Column 17

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Hi everyone

I bet you all read a lot of the stories in the newspaper and saw the pictures on the TV and internet about last weeks snow - did you like it? We normally don't get snow, do we? But we did and aren't we lucky. It's not regular that we get snow in Bathurst and our snow was pretty good. A shame it's all gone now but snow can't stay forever. I've got a poem for you - we were asked to recite a winter poem for homework. I wrote this and then it snowed! 

Winter

Winter is cold

I like the snow

Noses go cold

Time to rug up

Everything is quiet....

Rest by the fire

Until next time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 16, Video Report

Column 16

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Sydney, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Do you like to go the the beach in winter?  In the school holidays I went to a city beach with my Aunty Tess. I dream of a beach where people are swimming and there are lots of kids and the water is sparkling but actually when you get there, it is very different - it is quiet, with not a lot of people, the boats are in the jetty and not sailing much and it feels a little bit cold and lonely but I like that too. I built a sand castle with the chicken family and lots of Lego. I found a cave and I explored the cave. After a lot of exploring we went a nearby cafe and ate some yummy food. There was a library next door and the library had a cat!

Until next time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 15

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Hi people

Leo here again. I visited the Snapshots in Time exhibition as my great grandfather was in there; there were two pictures if him when he was a captain on a navy ship. I wonder how it was on board as captain of the ship? There were all kinds of pictures, different pictures of different people, people from in the past. In the little room where filming was presented I found two machines on display and I started to play 'signalling' where I make signals to an imaginary army. I got some things in the machines working with my hands. I played and played for a very long time. It was fun but then I had to finish. I think it was amazing! When I went home I told my Dad all about it.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 14

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Sydney, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Today I went to an auction and met up with my Uncle Michael, it was pretty good! The place was like a big shop with everything spread everywhere. If you like something and want to buy it, you have to bid for it. I saw these cars, Lot Number 2352  'five matchbox model cars and another' and I bid for them. It was my very first bid ever, in the whole wide world. I was watching the screen that showed the item on sale and when my Lot Number came up, I put up my card and I bid for them and I ended up with the top bid of $20. The auctioneer said 'they're all yours!' and he added that I would have fun playing with them and he was right. There was also a little cafe there and the food was delicious - I bought two home made sausage rolls and an old-fashioned chocolate milkshake - yummy. The auction place had a lot of furniture, stuff and paintings - it was all very interesting.

Until next time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 13

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Sydney, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Hi Leo here again. Today I am in the big city. First we met my Aunty Sharon and then went to the Australian Museum. It's very sad about this part - the museum is full of animals but they are dead, they have been stuffed. They have real animal eyes and fur but inside is cotton stuffing. No, its not the stuffing in chickens, the delicious stuffing you can eat, no you must have mis-understood me if you thought that. I am going to tell you a story; once upon a time those animals were alive but then they died and they cut a line down their tummy and took out the body parts. I hate to see dead eagles as they are one of my favourite animals. It was a very hot day, it was so hot that my head felt like it was going to explode. Then from through the museum rooftop cafe window, I saw these blue things - these big blue balls floating on top of shallow water. You get inside them (which is a bit wet) and then you run!  That is the way you move around. I had a go and thought is was amazing.

Until next time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 12

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Hobart, TAS

Story filed: Adventure

I went to Tasmania!  It was a pretty good trip. I traveled by plane and when we arrived at our hotel, we ordered dinner - it was little bit spicy. The next day we saw some boats on the harbour, there were big ones and small ones and some were sailing along. Have you ever been to Tasmania? The last thing we did before we went home was to drive up Mount Wellington. The road up the mountain was winding and hilly and it has some small waterfalls as well. Then we went up a little bit more, the drive took a very long time - then we got to the top. I thought it was amazing, we got out of the car and went to special viewing room and when we got out of the viewing room the wind was very strong and very nearly blew us away - my hoodie kept going over eyes because the wind was so strong. It was also very cold. The view made it all worth it.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 11

