The Tingle Factor Box

Roaming Roy Crosses A Bridge To A Secret History - Cockle Creek Bridge

This week, Roy decided he really wanted to check out a bridge. Roy loves bridges. There is just something about them which grabs his attention. Whether it is a stone bridge, metal, wooden, big, small, they just fascinate him. So, he was looking for an interesting bridge to visit, which was close to home. When he found one at Bobbin Head in Kuringai Chase National Park he was stunned. He must have driven over the Cockle Creek Bridge hundreds of times, but he never knew it was particularly significant!

If you would like to visit the bridge over Cockle Creek, it is located in Bobbin Head, not far from Hornsby. To get there you can enter from Bobbin Head Road in North Turrumurra or from Kuringai Chase Road in Mount Colah (enter from the Old Pacific Highway into Yirra Road, then turn into Belmont Parade and from there into Kuringai Chase Road). While you are at the park, why not go for a bushwalk, enjoy a meal or take in the mangroves!

The bridge over Cockle Creek at Bobbin Head is very significant, though the reason why seems to be little known. Certainly, Roy and I had no idea the bridge was the first of its kind in Sydney, or that it was heritage listed by the RTA. This bridge, which while it’s a nice bridge doesn’t appear particularly exciting, was the first pre-stressed concrete bridge to be built in Sydney. So what is a pre-stressed concrete bridge and why is it important? Pre-stressed concrete is a way of making concrete which overcomes its natural weakness. Concrete which is normally reinforced, with metal bars, cannot be used to make a long spans because it’s weak over such a long distance. Pre-stressed concrete has pre-tensioned ‘tendons’ put in it, which are usually cables. The cables are pre-tensioned and then the concrete is poured over them and this gives much greater strength. Following the success of the Cockle Creek bridge this method of bridge construction became popular in Sydney.

Why go to such effort for a small bridge in an out of the way place like Bobbin Head? At the time the bridge was built, 1956, Bobbin Head was a popular pleasure ground. There was a swimming pool, play equipment, a miniature train, restaurant, boat sheds amongst other attractions and people loved to visit. Bobbin Head was named a National Park in 1894 and from this time onwards the area was popular with visitors. The problem though was that Cockle Creek ran through the pleasure ground area, so a bridge had to be built to enable people to come from both directions, and to utilise both sides of the pleasure ground. The first attempt was made in 1902 and 1903 when a causeway was built, but this was washed away in 1915. A new bridge was the built of timber but by 1925 the bridge and a wharf had been washed away. A temporary bridge was built, and then a proper one was constructed in 1930.  Yet again, it was washed away in 1942. Storms were a real problem when it came to building a lasting bridge. It was important that people could pass under the bridge in boats, as this was one of the main pastimes, but the bridges just didn’t seem to be strong enough to survive the storms which hit the area. Then, in 1956, a new type of bridge was trialled, the pre-stressed concrete one. It’s still there today.

Roaming Roy Finds A Spanish Front - James Theatre Dungog

This week, with Mothers Day here, Roy thought it was time to take his Mum and Grandma to the local cinema. He thought a cinema would be interesting to write up, but it couldn’t be any old theatre though, it had to be one which was interesting and different. When he heard that the James Theatre in Dungog had reopened, he was very excited and wanted to share some of his photos of the building which he took on a visit a few years ago.

The James Theatre, which many people will know of due to the Dungog Film Festival, is located in Dungog, not far from Gloucester. To get to Dungog you can come by either Clarence Town Road or Stroud Hill Road. There is plenty to see in Dungog, with parks, local shops, a tourist information centre and cafes. The theatre itself is at 6 Brown Street, which is not far from the local train station.

James Theatre, which is also known as the Dungog Theatre or Dungog Picture Show is reputedly the oldest purpose built cinema still operating in Australia. It is a beautiful, Spanish style building, which adds character and charm to the historic town. The first film to be screened in the town was shown in the School of Arts in 1897, which was not long after films were first shown in America and Europe! The history of the theatre on the current site though doesn’t begin until 1912, when the Dungog Electric Lighting Company, set up theatre seating and a screen. There was seating for 1000, but the theatre at that time was an outdoor theatre with no roof.

