7 August, 2011

We went down to Cameron’s on the Gold Coast this weekend.  For those of you that don’t know, Cameron is Gordon’s son.   I forgot to take my camera … so you’ll just have to imagine the beautiful golden beach, rough sea hence lots of surfers, tall buildings absolutely everywhere, same with people – everywhere!!

We wandered off down to the local Pacific Pine Pub to watch the All Blacks slaughter the Wallabies.  I wasn’t sure whether to show that I was supporting the Blacks but at the first try a group of guys sitting behind us started yahooing so I stopped fearing for my life and got into it.   Not a bad game a?!!  Robbie Dean’s didn’t look too please though!!   We got to drive Cam’s flash Holden home while Cam took the bus home.  Gordon resisted the temptation to ‘burn a bit of rubber’ in front of the Pub as we took off and duly got us home safely!!

More food!!!   We went into Surfers Paradise for Pancake’s for Brunch.  I’d heard a lot about this place and it lived up to all the hype.  I think it was called ‘Pancakes in Paradise’ and the selection was devine!!  I had Jamiaca Banana – yum!!   I haven’t had a banana since I’ve been here – mostly because they are so damned expensive due to the cyclone that went through up north and decimated the banana crop.  The cheapest I’ve seen for banana’s is $6.99 and the most expensive $14.99.   Cam had the Black Forest Pancakes which had everything (plus) on it – well done Cam is all I can say!!

We came back via Mt Tamborine.  There was an amazing view of Surfers and the rain forest was sooo cool.  It was beautiful.

By the time we got home I’d had enough of the motor bike and decided I’m going to stay put for the next 2 weeks.  I want to enjoy the sun and just ‘being here’ …

5 August, 2011

Homesickness hit hard today!!  It’s Casey’s 21^st tonight and I really want to be there.  I looked into going home for a couple of days but the ‘sensible’ part of me kept saying it was $500 for just 2 days, blah, blah, blah.  Now, of course, I’m thinking what a twit I was – what’s $500 in the scheme of things!!!   You just can’t win sometimes, a?!!

Gordon took me to the Movies (I think to take my mind off fretting about wanting to be in Christchurch – isn’t he a good man?!!) and we saw ‘Red Dog’.  The story line follows a red kelpie dog in Western Australia in the 1970's and how he affected the people around him.   I thought it was going to be a bit naff at the beginning but it came good and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience!!  

The topic of the day was the cost of the bus fares to get there and back – yep, we took the bus – just to say we had!!   It’s 30km (give or take) from home to Caboolture and that cost $5.40 each - well actually it only cost $5.40 for both on the way there ‘cause the Bus Driver asked Gordon if we were Seniors and he said, ‘YES!!’  Not sure that I want to be a senior just yet – although, horror of horror’s, I found a heap more grey hair the other day – having said that I’m sure it’s just the mirror here and perhaps the unusual light … hmmm, what do ya reckon!!!

Anyway, 30 km’s to Caboolture for $10.80, which isn’t too bad really but then they stung us $7.80 for the 3 km’s from the Caboolture Station to the Morayfield Shopping Mall – in theory it could have cost us $37.20 just to get to the Movies!!   I paid for the bus fares home and had to pay full price all the way – that’d be about right a?!!   Suffice to say that’s the one and only bus trip we’ll be doing while we’re here!!

I survived the homesickness but have come to the realization that 6 ½ weeks is going to be enough time away …

3 August, 2011

We're about 20km from the Bruce H’way (equivalent to our SH1) and it's the only way to get to anywhere so we’ve been along that road many times - so many times now I’ve lost count!!   Today we decided to have a decent look down the side roads and do some exploring.

First left was down to Sandstone Point which has some historic Aboriginal middens (not that we stopped to look at them - middens are cooking ovens if you didn't already know!!) then onto Godwins Beach which also has historical significance with tours going there because it dates back to the last ice age sorry can't tell you any more than that!!)  …

Can you see the Ibis feeding?  Nobody like the Ibis bird but I quite like them ...

Then onto Beachmere and round to the caboolture River …

                         Checking out the GPS to see how to get out of here ... !!

We followed the Caboolture River till we got back onto the main road.  There were lovely glimpses of the river with boats moored and a boat yard with heaps of yatchs and other craft stored in it’s yard.   There's that boat thing again!!

After we’d had coffee at the top end of the road we’d run out of time which meant we only managed to get down the first side road coming back.  That led to the Abbbey Museum which warrants another visit so watch this space …

Still got a few more side road to have a squizz at but I’m thinking they’re going to be more estuary therefore more mud flats and there’s only so many mad flats you can visit that hold your interest!!

1 August, 2011

I’ve been trying to go for a push bike ride every couple of days at least and have explored every road in Woorim!!   The village is surrounded by bush and is very quiet.  On my travels up and down the ‘No Through Road’ streets I found this amazing church …

     

Sorry some of the photo's are lined up very well but I haven't worked out how to straighten them on the Blog Site ...

