The Tingle Factor Box

Roaming Roy Finds A Stationary History - Werris Creek

This week, Roy was going through some of his old photos when he came across some of a town which had fascinated him. Roy paid a flying visit to Werris Creek last year and was intrigued and curious about the history of this fascinating town with the huge, beautiful railway station. He decided that it was the perfect time to find out more.

If you would like to visit Werris Creek it is located not far from Quirindi. To get there follow the New England Highway to the junction of the New England and Kamilaroi Highways. Take the Kamilaroi Highway and you will run through Quirindi. From Quirindi, follow Werris Creek Road to Werris Creek. There is plenty to see in Werris Creek with a beautiful railway station, museum and local shops. There are also parks where you could stop for a picnic or to kick a ball.

Werris Creek was probably originally part of the lands belonging to the Kamilaroi Aborigines and the name itself, Werris, appears to come from the Aboriginal word Weia Weia, though we don’t know the meaning of the word. The first Europeans arrived in the area as early as the 1830s. These Europeans were squatters, who had been drawn to the waterhole near the creek crossing on the Great Northern Road. The first official settler was the Reverend Francis Vidal who had a 32,000 acre property called Weia Weia Creek Station in 1841.

By the 1870s about 20 families, mostly raising merino sheep, were settled in the Werris Creek area and in 1877 the town as we know it today began to develop when 500 railway navvies set up a temporary camp at Werris Creek. The navvies were extending the railway line from Murrurundi to Tamworth and when a decision was made to build a branch line to Gunnedah, the towns future as a rail junction and maintenance centre was assured. Werris Creek was soon a large railway town, with an impressive station to match. In 1957 the importance of the town to the railways was increased again when a massive wheat storage facility was built, establishing the town as the major wheat transportation centre in the area. Today however, the importance of the town to the railway has declined, with the town no longer serving as a maintenance centre, and its role as a wheat transportation centre also in decline.

Roy Creates An Easy, Spectacular Chocolate Ripple Cake

This Week, Roy needed to make a spectacular dessert, but it had to be able to be carried in the car for a couple of hours. Making things even trickier, he only had a very short time the day before to make the dessert, so it had to be quick and simple but look and taste spectacular. His Grandma suggested Roy try making a dessert her mother used to make when she was little, a Chocolate Ripple Cake. Apparently, this is a very old, award winning recipe, though Roys Grandma has made a few alterations. The resulting dessert was perfect - easy, delicious and great looking! So this week Roy Creates An Easy, Spectacular Chocolate Ripple Cake.

Note: Roy made a big cake - you can easily halve this recipe to make dessert for a smaller group.

You Will Need:

• 2 packets of chocolate ripple biscuits
• 600 millilitres of thickened cream
• 2 teaspoons of castor sugar
• 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 'Red' jam. Roy used fruit of the forest, but you could use cherry (thereby making black forest chocolate ripple log) or any other flavour you liked.
• A block of chocolate (you won't need all of it, it is to grate over the top!)

Optional: If you are making this cake for adults, the original recipe Roy was following calls for a little sherry, slowly poured over the cake before you cover it with cream. Roys Grandma thinks 1/4 of a cup would be about right. Otherwise use orange juice, or leave it out altogether.

Method:

• Pour the cream into a large bowl and add the sugar and vanilla essence. Beat the cream (with electric beaters to make it faster) until it is thick. We needed to carry the cake, so Roy whipped the cream until it reached stiff peaks (when he lifted the beaters out, it left little mountains of cream behind)

• Spread a thin layer of cream onto the plate you plan to serve the cake on. You want the layer of cream to help the biscuits stand up.

• Spread a little jam onto a biscuit, then add a little cream. Sandwich the biscuit with another biscuit and repeat.
• When you have a couple of biscuits, sandwiched together with jam and cream, stand them upright in the cream on the plate.

• Continue until you have used all (or as many as you want) of the biscuits. If you are making a double sized cake, spread some cream down the side of the biscuits, so the other row of biscuits has some cream to stick to. Make sure you have about half of the cream left to cover the cake!
• If you are using sherry, pour it slowly over the biscuits, allowing it time to be absorbed before adding more.

