Why are we in Canberra? Well we have diverted from the Ned Kelly trail back to Canberra for the annual Hayes siblings’ Christmas get together. This year the event has been centralised at the Palmer Close free camp in Queanbeyan, managed by Homealone’s brother Stuart and his wife Maree. A pleasant establishment with plenty of hot water! The whole gang is present along with some children of the siblings and also a child of the children of the siblings. Or in other words a grand child. Apparently, a ‘meeting’ of siblings had been held to agree to this new development. It was to be hoped that opening the event to the new generation would revitalise the Secret Santa tradition. And it did! Just throwing the dice to decide the decision making in the pass the parcel ‘Secret Santa’ made the night. Everyone got something that they didn’t necessarily not want. The company, food and hospitality was great also and enjoyed by all.

Allthego was particularly stunned by the local artisan bread rolls designed and created by Stuart in the local oven. Allthego didn’t have an ‘artisan’ category in his bread roll contest. So Stuart’s buns, I mean his rolls,  took first place in the artisan category! Very comparable also with the commercial rolls. A great crunchy crust and soft interior. Earlier, on the way to Canberra, we had some rolls from Glenrowan, very impressive in size and softness. On a par with Inglewood and will check back in on these on our return trip to Glenrowan in a few days.

Stuart’s artisan bread rolls!

The Glenrowan rolls, note the size!

Now, a trip to Canberra can’t be let slip by without going to the National Gallery! In our case it was to see Sydney Nolan’s sequence of 27 Ned Kelly paintings, painted Allthego thinks in 1947. They depict various stages and events in his bushranging activities and life. They are recognised internationally as an important contribution to national life. A must see if you are on the Kelly trail!

BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY ARE ON TOUR!!!!!! FOILDED!!!! They are on the road to Darwin of all places! They will then head to Cairns! They will be back in Canberra mid 2020. The gallery guides didn’t sympathise that we had come all the way from Brisbane to see them. Thought we should just come back when they came back! So here are some of them anyway , photos of prints. Maybe we will come back. It was suggested we should check the website for dates! But we are nomads and rely on out of date printed tourist guides! Perhaps we should rely on the website in the future? So we saw that famous painting bought by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam way back in 1973. Blue Poles. Actually, it is quite impressive. Not bad at all!

Blue Poles

So after these few days in Queanbeyan with relos we head back south to Beechworth to rejoin the Kelly trail.