Day 10 – Monday, 6th October  2003

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Another beautiful day awaits us; the weather has truly been marvellous. The first stop was the Cadbury factory at Claremont. Here they make block chocolates and wrapped chocolates for example “Roses”. We joined a tour of the plant trying samples as we went as well as some wrapped samples for later. [Pamphlet] 

Darani felt ill in one of the machine rooms where the main mixing is done. The smell was very strong and the temperature very warm. It would have been disastrous if she had hurled, could you imagine the headlines, “Mainland woman barfs at Cadbury. Plant shut indefinitely”. Thankfully we soon moved to a cooler less smelly area and Darani regained her colour. The factory is spotlessly clean considering they make 600 tonnes of chocolate a year. After the tour we were able to buy some rejects from the shop. 

We left then to go to Bonorong Wildlife Park in Brighton. The main attraction is the Tasmanian Devil. [Photo1, Photo2] They look harmless enough but you shouldn’t go cuddling one. The park itself is one of best we have seen. Well maintained and all the animals looked very healthy and happy. We were given food for the kangaroos and wallabies, upon entering as there is about 200 of them wondering around. [Photo1, Photo2, Photo3, Photo4, Photo5 ] 

The girls [Photo1, Photo2] patted the largest koala we have seen, there were about six and they all looked exceptionally healthy. Other animals we saw included lizards, pademelons, cockatoos, wedge tailed eagles, emus, owls possums, kookaburras, geese all living in lovely surroundings with nice views. Ate lunch, packed up and headed to Richmond. 

Richmond is the best example of early colonial architecture we have seen so far. [Photo1, Photo2, Photo3] The town’s most famous structure is Richmond Bridge built in 1823 by convict labour. [Photo1, Photo2, Info] The bridge crosses the Coal River and the setting is something out of a storybook. Clear running water, lush green banks of lawn, a smattering of trees starting to get their spring leaves a variety of ducks paddling up and down the river. [Info] Another famous structure is St Johns Catholic Church [Photo, Info] built in 1835; the oldest continuously used Catholic Church in Australia. The whole town is superbly kept; all the buildings look almost like they would have 170 years ago. 

Richmond Gaol, started in 1825, is another feature worth seeing. In the courtyard there is a 150-year-old almond tree.  We went in and inspected all of the cells and rooms and kitchen. The most gruesome thing we saw was a mantrap that is the same as a rabbit trap but ten times bigger, it was banned in 1830. On display there was a pit saw, a small water wheel and a washing machine that Sam was madly turning the handle on it until he read the sign “Do Not Turn Handle”. Lindsey was being naughty so we slapped her in irons, gave her a flogging and denied her access to the privy. 

To round off our day Jessica, Lindsey and Sam went into Richmond Maze to find something special in the centre. [Photo1, Photo2] Darani stayed out in case we didn’t come out so she could organise a search and rescue mission. Well more than 55 minutes later they emerged slightly disoriented and babbling something about’ “the dead ends, the dead ends….” Back home via Macca’s for some much needed refreshments (boy, didn’t we do some walking today).