The Tingle Factor Box

Roaming Roy Finds A Little Piece Of Changi in Goulburn

Sometimes, when Roy is out and about visiting museums and historic sites, he finds unexpected treasures. Sometimes these treasures are aspects of collections which he didn’t know about while at other times they are pieces of history in unexpected places. Earlier this year when Roy made a trip to Goulburn he made several such discoveries at the War Memorial Museum, and he wanted to share these discoveries in time for Remembrance Day.

If you would like to see these amazing discoveries, they are located in Goulburn at the beautiful War Memorial at the summit of Rocky Hill. To get there you will need to follow Memorial Street to the very summit of the hill – there are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction. When you arrive, not only is there the beautiful memorial to see, but a fabulous little museum with an extraordinary collection. The lookout is open 7 days a week between 7am and 5pm, while the tower and museum are open between 10am and 4pm on weekends, public holidays and in the school holidays.

The Goulburn War Memorial was a community project, built with funding collected from public subscription. The memorial opened in 1925, within a decade of the end of World War One and became a fitting, and lasting tribute not just to those who served their country and died in World War One, but to those who fought in other campaigns. The War Memorial tower itself is just one aspect of the Rocky Hill site though, and not far away is the care takers cottage which houses an astonishing and moving collection of artefacts.

The museum holds an extensive collection of items, ranging from personal items which belonged to soldiers who served to weapons. They cover a range of periods, with many dating from the First World War, but others relating to other conflicts. There is one item though which Roy was not only astonished to discover, but which he found particularly poignant. In the doorway of one room to the cottage is a large metal door, which you might be forgiven for thinking is just part of the building. It is an extraordinary part of the museum’s collection though, being an original door from the infamous Changi Prison in Singapore where so many Australians were held as prisoners of war during World War Two. The door was salvaged from the Australian section of Changi in 2004 when the prison was demolished. In the room behind the door you can find out more about the story of Changi, and see other artefacts which represent this period in Australia's history. 

Roaming Roy Remembers - Goulburn War Memorial

This week, with ANZAC Day just passed, Roy wanted to visit somewhere appropriate, where he could remember and recognise the noble sacrifices of Australians who went off to war. Just about every town in Australia has a war memorial, but when he learned that a certain, prominent tower on a large hill in Goulburn was one of these, he had to visit and find out more. So this week, Roy visits Goulburn War Memorial on Rocky Hill.

If you would like to visit Goulburn War Memorial, it is located in Goulburn NSW at the summit of Rocky Hill. To get there you will need to follow Memorial Street to the very summit of the hill – there are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction. When you arrive, not only is there the beautiful memorial to see, but a fabulous little museum (which Roy will visit another time), breathtaking views, and room for a picnic overlooking historic Goulburn itself, and in the shadow of the stunning memorial. The lookout is open 7 days a week between 7am and 5pm, while the tower and museum are open between 10am and 4pm on weekends, public holidays and in the school holidays.

The Goulburn War Memorial is a beautiful building, proudly looking out over the city of Goulburn from its perch high on Rocky Hill. Many who visit Goulburn may have even seen the tower and wondered what it was. The memorial was built with funds collected by Public Subscription and was opened in 1925 as a tribute to the men and women of Goulburn who served in World War One. A tablet inscribed with a list of names commemorating the people from the district who enlisted is to be found inside the memorial tower.

The Memorial itself is a square tower some 20 metres high, towering above Rocky Hill and perched right on the summit. The tower is built of stone conglomerate and concrete and at the top there is a lookout where you can admire the beautiful view. At the base of the tower is another platform, running around the outside of the tower and this also affords some amazing views. On this platform there is a plaque which identifies points of interest which can be seen in the vista. At night the memorial is lit up, and even has a light at its summit which rotates like that of a lighthouse.  

Roaming Roy Goes To Church - Goulburn St Peter And Pauls Old Cathedral

This week, in honour of Easter which is well and truly upon us, Roy thought it was an appropriate time to visit a Christian religious site. The question was, which one? Roy loves visiting Churches and Cathedrals, and has managed to visit a number of them over the years, but he had never visited one in Goulburn. When Roy realised this, he decided one should be chosen for Easter. He decided on the historic Saints Peter And Paul’s Old Cathedral.

The Saints Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral is a beautiful building and the original Cathedral for the Diocese Goulburn and indeed for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. In 1948, when the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn was created, the seat of the Archbishop moved to Canberra and the Cathedral in Goulburn has been referred to as the ‘old’ Cathedral ever since. If you would like to visit this beautiful Cathedral it is located at 36 Verner Street in Goulburn, NSW. The Cathedral is open most days between 8am and 4pm in addition to service times. The Cathedral is a beautiful building inside and out and is well worth a visit.

