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Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 16:18:31 +1000To: studio@toysatellite.org From: Don Pattenden <dpattenden@pegasus.com.au> Subject: Tweed Valley Hello, I'm typing this in Murwillumbah at the home of Diane & Harry, Diane being my cousin & sister of Pam (the cousin I stayed with in Myocum, outside of Byron). As it happens cousin Margaret, the other sister, who also lives in Murwillumbah is away on holidays in New Zealand right now otherwise I would probably have stayed with her. Just to complete the picture, cousin John with whom I stayed in Newcastle is their brother. The four of them are the offspring of Fred Pattenden, my father's brother. I can remember playing with John & Margaret when we were all very young and when the family was still living in Sydney. But the family moved to Brunswick Heads (quite near here) when Diane was very young and before Pam was born. So before coming on this trip I had never met Pam before and Diane only once at one of the family reunions, apart from as a wee bairn. Well, never mind all that family tree stuff, on to more important matters. I want to tell you how impressed I am with the Tweed valley as a geographical area. The Tweed River itself is not so impressive being nothing like as wide as the Clarence that runs through Grafton, but the Tweed Valley consists of an enormous bowl representing the caldera of a single volcanoe that was active some 25 million years ago This word "caldera" crops up again and again in all the literature about the region and even the locals seems to bandy it about quite a bit. I confess to being pretty vague about exactly what it is (never having studied geology) so I looked it up in the Brittanica:- "Caldera, Large bowl-shaped volcanic depression usually several miles in diameter and rimmed by infacing scarps. Calderas usually if not always, form by collapse of the top of a volcanic cone or group of cones because of removal of the support formerly furnished by an underlying body of magma (molten rock). At the end of the eruptions [of the magma] the top of the top of the mountain has disappeared, leavng a great hole in its place." And that's just what the Tweed Valley is, a huge pudding bowl surrounded by vast ranges around the circumference with the imposing Mount Warning, that was originally the plug of the volcanoe, in the centre. Mount Warning is now 1157m in height, but the volcanoe it was once in the centre of (before it blew up) was apparently some 2,000m. It is clearly visible from anywhere in the Valley, and beyond - from Cape Byron in fact. Captain Cook named it thus during his voyage 1770 because he almost on the reefs of Point Danger (between Tweed Heads and Coolangatta) which he also named. The Dreamtime name for Mount Warning was 'Wollumbin' meaning 'Cloud Catcher'. The eruption when it came must have been enormous because the lava flows reached as far as Canungra (in south Queensland) in the north, Kyogle to the west and Lismore & Ballina to the south, and 100km into the ocean, covering 5,000 square kilometres. The bowl was formed by the erosive action of wind & rain over the following 20 million years, but the central magma chamber that became Mount Waring was of harder rock so resisted the erosion. Apparently it is the largest caldera in the southern hemisphere. I think it is the escarpment around the periphery, a series of rugged ranges in a vast circle, which give the area its scenic quality. They are the Macpherson (north), Tweed (west), Nightcap (south) and Burringbar (east) ranges. The Macpherson range is also known as the Border Range because it runs along the NSW- Queensland border. In fact I am now only a stone's throw from the border, that is as long as it is not me doing the throwing. I was always a great flop at throwing just about anything as a boy (stone, cricket ball, shot put, anything) and I still am today. But anyway the border is less than a day's bike ride away so I can almost say that I have pedalled the entire length of the state of New South Wales, from Eden to Tweed Heads. That's quite a satisfying thought. but it's going to be a long, long time before I'll be able to say the same thing about the state of Queensland. That's Big Country up there, with long distances between towns. Let me just gloat on my achievement so far for a while longer. This area, apart from being known as "Northern Rivers" is also sometimes called the "North Coast Hinterland", that is the area from Ballina to Tweed Heads on the coast & 60km or so inland, taking in Lismore, Nimbin, Mullumbimby & Murwillumbah. In recent years (since the Aquarius Festival in 1973) this area (especially Nimbin) has become known for its association with "alternative lifestylers" that gravitated to Nimbin & the adjascent towns in the years following the festival. "Hinterland" is a rather unromantic & prosaic name for such a beautiful area and its scenic richness, but apparently the country between Lismore and the coast was once known as the Big Scrub! The early settlers probably didn't even notice its scenic qualities as they were only interested in the cedar which was once plentiful (not any more!) After the cedar was cleared out, the farmers moved in, especially after the railway was established - mainly sugar cane farming & dairy farming. "The Big Scrub" is an incredibly inadequate description when you consider that the national parks in the region contain some of he last vestiges of the flora which existed in the supercontinent of Gondwanaland before Australia broke away from it 65 million years ago - preserved in the ecosystem created by the Mount Warning volcano. At least the alternative lifestyle set are more reverential