In 1917, James Stuart on whose land the theatre was operating, took over the business and began constructing a building (including a roof!) to house the theatre. The original building didn’t look quite the same as the one we see today though as in July 1930 the theatre had a massive overhaul and facelift to accommodate the ‘talkies’. It is thought that the Spanish style facade was added on to the original building at this time, and the screen moved to the other end of the hall. There was seating for 650 people in the newly renovated theatre, and the front section had a flat floor and removable seats to allow for dances and other community activities. A stage, supper-room and dressing rooms were also added. In 1980 the theatre was purchased by the council as a community centre and the cinema continued to operate until 2011. After a short hiatus, new projection equipment has been installed and the cinema has reopened, though the film festival which it is famous for remains under threat, with a new community group attempting to reinvigorate and relaunch the festival.

Roaming Roy Finds A Steaming Hot Museum - Campbelltown Steam And Machinery Museum

This week, Roy decided he wanted to share one of his favourite museums with his online friends. As you may have guessed, Roy loves industrial history, and he loves nothing more than visiting a museum and investigating their steam engines, tractors and machinery collections. Of course, at most museums you will rarely see any of the collection working, and so Roy particularly enjoys the Field Days at The Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum.

The next field days at the Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum is coming up soon, on the 18^th and 19^th of May, 2013. If you would like to visit the museum for its field days, and see their amazing machinery up and running, the museum is at 86 Menangle Road, Menangle, not far from Campbelltown. The area is huge, and if it has been wet there might be a bit of mud, but it is great fun. Also, be warned there is lots of smoke and noise!

Australia has a long history of industry and farming. We are a country which was known for the production of wheat and wool, for mining and making materials like steel and iron. Historically, in farming and in industry, machines have always been needed and used to help make the job easier. We are also a huge country with vast distances to traverse and we needed a good road system, and railways. Machines were needed to help in building and maintaining these systems and of course steam engines were needed to carry people and goods on the railways!

At the Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum, the machines which performed these tasks are on display and many of them are in working condition, still performing the jobs they were created for. You will see tractors, traction engines, stationary engines, steam rollers, steam engines, and a huge variety of other machines amongst the displays. It is a fascinating place, full of history and enthusiastic characters who will share the stories of the machines with visitors.If you would like to learn more about the steam museum, and about other field days, click here.

Roaming Roy Finds Life In Miniature - Gloucester Tops

This week, with the weather getting cold and winter approaching, Roy decided it was time to show some of the pictures he took on his last trip to Gloucester Tops. Roy loves the Barrington and Gloucester Tops areas and is fascinated by the different types of plants which he sees there. One of the things which intrigues him most is the ‘life in miniature’ which he has noticed in the high, subalpine areas.

If you would like to visit Gloucester Tops you will need to follow Gloucester Tops Road. The road is sealed for some distance, but much of it is dirt and some even travels though farms – so watch out for cows! There are 6 river crossings to make, but they all have proper fords and we saw some quite small cars which had made the trip. Obviously, take care on these river crossings and NEVER enter flood waters. There is a flood detour which we saw signposted.

The areas which fascinate Roy in the Gloucester Tops are the subalpine areas. Subalpine areas are just under what is called the alpine area where it is too cold for trees to grow. In the subalpine areas it is cool all year round and much of the water which the plants receive comes from snow and ice. Until this snow and ice melts, the water is locked away and the plants can’t benefit. There is only a short growing season for plants in subalpine areas because of the cold and often it is also very windy and open. In Australia there are few species of tree which can grow in these harsh environments, and the main one is the Snow Gum. This tree is the hardiest of all of the eucalyptus. Unlike trees which grow in such cold conditions elsewhere in the world, the Snow Gum is an evergreen, adapting to have branches which droop under the weight of snow and allow the snow to fall off the leaves.

Other plants in the subalpine regions have made different adaptations. Plants in the subalpine areas have to grow quickly, with the time from flower to seed to germination being short because of the short growing season. Often the seeds can stay dormant in the winter and will not actually germinate until they detect a period of moist conditions which means the snow is melting and the warm growing season is starting. As water is not always easily available, the leaves are often tough, small and leathery to reduce the evaporation, and some are even rolled or covered with hairs! The most obvious adaptation though is in the size of plants. As you can see in the photos, there are plants which we see elsewhere growing in the subalpine zone, but they are very small! Even the Snow Gum is a small gum tree which only occasionally reaches 20 metres tall and usually only grows to between 4 and 8 metres tall!

Roaming Roy Remembers - The Merchant Navy

This week, with ANZAC Day almost upon us, Roy decided it was time to remember and commemorate the merchant navy. We tend to think of soldiers, airmen and ‘real’ navy personnel when we think of people who gave their lives during the war, but there are many others who gave their time and even their lives. Some of these men were the men of the merchant navy and Roy decided it was time to visit their memorial and remember their sacrifices.

