Road Trip to Dargaville

After last Sunday's overseas trip to Devonport good friend Frances had the bright idea of a midwinter trip to Dargaville where her mother was brought up many years ago.  It was the anniversary of her death yesterday so this trip was a way of recalling her life and times. We motored up in chilly sunshine , first stop in Wellsford for a browse in the Hospice op shop where I succumbed to a huge jar of crabapple jam and an equally large jar of apple  and tomato chutney for $4 each.  And a CD of the Carpenters whose song Sing a song is one of my favourites and one we sometimes sing in the choir I go to.

My pictures are a bit jumbled and the last shall be first and vice versa. After a lovely lunch  of ploughman sandwiches  - beef, pickle,cheese,lettuce and  mayo and an extra hot cup of coffee at a lovely cafe we pressed on to Matakohe where Frances went into the museum and we looked round this lovely old church, the first in the area I believe and its beautiful garden of heritage roses, some of which are still flowering bravely in the winter sun.  There was also an old Post Office museum in an old Post and Telegraph office with interesting displays of old telephones, post office furniture , books and the ilk.

Onwards from there to Dargaville crossing the muddy river which also borders the township which,was a nice walk.  Browsed the main drag and its shops without succumbing to any more purchases on account of a full car, however hope to buy some kumara tomorrow for a big pot of soup when we get home and a big 2kg  bag of mandarins which I saw for $4 outside a bakery.

By this time it was time to hunt out our accomodation a couple of kms out of town, Leslie's Place, a self contained cottage, attached to the owner's,house which was purpose-built for her father-in law who has since died.   It has some very retro furniture, including a lovely bedroom suite, a blast from the past.  

Time for a cup of tea and a slice of bread and this new crabapple jam which has a beautiful colour and delicate flavour.  Just as well I got the big jar as it won't last long. After a bit of a rest drove back into town for dinner at Jo's Kitchen.  Seafood chowder with lots of shrimps and a hint of curry in it, served  with a long slab of garlic bread was my choice. The others had mussel fritters with fries and cole slaw and lambs fry and bacon, a bit too retro for my liking, but delicious according to Frances.

Matich's fish restaurant is another place we had in mind.  Their pan fried snapper with crumbed prawns on top with a lemon hollandaise sounded very nice for $19, half of what you might pay in Auckland. Pity they close at 7pm which is  early for travellers.

Today we will go to the Dargaville Museum which has excellent displays on gumdigging and the Dalmatian settlers before motoring on home unless one of us can be persuaded to stay on an extra night.