Lilian's Tree

  Thursday 17 April   O –  OATLEY (Co. Cumberland) 33°97’S 151°07’E Oatley is 18km from the Sydney CBD. Named after the convict James Oatley Snr, a convict clockmaker, he was transported in 1814 for live on the Marquis of Wellington.   In 1821 Governor Macquarie appointed him overseer of the Town Clock at the Hyde Park Barracks. For his installation James was given a conditional pardon. Oatley Clock Tower.                                                                             Oatley War Memorial

  Wednesday 16 April  N –   NARRABRI ,  (Co. Nandewar) 30°20’S 149°47’E Aboriginal, forks, forked sticks or possibly large creek. On Narrabri Creek, settled in 1834 NARRANDRA   (Co. Cooper) 34°45’S 146°33’E Aboriginal place of lizards. Gazetted a village in 1863. On the Murrumbidgee River, gazetted in 1863. A koala, Narrandra. Narrandra Wetlands

  Tuesday 15 April   M –  MAITLAND,   (Co. Northumberland) 32°44’S 151°33’E After James Maitland, Earl of Lauderdale.   On the Hunter River, village established 1823-25. A mural in Maitland. Maitland Anglican Cathedral.  MERRIWA,   (Co. Brisbane) 32°08’S 150°21’E On Witneys Creek, laid out in 1839 by J S Rusden. Mural in the park at Merriwa. Silo Art, Merriwa. Sheep, with socks. MORREE,   (Co. Courallie) 29°28’S 149°51’E On the Mehi River, settled in 1852. Mehi River, Morree. Indigenous art work. MOONBI   (Co. Gipps) 33°16’S 147°19’E On Moonbi Creek, town gazetted in 1879. The Big Chook, at Moonbi. Local church.

  Monday 14 April   L –  LITHGOW   - (Co. Cook) 33°29’S 150°09’E Named  after William Lithgow, Auditor-General of New South Wales, in  1827  by the explorer Hamilton Hume.  Lithgow is on Farmers Creek, 150klm (95mi) west of Sydney. It is situated in the scenic Blue Mountains and characterised by seven valleys.  These being, Lithgow, Wolgan, Kanimbla, Capertee, Megalong, Hartley and Tarana. The Capertee Valley is the second largest valley in the world, only the Grand Canyon is bigger. Lithgow Capertee Valley Capertee Valley

Saturday April 12 - K Katoomba -   (Co Cook)  33°43’S 150°19’E Katoomba is 102km (63mi) west of Sydney and is 1,017m above sea level. Home to the iconic Three Sisters, a rock formation on the escarpment. Their names are Meehni (922m), Wimlah (918m) and Gunnedoo (906m). You can read about them here Three Sisters                                                    The Three Sisters and the Jamison Valley. Kedumba or Katta-toon-bah is an Aboriginal term for "shining falling water" or "water tumbling over hill"    and takes its name from a waterfall that drops into the Jamison Valley.   Kootingal -  (Co. Inglis) 31°03’S 151°03’E Aboriginal meaning Sisters. On Sandy Creek. Village gazetted first as Ragill, then Kootingal. Kootingal was the place where my father0in-law was born, on the family farm. The cem...

  Friday 11 April   J –  JUNEE (Co. Clarendon) 34°52’S 147°35’E Aboriginal, Speak to me. First spelt Jewnee. Junee is 34km northeast of Wagga Wagga on Butlers Gully. The  Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory  is a must for a visit and enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate.  We didn't stay in Junee but went especially for the licorice. There is a railway museum and self-guided walking tours of the town.

  Thursday 10 April   I –  INVERELL (Co. Gough) 29°47’S 151°07’E On the Macintyre River, 97km northwest of Armidale. Silver and tin were mined in the area until 1979 and sapphires have been mined since 1916.

 Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Wyong Family History Group's Genealogy Gold, as one of their presenters, along with Jill Ball. My presentation was on the City of Sydney Archives. Paul and I decided to make it a long weekend and travelled up on Saturday morning. Found our accommodation and then had lunch in the pub and checked in. After being in the car for around two hours, we felt that a walk was in order.  We meandered around the area and ended up at the Wyong River. You forget, when out walking, that if you walk downhill, you usually have to walk uphill to get back to where you want to be. Wyong is very hilly! Dinner was at the local RSL club. The local park.                                                                            ...

  Wednesday 9 April H - HAY (Co. Waradgery) 34°30’S 144°51’E Situated on the  Murrumbidgee River, it was established in 1858 and known as Lang's Crossing Place until 1861. I loved Hay, from the very flat planes, of farmland as you drive into it, to the beautiful Silo Art and the emus. There is a lookout just out of town, where you can watch the sunset. This link give you more information on  Hay                                                                                                          Silo Art Mrs McGrath and her sheep. Sunset

  Tuesday 8 April G –    Standing Stones GLEN INNES, (Co. Gough) 29°44’S 151°44’E The Aboriginal name was Kindaitchin, meaning Plenty of stones. The town was gazetted in 1852. Home to the Australian Standing Stones, we spent time walking around them and viewing sunset from the lookout. Sunset. GILGRANDRA,   (Co. Ewenmar) 31°43’S 148°40’E From the Aboriginal meaning long water hole. Established in 1866 on the Castlereagh River. The ‘Cooee’ town, home of windmills. GULGONG (Co. Phillip) 32°22’S 149°32’E Aboriginal meaning deep water hole. Founded by Tom Saunders, it was surveyed in 1870 and the village was gazetted in 1872.

  Monday 7 April   F –  FITZROY FALLS (Co. Camden) 34°39’S 150°29’E Fitzroy Falls were named in honour of Sir Charles Fitzroy, Governor of New South Wales, on his visit in 1850. Situated in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, their fall is 81m (266ft). and is spectacular!  It was blowing a gale, the day we visited and the noise of the falls was deafening.

                                                                    Elsmore Cemetery Saturday 5 April   E –  ELSMORE (Co. Gough) 29°48’S 151°18’E 16km East of Inverell, settled largely by Cornishmen, mining tin. Made a detour and drove through Elsmore on our 2024 road trip. Pretty area. Elsmore The Elsmore Community Hall is listed on the War Memorials Register,  Hall   These links give more information on this town.

Friday 4 April  D -  DUNEDOO (Co. Lincoln) 32°01’S 149°24’E  (Wikipedia has the county as Bligh.) From the Aboriginal meaning swan. Dunedoo is 40km north of Gulgong on the Talbragar River. It was also known as Bolaro until 1909.