Park BBQ – March 28

A beautiful day, we organized a BBQ in Schoncliff Park. After a quick trip to Woollies for sausages, etc. we set off on our borrowed bikes with Helena and Derrick. Lewis and Elsa, acting as our support team, drove the car loaded with provisions to a predetermined area with electric grills for cooking and covered picnic tables. We enjoyed a great BBQ (along with some aggressive Ibis, crows and Myna birds) then set off to explore the headland at the end of the boardwalk. An aboriginal guy lives in the area and paints indigenous fish and animals on the surrounding fence posts, rocks and trees; quite attractive. Lou and Elsa fished from the pier while we biked back to the house, with a brief stop for some Italian ice cream. After dinner we cruised into Sandgate (nearest small town) to check out the action. Not unexpectedly the stores and cafes were closed and the streets are deserted. Even weekdays, only Woollies open past 5PM. All other businesses push customers out the door at 4:45. The priority is dinner and family before commerce.....charming; reminiscent of our days in Europe. The lifestyle here, the zoning oceanfront protection, and the quality of life have made this area our most relaxed so far.

Lady's Day at the Races March 27

Elsa & I have joined the ‘Red Hats Ladies’ – well at least for a day at the races! Check out the Brisbane Racing Club on Facebook to see if you can spot us in their pictures of March 27th race day! We had a blast! Our neighbour Helena (Queen of the Bright-N-Breezy Red Hats) invited us to their race day. Hesitant at first, she convinced us with the offer of hats! Millie – you were on our minds & we knew this was right up your alley! There were 8 in our group but hundreds more ladies attended, clad in their glad rags, perky little hats & fashion-statement shoes! When travelling 3+months, who packs such finery? Not us! In the open-air excitement of race day; who cares what you wear! Obviously all the 2-legged fillies sure did as they teetered along in their 5-inch spikes (protected by Heel Candy), very provocative form-fitting cocktail dresses with hats that would rival Queen E! This one white-fine formed young man entered the field with 2 ladies on either side; one black & other white. The white was gorgeous but was overshadowed by the other -- this long cool drink of water. You have to imagine this: a tall slender polished & buffed woman wearing a dress that was a second-skin and plunging in the back & front with a swirl of glitter emphasizing each curve as she floated along on her 7-inch statement with a hat to crown the day (side pompadour with feathers quivering in the light afternoon breeze)! She was the show for the day – and we saw a lot!
Admission was $25; this included the $15 gate plus $25 race-dollars for food & drink (Such a bargain!) There were 8 races. We missed one race standing in the beer line, but placed $1 or $2 bets on each of the remaining races. Three races placed my horse in the winner’s circle ($1.80 + $4.50 + $4.50 winnings -- last of the big time spenders)! Five hours of hot sun, 4 large beers, a teriyaki beef lunch, an afternoon with new friends and a photo on Facebook.... Priceless!
To top our day, the guys not only acted as chauffeurs but we arrived home to a roast lamb dinner! Thanks Tom & Lewis (aka Master Chef).

