Today was our last day with Ian and Kathy as they have to be back in Brisbane by tonight. We were up pretty early so that they could pack up and park their van around the corner from the caravan park, and then come with us whilst we explored the gardens in Toowoomba.
What a perfect time of year to visit Toowoomba, a week after their "Carnival of Flowers". Our first port of call were the Japanese Gardens out at USQ. Not that these were really flowering gardens, but they do hold a special place in my heart as I used to visit them every year I was in Toowoomba for the USQ Seminar, so it was probably more for nostalgic reasons I wanted to pay a visit there.
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My old stomping grounds. - 15 years of annually visiting this place...
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The University gardens were a mass of flowering Australian native plants. Everything grows well out here.
We parked in the Uni Visitors Car park and walked across to the Japanese Gardens, ah the memories and they were all good. It was a wonderful place to work with the most amazing team members. Never had a job like it before and I doubt I ever will again. I made some life long friends working here.
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| The gates at the Japanese Gardens |
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| Gorgeous Gardens at USQ in Toowoomba |
This is going to be a massive photo share but It is so beautiful, I really want to keep a record. I am thinking though that I should be doing a blog post for each gardens rather than
try and cramp them all into this one post....
There were plenty of people here looking around, in fact I was surprised by the number of folk wandering around considering the fact that it was a work day.
The cherry tree was out in blossom and it proves to be a popular place for people to go and have their photo taken. I must admit you needed to be organised to even get to take a photo taken.
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| Cherry tree in full blossom... |
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Some closeups of the lovely cherry flowers,,,
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We spent about an hour here before deciding to head off and check the Laurel Banks Park garden, We headed back to our cars. I was feeling very nostalgic. Without any planning on my part, I realized when we got to USQ that I was actually wearing my USQ shirt. Well of course that is a photo worthy moment....
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| USQ |
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| Wearing my USQ shirt at USQ |
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| Standing in front of the old DEC building |
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| Prouding wearing my USQ Polo Shirt... |
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| Ah the memories made at this place... |
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| Will always be very fondly remembered... |
Well the highlights of this day will come on the last post of Day 10.
It was good to be back....
