I have a great nephew who tells his Grandmother as their large family is leaving after staying for a few days:
‘now you can have pieces of quiet Grannie!”
My Cowra stay reminded me of that saying as Cowra was the place I finally slowed down in after a massive whirlwind of preparation to leave followed by several functions in Canberra.
Cowra Caravan Park on the Lachlan River in NSW was my first of a series of extended stopovers on my journey north.
The park was clean, tidy, well maintained & impeccably run.
It became a haven for this weary traveler, and I kept increasing the length of my stay daily.
My grassy site backed right on to the Lachlan River in the shadow of the bridge, and was a home to an abundance of bird life.
I enjoyed daily visits from willy-wagtails, parrots, currawongs, as well as superb blue wrens, who were so tame they bobbed around my feet as I wrote outside under the annex.
There were nests and fledglings everywhere –a sacred kingfisher checked even me out from on the nearby fence one morning.
Reminders of being situated in a farming community were given by my hearing the caged kelpies barking and briefly smelling sheep or cattle in the b-double stock crates crossing the bridge.
Another reminder was the mobile phone ringing during a church service and the Priest saying: “Jim, unless that is God calling to say he is sending a couple of inches of rain down on your place, please turn it off.”
Cherry blossom time was finishing in the impressive Japanese Gardens and Cultural Centre.
I enjoyed spending time in these peaceful surroundings with my brother Jeff and SIL Judy when they stopped to catch up with me in their travels.
The Centre was established to recognize and develop the relationship between the people of Cowra Shire and the people of Japan.
This relationship had its origins in the Prisoner of War Camp that housed the Japanese POWs during World War II in Cowra.
In 1960 the Japanese Government decided to bring all their war dead from parts of Australia to be re-buried at Cowra.
This was the beginning of the sister city friendship between Japan and the town of Cowra. https://www.cowragarden.com.au/history
People in the street and in businesses were welcoming, helpful and friendly.
The Bulletin of the 125-year-old St Raphael’s Church included a Welcome to Country- the first one I have seen written or spoken in a church setting.
The congregation was a good mix of age and race and the influence of the Josephite nuns was evident in the welcoming hospitality extended.
I enjoyed sharing the the signs of peace and hearing the words “Go in Peace’ said with deep heartfelt sincerity at end of each service.
Another day was spent admiring the expertise of the tree loppers dealing with the ancient peppercorn tree at the van park gateway.
Hopefully they have had enough rain since to make it send out new shoots.
The Australian World Peace Bell was awarded to Cowra in 1992 for its long-standing contribution to world peace and international understanding.
Capital cities usually reserve the right to erect the World Peace Bell, however Cowra's commitment to the World Peace Bell's objectives meant Cowra was awarded the honor.
The Bell is made of coins provided by 106 member countries of the United Nations, which were melted down and cast into the Bell.
On every World Peace Day, the third Tuesday in September, the Peace Bell at the United Nations, and other Peace Bells around the world, ring-out to mark the opening of each Disarmament Session.
The Pavilion housing the Bell is decorated with pottery tiles reflecting the Cowra community’s commitment to the World Peace Bell and its association with the town.
The objectives of the World Peace Bell Association are to keep people informed of the horrors of war and to promote Peace throughout the world.
The movement also aims to use the bell as a reminder of the continual need for people to rededicate themselves to working for peace. https://canberrapeacebell.org/
All these experiences combined to produce a profound sense of peace and security.
It is not surprising that I felt compelled to stay on and enjoy the many ‘pieces of quiet’, then move on refreshed and energized.