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Mystery

Today we are at my favourite place, can you guess where that is? This place has lots of cool things and a cat and a talking cockatoo! It has a big entrance with a special gate to a whole new world of magic. It has little fairies, elves, foxes and animals as well as another gate that goes to a little private area where you can rest and think while you sit on the woody bench. There is a path to help you find your way so you don't get lost. Then you come to a round oval space where you see some more elves who are doing some naughty things, silly elves! One was tumbling and the rest were all laughing actually. You can come and visit this place yourself too.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 10

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

11.00am Bathurst Aquatic Centre for my weekly swimming lesson. I love the swimming pool! I learn freestyle kicks with hands straight on the kick board, rocket arms for swimming straight and bubble arm, bubble arm, breathe arm for my freestyle swimming. I am not a bad swimmer, just a little bit rusty. I love all the swimming I get to do after my lessons, that is the best part of the day for me.

1.00pm I walked to the Flagstaff next to the swimming pool - this is the place that Governor Macquarie put his flag when Bathurst was born. This place now has a new flag to celebrate Bathurst's 200th birthday. It's like your birthday, but it's for Bathurst. And I saw two birthday parties happening down at the river today - they looked so much fun that I wanted to go and join in.

Until next time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 9

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Day 1

I followed a trail of signs that led me to a place full of cardboard people, it is called the Peoplescape. The Peoplescape is great! Every single one is good - the people shapes have some real objects on the people like a real pipe - I've always wanted to see a real pipe. Some have clothes and some have wigs. I found Richard Mills one of the first ten Bathurst settlers who is my great, great, great, great, great Grandfather, what is that exactly?

Day 2

I followed the trail to the Flagstaff and saw a big Australian flag flying in the wind. I also saw a wooden house, they were taking it down on that day; there was jail door too and I was put in jail! Just kidding - I think the door was from a real jail. Everything there was pretty cool.

Day 3

The Illumination Project was fantastico, I loved it, but I was expecting something that didn't come, one of the pictures I had seen on the poster was not in the show - what a pity.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 8

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Canberra, ACT

Story filed: Adventure

Hi - Leo, roving reporter here.

On my travels I sometimes travel with the chicken family, they are my friends. Here is a photo of them in the big hotel where we stayed when we were in Canberra. The hotel has a great food place and lots of staircases. The chicken family live happily in a two story, old wooden house that I made for them. Their house is on top of a bookcase and has two pulley systems that pull things up and down - these are really useful. The blue chicken is called Leo after me and the pink chicken is called Isabella after a girl in my class at school and the yellow ones are called Lah, Tanty, Chanken, TNT and the big one is call Mummy. The Dad chicken is called Arthur. Chickens lay eggs, you all know that for a fact. These chicken lay eggs -  not really! That's just for the story. The chicken family is very nice, you should come to my house and meet them.

Until next time. 

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 7

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

Hi - Leo roving reporter here.

Today I am talking about music. Music is the the best - so let's get talking, music fans! Drums are awesome and one day I really want to learn the drums. At home I use the garbage bins as my drums. I went to a music concert today and I had a little play with the drums there - which was great. The concert was good. I listened to the recorder, the cello, the trumpet, the violin, the saxophone and a choir. The concert was at the bowling club which is a great place for a concert because it is big, with lots of windows and one big door. The music made me feel like I am a hunter on a journey arriving in a wondrous land.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 6

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Canberra, ACT

Story filed: Adventure

Hi, Leo here.

I am on a food adventure right now. My favourite food is......a lot of things; pizza, pies, sushi, vegetables. Vegetables are not really yuck - there are many, much more better than brussel sprouts (bleh...sorry I just vomited), brussell sprouts are disgusting. I am just talking about my favourite foods, that's all! If mum is cooking brussel sprouts this is what I say; "no, no, nooooooo!" Any other vegetable is fine. Broccolli is pretty good and cucumber is the best (you should try cucumber, some of you may have already tried it). I like carrots, they're pretty good and I like potatoes. Here is a recipe to make chips: first cut a potato into little strips, cook them just a little then put them into the oven with olive oil. It's the best.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 5

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Adventure

6.00pm

I arrived at Abercrombie House for a celebration. It was dark as we walked from the car park to the house and it was pretty scary. Have I told you I am scared of the dark? I am.

