I decided late yesterday after reviewing the tourist info brochures that this area warrants another day of exploring.
I headed south out of Armidale and stopped at Palmerston – a winery and guesthouse. I wanted to check out the old architecture and had a short walk around the property. It was grand. This home was originally finished being built in 1912.
I loved the road through Dangarsleigh with great old shearing sheds and other old farm buildings before hitting the Dangars Falls picnic site and many great lookouts. These falls drop 120m, and together with the ravine they have cut out, are breathtaking. I did the walk to the falls Lookdown as well as Rock Wallaby Lookout. Short 1.1km one way.
The drive to Gostwyck was also through dirt roads and past farms. The farms around here are mainly sheep stations -with some angus beef cattle. Just before getting to Gostwyck I noticed a most wonderful shearing shed- Deeargee Station. It was built in1872- after a fire destroyed the old one. It is multi story and octagonal in shape. So fabulous and visually interesting!
Just around the corner and over the bridge my breathe was taken away by the quaintest little chapel in the middle of 3 road intersections as well as an elm lined driveway into Gostwyck Station. The 200 elm trees were actually hand watered during drought times! There was a man who came from England to plant these trees! It really has a wow factor! The chapel is covered in Virginia creepers- though leafless at present due to the season. The bricks used to build it were fired at the station next door.
Once I took in the detail and overall loveliness of the location I headed to Uralla. I thought that the whole place would probably be closed due to the Public Holiday- however I was pleasantly surprised.
My first stop was McCrossin’s Mill – which houses the local museum. The primary display is paintings and descriptions that depict the last days of Thunderbolt- the last NSW bushranger -who once get out of Cockatoo Island Jail by swimming back to Sydney! He is a local legend despite being a thief in essence 😊. Some backstory here.
I then walked around the town with a fantastically informative Heritage Walk Guide. There are a huge number of historic buildings with interesting histories- now many of which are privately owned.