If you would like to visit the Merchant Seamen Memorial it is located near Norah Head Lighthouse, at Norah Head on the NSW Central Coast. The lighthouse, and the memorial which is not far from it’s base, are not far from Toukley, and can be found at 40 Bush Street, Norah Head. While you are visiting the memorial make sure to visit the lighthouse too. The grounds of the lighthouse are able to be visited at any time (though you might need to walk up the road), and you can even stay in one of the old lighthouse keepers quarters, but if you want to see the interior and climb the 96 steps to the top of the tower, you will need to take a tour. Roy has visited, and to find out more click here.

There are about 1800 shipwrecks to be found off the coast of NSW and 19 of these belong to merchant ships which were sunk during World War II. On top of the 19 which were actively sunk, there were many more merchant ships which were attacked, and many merchant sailors died or were injured working for the ‘merchant navy’. Despite these losses and sacrifices for many years the story of these seamen was not well known outside the small towns up and down the coast who witnessed the events. Yet the merchant navy were vital to the war effort. Without ships to carry supplies, Australia could not have produced many of the things needed for survival, or indeed to make and supply the munitions and even ships needed to fight the war.

From the very beginning of the war, merchant shipping was controlled by the Shipping Control Board and ships were armed to be able to defend themselves, their crew, passengers and their cargo. Big passenger ships like the Kanimbla and Duntroon were converted to be armed cruisers but their crews were still drawn from the merchant navy. Some of these men volunteered for a special, three day training course to become part of the gunnery crew, and there were always one or two ‘DEMS’ (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship) men drawn from the reserves of the RAN on board large ships. For the most part though, the men of the merchant navy were simply sailors and seamen who were untrained for war and unprepared for what they would experience. Most of the guns which were added to the ships were useful against air or surface attack, and not a single ship was sunk in such an attack. However, all but two of the ships which were sunk were hit by shells or torpedoes from submarines and the other two were sunk by mines. In addition to the 19 ships lying off the coast of NSW, another 11 ships were lost in Australian waters and 654 people died serving in the Merchant Navy. To learn more about the Merchant Navy, click here.

Roaming Roy Finds A Marriage Place With A Difference - Marriage Trees

Earlier this week, Roy was going through his photo archive of last years visits, looking for interesting places which he hadn’t yet written up. He came across photos from his visit to Raymond Terrace and remembered the beautiful ‘Marriage Trees’ and fascinating building he discovered in the old central business area. He was really taken with the history in this quiet street and the beauty of the streetscape when he visited and wanted to share the photos with his friends.

If you would like to visit Raymond Terrace it is located at the confluence of the Hunter and Williams Rivers and is a little less than 30 kilometres North from Newcastle along the Pacific Highway. The Pacific Highway does not run through the centre of the town, but you can easily detour into Raymond Terrace by taking Adelaide St which runs all the way through Raymond Terrace before rejoining the Pacific Highway. There is, of course, plenty to see in the town with shops, parks, restaurants, walks and plenty of history and heritage! The area which particularly interested Roy is King Street, the original business centre.

There are lots of historic areas in Raymond Terrace with the area first being explored in 1797 by a member of Lieutenant John Shortland’s party, whose name was Raymond. Lieutenant Colonel Paterson, who was the then governor, visited in 1801 and was followed by Governor Macquarie who visited in 1812 and 1818, both times with the view to establishing a settlement. The town site was surveyed in 1822 and 1823 and Raymond Terrace was gazetted in 1837. Land sales began in 1838 and not long after a courthouse, police station, flour mill and punt were in use and soon the area was an important shipping port along the rivers.

By 1840 the main centre of business in Raymond Terrace was King Street which is only a short distance from the river bank. King Street was also the centre of ‘personal’ life in these early days, the centre being two heritage listed fig trees standing majestically about half way down the street. These trees were reputedly used in the early days of Raymond Terrace, before the Churches were built, as the location for weddings. King Street was abandoned as the centre for business in 1855 when the street flooded.

Roaming Roy Discovers A Spiky Character - Echidna

This week, Roy was going through some of his photos which were taken last year when he found photos of a very exciting event – meeting an echidna in the wild. Roy loves Australian animals and thinks that they are amazing creatures unlike anything else found in the world. He loves two specific animals most though, the platypus and the echidna. These animals are even more unique than the Australian marsupials, and Roy thinks they are fascinating and beautiful. When he was lucky enough to see an echidna in the wild, he was very excited and had to share the experience!