6.30pm

Abercrombie House is like a castle; with steep stair cases and lots and lots of rooms. Each room seemed full of stuff. My favourite things were the model planes, little model cars and model boats. We went to Henry's room and surprisingly Henry was in there doing his homework. He showed us his dog and possum skeletons that were on display. Have I told you I am scared of skeletons? I am.

8.00pm

After lots of yummy food (thank you for that) and a long (it seemed to me) cello recital we left to go home. It was a good adventure at Abercrombie House and I was sad for the adventure to end. I want to go back to spend more time and look at more things, I wish I lived there!

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 4

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Bathurst, NSW

Story filed: Mystery

1.00pm

Buckled myself in and off we went in the car to a surprise birthday party. My friend didn't know that he was the birthday boy! I gave him my present and then we went bowling.

2.30pm

I don't know which team won at bowling, it could have been my team. After the game we all had party food: hot chips, chicken nuggets and mini frankfurters with BBQ sauce, my favourite. The birthday cake was cholcalote; it was delish. I had two pieces and took some home which I ate yesterday. It was a good party.

3.00pm

But who made this tenpin bowling imprint? (see photo) It's a mystery.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 3

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Sydney, NSW

Story filed: Mystery

Day 1

Traveled from Bathurst to Sydney by train, which I sort of like. I like the part where we come to the last train stop; the part I don't like is that it takes too long.

When I arrived in Sydney we went to the hotel which had a swimming pool on top of the roof - a little bit freaky but it was also pretty cool.

Day 2

Traveled by ferry across Sydney Harbor and landed at Milson's Point Wharf. Walked around the bay and found footprints (see photo) which I followed. Whose foots are these? It's a mystery. Do you know?

Day 3

Traveled back to Bathurst by train - again a trip that feels too long however I arrived back to my sweet, sweet home with plans to unravel the mystery of the yellow footsteps.

Until next time.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Column 2

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from Canberra, ACT

Story filed: adventure

Day 1

Arrived in Canberra, all the way from Bathurst. Saw the big Australian flag flying on the flag pole at Parliament House. Dad says the flag is as big as a bus! After a little while we were in our nice hotel. We couldn't go swimming in the pool because it was freezing cold.

Day 2

Drove to the Arboretum searching for The Pods - an amazing, fantastic playground for adventurous kids. Some big kids and I were jumping on the ropey play thing and the big kids jumped so hard my hand slipped as I was climbing and I fell, wacking my tooth and it started bleeding. The Pods are like little nuts, they are pretty awesome with ropes tunnels and curly slides.

Day 3

Calthorpe's House (Mummy's choice) is full of interesting museum things. I saw a bayonet, one sword and one army hat. I had to have worn special shoes to protect the old carpet.

Some of you may have read my first column, some of you may not. Hi, I am Leo!

Until next time.

Column 1

Hi, I am Leo. 
It’s my first day of writing for the Bathurst City Life newspaper – I have been on the local radio once or twice which was fun but it’s my first try at writing a story - I’m going to have some great stories. You know my name’s Leo? I love history, so I am going to have column about adventure and travel. I want to be a reporter because it’s probably cool, ‘cause you get to go around the world and I like to collect things that are shiny and treasure and made out of gold. I like to collect interesting things from around the world as memory tokens – I have two pocket watches from England as well as coins from Greece, England and all other countries. Sometimes I get good ideas from things, that’s why I collect history books. Tin Tin is a famous reporter and I like him a lot and I collect his books. They are my favourite in all the world. My dad is Greek, sometimes he speaks Greek to me and I understand him too. I’m starting off with Bathurst for next week’s column. Bathurst is the greatest place with all the things we need for a good story. 

So, until next time!
Leo Roving Reporter.