The column's recent exposé on the ten-year anniversary of the Bobeyan Boot Gate prompted a bulging mailbag, with a stampede of readers, presumably some shoeless, confessing to adding to the curious roadside attraction.
Michael Cook admits to tying his daughter's pink and purple runners on the far-flung gate after a family camping trip to Yarrangobilly Caves.
"They were getting a bit small so we thought we'd add them to the gate on the way home," he reveals.
Meanwhile, Bonnie of Adaminaby fesses-up to tying two pieces of mislaid footwear to the infamous farm gate, which is located on the Bobeyan Road, about 50 kilometres south of Tharwa, just beyond the ACT's southern border.
"Back in 2018, on two separate occasions, I noticed a boot and thong on the side of the road, so decided to pick them up and tie them to the gate," she says.
While Mark Watson, owner of the gate, propped a boot that had fallen from a passing car on his gate post in 2014, he wasn't the first to tie something to the actual gate.
That honour goes to Sue Dawson of Kiama who claims to have "strung up a gumboot to the gate", hoping it might also one day be reunited with its owner.
"It's great to hear the stories of those who have added to the gate over the years," reports Mark, who had "long wondered who tied the first one there".
With the gate now weighed down by more than 150 shoes, Mark may need to consider erecting a bigger gate. "I'm hearing reports of young ones begging their parents if they can keep their worn shoes to add to the gate when next passing." Gee, what next? A rite of passage for teenagers when they get their licence?
Meanwhile, this column may have finally flushed out the origin of "a prosthetic leg, with perfectly carved foot and toes including toenails, that endeared passing motorists for about five years.
"A mate of a mate put it there because he got a new one," divulges Waz Menzies.
Much to the lament of many, the prosthetic leg was fleeced by person or persons unknown. "It was my favourite item on the gate, I'm so sad it's gone," exclaims Lauren Szeniak. "I loved how random it was that it was there."
"Indeed, it would be fantastic if it was returned," pleads Mark.
Still on prosthetic legs, Matin Budden recalls spotting one that previously belonged to champion athlete Michael Milton, at the Green Shed several years ago.
"I know it was his because it had his name on it," asserts Martin, "but I have no idea how it ended up there".
Michael confirms it was his. "Old prosthetics are a bit of a problem in Australia as you cannot use second-hand ones," he points out.
"That leg was so old it wouldn't have even been good for parts and the socket is custom made to fit the stump," he explains.
Finally, John Black of Crace asks that age-old question, as to how to correctly pronounce Bobeyan. I could suggest that it's "Bo-be-an", but I don't want to prise open another Pandora's Box - not yet anyway.
Some weird and wonderful landmarks
The Bobeyan Boot Gate isn't the only of its type in Australia. From the coast to the outback, we seem to have an obsessive penchant for fixing mundane items to trees, gates, fences, and poles. Here is a selection nominated by readers to look out for in your travels.
- Thong Pole, Tathra: Have you nailed a thong to the pole on Andy Poole Drive opposite the beach in Tathra? If you have trouble finding it, google "Thong Power Tathra".
- Shoe fence, Upper Allyn, Barrington Tops, NSW: "The original sign on this fence read '100 lost soles' [sic] but it seems to grow more and more every day," reveals Greg Schroeder, who is stocking up on old shoes to add on his next visit.
- Tool Hills hoist, outback NSW: "It's truly amazing what you find in the outback," reports Maureen Marshall of Nicholls, who submitted a photo of a clothesline complete with dangling metal tools on the Silver City Highway just north of the Packsaddle Roadhouse, between Broken Hill and Milparinka.
- Thong Tree, Echuca VIC: Steve Winters reports there is not one, but two large river thong trees at the town's wharf. Bigger and better than the power pole in Tathra, but it's a longer drive.
- Bra tree, Lightning Ridge. While collections of bras, usually as part of a Breast Cancer fundraiser, are commonplace hanging from the rafters in Australian pubs, Denise H reports there is a dead tree decorated with out-of-place lingerie at Glengarry, roughly 60kms west of Lightning Ridge.
Canberra-centric connection
Regular readers may recall that the shoe "tree" recently featured in this column - located at Kulgera in the Northern Territory - is only 100 kilometres from "The Lambert Centre", the geographical centre of Australia.
According to Dr Ian Lambert of Garran, the Lambert Centre, which is marked by a mini flagpole of similar design to that which flies above Parliament House in Canberra, "is named after Bruce Philip Lambert, OBE (1912-1990), a long-term Canberra surveyor and resident". And Ian should know, for he is Bruce's proud son.
Bruce was director of the National Mapping Office for more than 25 years from 1951 and oversaw programs to publish topographic maps of Australia at scales of 1:250,000 and 1:100,000, as well as national geodetic and levelling surveys.
Dug up a hidden gem in your garden?
Following this column's recent discussion about the former whale bone seat at Long Beach near Batemans Bay, Alastair Greig of the Long Beach Community Association (LBCA), dug up a 1945 newspaper article which suggests the matching jawbone, or possibly that of another unfortunate whale, may have ended up in a Braidwood Garden.
The Braidwood Review and District Advocate of April 10, 1945, states "we understand that the jaws, monstrous things, have been souvenired by a Braidwood lady, who intends on using them as an arch over the front gate of her home. They will certainly make a unique exhibit". Heck, I bet.
"It's too big to be on someone's mantelpiece somewhere - or even to have been chewed by a Great Dane," says fellow LBCA member Colleen Krestensen, who, like many, would love to know what became of the 1945 bone.
Despite many curious Braidwoodites rummaging through the nook and crannies of their sprawling gardens for the missing whale bone(s) - it may well have crumbled to pieces after nearly 80 years in the elements - no sign of it has been found.
However, the unusual search did prompt Ava from Canberra to submit this photo of a drinking vessel her grandparents uncovered in a Braidwood garden back in the 1970s.
"I've tried to find out more about its history but haven't had any luck," says Ava. "It's some sort of drinking vessel but there are no initials or name engraved on it."
To me, it closely resembles a Vintage Handmade Brass King's Royal Chalice Embossed goblet, but hey I only watch Antiques Roadshow for the castle backgrounds. If you have any information as to the purpose of this goblet, or if you've dug up anything unusual in your backyard, please let me know.
WHERE IN THE REGION?
Rating: Hard
Clue: Tools by name, tools by nature
How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au. The first correct email sent after 10am, Saturday February 10 wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema.
Last week: Congratulations to Pat and Warwick Wright of Curtin who were the first readers to correctly identify last week's photo as "the long-suffering eucalyptus on the Thredbo Valley Track near the Gaden Trout Hatchery". "Thanks for reviving memories of the walk we did there last February," reports the winning couple.
Readers get the ball rolling
Although I'm yet to receive a photo of the "Snowy River Sphere" capped in snow, readers have shared photographs of the striking sculpture located on Kosciuszko Road near Snowy Mountains Airport, in a range of different weather and light conditions.
I especially love Lee Campbell-Culloden's photo of the sphere, which she refers to as a "metal tumbleweed", surrounded by brown grass. Remember when it didn't rain?
As to all those dangling cords that eagle-eyed readers identified in my original photo of the sphere - they are solar lights erected just prior to last Christmas by some Berridale residents. The colourful lights even prompted Karen Forman to stop and take this photo while driving past on New Year's Eve.
- CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601
