Bedervale

Another Arts Trail activity we did was go out to Bedervale, which is a historic homestead just out of town. It's interesting because it had seven generations of one family there from the 1830s - who never threw anything out - then passed to the current owners in the 1970s who sold the contents to the National Trust to raise some cash but kept everything in place. It's unusual in Australia to get something with original contents; often they buy them back in when they start opening it to the public. 

It has the most amazing setting just on the other side of the ridge line from town. It was a beautiful day with a very big sky ... they'd invited a plein air painting group out for the weekend so the gardens were dotted with happy people behind easels and wearing shady hats. We did a house tour too which was fun - the owners still live there but not in the older rooms, which were freezing. It must be impossible in winter. 

We continued to get ideas beyond our station in life ... and available gardening manpower. At one point is was 36 000 acres - mostly cattle - with 58 cottages on the property - mostly convicts - and self contained with everything from blacksmith to granary. Serious outbuildings and lovely old trees.

We'd met the current owner at gardening club, so were able to ask some more detailed questions about planting ... including a wonderful bunya pine. They take 100 years to grow but I think we're going to plant one anyway.