Echidna’s can be found in many temperate areas of Australia and are also found in parts of New Guinea. Roy has often seen them roaming along the edge of the road (and always warns his friends who are travelling in the bush to watch out for them!), but has never had much luck in getting photographs with them, because they are quite shy and tend to disappear in the grass or curl up in a ball. This echidna, who we met on the road to Barrington Tops, wasn’t too worried about Roy though, and was happy to hang around looking for ants while Roy took his photos.

Echidna’s are sometimes known as the spiny ant eater because their entire body, other then the underside, face and legs is covered with sharp spines. They are shy, slow creatures which are generally solitary, other than at mating times. They have sharp claws which they use to tear apart logs and mounds looking for food, mainly ants, termites, insects and larvae, and for digging. If they are frightened they will dig themselves into the ground so that only their spines are visible, or if the surface is too hard, will curl into a tight ball so that their spines protect their bodies. Many people Roy knows think echidnas are the Australian version of a hedgehog or American ant eater. With their sharp spines and long snout they do look a little similar to these creatures, but they are actually not related to them at all! The echidna is a monotreme, and there is only one other species of monotreme other than the echidna – the platypus. Roy met a platypus at Jenolan Caves and if you would like to read about this meeting, click here.

So what is so special about monotremes like the echidna? Monotremes are mammals but they also have characteristics which are reptilian, including a lower body temperature than most mammals. The biggest difference between monotremes and other animals though comes in the way it gives birth to and feeds its young. All mammals other than monotremes give birth to live young, but monotremes like the echidna lay eggs like a reptile. Echidnas lay their eggs directly into a pouch and after 10 days they hatch. Unlike reptiles, who produce no milk, the young of monotremes, after they hatch, suckle milk from their mother, like mammals. The echidna has no nipples though and the milk is produced through patches on the skin. The young stay in the mothers pouch for about 2 or 3 months (they leave when they start to get too spiky for Mum!), but the mother continues to feed them milk until the baby echidna is about 6 months old.

Roaming Roy Finds Natures Cathedral - Cathedral Of Ferns

This week, with Easter upon us, Roy decided it was time to visit one of his favourite places in the Blue Mountains. There are many places Roy loves, but the Cathedral of Ferns is one which has always entranced him. With Mt Wilson also just starting to sport beautiful Autumn colour, Roy thought it was the perfect time to visit this unique 'Cathedral'.

If you would like to visit the Cathedral Of Ferns, it is located in Mt Wilson, along the road to Mt Irvine. To get to Mt Wilson take the Bells Line of Road and turn where the sign indicates to Mt Wilson. The road is a little bendy, but the scenery is spectacular. There is also plenty to see in Mt Wilson with lovely heritage buildings, beautiful gardens and streetscapes and several walks. The Cathedral of Ferns is one of these walks and in total takes about 30 minutes if you walk slowly. If you want to stop for a picnic though, you need to take your own food and drink, and make sure to remove all your rubbish too!

Mt Wilson is a village which sits on top of a volcanic basalt cap off the Bells Line of Road. Being away from the road there was little exploration of the area in the early 1800s and it was not until 1868 that the town area was surveyed. In 1870 the lots were sold off, and by 1876 all were sold. The village was essentially a summer retreat for wealthy residents of Sydney and they each owned large properties on which were established lush, exotic gardens. Much of the indigenous vegetation was cleared when the village was established with the gums and sassafras being removed. The tree ferns however were often left alone. Their beautiful sculptural shape and lush foliage seems to have been appreciated and today the tree ferns remain an important aspect of the village.

Driving along the road to Mt Wilson, you will see many of these beautiful ferns standing alone or in groups, but if you want to see the ferns in their 'natural state', as part of the lush rainforest which once covered the basalt cap, you will want to visit the Cathedral Of Ferns. This pocket of rainforest escaped development and here you will see tree ferns, sassafras, coachwood, mountain ash and a variety of gum trees in their natural splendour. Unfortunately the giant gum was hit by lightening and has died, but now there is a new race on to find out which tree will take its place. Roy has been unable to find out when the area was named the Cathedral of Ferns but it must have been early in the 1900s or even earlier, as there are historic postcards which show the area and use the name. Roy has also been unable to find out why the name was given to the area, but feels it is likely to refer to the peaceful, tranquil and almost ethereal feeling of the area, giving it the feeling of a place which would be appropriate for quiet contemplation and prayer. If you know the reason, please let us know!

