A number of events are held during the year – including The Clayton's Open Garden Exhibition (2003) and Folk @ The Rock (2005).
Numerous groups visit “Norville” for conferences, workshops, or simply to enjoy the peace and quiet, draw, paint, photograph, or study local bird and plant life.
For a comprehensive list of birds found on Rock Dhu, click here
Our biggest snowfall in 23 years, 9th June 2007
Wonderful season and rainfall summer 2007/2008, well above average rainfall provided for some interesting photography
PAST EVENTS
In November/December 2005, the first-ever Exhibition of Peter Norvill's Artworks will be held:
Norvill Art, Craft, Photo, History
&
Garden Exhibition
First ever Exhibition of Peter Norvill's Artworks.
To be held in & around “Wethering Heights”,
a rebuild of the Old Shearing Shed at “Norville”
on Rock Dhu , Scotts Creek Road , Murrurundi
Over 300 exhibits
Click here to view photos.
26 - 29 January 2006, inclusive (Australia Day weekend)
Openings through the week by prior arrangement.
All Welcome! Entry free! Live Music!
Tea & coffee available.
Bring a picnic lunch.
Phone ( 02)6546-6175 or 0409-660583.
Email: peternorvill@bigpond.com
EVENTS
The Clayton's Open Garden Exhibition was held in late Spring 2003 and attracted a small but interested (and interesting!) number of visitors.
( See Garden page for photos and more details.)
In March 2005, a double birthday party was hosted at “Norville” and became the first function to take place at the Dead Horse Longdrop Function Centre .
126 th Birthday party – well, that was the combined age of the “birthday boys”!
The Dead Horse Longdrop Function Centre, “Norville”
Folk @ The Rock was organised in association with the Newcastle & Hunter Valley Folk Club Inc.
( www.newcastlehuntervalleyfolkclub.org.au ) and will hopefully be repeated early in 2006. Watch this Website!
Click here to view photos.
This was a DIY Folk Festival which proved to be a huge success with everyone who attended. Some camped, while others were accommodated in the cottage and cabins – still others slept in the shearing shed and “ Wethering Heights”.
A HUGE campfire was lit on Friday afternoon and kept burning until late Sunday when the last musos reluctantly left Rock Dhu.
As expected, spontaneous “sessions” erupted between musos and singers, and there was also a blackboard concert. The “campfire sessions” on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday morning were really something – a wonderful time was had by all!
NORVILL ART EXHIBITION REPORT – 5.12.05
The FIRST EVER Exhibition of Peter's artworks – together with photographs, local and family history, geology, gardens, live music, etc. – while not attracting thousands, was nonetheless a success as far as Peter is concerned.
Over the four weekends, approximately 160 people visited Rock Dhu – some were interested mainly in Peter's artworks, some in the history and photography, while still others simply enjoyed the whole “Norville” experience…...admired the scenery, checked out the animals and shearing shed, picnicked beside Warlands Creek, and had an “up close and personal” look at Wallabadah Rock. The 4x4 excursions around the property and to Wallabadah Rock were very popular. Many visitors read about the Exhibition in their local newspapers or heard about it on the radio – quite a few travelled from Newcastle after reading an article in the Newcastle Herald.
Over the second weekend of the Exhibition, we accommodated a large group of adults and children from St Peter's Anglican Church, Tamworth . They stayed in the cottage and cabins at “Norville”, and some even slept in the shearing shed! They all had a great time and are keen to return.
The live music provided on three of the four weekends was well-received by visitors. Thanks to Scott Peters ( Tamworth ), Lost In Time & The Collectables (Newcastle/Lake Macquarie ).
The weather was pretty-near perfect, apart from a deluge resembling Noah's Flood on the Sunday of the third weekend. Only a few die-hards braved the elements that day, arriving with shell-shocked looks on their faces, some asking if medals were being handed out for travelling to Rock Dhu in such weather!
The Exhibition will not be dismantled, but will remain in place for viewing at any time, by prior arrangement (please telephone for appointment). It will also be re-opened to the public on Australia Day, 26th January 2006 , continuing for four days until Sunday 29th January. And remember, it's FREE!
We here at Rock Dhu would like to thank all those who visited the Exhibition, and also all those willing helpers without whom it would not have been possible.