Sails

Wallabadah is a small town on the New England Highway, 350 km north of Sydney and 50 km south of Tamworth. Arguably its sole claim to fame is as the location of the First Fleet Memorial, a monument to the first colonial settlers who came to Australia from the UK in 1788 - convicts, sailors and others. It seems a little bizarre that such a monument should be created at a place so far removed from Sydney, where the fleet landed. The explanation given at the site is:

This memorial is for the descendants of those who sailed on the First Fleet. Many of these descendants now regularly use this area for family reunions and for quiet reflection. There is no other Memorial in Australia that lists all the names of the people who sailed on the First Fleet. The Memorial's physical location is not that important as the descendants come from all parts of Australia and from overseas. Liverpool Plains Shire Council supported the vision of Ray Collins, a descendant, who built this Memorial. The rejection of this vision by other locales within New South Wales is why it is here today.

We are staying in Tamworth tonight, and plan to be home at Lennox Head tomorrow.