I felt as though I was back on the Greece Islands looking at one of the many churches there.  It just seemed so strange to find a little bit of Greece down a No Exit Street in Woorim - literally the end of the road on Bribie!  I’m still shaking my head trying to find a place for this image to settle!!   There was no signage to tell me anything about the place so I googled it and found out that it’s an outreach for the Brisbane Greek Orthodox Church and is in the second stage (the first stage building the church)   The second stage is building a caretakers residents, set up tent sites and amenities … it's the ‘St Andrew's Theological College Bribie Island Campus and the Tom Lemnos Youth Centre.  This project aims to build a multi purpose youth and community retreat centre and educational facility to encourage the spiritual, social, cultural, educational and sporting development of our youth in an Orthodox Christian framework.   Stage One, which includes the Church dedicated to Panagia (this is a local Bribie Island aboriginal tribe) and amenities block consisting of toilets, storage area and kitchen is complete.’  The Church was opened in 2003.

I found it fascinating …

30 July, 2011

The trip for day started out as ‘just nipping out to the H’way’ to meet up with a mate of Gordon’s from Bundaberg … yeh, right!   We got to the roadhouse as arranged to see Allan  just heading out – a quick phone call later and it was arranged that we’d stop at the next place that sold coffee … yeh, right!   Got to the next place but it didn’t look too flash so it was onto the Ettamogah which was only a few k’s up the road according to the guys … yeh, right!   Bloody miles later (goodness only know’s where these guy’s got their sense of distance!!) and it was too late for morning coffee so we had to have lunch!   Having lunch won’t take any longer than having coffee … yeh, right!   All in all it took us 3 hour’s to meet up with Alan!!   Then there was the 2 ½  hour trip home via Donnybrooke and Toorbul – which was really goo actually.   In the meantime I’d arranged to meet my mate Val at Bribie but only got to see them heading out onto the motorway as we were heading home!!!

Donnybrooke is a little fishing village on the other side of the Pumicestone Passage across from Bribie Island.   It’s tidal with the tide out when we were there but looked like a great place for a lazy few days camping if that was what you were wanting.

Can you spot the Kookaburra?  I haven't seen that many of them - heaps of crows and Ibis (the crows are scarey when they get too close to you - I'm not keen!!)

Further south along the same coast is Toorbul.  Bigger than Donnybrooke and a lot closer to Bribie – we could see the Bridge to Bribie Island.   Didn’t stop there but liked the beach feel to the place.

July is almost over – hopefully the worst winter month gone for another year …

25 July, 2011

Thought you might be interested in some of the sights that have gone past our window since we’ve been here …

                      This is a normal day on the beach for us - no-one in sight!!!

                                      There's a windsurfer in there - hope you can see it!!

                                           A yatch on it's way home ...

One of the Prawn boats that goes past almost every day ...

These 4WD go down the beach regularly - we think they must have some commercial fishing 'thing' going on the north end of the island (there's 2 4WD's towing dingy's (tinny's)

One of the little boats that go out all the time - this one is a bit more colourful that most!!

One of the many, many tinny's - all shapes and sizes!!!

Again, one of the many, many cargo ships that go into Brisbane - the channel comes close to the island then heads south toward Moreton Island, then into the Port ...

I think you call these a motorised parapont or parachute ...

                 

I wasn’t quick enough to get a pic of the Jet Ski’s whipping past but they come past q few times - mostly at the weekends …

Most day’s there’s a good variety of different boats coming and going – it’s just great!!

21 July, 2011

I’m really into boats – I love wandering round Marina’s and wharves just looking at boats (no comments on what could be the cause of this or some Freudian theory thank you!!!)  The last 2 times I’ve been over to Australia my mate Russ has taken me for a Tiki tour round the coastline and beaches of the Redcliffe Peninsula (North Brisbane) then over the bridge to Brighton, Sandgate and Shorncliffe.    I just love the feel of the creek/estuary round from Shorncliffe and all the prawn boats that are moored along there.   That’s the background …

Today I talked Gordon into doing a trip over to Redcliffe Peninsula and then round to Shorncliffe via the Moreton Bay Scenic Route which takes you round all the bays.  Shorncliffe is where the boats come in.  Gordon was keen for a look round the boats so we stopped – heaven!!  I could take as many photo’s as I wanted and just enjoy the moment!!   I googled the area when I got home to find out it’s called Cabbage Tree Creek, it’s tidal and boats of up to 5m draft (ie the depth from the water level to the bottom) can be moored there.   Gordon got talking to a guy fishing (in a kayak - the water was a filthy brown colour as most Australian waterways are) who told him the first few boats (in the plumb positions) were owned by fishermen in Cairns as a tax dodge and hadn’t been used for about 6 years!  Further along there were working boats with fresh prawn and seafood sales out of the boats.   It was GREAT!!!

These are 2 of the boats the Cairns fishermen own ...   What a waste!!

These were all working boats - there were people on them pottering around!!

                                                 Don’t they have so much character?!!

We’re getting to know the Bruce H’way really well and managed to get to Shorncliffe without the GPS – had to call on the wee thing to get us to a mate’s to pick up the DVD though!  The DVD was ‘The Long Way Down’ with Charlie Boorman and Ewen McGregor – the follow-on from ‘The Long Way Round’.  We’ve since watched it and it was great … to be recommended!!