Ronnie in Lonnie.

[drron]

Not often you see a bullock team these days.

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A small but good stud beef show.I started my show career on the stud beef section at the Maitland show.I was the recording steward and announcer for the Grand Parade.So I had a chat with their recording steward.Once again I got to talk to a Government minister who obviously thought I must be a voter.
I remembered all I had learnt all those years ago and picked the Angus heifer early as the Grand Champion beef exhibit.

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A good junior handler competition.They do start them young.

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[drron]

Next was another section that was big at the Maitland show as well-draft horses.

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Magnificent animals.

 

[drron]

So just for the folks that think Tasmanians aren't different here is a fellow born in Penguin on the north west coast.He goes by the name Squid.

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And yes he really could look up his own a***.
He now proceeded to put his body through a tennis racquet.

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[drron]

It was a really good performance.A lot of humour and he got the audience really participating.

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His finale was of course swallowing a sword.Doesn't everyone?

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So if you are impressed you can hire him for your wedding or any other special occasion.
About Me

 

[drron]

A little later there was a Taiko drum group from PCYC Launceston.Seven young women and their instructor.What was amazing was that 4 of the seven had only joined the group in the last couple of weeks and this was their first performance.The 4 newbies were at the ends of the 2 rows.looking at the pics you can see at times the one on the left of the front row looking across to make sure she was in time.

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This is the most experienced performer who came back to help out for this show.She was very good.

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The instructor then got 15 volunteers,mainly small kids,and taught them a tune.He is obviously a good instructor.

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There was then an intermission so I went and had some lunch.A little bit up market for a show-nachos with hot chilli and a little later salt and pepper calamari which was very good.No pics though.
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The stand with the major sponsor.

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until a few years ago 50% of the world's legal morphine and codeine was processed here in Westbury.However the 40 year period for the Australian market being exclusively i Tasmania ended in 2014.Then a decrease in the total markets with many countries introducing programs to reduce opiod use plus increased production in Spain and Turkey has hit hard in Tassie with the crop only a third the size of 2014.
Tighter drug laws dent Tasmania's narcotic poppy crops

 

[drron]

The 3 experienced drummers and the instructor returned for another piece-a Tasmanian tune.They were very good.

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Then time to watch the show jumping.Quite a reasonable standard.A good excuse to photograph backsides.

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Interesting the different styles.

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Equestrian is one sport where men and women compete as equals.But the women are better at it.

 

[tgh]

the women are better at it.

I say cough……. prove it…...

 

[drron]

Well at the 2016 olympics there were 21 female medallists and 20 men.A slight 24-22 win to the men in 2012 due to the Saudi tem getting a medal in a team event.

 

[tgh]

It is true that men and women compete on a quite equal footing in most equestrian sports.
The girls do as well as the boys .. but there is no evidence of superiority.

 

[drron]

Except in Dressage.

 

[drron]

So time to go.Visit the dog show.Love the officials jackets.

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Then the craft pavilion.Can't be an Aussie show without lamingtons or jam.

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Driving away I noticed the street the showground is in.no wonder I liked it.

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[drron]

A little stroll around Westbury.

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Then a stop in Railton on my way to my next destination.Seven Sheds brewery and a cold one looking at the hops.

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[drron]

The next stop was the Henry Somerset orchid reserve on the Railton Latrobe road.I was not disappointed.The Caladenias were prolific.

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They were even in the middle of the track.

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Two different species in that last pic-a large and a small species.

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Further along the track a sun orchid that hasn't yet flowered.

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Then back to the Quest.

 

[drron]

Sunday and after my round I am free to do what I want so it was off to the Tom Gibson nature reserve at Epping Forest.Last year this was orchid heaven.It didn't disappoint with many species seen.First diuris or donkey orchid,thelymitra or sun orchid and a glossodia.

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Then an orchid probably a caladenia but unlike any I have seen before.

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Then a different caladenia species,a chalochilus or bearded orchid about to flower and probably a chiloglottis about to flower.

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And to finish this post another diuris and the more common caladenia.

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[drron]

There are many other flowers in the reserve some of which can be mistaken for orchids.

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Also lots of birds.Not sure what the first one is but the coughatoos were everywhere.quite a few small bird species but they were too quick for me.

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[drron]

Not sure if you will notice this but on this flower is a small flying insect.In flight with wings spread it is a beautiful iridescent green.

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But back to the orchids.When searching I don't just look for floweres.You need to recognise the leaves which appear first.Once one is seen search nearby and there often more and if lucky one will be in flower.So this is one I recognised by the leaf pattern and you can see an early flower spike with a small red/brown bud.

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The second picture is yet another species a pterostylis or greenhood orchid.
Another thing I look out for are the mistakes of nature.A few her with the caladenia species.They are meant to have 5 petals and a labellum.The first picture is one with 6 petals and the second a pair with 4 petals.

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Many orchids depend on a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus for germination.Australian terrestial orchids need that relationship throughout their life.Many other plants also have this including most Australian trees hence most orchid sightings are in bushland such as this.

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A lot of the study of Australian terrestial orchids has been done in Western Australia.They have looked at other plants and there are some who believe these fungi can help the home Gardener and even farmers so that you can now buy your fungi.Here is one with quite wide claims.Not sure if it is all genuine.But it did come about by the study of these tiny orchids.
BioCoat | We believe there is a better way to farm!

Time for me to leave and head back to Lonnie.I climbed over the fence a little distance from where I entered and found an all to frequent sight on Tassie roads.

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[drron]

Back in Lonnie I went to the Cheltenham reserve which is on the road to the casino and over the road is their golf course.It was to be a school but the Education Department decided it didn't want it and it has just been left.It is surrounded by houses,garden waste etc dumped so lots of invasive plants and the kids obviously with help from parents have fashioned a mountain bike track through it.

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It really shouldn't be a place that you would find a variety of terrestial orchids but it is.That next.

 

[drron]

Again a chiloglottis found by following the leaves.The second was easier to photograph.

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A bearded orchid and a diuris.

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And caladenia.

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Finally a slender sun orchid.

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So that is the orchids for now.I have heard of a good area just south of Hobart so contemplating a trip there in a couple of weeks.

 

[drron]

Now a late lunch at the Casino.The buffet was just about to close so I ordered a porterhouse steak with garlic prawns.Turned out to be crumbed prawns with garlic on the steak.

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The steak was cooked perfectly and tender and tasty.
The views from the restaurant are very relaxing with the Western Tiers in the distance.

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And off for a walk I go.

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[drron]

There is a lake with lots of birds around it.Not afraid of humans.

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So a nice place.It is also a hotel but you would need a car if staying here.