The Saints Peter And Paul’s Old Cathedral is a highly significant building, recognised by the National Trust of Australia. It was not the first Catholic church in Goulburn though. In 1840 Archbishop Polding visited Goulburn and selected the site for this first Church and in 1844 construction began on the brick Saints Peter And Paul’s Parish Church. As you might have guessed, the original site of this Church is now the site of the beautiful Cathedral. In 1864 though, Goulburn was named a Diocese and thus a Cathedral needed to be built. Construction of the Cathedral, designed by Italian architect Andrea Stombuco, began in 1871. The architect himself oversaw the construction of the first stage of the Cathedral while the second stage was supervised by Mr Charles Spadaccini.

The Cathedral used a number of different types of stone in its construction, ranging from local sandstone to bluestone. The most significant stone to be used, and also the main stone used in the construction of the Cathedral was a locally quarried rock called diorite porphyrite. This very hard greenstone was quarried from a site on the Bungonia Road and the use of this rock is extremely significant – this is the only greenstone Cathedral in the world. It is not just the exterior of the Cathedral which is of note though. The interior is filled with equally beautiful stained glass, Pugin designed brass, including a lectern, and the W. Hill organ – one of the finest instruments in Australia.

Roaming Roy Discovers An Unusual Chain - Mulwarree Chain Of Ponds

This week, Roy wanted to visit a nice, quiet place where he could pause to reflect, enjoy some beautiful scenery and of course, some history. He was hoping for a nice riverside park where he might be able to just sit and watch the river flow by, but when I suggested that we visit a chain of ponds in Goulburn instead, he agreed, wondering what exactly made this ‘chain of ponds’ interesting. He was impressed by not only the history, but the ponds themselves, so decided to share them with his online friends.

If you would like to visit the Mulwarree Chain Of Ponds it is located in Goulburn, NSW. To get there, follow Sloane Street until you reach Blackshaw Road. Turn into Blackshaw Road and follow it around. The Mulwarree Chain Of Ponds, and a lovely park area will soon be beside you. There is room here to stop and enjoy a picnic or perhaps allow the children to have a bit of a run, but make sure you keep a close eye on children as the ponds are unfenced and full of not only water, but various river plants and Roy feels there are probably a few snakes to be found too!

People who visit Goulburn probably realise that the town was built near a river system, the Wollondilly, but few realise that this is only one of the rivers which flows through Goulburn, the second of these being the Mulwarree. Where the Wollondilly River flows quickly and with reasonable force between the hills and through gorges, the Mulwarree by comparison almost oozes along, meandering through a series of ponds before draining slowly into its larger cousin. Such a river system, slowly flowing through ponds was once common in Australia but land use practices and erosion have meant that many of these rivers have become wider, and also often choked with weed or sediment.

You might wonder why a seemingly small, gentle river is such an important part of Goulburns history. Yet it was the fertile river plain where the Mulwarree and Wollondilly rivers combined which attracted white settlers to the area. It was perfect for farming, and what’s more the two rivers provided an assured water supply. The river plain was also important to the local aborigines, with the flat area being a traditional corroboree site. This was not all that made the little river important though. With its slow flowing stream gently meandering through ponds filled with various water plants, the water was naturally filtered and when steam trains needed to be filled, it was decided that the much cleaner water of the Mulwarree would be preferable to the greater supply of the Wollondilly. Today the Mulwarree and its chain of ponds is part of the Goulburn Wetlands.

Roaming Roy Visits A Station In History - All Saints Church

This week, Roy decided it was time to head to somewhere he hasn’t visited in a long while. Roy visits so many places, but some he loves to return to again and again because they have so much amazing history to discover. Canberra is one of these places. Most of his friends view Canberra simply as the National Capital City, and forget that there are fascinating historical places which have nothing to do with politics! So this week, Roy is visiting one of these places, All Saints Church.

If you would like to visit All Saints Church, it is located in the Australian Capital Territory. You can find it at 11 Cowper Street in the suburb of Ainslie. The easiest way to get there is to turn off Northbourne Avenue into Ipima Street. Follow Ipima Street across Limestone Avenue, where it turns into Cowper Street. The Church will be on your left. The exterior of the Church is worth driving past alone, but make sure you have time to stop and look at the beautiful interior too – the Church is open every day between 9am and 5pm.

