This week, Don and the Burke’s Backyard team travelled to Glen Innes, New South Wales. They met the locals, looked at some of their wonderful gardens and solved some gardening problems.
Glen Innes is situated high in the tablelands, at 1070m and 98 kms north of Armidale on the New England Highway. It is a four hour drive from Brisbane and a seven hour drive from Sydney.
History
The district was first settled by Scotsman, Archibald Boyd, in 1838-39. He was guided by bearded stockmen, William Chandler & John Duval. They are still remembered in the ‘Land of the Beardies Festival’ and ‘Land of the Beardies History House’. The town was gazetted in 1852.
Town Hall
The high Victorian, grand town hall complex was built in a French renaissance/Italianate hybrid style. It is situated in Grey Street. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Henry Parkes in 1875. The Town Hall was opened by a Citizens Ball, held on November 9, 1888.
Sapphires
The Glen Innes district is part of the most prolific sapphire region in NSW. In fact, fossickers can hunt for a wide variety of gemstones and minerals including sapphires, emeralds, garnets, zircons, topaz, quartz, smoky quartz and aquamarine.
Reddestone Sapphires, in the Glen Innes Visitor Centre, features cut and polished sapphires from their own mine. Don met with owner and manager, Rod Cook. Blue sapphires are the most prized, but they actually come in a range of colours, including grey, yellow, gold and combinations, such as blue green and yellow.
Autumn colour
Don came across a street planting of claret ash (Fraxinus ‘Raywood’) in full autumn colour. Claret ashes grow to about 20 metres (60′). They have glossy green foliage, which turns claret to deep purple in autumn. They grow well from Sydney to Perth and areas south, in the mountain zones, and Tasmania.
Don pointed out that some of the trees were suckering from below the graft. This may have been caused by dry conditions, or being bashed with lawn mowers or whipper snippers. Don recommended removing the suckers immediately, otherwise they could take over the whole tree. He also said that the stakes should be removed as they could lead to more problems and even kill the trees.
One of the most spectacular displays of autumn foliage in Glen Innes was a street planting of pistachio trees (Pistacia chinensis).This beautiful tree has brilliant yellow, orange and scarlet foliage in autumn. Pistachios only grow to about 8m (25’) tall, and so they make excellent garden or street trees.
The non-irritant pistachio tree is commonly mistaken for the dangerous rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum). Around 98.5% of the population will develop an allergy of some kind after varying lengths of contact with the rhus tree. Reactions vary from a rash to severe swellings of the limbs and face, sometimes producing temporary blindness.
The two trees can be identified by the difference in their leaves. The rhus tree has an end leaf and the pistachio has no end leaf (See diagram).
Mark Dawson – Saddler
Mark started out as an apprentice saddler when he was 14. His saddles, bridles and other leather goods are exported around the world and across Australia. They are sewn by hand and feature excellent stitching and ‘full grain’ leather. Saddle prices range from around $2,050 – $3,400.
Contact Details
Rod Cook
Reddestone Sapphires
152 New England Highway
Glen Innes 2370
Phone: (02) 6732 5173
Web: www.reddestone.com
Mark Dawson
The Saddler
Cnr. McKenzie & Church Streets
Glen Innes 2370
Phone: (02) 6732 3337
Web: www.thesaddler.com
For more information on Glen Innes contact:
The Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre
New England Highway
Glen Innes 2370
Phone: (02) 6732 2397
Fax: (02) 6732 6090
Web: www.gleninnestourism.com
Email: [email protected]
Open:
Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Saturday & Sunday, 9 am – 3 pm
Every day except Christmas Day & Good Friday