Noosa Heads March 25

Our second day with hot weather, (yesterday we returned to the Mall to cool off & to shop at Dan Murphy’s for white wine). Today we drove N to Noosa Heads, another recommended ‘must see’. Queensland Parks & Forests guide described it as wild coastline jutting into the ocean; wallum heaths, woodlands & pockets of rainforest with hoop & kauri pine (refuges for wildlife, including koalas & glossy black-cockatoos). The drive on the M1 was an easy 100K; off the motorway the final 30K was eye-opening! There were lots of Round-Abouts; shopping centres, merging busy streets... a tourist Mecca with all the trappings: hotels/motels, eateries, boutiques & surf shops. No place to park, not even at the Info-Site. We drove until we hit Noosa National Park at the head of the peninsula; where we had to stop! First impressions: unbelievably overdeveloped, high-end, confusing road system & hot! The beaches are great; few surfers, not crowded with places to picnic.
We picked up a trail map at the park entrance, noting a sign listing koala sightings. This headland park has 5 tracks ranging from 1 to 8K. We took track 4 along the rocky shoreline with spiky pandanus, thru woodlands with piccabeen palms, to Boiling Pot & Dolphin Lookouts and Tea Tree Beach. It satisfied us! We recognized Boiling Pot from the brochure photo. We also spotted a Koala snoozing in the midday heat high in one of their food tree. Sceptical, we considered it had been brought in for the tourists! Nevertheless it brightened our day, especially when the little guy opened his eyes & looked our way– a great picture moment! Besides the Koala, we spied a noisy black bird (not a Cockatoo), 2-inch lizard, 4-inch cockroach; a sleeping snake curled around a branch high above us, several bush-turkeys & got a 41-second recording of a roaming 5-foot lizard! Had a great picnic & got our Koala sighting added to the board. Not half bad for a Noosa outing!
BTW: the Noosa newspaper writes about a blog’s fight to protect koalas (KoalaDiaries.com.au). Apparently a block of land was sold with over 20 large koala food trees, which is now a pile of woodchips. The Blog reads: have these people missed the point living in Noosa entirely – or is this the way of the future? As we drove away from Noosa Heads, we thought a little-too-late!
We drove back south along the coastal highway to explore more of the Sunshine Coast. Once again, unbridled residential development blocked most of the ocean views. We are fortunate to be staying in Brighton where development bylaws have kept the beachfront clear. At Wild Horse Mountain Lookout we stopped to climb the very steep trail to appreciate the 360 degree view (123 metres above sea level). It was worth it! We took pictures of the Glass House Mountains & miles of reforested pine trees. We didn’t tarry, due to the handwritten “Beware of snakes” sign and the abandoned snakeskins near the lookout! Home again, to discover that the demolition of the house next-door had been halted just before noon by a court injunction (owner in dispute with the builder). Countdown to our final two weeks has begun -- hard to believe!

Scarborough Beach March 23

Laundry morning and household chores; done by noon in time to prepare a picnic for a beach afternoon. Not sure if we mentioned this, but 5 minutes from our doorstep is a coastal boardwalk and picnic area. This is only one of literally dozens of places we can picnic by the ocean in a 20 minute drive. Private & commercial buildings are built on the opposite side of the road away from the beach; all beaches are public domain! The beaches have exceptionally clean & well maintained picnic areas: tables & benches, free electric BBQ stations, running water, toilets, garbage bins, and lots of free parking. The beaches are safe for swimming (for the daring), great for beach-combing and are usually lined with tall eucalyptus or Norfolk Island Pines; scenic with shade. (Picture shows BBQ pit & beachfront)
Today we drove up the peninsula to Scarborough Beach with picnic hamper complete with chilled white wine. It was stunning! We shared the ½ K beach with 7 other people. We watched the shrimp boats on the horizon, ate our picnic, walked along the water’s edge and selected a few shells before stretching out to read & cool off by the ocean breezes. What a relaxing way to enjoy a down day! Before leaving the beach area we walked around the point to the next beach; one with a steep red cliff, hence the nearby town’s name - Redcliff. The sandstone bank was brilliant in colour with carved formations. We didn’t linger long but enjoyed every minute! We agreed to try another beach soon only this time we will try the clean BBQ station.