All Saints Church is a heritage listed Canberra icon, but it did not start its life in Canberra at all - the building was originally in Sydney, not as a church but as a railway station! The station was built on a branch line of the railway which ran to the huge Rookwood Necropolis. In 1868 a scheme had been established to create official mortuary stations to replace the corrugated iron and timber buildings which had previously been used. The main reason for this was to make the funeral processions more stately and dignified, not to mention easier! The station which was to become All Saints Church was the first to be built. Originally it was known as Haslem’s Creek Cemetery Station, but then became Necropolis station (sometime before 1872), then Mortuary Terminus, followed by Mortuary General Cemetery before finally being changed to Cemetery Station No. 1. The trains would enter the station through the enormous arches, and where the pews now sit, there were platforms onto which the coffins were unloaded. The station itself was ornate with stonework angels and other beautiful carvings which remain part of the church structure today. The station was used until 1948, when it was closed.

In 1957 Ainslie parish purchased the stonework of the old station for 100 pounds. The roof had been burned in a fire, but the stone work was intact and this was dismantled and transported to Canberra where it was rebuilt and a new roof was added. The biggest change to the structure was the location of the bell tower, with the tower of the church being on the right of the entrance, where originally it was to the left. Stained glass windows were also put in, including one which was part of a church in Gloucestershire in England which had been bombed during the Second World War.

Roaming Roy Surveys History - Surveyors Hut, Canberra

Recently, Roy enjoyed a trip to Canberra. He loves Canberra, the history of the National Capital, the restaurants, the culture, the shopping. He also loves the open spaces, the parks and gardens. While he was in Canberra, he decided to seach for the oldest building associated with the National Capital itself. There are plenty of buildings which predate Canberra becoming our National Capital, but Roy wondered what there was from the earliest years of this era in Canberra's history. He was stunned to discover that the oldest building, the Surveyors Hut, was only slightly larger than his dining table!

Roaming Roy Finds A Place Loaded With History - Tarago

This week, Roy was sorting through old photographs he has taken while out and about when he realised he had never told you about Tarago. Now, when Roy first went to Tarago, he thought there wasn't a huge amount there, but as he drove around he discovered the most interesting house he has ever seen. He was in love with the little house and decided he needed to know more about Tarago, where the house was 'discovered'. He learned that, though Tarago is quite a small community today, it has a fascinating history.

Roaming Roy Stops To Smell The Roses - Old Parliament House Gardens

This week in Sydney, there has been a burst of unseasonably warm weather, which made Roy think it was Spring. Although we both knew it was still Winter, the burst of Spring warmth reminded Roy of several peasant spring and summer days spent in Canberra smelling the roses and he decided it would be a shame not to tell his friends about the Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House. Not only are the gardens beautiful, they are full of history and when the roses are in flower the air is heavy with their perfume.

Roaming Roy Finds The Home Of A Highway Man - Cooma Cottage

This week, Roy decided that, with holidays almost upon us, he would like to take you to a heritage house in an area lots of the children are familiar with, stopping by to break a journey, in January or on their way to the Snowfields in Winter. Yass, not far from Canberra, is historically a popular place for people to live with its slightly cooler climate, though now that it has been bypassed it is less more of a service town. Yet, although many of the children had been to, or through Yass, they had not visited Cooma Cottage, or even knew it was there!

Roaming Roy Finds a Loo With A View! - Captains Flat And Lake George Mine

Recently, Roy decided it had been a while since he had visited an historic mining site. We have visited a number of Gold Rush towns, but Roy decided he wanted to have a look at a different type of mine site, and one which not many people visit. When we were in Canberra, I suggested we take the drive to Captains Flat and see the old mine there, which produced some gold, but mostly silver and especially copper. He fell in love with the little town and its dramatic surroundings, and decided this was the perfect place to visit.

Although children learn some of the story of Australian mining in history classes at school, the focus tends to be on gold mining and the gold rushes. Yet gold wasn't the only thing mined in Australia and even today vast ranges of minerals and metals are mined here and sent all over the world. Captains Flat and the Lake George Mine which dominated the town was once one of the biggest producers of copper in the world, and although the boom of the mining community is long gone, the town is a fascinating place to visit, to see the historic remains of the mines, and the effect which mining can have on the environment. Although you can't see a lot of it in the photos, much of the area around the town was turned into almost a moonscape by the mining activity. The sites are now being stablised and revegetated, but there is still lots of environmental damage to repair and which you can see.