Terrigal to Gundagai

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Our run of beautiful weather has come to an end. Today it is not just overcast, it is raining. On the plus side it is getting us psychologically prepared for our return to Melbourne’s wet and cold weather.

Today we started heading south in earnest clocking up 451 kilometres in the truck. We even managed to drive the truck out of the car park without incident and without Bernie making me ride on the running board to weigh the car down more on the side he was worried about touching the height guide/barrier. I’m not sure he was ever serious about that, but last night he was telling me that I might have to ride the running board to get the car out of the car park!!?

We set out from Terrigal through Gosford and then picked up the Pacific Motorway (M1). We continued on the M1 until we headed underground in the Northconnex tunnel which later fed us onto the M2 Hills Motorway. Then we hooked up with the M7 Westlink which soon had us heading south again after our loop around Sydney. The SatNav told us this route is longer, but definitely quicker than other routes that avoid tolls.

Driving along the M7 approaching the interchange with the M4 we saw all these orange poles in the median strip with what looked like electrical wiring hanging out the top. What’s that all about we wondered? Thanks to Google (and good mobile coverage so close to Sydney!) we were able to find out. First I Googled ‘orange poles on the M7 Sydney’ which brought up a Reddit post that referred to a wiki article saying that the markers near the M4/M7 interchange represent the Light Horse on parade. So then I Googled ‘lighthorse interchange’ and found an article on the New South Wales War Memorials Register.

“The Australian Light Horse Sculpture Parade is dedicated to the heroic troops who served in the Australian Light Horse, and their horses that could never return. It has a central mast and four sets of red poles, representing the Australian Light Horse on parade. The 55-metre-high mast with its reflective crown, located at the centre of the Light Horse Interchange, provides a focus to the sculpture. The lit mast and crown symbolise a torch in the dark.

The red colour of the poles, also referred to as markers, represents the Flanders poppy, and poppies that bloomed throughout Palestine. It is also symbolic of the blood of the supreme sacrifice made by servicemen who died during the war. The abstract plumage attached to each pole, represents the emu plumes attached to the light horsemen's slouch hats. The white band below the plumage is a reference to the departing soldiers' innocence of war.

Australian quarantine regulations prevented the return of any horse that had survived the battles. The old and sick horses were shot, while the remainder were handed over to British units. As a reminder of every light horseman's loss in leaving his horse behind, there is no physical representation of horses in the sculpture.

The sculpture was designed by architectural firm Conybeare Morrison, in consultation with representatives from the RSL.

Note: the above information was compiled by Ian R Stehbens, from the Roads and Traffic Authority website.”

The site is significant because during the First World War, the Australian Light Horse soldiers were based at a major training camp in Western Sydney that was located beside the interchange that links the M4 Motorway with the M7 Westlink. During the war, light horsemen patrolled the main water supply pipeline, which runs through the area. It was decided the interchange at Eastern Creek should be called the Light Horse Interchange. Traffic has been hurtling past this installation since the M7 opened in December 2005. Thank goodness for Google enabling us to learn about this memorial.

Continuing with this theme of remembering Australians who served during war time we noticed that the Hume Highway is also part of the Remembrance Driveway that runs between Sydney and Canberra. Thanks again to Google we have learnt that the Remembrance Driveway is a road and memorial system of arboreal parks, plantations and road-side rest areas that provide a living memorial in honour of those who served in the Australian Defence Forces in World War II and subsequent conflicts. The Driveway was launched in 1954, with the Queen and Prince Philip each planting a Plane tree in Macquarie Place, Sydney. Also prominently featured along the driveway are rest areas dedicated in honour of Australian Victoria Cross recipients.

We made our first stop for today at the Partridge VC Rest Stop. Frank Partridge was the last (and youngest at 20-years-old) Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War. He was decorated for his actions on Bougainville in July 1945 when he attacked two Japanese bunkers despite severe wounds. I wonder how many people who stop at this rest stop read the plaque commemorating young Frank??

We swung of the Hume Highway at Goulburn to visit the BIG Merino and find some lunch. It was hectic around the merino. There is a Shell servo and a few eating options so lots of people stopping in for fuel and/or food. There were young children on school holidays finding the merino’s balls to be quite hilarious. Why did they make it a 15.2 metre ram rather than a ewe? After lunch at Trappers Bakery we popped into the merino ourselves. I purchased a beautiful hat there on the way through in 2019 and thought I might be able to buy it in a different colour. Unfortunately, the lady who used to make the hats no longer does. Still, it meant that we were able to get out of the shop with just two balls of wool and a greeting card.

So, we didn’t stop in at the big BP out on the Hume Highway so we had to drive right into the center of Goulburn to top up the truck. While we were in the historic centre of town we stretched our legs with a walk in the mizzle around some of Goulburn’s beautiful old buildings: the Cathedral Church of St Saviour, St Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral, the post office and the fire station.

Back out on the highway we continued our drive in drizzle and rain. For our entire journey today the clouds have not lifted above the hills! We arrived at the Dog on the Tuckerbox and HAD to take a photo … even though it is on the wrong side of the road when you are travelling south. Five miles further on we exited the highway to make our way into Gundagai where we are spending the night. Who ever stays in Gundagai??? To the best of our memories neither of us has ever been into Gundagai before.

After checking in we took a short walk to Woolworths for some fruit and some water. After returning those supplies to our room we set off for a bit of a look around Gundagai … despite the mizzle. Just a couple of minute’s walk away we found the Dad & Dave, Mum & Mabel statue featuring the characters made famous by Steele Rudd’s ‘On Our Selection’ novels. Gundagai certainly has its fair share of lovely old buildings too. Quite a few deco period buildings and a magnificent courthouse.

The motel owner recommended the Family Hotel for dinner tonight. We both enjoyed a scotch fillet steak this evening, but getting to the stage where a home-cooked meal will be appreciated.



Steps: 10,923 (7.44kms)

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