• Spread all of the remaining cream over the biscuits, so that they are completely covered.
• Allow the cake to set in the fridge overnight. This also allows the biscuits time to go soggy.
• Use a vegetable peeler to grate some chocolate over the top of the chocolate log.
• Cut on an angle so you can see the layers of biscuits, jam and cream.
• Enjoy

Why Would You Bother? Tatting Shuttle

Imagine you are a woman living in the 1920s. Your daughter will have her coming out ball soon, and wants to have some beautiful lace for her dress, but you can’t afford to buy it. Luckily, you are skilled with a tatting shuttle, and you will be able to make a beautiful piece of edging. You even purchased some really lovely silk tatting cotton. Your daughter seems very happy with what you are making, and so she should be – she chose the pattern. You just wish she would show an interest in learning the art!

When I showed this tatting shuttle to the children, they had no idea what it was. Tatting is not something which is common today, and none of the children had even seen anything similar to the ivory shuttle. They were intrigued to find that the shuttle could be used for making intricate lace, but wondered why people would have bothered – ‘it’s not like lace is expensive or anything!’. They were amazed to realise that once lace was a luxury item, and impressed with the beauty of the tatting samples I showed them.

Tatting has a remarkably long history. 2000 years ago, sailors and fishermen used a large shuttle to make nets for catching fish. Using these shuttles they would make intricate patterns of knots in rope to make the distinctive net pattern. As time went by sailors began to make decorative net patterns to give to their wives or sweethearts. Using a finer thread, these decorative nets could be used as a type of lace and soon ladies were learning the technique (sometimes called netting, sometimes called knotting). When using a finer thread a smaller shuttle was needed.  Knotting shuttles were often very elaborate, sometimes even made of gold inlaid with jewels, because ladies should never be seen to be idol. A shuttle was almost a fashion accessory, used to show off a ladies hands and, of course, her skill!

Tatting, and the shuttle it uses, are slightly different to netting, and are thought to have been created in Italy in about the 16^th century. Tatted lace is still created by knotting thread, but the shuttle is smaller. Tatting was also a craft which the middle and lower classes were able to enjoy. As the shuttles were smaller, and often produced of cheaper materials, women could afford them, and some women even had an income making lace for dressmakers! The small shuttle could also be carried with women as it was small enough to fit in a pocket. By the 20^th century tatting was a popular handcraft for women and many magazines contained tatting patterns.

Roaming Roy Finds A Jewel Of A Bushranger - Jewboy Davis Shooting Memorial

This week Roy decided it was time to investigate a monument which he discovered some time ago when he was in Scone, NSW. Roy had stopped at a beautiful little park because it seemed to have some  interesting old monuments to look at and was intrigued by one which commemorated a local who was killed many years ago by a bushranger, ‘The Jewboy’ Davis and his gang. Roy is always interested in bushrangers, but didn’t know a lot about this group. He had to find out more.

If you would like to visit Scone Rotary Heritage Park, where the monument is located, it is at 5 Gundy Road in Scone. The park is situated on the corner where Gundy road intersects with The New England Highway. Although it is quite a small park, the area is a lovely shady spot to stop for a picnic. There is also plenty of room for the kids to kick a ball or run off some energy!

Edward ‘Jewboy’ Davis was a Jewish convict who arrived in Australia in February 1833. Later the same year, in December, he escaped and fled into the bush. He was caught, but escaped again and on his fourth attempt in 1838, he disappeared. The next year he was joined by other runaways and fugitives and together they formed a bushranging gang. The gang, which was soon known as ‘The Jewboy Gang’ terrorised the area around Maitland, Scone and the New England Highway for about two years, with many raids committed. Some said the gang was a little like an Australian Robin Hood, as ‘The Jewboy’ distributed parts of his bounty among convict servants. Jewboy also insisted that his gang only resort to violence as a way of protecting themselves and their liberty and up until December 1840, the gang had not committed any murders.

