Fitch's Feats
A hiking and biking guide. Named after Ben Fitch, a First Word War veteran who had distinguished himself by winning over 100 prizes in cycling road races.
1. ON THE WAY TO FITCH'S FEATS TRAIL
Look in at:
Highfields Pioneer Village Museum - open daily 10 am - 4.00 pm.
Brindabella Gardens - 3 acres of English style gardens, 2 km north of Toowoomba on left.
Danish Flower Art.
2. BLACK FOREST CUCKOO CLOCK CENTRE
Stop for a fine coffee and view the original German clocks and artefacts.
3. FARMERS ARMS TAVERN
Stop in here for a great meal and learn the history of Cabarlah's pubs.
4. AROMA AUSTRALIS (closed).
5. ARGYLE HOMESTEAD
Built in 1884, where old traditions and gracious living still linger. (Currently closed.)
6. DAIRY FARMING
When logging ceased, the cleared land was divided up for dairying. The milk was taken to Spring Bluff railway station by horse- drawn wagon.
7. MERRITS CREEK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Built in 1925. Now a private dwelling.
8. PECHEY
Pechey was named after the man who set up the first sawmills in the area in the 1850s. They employed up to 100 men.
9. CROWS NEST
When in Crows Nest, do the Applegum Walk from Bullocky's Rest to Hartmann Park, visit Salt's Antiques and the Carbethon Folk Museum.
10. BACK CREEK
This is how the region may have looked prior to the 1850s when logging started to supply timber for the growing settlement of Toowoomba.
11. CROWS NEST NATIONAL PARK
Don't miss the 4 km bushwalk to the Valley of the Diamonds.
12. TRACKING STATION - COOBY CREEK
Built in 1966 beside the road in to Loveday Cove to support NASA's Application Technology Satellite Program. A 12-metre antenna was used to receive and transmit information to satellites, which served as the forerunner to modern telecommunication satellites. The station closed in 1970 and the equipment removed. For more information and photograph .
13. TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL FARM
Now Reflections at Cooby, a conference centre.
Footnote: Ben Fitch
Over seventy years ago a Crows Nest lad distinguished himself by winning over 100 prizes in cycling road races. He raced throughout Australia from Warnambool to Warwick, Bundaberg to Roma and of course, in Crows Nest.
In 1915 he joined his fellow countrymen in France to fight in the first World War. Two years latter he was wounded badly enough to stop him from ever riding a bike again.
In honour of his feats, and in the romance of yesteryear, these trails are named after him.