Mist and clouds shrouded the surrounding hills. Snow was gently falling. The wind was cold and biting. Still, when we visited, an extraordinary energy pervaded Okunoin, Japan’s largest cemetery and one of its most holy places. Continue reading “Okunoin Cemetery”
Saxon Cemetery – Dare You To Go After Dark
The cemetery, while tidy, is overgrown with a rambling and evocative collection of headstones which appear to be randomly scattered with many broken and falling over. Indeed the positioning of some of the tombstones clearly suggests that some of the dead have made attempts to escape. The whole place eludes an atmosphere befitting of vampires and other creatures of the night and could easily have been created as a set for a Dracula (or Rocky Horror – whoops – I wasn’t supposed to mention that again) movie. Dare, if you will, to go in after dark! It is open till 8pm (from 8am). Continue reading “Saxon Cemetery – Dare You To Go After Dark”
Church of St John the Baptist
The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist in the inner suburb of Reid is Canberra’s first church and actually pre-dates Canberra by around 70 years. The Church (with adjacent graveyard and school) are built on land donated by the Robert Campbell of Duntroon (one of the first European settlers on the Limestone Plains) to serve the spiritual, education and social needs of the pioneering farming community. A cradle to grave support. Continue reading “Church of St John the Baptist”
Major General William Bridges – Grave
Major General William Bridges, the first commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the first commander of the Australian Imperial Forces, was killed by a sniper early in the WWI Gallipoli campaign. Continue reading “Major General William Bridges – Grave”
Monkey Rock Cemetery
The cemetery, on the upper slopes of Green Mountain, was consecrated by the Bishop of St Helena where he visited Ascension Island in 1861 to consecrate St Mary’s Church in Georgetown. As noted in my St Mary’s review it had taken about 15 yrs to persuade a bishop to come to the island – even an 1852 offer of an eleven gun salute didn’t do the trick. Continue reading “Monkey Rock Cemetery”
Beaches and Swimming on Ascension Island
Ascension Island is blessed with 32 stunningly beautiful white sand beaches lapped by warm tropical water. These beaches are as beautiful as you will find anywhere in the world. Continue reading “Beaches and Swimming on Ascension Island”
Rookwood Necropolis – Mortuary Train Stations
As indicated in my main review on Rookwood Necropolis, it is the largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere. It is sometimes cited as having its own post-code. While this is somewhat of an exaggeration, area-wise the cemetery does make up the majority of the Rookwood post-code area. Continue reading “Rookwood Necropolis – Mortuary Train Stations”
Rookwood Necropolis
Sydney has a population of just less than 5 million. Rookwood Necropolis (Cemetery) has just shy of 1 million inhabitants, if I may refer to them as that. Continue reading “Rookwood Necropolis”
Mortuary Station
In 1820 the Old Sydney Burial Ground was closed and in 1867 Devonshire Street Cemetery was also closed, though some burials did occur there after that date. Both cemeteries were deemed full. Continue reading “Mortuary Station”
Westerman’s Homestead – Settlers Track
If you walk the 9kms long Settlers Track in Namadgi National Park, which I strongly encourage you to do, you will encounter three old, restored dwellings along the way – Brayshaws Hut, Waterhole Hut and Westerman’s Homestead. This review is on Westerman’s Homestead located just over 7kms from the start of the walk if you follow the loop walk in an anticlockwise direction, as recommended. Continue reading “Westerman’s Homestead – Settlers Track”
The Rambling Wombat 