coaches were suspended on leather straps instead of metal springs which provided a more comfortable ride for passengers. Tightening or loosening the straps by means of a turnbuckle would affect the quality of the ride.

Leather springs

After only three years, Cobb and Co sold the company to Thomas Davies and five years later it changed hands again, a consortium headed by James Rutherford and William Whitney paid 23,000 pounds for it. Both these men were the driving force responsible for the company's outstanding success. American James Rutherford suffered from manic depression but it didn't seem to affect his business skills. When they moved from Victoria to Bathurst in New South Wales, business took off and they earned a reputation for being able to keep to schedules in the fastest possible time. They had changing stations 20 to 25 kilometres apart where fresh horses were waiting, ready to go. The coaches averaged 10 to 12 kilometres per hour even over the longest stretches. No competitor could come close and they had branches throughout Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. Its coaches travelled 28,000 miles per week and 6000 horses were harnessed every day.

The reputation of Cobb and Co was forged by all its employees but in particular the remarkable skill of the coachmen. The driver was in complete control and his word was law. Where rivers were deep, passengers were ferried across while the horses swam, if the hill was too steep, passengers had to get out and walk to spare the horses, if coaches got bogged, passengers were left behind while the coachman dashed to the next town with the mail and any goods that were promised, then he would send back help.

These superb horsemen were determined to keep to schedule at a cracking pace - in extreme heat and bitter cold they crossed flooded rivers and desert plains, climbed steep mountain ranges, confronted bushrangers and overcame all obstacles in their way. The last Cobb and Co horse-drawn coach service ran in August 1924, the automobile putting an end to the adventure, excitement and discomfort of coach travel.

Freeman Cobb only spent 3 years and 1 month in Australia. He returned to America and married his cousin and they had two children. He lost money in some banking investments and found employment as Manager of the express company Adams & Co in Boston for a few years. In 1864 he became a senator for Barnstaple County in the Massachusetts State Legislature.

In 1871 he moved his family to South Africa and ran Cobb and Co coaches to the diamond mines. The firm failed in 1874 but he managed to acquire some plant from the liquidator and he ran the line himself for over two years. When his health began to fail, on the 15 February 1878 his estate was surrendered as insolvent. Three months later he died at his home in South Africa. He was 48 years old.

The Great Shearer's Strike of 1891

Townsville Mounted Infantry in Hughenden in Qld

Looking up into the Tree of Knowledge

In 1891 the pastoralists got fed up with the Shearer's Union and set out to break it. They said that wool prices had dropped and they couldn't afford to pay the current rate and wanted to cut wages by 33%. So they declared a "Freedom of Contract" which meant that non-union shearers could be employed at a lower rate of pay.

The Union retaliated with the "Bushmen's Official Proclamation" to all its members which read in part


........It is our toil that brings rich dividends to banks and fat incomes to squatters and profitable trade to great cities. Fellow unionists, the squatters expect the Queensland bush unions will fight hard but they do not know how hard. We call upon you to show them...
.
Barcaldine became the headquarters for the shearers and the biggest strike camp in the state, other camps were at Clermont and Hughenden. The shearers would often hold meetings in the shade of a ghost gum in the main street, later known as the Tree of Knowledge. In March 4500 people were in Barcaldine or camped nearby. Tension gripped the town.


Henry Lawson's famous lines:

...We’ll make the tyrants feel the sting
Of those that they would throttle;
They needn’t say the fault is ours
If blood should stain the wattle.

After such an exciting build up, it all fizzled out. In March police arrested strike leaders in Barcaldine and Clermont and thirteen men were sentenced to three years hard labour. Naturally the pastoralists received the full support of the conservative government and in April the scabs who were prepared to work for the lower rate, arrived on two trains escorted by 1000 soldiers. With the leaders in gaol and the non-union shearers now fully employed working for the lower rate, the battle was lost.


But the people had a lot of sympathy for the shearers and were encouraged to show their support at the ballot box. In 1892 the seat of Barcoo gave the unions their first voice in Parliament. The death of local member Francis Murphy, a staunch supporter of the quatters' cause, brought about a by-election. Conservative William Campbell was defeated by shearer, Tommy Ryan on March 5th. He became the first Labor parliamentary representative in Queensland. Just seven years later Queensland went on to have the world's first Labor Government.

The Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine was believed to be between 170 and 200 years old. It had emergency surgery in 1982s, 1986 and 1990 and in May 2006 someone poured 30 litres of chemicals over its roots and killed it. In its place is a towering odd-looking cube with 4000 suspended timbers of various lengths. The trunk and limbs from the original tree have been preserved and now stand here as a tribute to hard working-class Australians everywhere.

Goondiwindi, Queensland

Goondiwindi is situated on the Queensland and New South Wales border and is marked by the McIntyre River. But the town is most famous for the thoroughbred racehorse Gunsynd.

Looking across to New South Wales

Gunsynd - the Goondiwindi Grey, was one of the most loved horses ever to race in Australia. He was famous for his courage, he never gave up and usually ran under crushing weights. Just when everyone thought he had no chance, when he heard the roar of the crowd cheering him on, he would respond by trying his heart out. And that's why everyone loved him.

As a yearling, when he was being transported to the sale yards, he knocked his leg which left a nasty lump. In 1969 four good friends from the little Queensland town of Goondiwindi were also going to the Brisbane sales and were having a beer in their local, the Victoria hotel. They were ‘Winks’ McMicking, George Pippos, Bill Bishop and Jim Coorey. They wanted to try their luck at the local country races so they got together and put in $1000 each in the kitty and set off for the sales.

Winks McMicking had actually tried to buy Gunsynd's full sister 12 months ago and was disappointed when he missed out on the bidding. Winks had sought professional advice about the lump and was told it wouldn't be a problem. He then spent a good part of the day telling everyone who would listen that the lump on his leg could be a serious problem. Not surprising then when his lot was called, there weren't many bidders and the price was knocked down to $1,300.

Victoria Hotel

When Tommy Smith took over as trainer he had 32 starts for 17 victories and only one unplaced run. The following spring he won the W.S. Cox Plate, and ran a magnificent third in the Melbourne Cup under a staggering 60.5 kilos.

Tommy Smith

He was a very affectionate horse and would stand perfectly still while children crawled all over him. They even wrote a song about him - The Goondewindi Grey. Sadly he suffered from cancer and was humanely euthanized at the age of 16.