22 - We Visited Goulburn - and 300 Ford Model A's

Goulburn Australia
Merino Wool

Ford Model A's 
National Meet

This is a rest stop 
on the Kings highway

Unisex Toilets
Interstate Highway

Goulburn is a city of about 24,000 people that is 60 miles north of Canberra. It is along the main railroad line between Sydney and Melbourne. It was here long before Canberra was planned to be the nation's capital. It is a center of the wool industry. Meat and wool were loaded on the trains and sent all over the world. 

It was an easy drive to Goulburn because we took the Kings Highway - their version of an interstate highway. It had divided lanes - so it is much easier were duffers like me to drive in the left lane. I never thought I would get a chance to use cruise control - but there I was going 100 on cruise! That is 100 kilometers an hour - about 62 miles per hour. Our little Kia was doing quite well - made in Korea. 

I had seen posters about a Ford Model A rally going on in the town for a week. Also Lulu heard that Goulburn had an excellent shopping district. So there was something for everyone. The first thing we saw was the big poured concrete sheep. It is about 40 feet tall - and certainly attracts shoppers to the Merino Wool store in its base. 

Next - it was lunch time - we found this rustic bakery - that offered all sorts of pies. I chose a steak pie with a layer of mashed potatoes that looked like whipped cream. It was so good - I returned to the counter for - you guessed it - a custard tart. While we were eating we started seeing Ford Model A's driving by - usually with a really old man and wife inside. Some even wore period costumes. 

The Ford Model A was built from 1928 to 1931. It was built right after the Model T. The Model A had a 4 cylinder engine and an electric starter. They could be purchased for as little as $250. That would be $4300 in today's dollars. Ford built them in Detroit and paid the laborers a very good wage - double what others paid. They also assembled them here. 

We are visiting the cities - but most of Australia is empty land. Australia has about the same amount of people as Florida. But it is as large as the 48 connected USA states. There are places that make Wyoming seem crowded. It is like the Wild West without the guns. 

 

Downtown Goulburn

World War I Memorial Tower

Captured German Howitzer

War Museum Goulburn

These bombs were thrown with catapult

Catapult - rubber straps

War pictures inside the tower.

Don't get locked in the tower.

150 year old railroad viaduct. 

Those that died in WWI.

the WWI was the first for Australia. 

Strange car - DeSoto.

Famous Ooo-gah horn. 

Gasoline fell by gravity from 
tank to engine. No pump. 

They towed their camper with Model A.

Reminded me of Bonnie and Clyde.

Get a free breast exam at the car meet.

I camped with my dad like this in 
a 1950 Ford - in 1955. 

Gathering area was at the trotter and 
dog race track.

These folks traveled from Adelaide.

My first job was delivering milk in a truck - 
just not like this. 

This was an old milk delivery truck.

Tasmania is an island off the south coast.

$30,000 USA Dollars.

Some owners towed their Model A's.

Truck interior.

This was the only Model A Crown Victoria. 

We also watched FSU volleyball get beat 
by Florida 3-0.