In the park there is a beautiful stone bird table, which marks the place where once an old shop stood. The shop had been established in 1836 by Thomas Dangar and stood beside an dirt track which eventually became part of The Great North Road. In 1840 the shop employed a man called John Graham, and it is this man who the monument particularly commemorates. The shop was held up in that year by Edward ‘Jewboy’ Davis and his gang and as they were leaving Graham pursued them and even shot at them. One of the bushrangers chased Graham and killed him. His bravery is commemorated by the bird table. The gang fled, but were pursued, captured and sent to Sydney for trial. Edward Jewboy Davis and his gang were tried in 1841 and sentenced to death. Many tried to save Davis, saying he had not fired the shot and was against bloodshed, but he was not saved and was hanged on March 16, 1841.

Roy Creates Pickled Corn Salsa

This week, Roy discovered that he had several tins of corn kernels in the cupboard. He wanted to find a recipe to use up some of the excess, so flipped through Grandma’s cookbook for inspiration. When he found a few recipes for corn relish, he decided to have a go at making his own version. He was really pleased with the result of his experiments, but didn’t think it was exactly what was expected of a relish. So this week, Roy Creates Pickled Corn Salsa.

Note: This recipe makes about 2 large jars worth.

You Will Need:

• 1 small onion
• Half a red capsicum
• Half a green capsicum
• A tin of corn kernels
• A teaspoon of hot English mustard
• ¼ of a teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds
• 1/3 of cup of white vinegar
• 1/3 of a cup of vegetable oil
• A teaspoon of pickling spice
• Optional: a sprinkle of chilli flakes

Method:

• Finely chop the onion and put it in a bowl

• Roughly chop the capsicums and add them and the corn to the onion

• Stir the vegetables together and transfer to clean jars

• Put the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until combined. You don’t need to boil them, but they should be hot.
• Divide the liquid between the jars. You might not have enough to completely cover the vegetables, but that doesn’t matter.
• Store the salsa in the fridge and shake occasionally. Eat within a week to 10 days.
• Enjoy!

Who Knew It Was So Old - Jelly Crystal Bottle

Imagine you are a housewife living in the early 1900s. Your daughter has just had her birthday, and you are holding a small party for the family to celebrate the occasion. She helped choose the foods she wanted, and one that she was particularly excited by was jelly. Jelly is not something you make very often, but it is a wonderful thing and one of her favourites. Luckily, you can get jelly crystals in a little brown bottle from the corner store, and there is enough in the bottle to make plenty of jelly for the party!

When I showed this jelly crystal bottle to the children, they were very intrigued. Today, jelly comes in little packets, or even premade, and they were amazed to discover that it would have been packaged so differently in the past. They were also curious about how you could tell what flavour jelly the bottle contained as today, jelly crystals often come with flavour and colour included. The idea that once jelly crystals were just a basis for jelly, for people to add their own flavourings and colourings to was one which the children found most curious.

Jelly is a dessert which many think must be a reasonably modern invention, but in fact, it has a history tracing right back to ancient civilisations like Egypt. Many of these early jellies were made without the use of extracted gelatine, and some even occurred naturally, like the jelly which can form around meats. We think of jelly today as being made using gelatine, but there are many jellied foods which are created in very different ways, and these were probably the first jellies to be eaten. They are particularly prominent in Asian cultures, where jellied foods, both sweet and savoury are still popular today.

Jelly made using gelatine still has a remarkably long history though. By the 1300s people had learned to extract gelatine from meats and fish and were using it to set liquids into a wobbly mass. Jelly was particularly popular in England, right from medieval times and was used as beautiful and often very intricate centrepieces for tables. Some were simply set in decorative moulds, but others were created by setting preset or even sculpted pieces of jelly in another clear jelly, or by creating several differently coloured and flavoured layers. Sometimes the jelly was savoury, sometimes it was sweet, sometimes it was a clear liquid and sometimes it was milk based. Sometimes jelly was even made to resemble something else (a plate of fried eggs and bacon was apparently popular!) By the 20^th century, jelly had become a household item, and was even available as ‘jelly crystals’, a mixture of gelatine and icing sugar. As time went by these jelly crystals began to be sold with powdered flavourings and colour, so that all the housewife had to do was add water and wait for it to set. Today, this is the most common form of jelly, but unflavoured, unsweetened gelatine is still available.

