I love my home town, Gympie. Even though I wasn't born here I can't imagine living anywhere else, and certainly would not want to. A true Gympie-ite will be the first to boast that the Gympie goldrush saved Queensland from bankruptcy. The influx of miners boosted the economy and turned the fate of Queensland around. It's hardly surprising then that we have a Gold Mining Museum and celebrate the goldrush every year with a festival. The Bendigo Literary Awards (where I received a Highly Commended certificate...couldn't resist the boast haha) are part of this festival. There have also been art exhibits, rickshaw races, the Great Art Debate, and the culmination...the Goldrush Parade.
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| This chinese dragon was popular with the kids |
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| Belly dancing is very popular in Gympie |
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| No parade is complete without bagpipes and drums |
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| This couple conduct historical tours of Gympie in full period regalia |
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| Colourful Tribal Belly-dancers |
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| Clever High School Projects |
The parade was lovely to watch and reminds you just how proud people are of their town and their community. The streets were lined with thousands of waving citizens, and kids chasing after lollies thrown from baskets. Despite being a little older now, the boys still enjoyed themselves...and the ice creams we bought at the supermarket.
During the week I did a mindfulness (see my post
What is Mindfulness ) tour of Gympie, keeping my eyes open to recognise and appreciate the beauty of this town. Here is a pictorial of some of my favourite parts of Gympie, and its history.
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| The breathtaking colour of Jacarandas |
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| The beauty of the Heritage Railway Station |
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| Stunning architecture |
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| Beautifully restored buildings |
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| Distinctive and well-preserved Queenslanders |
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| I love these miners cottages - this is two joined together with a walkway |
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| We have had many picnics and bbqs at the Duckponds |
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| I absolutely love lilypads. These would look awesome on my dam. |
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| The beauty of stained glass, heritage green and natural wood |
I hope you have enjoyed my pictorial tour of Gympie. I love reading people's blogs and seeing the images of where they live, especially those from far-away countries I have never visited. If you have done a pictorial of your home town please leave a link in the comments below for me to see....pretty please :)
Does your home town have a festival or annual parade?
