Another Country Diary
After about a week of these diary entries,
they go to the
archive.
|
|
22 July '04
|
 That's
no bear! If you travel the Bungendore to Queanbeyan road you'll have
noticed a change in racial characteristics in the 'native tree bears'. I had a lot of email about
the diary
entry I wrote about the appearance and disappearance of these small
toy bears tied up in trees along the roadside. I also found out who has
been putting them up.
Because I think it's a lot of fun I'll keep it to myself, but if you ask around at the pub you'll find out it's a young
working guy who lives locally and just puts them up whenever he finds some, (or is given
them -' what an opportunity folks, see your bear here!'). There are still a lot in trees where you have to look very carefully because the bears and the tree trunks are brown.
It's the new flouro coloured ones that have taken over, and this one, whatever it is, is just begging to be removed but it seems that only the tasteful ones get 'stolen' or 'rescued'. Whoever takes them down, I hope they go to good homes and that there's not some 'bear fetishist' out there. |
|
25 July '04
|
 Counter
intelligence.
Ok, where do I pay, oh.. over there. There's been a movement within the financial
markets in town.
The supermarket and the bakery have shifted their counters around. In the
supermarket they got tired of standing in the freezing draft every time
a passing dog opened the automatic doors. It's now been built to one side and it allows
for a longer queue without blocking access. It seems to work ok.
 The
Gunna Doo Bakehouse has combined their need for a longer counter section with
a strange purple repaint, not so attractive a colour to display food
against, and it has a much more temporary feel being pushed together in a
wobbly line. There is now a lot more room for the expanding line of cakes and
pastries. That's probably indicative of the out of town visiting customers who come
in for the free tea and coffee from the cafe bar if they purchase a cake
or a pie.
Change is good isn't it? Yeah, mostly. |
 I
mentioned the pending railway track work and it's now in full swing. The
railway yards at the end of our street are a hive of activity with a dozen
or more workers there during the day, and rows of track 'ripping up' and
re-laying equipment, and fuel drums full of small parts everywhere.
I sometimes forget that Bungendore is a railway town, a couple of times a day
you hear the boom gate bells and then a 3.00am in a still night, a loud
 crash of
a shunting
goods train and hard revving diesel engines sometimes wakes
you up. But there's more road heavy traffic through town than there are
trains.
When there was an attempt to move the timber/logging freight loading from Tarago
to Bungendore (I think that's what it was) some years back, it was much
more a problem. All the loading work had to be done at night when the line
was clear of passenger traffic and the crashing and banging was much more
intrusive. I think it was complaints that made them stop.
With this rail
update they seem to be doing it to a strict daytime schedule. It's all quiet at
night.
|
 Along
with the recent road edge grading around the district, the council graded
the road at the end of the 'industrial estate' area in town. The loop of
dirt road that runs up King Street to Majura Street and turns back to
being sealed road at Forster Street has a few less bumps but a lot more dust.
That stretch of road and the almost hidden sealed section that is in the middle of the
block from it's industrial days, has been our 'learner driver' track for
all three daughters.
It's almost always deserted and you just have to watch for the local
young guys (mostly still with P plates) who use it as a rally track,
sliding their cars at speed around the circuit. It wouldn't affect many
people except for those of us teaching daughters to drive and park, and
those walking their dogs who have to clutch hounds
and leap into the long grass to avoid the car.
This block between Forster Street and Majura apparently has been
contaminated with industrial chemicals (I think it was a Koppers wood
treatment plant) and now can't be built on. It's a pity as it's a big
space on the edge of town that could be used for further development.
There was a mention in the latest Bungendore Mirror by Graham, the
owner of the mechanical service business on the Buttmaroo/King Street
corner about the lack of space to grow.
(The 'Mirror' is now online
with
each issue in large single page PDF files if you've got the time to
download them. Given the trouble they've had distributing the paper to us
in town within
even two weeks of the cover date, online viewing may be the best option if
you need the latest news.)
|
 I
watched this boy on the BMX track next to the Community Centre, trying to
avoid the dog intent on chasing him. I couldn't tell if it was his or someone else's running
loose. The dog was having a great time, not so the boy who was riding by himself
and dodging the pup and yelling 'Go home'.
Speaking of homes, this area is slated to be the future home of our new,
as yet unnamed, Shire offices building.
|
|
30 July '04
|
 After
my last diary piece about holly, I was pleased to see this attractive
bunch of variegated holly as a decoration at St. Phillips Church. You
ask "Why was Fred in church looking at the decorations?". Well, we were
there for Bungendore local Moya Simpson's concert of her favourite songs
- 'I've got my
Standards'. I'll cover the concert in the next diary, it was a
very enjoyable evening with a special intermission. |
|
Fred
Harden
|
|
|
|
Home
| Current entry |
Archive Menu
|
|