Glen Innes

Decided to stay at Glen Innes Showgrounds where we had a great site - grass, lots of shade and very clean and tidy.  The Showground has been used since 1873 when the first Show was held.  Over the years many buildings and facilities have been added and a walk around these historic buildings is worth while.  The Main Pavilion is thought to have been built around 1892, with a northern addition built in 1922.  The Cattle Pavilion has stood the time since 1910.  The Showgrounds are a credit to the committee and would recommend to anyone.  Glen Innes also has a lot to offer so a great place to stay and discover the area.  Was only going to be an overnight stay but ended up 4 nights!

View of Glen Innes from Martin's Lookout

During our stay we drove out to the Australian Standing Stones which celebrates the Celtic nations whose descendants contributed to Australian life and reflected the movement of the Earth around the sun, an important feature of Celtic life.  The ancient Celts were farming people who lived across Europe and the British Isles from around 2600 years ago.  The Celts raised stones as calendars to mark the seasons and indicated when they should sow and when to harvest.  The array of 38 standing stones includes a circle of 24 stones representing the 24 hours of the day.  Other stones are strategically placed and each individual stone has significant meaning, including True North, True East, True South, True West plus Winter Sunset, Summer Sunset, Winter Sunrise, Summer Sunrise.  Wise to pick up a Brochure which explains the history in detail - we thoroughly enjoyed the walk around and spent quite some time here. 

The Australian Standing Stones, Helen is sitting in the foreground to give you an idea of the size.

Trying to lift Excalibur

Looking through the Winter Solstice (Sunrise) stones towards the centre

On the western side looking to Glen Innes in the valley

View of all The Australian Standing Stones

Picked up a Heritage Walk brochure from the Information Centre (very helpful Frank), and set out on a great walk around town. Probably one of the oldest building was the basalt stone Court House built in 1873!

Glen Innes Town Hall built in 1887

Old ANZ Bank/The Bank Guest House - built 1884-1886

Built in 1886 with extensions being built in 1903 and 1915. Kwong Sing & Co is Glen Innes' oldest surviving retail business, retaining its original family ownership but now subdivided into several businesses

Reflections in the Glen Severn Holden window of the displayed 48-215 (FX) Holden and the Club Hotel across the road built in 1906.

Court House built 1873 which replaced original Court House built in 1858

Another outing was to the Land of the Beardies History House Museum & Research Centre, which houses a unique and extensive collection of Glen Innes and District artefacts.  This was particularly interesting as the building was the original District Hospital built in 1877 and was only 1 ward for 6 male patients.  Further sections were added at various intervals and was finally closed as a hospital in 1956.   Various displays were in original private rooms and wards, and their was a comprehensive display of hospital equipment including a huge anaesthetic machine.  Boy! we have come a long way in medical equipment today.

Land of the Beardies History House Museum and Research Centre - originally the District Hospital which was built in 1880

Dresser display showing some of the fine silverwork and china of the era

Helen inspecting variety of washing machines including one appeared to have been made out of a keg!

A Kodak mannequin of the era in front of a comprehensive display cabinet of cameras

A century old slab cottage re-erected and furnished as in the 1870s - photo of the colonial kitchen.