Roaming Roy Visits Fairyland

This week, Roy was looking through his old postcards and found the beautiful image above. He was intrigued by the idea of ‘Fairyland’ and wanted to know more. After a little research, he was disappointed to discover that the picnic grounds are no more, but was thrilled to discover an interpretive trail in the place where they were. He had to visit!

If you would like to visit the old site of Fairyland pleasure grounds, it is located in Lane Cove National Park in Northern Sydney, along the route of the Great North Walk. To get there, turn off Dehli Road into River Avenue. Follow River Avenue to the junction with Quebec Road. Now, you need to look for a walk marker, which is opposite 101 Quebec Avenue and 142 River Avenue (almost exactly where they run into each other). The walk to fairylands is a very easy, relatively flat one, and there is a lovely bench in the Fairyland area, just next to Lane Cove River which is a perfect spot to stop and enjoy a picnic lunch.

The area around Fairyland belonged to the Swan family. They purchased the land in the early 20^th century and cleared the area to establish market gardens. According to the interpretive signs, they grew strawberries which were popular with people boating on the river and eventually began to offer afternoon teas. In about 1920 the Swan family recognised the potential of their land, in a flat area right alongside the beautiful Lane Cove River, as a pleasure ground and set about transforming their market garden into Fairyland.

The area became very popular with day trippers and soon a wharf, dance hall, kiosk and playground were built. Fairyland even had rides like a razzle dazzle! Roy did wonder about the name though. Why Fairyland? The Swan family used fairytale characters throughout the pleasure ground, painting them on buildings, and even putting them in trees according to some sources! Today, all of the fairytale characters, rides, and buildings are long gone and the cleared area has returned to nature. There are plenty of interpretive signs to see though, and if you are lucky, you might even see a fairy wren!

Roy Creates A Delicious Tunnel Of Fudge Cake

This week, Roy wanted to share the recipe for that delicious looking cake he decorated with sugared violets last week. The cake in question, a Chocolate Tunnel of Fudge cake is an old recipe which was given to his great grandmother many years ago. The story goes that it was an award winning cake in America, but Roy isn’t sure if this is true. What is indisputable though is that this cake is one of the moistest, biggest, most delicious cakes you will ever try! So this week, Roy Creates The Famous Chocolate Tunnel of Fudge Cake.

Note: You can freeze this cake (uniced)

You Will Need:

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil (not olive oil)
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups of plain flour
• ¾ of a cup of cocoa
• 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 and ½ teaspoons of salt
• 1 cup of strong, hot coffee
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• ½ a cup of chopped walnuts

For the filling

• ¼ of a cup of sugar
• 225 grams of cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 packet of chocolate bits
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• ½ a cup of desiccated coconut

Method:

• Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt tin (you need a very large tin because it is an enormous cake! You can cook it as two smaller ring tins, but adjust the cooking time accordingly)

• Mix together all the filling ingredients other than the chocolate bits until they are smooth, then mix in the chocolate bits

• In a separate, large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil and eggs until well combined (about 1 minute)

• Sift together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder
• Beat the sour cream into the egg and sugar mix.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients, other than the walnuts, and beat for about 3 minutes. Roy recommends adding some of the flour, then some of the coffee – it is easier!

• Stir in the walnuts
• Pour half of the chocolate cake mix into the bundt tin
• Dollop spoonfuls of the filling mix around the cake, until you have a ‘tunnel of fudge’

• Pour the rest of the chocolate cake mix into the pan
• Bake for 70 to 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (remember the fudge will still be soft)
• Let the cake cool 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a cooling rack
• Let the cake cool completely then, if you like, drizzle it with melted chocolate, ice with chocolate icing or drizzle with a chocolate glaze.

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Roy Creates Sugared Violets

How Exciting - Campaign Lamp

Imagine you are a man, on a military campaign in India. You have left the comforts of home behind, but being an upper class gentleman, you do not have to do completely without. Before leaving you were able to purchase several wonderful pieces of campaign furniture – light, easy to carry, compact and most importantly, stylish and comfortable. You have a bed, desk, chair and even a small lamp for melting wax to seal your letters. Really, everything the English gentleman needs to travel in style!

