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Published: September 29th 2011
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Carnival Parade
The procession entertained the crowds for over an hour. It is difficult to believe that the town of Toowoomba an hour and forty-five minutes drive west from Brisbane could have managed to turn around the devastating chaos and damage caused by the floods in January and open their homes and businesses to thousands of visitors keen to share in the Carnival of Flowers Festival recently. The traffic cue approaching the main road entering the town should have given us an idea as to the popularity of such an annual event and the fact that every hotel, motel, B and B accomodation was fully booked as far out as 50 kms from the town. The floods were certainly not going to douse the enthusiasm and dedication of thousands of people who had opened their gardens and public parks and welcomed everyone with open arms to enjoy the beautiful flora and fauna and experience the food and music from the local region.
Crowds lined the Carnival route , in places six or more people deep and waited in the blistering sun as the Grand Floral Parade set off to entertain onlookers with decorated floats, street entertainers, stilt walkers,bands and walking groups all eager to share their passion for springtime. The parade
This sign says it all.
This street was underwater nine months ago! took over an hour and a half to reach Queens Park amidst a fun fair and classic car display where the public could wander and take a closer look at the different floats and meet the participants.
So with a map of the town in one hand and an itinerary of events, exhibits and demonstrations available to enjoy and visit we set off against the main flow of the public we enjoyed a bite to eat at one of the few eateries open and headed for St Patricks Cathedral Floral Display where every possible space had been filled with beautiful native and cultivated flower arrangements following themes from the Seasons and religious bible quotations. The smell was truly heavenly! Any flower arranger would have loved all the different arrangements and the innovative way some of the flowers were displayed. Not too sure about the teddy on the swing though?!
There were food and drink stalls everywhere and people displaying their talents in quilt making and local wood crafts and paintings, all filling every space around the church and along the streets.
The formal gardens at Laurel Bank Park where filled with people strolling along the wide garden paths
Flower decked vehicles
I think Alex would rather have seen this VW have a surf board in the back! ,serenanded by the local brass band playing Glenn Miller Favourites. The formal gardens were filled with brightly coloured annuals such as californean poppies, delphiniums, violas and antirhymuns all in neat flower beds with flowering Wisteria arching its way across the flowal arbs providing shade for the park benches.
We even managed to find the nearby croquet club offering homemade cream teas surrounded by the beauty of the park and music serenading passers by.
Had we realised the distance we were going to cover during the day we would have returned to the car and driven around to each point of interest, we were exhausted by the end of the day and very glad to be driving up to Picnic Point, a high viewing point that looked back down over the town and out beyound into the Lockyer Valley. We also enjoyed the most beautiful sunset as it nestled amongst the gum trees before disappearing below the hills.
The next and biggest challenge of the day was to try and decide where we were going to spend the night having already prepared ourselves for a night in the Land Cruiser on some deserted road outside the town, fortunately someone
where was looking after us and after an opportune phone call in response to an advertisement on a nearby information map we managed to secure a cancellation on a powered camp site at the Jolly Swagman! So with washing facilities close at hand and a safe place in a secured space we settled down for the night on an airbed and duvet from our bed at home and very little else! It wasn't that bad either especially as it only cost us $27! Must take the back row of seats out next time to give us more room as it was rather cosy, at least I could stick my feet out over the tail gate! Not a problem for Kevin though.
The next day found us visiting the Formal Japenese Gardens and wandering around the flowering azaleas and minature shrubs all neatly manacured and trimmed. the painted bridges cat their red reflections in the water and ornamental ducks and ducklings swam on the lake, all very un Aussie but certainly worth a visit.
We decided we would like to explore the surrounding area more so drove out to Cambooya and Harrow House in the Darling Downs, a heritage
Music filled the air.
There were many bands in the parade from, Scottish Bag pipes to brass bands. listed Historic Homestead built in 1860, featuring hoop pine and cedar panelling with wide verandas on three sides overlooking informal gardens and a lake with water lillies and fish pond. Not to mention yet another cream tea too!
The drive to Warwick took us along the New England Highway amidst agricultural farmland and remided us of images we had seen on the television of fields submerged with flood waters and the remains of washed debris and uprooted trees. Fortunately most of the devastation had been cleared away but there are still many people living in temporary accommodation still which is all very sad and emotionally draining as they are having to rebuild their lives again.
Warwick town on a Sunday afternoon was like walking along a deserted street in a cowboy western film where everywhere was closed and the shutters were drawn in the shop windows, it was like travelling back in time, some of the shops even reminded us of Grace Brothers in Are You Being Served, except Mr Humphrey's was not available!
We had planned to stop and explore the views from Cunningham's Gap on our drive back to Brisbane but due to considerable road
works and single lane operations all entries to walking tracks and viewing points were closed which was a great shame, we shall just have to plan a return visit.
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