about it; they have dubbed it "Rainbow Country". Actually I had meant to mention this aspect of Byron Bay in my previous Newsletter. It is an aspect that strikes you as soon as you arrive there - the proliferation of bare feet, beards, long hair, tattoes, body adornment & unconventional attire. That plus an abundance of shops offerring various alternative therapies & medecines. This contrasts quite sharply with Port Macquarie which is a somewhat similar seaside resort in other respects, but because of PM's popularity as a place for retired couples it has a much older & much more staid population. The day I arrived in Byron Bay I must confess that my immediate reaction was something like:- "This place is just too weird! I won't be staying here long" But bear in mind that I was in no mood to be particularly tolerant that day - wet, cold, tired and broke! My impression was very different the following day. Anyway, who am I to be casting scorn on anyone for being "weird" when I have been anticonventional all my life. What I am now doing probably seems pretty weird to many people. I would have liked to have taken a detour to Nimbin if that had been possible because I have long wanted to see it for myself having heard so much about it. I did in fact investigate the possiblility of riding from Myocum to Murwillumbah via Nimbin but apparently the road from Nimbin to Murwillumbah is pretty terrible, and very hilly. Mind you the road I did end up taking was pretty rough and did involve climbing a pretty steep hill, but it was much more direct than going via Nimbin so at least it was over quickly. I departed from Myocum on Thursday October 16th (saying goodbye to Pam & Michael) & cycled past farms on a quiet road to Mullumbimby (Population 2700), a pleasant little town, known locally as Mullum. Still a sealed road at this point and remained so as far as Main Arm where there is nothing much more than a post office & general store. But there is a camping ground there, and because I knew that the road deteriorates from this point on I decided to camp there there and make a start on the rough road the next day. It was called "Maca's Camping Ground" not because it was owned by someone called Maca but because they grow Macadamian nut trees there. They only charged $6 per night which sounds very reasonalbe except that the showers cost $1 per 6 minutes. I hate it when they do that because it means having to make sure one has the coins on hand ready for the morning (since I always get up long before anybody else). Still it had a camp kitchen quite close to the camping area, with a gas stove, hot water, sink etc. Reasonable facilities. But all very casual. I couldn't even find the manager when I arrived. He had gone walkabout. Not that I was in a hurry to give him any money, but I needed change for the shower. All in all a very strange place. One of the campers said that the manager went off on magic mushie trips and disappeared for days on end. But I didn't really believe anything anyone said to me in that place. I said that Byron Bay was strange but this was something else again. Some of the "long term residents" there were right off the planet. They were wondering up to the kitchen all morning (on the next day) when I was busy trying to pack and proceeded to launch into a strange monologue, mostly incoherent, without any preamble, pausing only to offer me funny cigarettes or cups of herbal tea. Very pleasant surroundings, but very strange people. I was glad to get away from the place. It was hot and sunny all day. The sealed road came to an end very soon after Main Arm & begun climbing, up to the Nullum State Forest. Dusty steep & rough. But when I got to the top and entered the forest it changed from dirt to stones. I made very very slow progress on my loaded bike but I kept on pedalling because it was even harder to attempt to push the bike. Then the steep descent began and that was even harder. I had to hang onto the brakes for all I was worth. Every time I ride on a rough road like that I say "Never again!! I'm sticking to sealed roads from now on." Famous last words. There always ends up being some good reason for taking the rough road each time I do it -- either to get away from the Highway, or because of some exceptional scenery. In this case it was mainly to avoid the very busy highway between Byron Bay and Murwillumbah. Even after I finally emerged from the forest the dirt road continued for some distance - 2 or 3 km or so. But at least it was flat and at least it was better than the stones. Eventually though I reached the sealed road again (oh joy) and not long after that I got to Uki (pronounced "Yuke-Eye"). (Population 200) Rather a pretty little town almost under the shadow of Mount Warning so it's right in the centre of the Tweed Valley. It is best known for its monthly market held on the 3rd Sunday of every month. It has a few historic buildings too, but I was in no mood for looking at buildings being hot, tired, dusty and hugry. So I flopped into a chair in the cafe there and proceeded to consume a coffee flavoured milk, 3 bananas and a slice of sultana cake (quite yummy!) Then at last I felt ready for the final 12 km or so from there to Murwillumbah, this time on a normal, sealed road - flat all the way. And I made it to Diane's house just before it started to get dark, and - oh joy! No need to put my tent up this time. I had a bed to sleep in. They have been good to me during my stay here and have taken me on a few scenic drives around the area. One of these was a pilgrammage to Canungra. You might remember that I mentioned it in the context of the lava flows but it has another significance for me. At the age of 18 during my National Service