Yesteryear Festival at Tegege, 2012

Each year in April, the Bundaberg Yesteryear Machinery Society holds an annual festival at Tegege, just north of Bundaberg. Each year the variety of exhibits changes - this year there was horse-ploughing, a bullock team, hand milking a cow, making butter, damper and billy tea, tractor pull, chain-saw demos, and the list goes on.



A 1940 D7 dozer at the sled-pull.

 As well as the machinery for the man on the land, there is a wide range of veteran and vintage cars and trucks in different degrees of restoration.

A partially restored Diamond T

Each year there are one or two rare or unusual vehicles around.


A four-wheel-drive Commodore Extra-Cab!!!!!!



Now - there is a prize of a new digital voltmeter (RRP $14.95) for the first person who can correctly identify this next vehicle (persons with the surname of Walker excluded !!). Use the email link for your answers.

Get your answer in quickly -  first correct answer wins.

That's it for this post - I have photos from previous years that I am sifting through for the best ones which will appear in a later post..

Railway Bridges of the Monto Line



The magnificent "Upside Down" bridge at Ideraway, near Gayndah

Most visitors to the Gayndah area travel down the dirt road to see the more famous Chowey Bridge. It is indeed a noteworthy bridge, but it is not alone. These are many memorable bridges on the Monto line. The seemingly upward curving deck of the Ideraway bridge is designed that way. When, if it ever happens again, a train crosses the bridge, the deck straightens under the load of the train.



Chowey Bridge, near Biggenden, Jan 2008


Another unique bridge in the area is the bridge across the Burnett River near Mt Lawless. Of timber construction it must have been built well to withstand the several recent floods, as well as the floods from years ago.


Mt Lawless Bridge showing construction detail, Jan 2008



Mt Lawless Bridge, Dec 2011



To continue the thread of timber bridges, we go east to the area around the small town of Brooweena. Here lies this most awesome curved trestle bridge. I had read about its existence, but it took some persistence by me to track down its actual location.


Curved wooden trestle bridge near Brooweena, May 2010


 Also near Brooweena is this great bridge ....


Straight trestle bridge, near Brooweena, May 2010

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Well, that's it for this instalment - there are many more bridges on the Monto line to come, soon.

If you like what you see, please post a comment (there's a little icon of a pen at the bottom of each post), send me an email, or sign up to follow this blog. Enjoy.

More April News from the Bundaberg Port

Queensland Fisheries vessel "K I Ross"

Well, it's April 7 and "New Ambition" is due to sail shortly, but the attractive "K I Ross" momentarily distracted me.

The pilot is onboard, the lines have been cast, and another load of sugar sails down the Burnett River.
 

"New Ambition", escorted by local tug "Ballina"

 

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It's now April 8 and a few of us are at the Burnett Heads Marina awaiting for "Doris" to arrive - but, wait, here she comes!!

"Doris" at the entrance to the Burnett River, with the waving crowd!!




Swinging the ship on the port anchor, aided by "SMIT Leopard" and "Ballina"





Almost there, the first lines are there. "Ballina" and "Smit Leopard" are easing "Doris" in.


 Further April port news in the next instalment - bye for now.

Realising a New Ambition

Early this morning I realised a new ambition, which was to get a good photo of the ship "New Ambition" as it sailed up the Burnett River. It left Kobe in Japan around 17th March.

As is usual these days, the local tug "Ballina" was supported by the Gladstone based tug "SMIT Leopard" which had come down to Bundaberg for the occasion.

The "New Ambition" will be loaded with sugar tonight and it's off to San Francisco on tomorrow morning's high tide. By now "Doris" should be moored off Bargara awaiting her turn on the high tide on Sunday morning.



"SMIT Leopard" and "Ballina" head to the river mouth to greet the ship.



Swinging the ship on its port anchor.

 

The small white boat is the line-boat, which carries the lines (ropes) from the ship to the wharf.

Bundaberg's Newest Export

Today approx 100 truck loads of rock from Childers left for Curtis Island at Gladstone. This follows the successful export of rock from Holcim's Innes Park quarry in May last year.



Bundaberg Sugar Terminal, low tide, with Gladstone tug "Agros" and barge "MS1802" awaiting the pilot's orders.



Another spectator, having a feed while awaiting for the barge to leave

Barge "MS1802" being pushed into position by local tug "Ballina"



Traffic at the river mouth - left to right, barge "MS1802", pilot vessel "Kareela", unknown yacht, Bundy tug "Ballina" and the towing tug "Agros"


This week could be a busy week at the port with a "race" between "Doris" whch is sailing from Whyalla, and "New Ambition" which is sailing from Kobe in Japan. Both ships are due off the river mouth tomorrow. Twenty minutes ago (16:40 EST), "Doris" was off Forster and is expected off Bargara about 23:00EST tomorrow. "New Ambition" has not yet appeared on the local AIS ship location system yet.