Roaming Roy Babbles On - Babblers

This week, Roy felt like doing a little bird watching. Roy enjoys sitting, watching birds flit about in the trees, and when he discovered that there was a walk dedicated to a specific bird, the Babbler, in Gloucester, he had to find out more. On his last trip to the area, he investigated the walk and visited a few times in the hopes of seeing  the little birds and we were thrilled when we eventually had success.

If you would like to visit the Babbler Walk, it is located in Gloucester, just off Cemetery Road. To find the walk drive along the road until you nearly reach the cemetery. The Babbler walk, and the fenced habitat area will be on your left. There are interpretive signs and a walk along the outside of the fence, and you might see the babblers flitting about in the trees. A local man also told us that the babblers are often seen on the ground or nesting in the trees in the cemetery, especially if it has recently been mown as they feed on the insects the mowing stirs up.

The Babblers which are seen along the Babbler Walk are Grey-crowned Babblers. They are medium sized birds (not too big, not too small) with curved black beak and a black line from the beak through the eye. They have white eyebrows, a grey stripe on the centre of their head and white tips on their feathers. They don’t fly particularly well and you can may see them hopping around on the ground. They live in family groups and you often see them in large groups. They are also quite talkative and when they are feeding they can be heard chattering to each other. Each group has one matriarch who is the only breeding female in the group, though others help to bring up the babies.

So why do these birds have a specific, fenced habitat? The Babbler is common in NSW, and has a wide distribution area, but their numbers have been falling in areas east of the Great Dividing Range. In the Gloucester shire their numbers have dramatically declined, and the council decided to try to stop them disappearing altogether. They found several family groups in the area and created the fenced habitat to stop foxes, cats and dogs from attacking the birds. The fence does not completely enclose the area with no ‘roof’ and the birds can come and go. The fence also helps to preserve the habitat where the Babblers live as loss of habitat has caused the decline in numbers. When a group becomes isolated from other groups the birds cannot breed successfully and the numbers of birds drop. By keeping this area of habitat safe, the council hopes that the birds will continue to breed and remain part of the local area.

Roaming Roy Finds A Memorial To A Memorable Event - Battle Of Vinegar Hill Memorial

This week, with Saint Patricks Day upon us, and an important anniversary for Irish Australian’s just past, Roy decided it was time to visit the Vinegar Hill Monument. Roy has visited places connected with the Vinegar Hill Rebellion before, but he only recently visited the memorial which has been built to commemorate the event. With the anniversary of Vinegar Hill occurring less than a week ago, on March 4, and Saint Patricks Day, it was the perfect time to make the visit.

If you would like to visit the Vinegar Hill Monument, it is located in Castlebrook Cemetery in Rouse Hill, just off Windsor Road. The memorial itself is very large, but it took a little driving around before we found it as there are several roads within the cemetery to take you to different sections. You want to head to the highest point in the cemetery, and this is where you will find the memorial.

The Castle Hill Rebellion and the Battle Of Vinegar Hill which followed are important events in Australian history. In 1804, when the battle took place, a third of the non-Aboriginal population of Australia was made up of Irish convicts, many of whom were political prisoners. The Irish convicts were unhappy with their situation, being prisoners under British rule, and some of the convicts hatched a plan to raise an army of Irishmen and escape. They planned to hijack ships in Sydney harbour and sail to freedom.

On the night of March 4 200 or more convicts, many of whom were Irish, broke out of the Government Farm and Barracks at Castle Hill (Roy has visited the site, and you can read about it here). They robbed local farms and collected weapons, and soon the Governor, Governor King, declared Martial Law in the areas affected. Originally, the convicts had planned to march on Parramatta, but when they realised their plan would not work, a group led by Phillip Cunningham made a run for the Hawkesbury River at Windsor, hoping to escape that way. On March 5, reputedly in the area where now Schofields Road meets Windsor Road, the Government troops met up with the rebels. Roy has been told this site was incorrectly identified and was actually closer to Rouse Hill House. Regardless, the rebels refused to surrender and their leaders attempted to negotiate a truce, but the Government forces took them prisoner. In the chaos which followed, a battle broke out between the rebels and the troops and a number of the rebels died or were injured. Phillip Cunningham and several others were hung while others involved were flogged or sent to the re-established penal settlement at Newcastle. The area continued to be known as Vinegar Hill for many years, until it was officially changed to Rouse Hill in the late 1850s.