Training I spent 3 weeks there at the Jungle Training Centre ( the only time in my life I've ever been to Queensland, but all I ever saw was the inside of a jungle. What an experience that was. They told us we had to develop "an utter contempt for water". That meant getting up in the morning and pulling on wet jungle greens then going out into the jungle to play silly buggers all day, carrying a pack and a rifle around, playing war games. But that was a long long time ago. The pilgrammage there was a bit of an anti-climax because when we got there we couldn't find anyone to ask whether it was possible to come in. There was no sentry on the gate or anything. A disappointment, but then it was a spontaneous trip, not planned or anything, so I suppose it was to be expected. And I did at least get to see some views of the Valley - very spectacular. So I've cheated. I've already been into Queensland, but it will still be a Big Moment when I actually cycle over the border at last. They also drove me down for a look at the Gold Coast - from Tweed Heads along to Burleigh Heads. What a mind blowing experience that was. I've never been there before and never seen anything like that. High rise everywhere!! Every conceivable way of spending money. One beach after another, and the high rise development just continueing the entire way, no break in between. Crass and ugly to my mind. Not the sort of place where I'd want to spend a holiday. So when I cycle through there over the next few days, I won't be lingering any more than I have to. Yuk!! Still, it'll be interesting just to pass through and at least absorb the atmosphere, especially if the weather is good and people are on the beaches. Speaking of weather, I have once again been very lucky with the weather. So far there have only been two occasions when I've had to ride through really bad weather. The first was the Seal Rocks arrival (along that ghastly dirt road) and the other was the day I arrived in Byron Bay. That road through Nullum State Forest, from Main Arm to Uki, could have been a very different story if there had been any substantial rain, which there would have been if I had delayed my departure from Myocum by just one day. The day I made the trip (Friday) was very hot and sunny -- very hard work doing the uphill part, and very dusty, but at least that's better than mud. The change came on Saturday with the wind going round to the south and a lot of wet stuff which continued for two days. By then of course I was safely installed in Harry & Diane's place, very thankful that I was not under canvas. The mornings have been very cold too. Not quite as cold as it was back at Kempsey but still cold, like 10 deg C. I really thought I was far enough north and far enough into spring to be past those chilly mornings. Not so it seems. Yesterday (Tuesday) there were a few clearing showers and the sun came out for a while. There's a huge high pressure system on the way, moving slowly, so it seems things are going to warm up by the weekend. I should be well on my way to Brisbane by then. I'm sorry to say that news about my sister Heather is less encouraging, though I won't really have a full picture until her doctor arranges a scan, but she has been having those memory lapses again & losing things, forgetting things etc; not good. She is back in Sydney again and making arrangements to see her own doctor after being away on a trip of her own for several months. It was going to be a year long trip (optimistic perhaps) but has been cut short on medical advice. In fact there was a time when three Pattendens were travelling on separate journeys: while I was making my own slow progress up the NSW North Coast, daughter Gabrielle & her partner were spending 6 weeks travelling in Brittain & Europe, a trip they had been planning & looking forward to for weeks. And then Heather was making her own solo journey north by bus & train, staying in hostels & caravan parks (in on-site vans, not having a tent). When she got to Cairns she stayed with Dani in Heberton for a while then went on up to Cooktown by bus. It was there though that she ended up in hospital on a local doctor's advice after she had some mental lapses, losing things. This doctor was rather astounded that she should be making such a journey alone, having a brain tumour, though her own doctor in Sydney knew about it. This doctor said she should go back to Sydney ASAP though with much resistance from Heather who wanted to keep on travelling. The sequel was that she had a very unpleasant experience in Brisbane on the way through, getting confused with two different hostels and having arguments with the management who didn't understand about her condition. I don't yet have the full picture of exactly what happened there. Anyway, now she's back in Sydney with friends to look after her. Just as well because the latest news from down there is that it looks like she's going to need full time care because she's having difficulty coping with even basic things like the hot & cold taps in the shower. Not good. I'm keeping in regular contact with what's going on and it may yet be necessary for me to go down there, but at this stage I'm intending to continue my trip at least as far as Brisbane. And it will probably be from Brisbane that I will be sending my next instalment.
Until then, PS One thing about staying in a house as at Myocum and here, is that I've been able to catch up with my yoga practices. Oh joy!! Concentration has been very good because of the pleasant surroundings and friendly ambience so I've been able to get all the stiffness out of my body, get my spine into shape, and my head together again. So I'm all ready for the road. The weather looks promising too. |