When I showed the children this campaign wax lamp, they had no idea what it could be used for. Some suggested it was for carrying some sort of liquid, while others were closer, suggesting it was some sort of light or lamp. They were amazed to discover that the little lamp was used to melt wax to seal letters. They were even more amazed to learn that it was carefully designed to allow it to be used by a travelling gentleman – perhaps even one on a military campaign. As one child put it ‘how exciting!’

Campaign furniture has a remarkably long history. For centuries, people have created portable versions of daily necessities to use when on trips or for soldiers to carry with them. However, campaign furniture as we think of it today, combining beauty and functionality, dates to the 1700s. During this time, English gentlemen who joined the army as officers expected that they should have the same luxuries and privileges they enjoyed at home, even in a tent in a different land – many even took servants with them! As a result, furniture which was light, sturdy, collapsible and able to be put together without nails became very popular.

Almost any piece of furniture which would make life comfortable for English officers was available, from beds to chairs to writing desks. One of the most distinctive things about the campaign furniture though was its beauty. These were not cheap or unattractive pieces of furniture, they were produced to the highest quality using beautiful woods by famous furniture makers like Chippendale and Sheraton. What’s more, they didn’t stop at large, bulky items. Inkwells, flasks, decanters, lamps, and even boxes to keep cigars in could be purchased to help make life comfortable. The small oil lamp I showed the children is an unusual example. The lamp would be used for heating a stick of wax to use in sealing letters, but it had to be able to be extinguished quickly and safely, and able to be carried when on the move. With the flip top ‘lid’, the lamp is perfect for travel. Of course, the lamp could also be used as a tiny light – a bit like a candle.

Roaming Roy Tips His Hat To Tipper - Muogamarra Nature Reserve

This week, Roy decided to send Rover on an expedition to a place he has always wanted to visit. Muogamarra Nature Reserve is not far from where we live, but between Roy’s age catching up, and the park only being open for 6 weekends a year, he had not had a chance to visit. When I told him the park was open, he decided it was a perfect place to take Rover on an outing. Rover loved the park, and wanted to share the story of the man who saved it.

If you would like to visit Muogamarra Nature Reserve, it is located on the Old Pacific Highway at Cowan. The entrance is opposite Pie In The Sky. The reserve is very beautiful and full of history and amazing wildflower displays, but it is a sensitive environment and only open to the public during the wildflower season. To check which weekends the reserve is open this year, click here or contact National Parks and Wildlife.

Muogamarra Nature Reserve is an incredible place, and it was an incredible man who saved it to allow us to enjoy the park today. John Duncan Tipper was born in West Maitland, and during his formative years he spent a lot of time in the Liverpool Ranges, studying birds and animals. He also gained an appreciation of Aboriginal culture through interactions with local Aborigines near the Barrington River. These experiences led him to a lifelong love of nature, history and culture. As an adult he became a member of the Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia, the Rangers League of New South Wales and the Australian Bushland Conservation Association. He wanted to see Australia’s beautiful bush, particularly the national parks, protected from illegal wildflower collection and fires and to ensure that at least one area was saved, he leased 2000 acres from the Department of Lands in 1933. This land was to become Muogamarra Sanctuary.

The reserve was formally established by Tipper in 1934 and opened to the public in 1935, for a short period during the wildflower season. The reserve was called Muogamarra Sanctuary after an Aboriginal word which Tipper believed meant ‘preserve for the future’. He worked tirelessly to protect the area, establishing a volunteer bushfire brigade, an environmental study centre and a museum. He created paths and lookouts, and ensured the beautiful area was preserved. In 1953 Tipper gave up his lease and, with the support of the State Government, Muogamarra Sanctuary was run by trustees, with Tipper remaining the president. In 1967 the National Parks and Wildlife Service took over the park  and Tipper began to withdraw from association with the sanctuary (due to disagreements). Tipper died in 1970. Today, you can still see some of Tippers paths, lookouts, rock walls and even the tanks he used to fight fires on the JD Tipper Loop walk.