Driving Adventures March 19/22

We are feeling the withdrawals of life without ready access to the internet. How did we survive B4? While we may lack technological access the area offers us opportunities for driving adventures & helpful neighbours! We’ve had a busy 4 days thus completing our first full week here on the Sunshine Coast. Let me bring you up-to-date with a ‘Coles notes’ version.
Friday after our usual morning of enjoying a relaxing “brekky” over a long-black or flat-white coffee (yes John & Meg own an espresso/cappuccino machine) we drove north (M1) to Bribie Island (pronounced like bribery only change ‘bery’ to bee). The promotional brochures describe Bribie Island as a treasure trove of plants & animals. An island fringed by white, sandy beaches where thousands of shorebirds feed & roost; 360+ species of birds feast on the sand flats & live by this coastal heath land; an Eco lovers delight! We crossed the 1K bridge to urban sprawl, traffic congestion & confusing R’Abouts. We were tempted to reverse! However, after visiting the Info-Site for directions to the beach & best sunset spots; we decided to stay. Our next stop was Red Beach, the most easterly point of the island. There are many homes for sale in this highly developed beach front (now blocked entirely by trees & shrubs) but the beach was amazing! The sand was fine & white, the beach uncluttered, wide & great for shell-combing. We walked with the feel of sand through our toes & gentle wave action around our ankles; then sat to watch the surf. BTW – Red Beach was the code given the beach during WWII.
Before leaving Bridie Island, we drove west to Bellara to glimpse the sunset views over the Glass Mtns. Instead we found ourselves on Banksia Beach, with multi-million $ homes and yachts moored at their private marina, next to the Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club! It wasn’t a bad outing. We watched a remarkable sunset with a couple in their 80s, who had parked their electric scooters on the point to drink a bottle of vino (apparently a regular routine). We walked the beach & collected a few ‘special’ shells to remind us. BTW, over 80% of the island is an inaccessible nature reserve, hence undeveloped!
Saturday, the approach of Cyclone Ului brought rain! It was a great day to check out the largest mall in the area, which covers acres of stores including Dan Murphy’s, a shop known for inexpensive wines. Elsa & I covered only one section of the mall in 2-hours (we’ll go back) while Lewis & Tom spent most of that time at Dan’s, purchasing 9 bottles of wine for $25 AUD (6 of those skinless bottles (no label) $11)! Now that was a bargain; more so since it is quite drinkable! Saturday night we visited with neighbours Fiona & Aiden (the family from Dublin) & Helena & Derrick! A great night!
After a slow start Sunday morning, we drove north to the Glass House Mountains, while keeping an eye on Cyclone Ului. The Glass House Mtns were named by Captain Cook in 1770. The ‘Glass Houses’ are volcanic plugs rising abruptly from a patchwork of farms & forests. On a clear day you can see Bridie Island but with Cyclone Ului covering the north we saw only marvellous clouds! Disappointed, we drove along Steve Irwin Way to Maleny (MA-Lainy); a plateau overlooking the Glass House Mtns. We drove through rainforests with elevated views of the valleys. The occasional break in the clouds provided us noteworthy vistas; a great day of exploring another piece of our backyard.
Monday, yesterday, we drove west to Toowoomba (Too-Woom-BA); a 2-hour ride inland to the escarpment tabletop (300 metres high). We ate lunch at Picnic Point on the top of the escarpment with panoramic views of the Lockyer Valley and Tabletop Mtns. Already 2pm, we did a quick tour through the town (girls bought laundries) while the guys shopped at a military surplus/outback clothing store and fed coins to the parking meter! On route we passed through the town of Minden, fertile farmland & fresh produce markets (harvest time). New potatoes .49 cents/Kilo, squash .39 cents/kilo, pineapples, limes, lemons, cabbage, oranges, bananas, avocado and custard apples; driving away with a trunk full of fruit and veggies for just $36; just like the old days of shopping at Holland Landing. Did you pick up on the Custard Apples? We were introduced to this ugly looking fruit by 2 local shoppers at the Windmill Market who gave it a ringing endorsement. Sceptical, I bought 2 ripe custard apples. Well, unbelievably delicious! It is like eating creamy custard with a mango flavour! Wow, we’ll look for them again! (picture attached)

Brighton March 15/18

Hard to believe this is day 4 here at Brighton Beach, our 3rd home exchange location & our last before returning to NA. Brighton Beach is just north of Brisbane Airport on the Sunshine Coast. No internet with this exchange, John has mobile wireless but needed it for their travels. Hence the no recent blog update. Lewis was able to ‘borrow’ a wireless connection this morning & if you are reading this you know we had the same success! Our search continues for a local Internet cafe.
We had arranged to meet here Monday at 2pm. We arrived in Brighton Beach at noon after an hour’s drive north from the Gold Coast; time to shop at ‘Woollies” (Woolworths) for picnic fixings to enjoy at the beach 5 minutes from our destination. Meg greeted us with hugs & kisses, chilled wine & beer, cheese, olives and crackers while John shopped for steaks & shrimp for the Barbie! The house is as warm & inviting as the owners made us feel from the moment we met them. Screens on the windows & doors deter geckos while allowing the constant ocean breeze to waft through. The house is a large two-storey brick Cape Cod surrounded by wide covered verandas. There are large multi-panel wooden windows in each room; an open living concept with 12 foot ceilings, spacious rooms, few doors; a very comfortable home! Already we have adopted the local approach to sleeping with the windows open to enjoy those ocean breezes.
Tuesday, while Meg & John packed for their journey we enjoyed breakfast on the patio at Cafe on the Park. Photos & best wishes launched them & Mr. Pickles (dog) on their journey shortly before noon. We enjoyed a lazy couple of hours before a late afternoon long stroll along the ocean boardwalk. We were amazed at the distances people could walk out onto the tidal beach (low tide) and the speed of the Para-surfers soaring over the waves. We couldn’t resist the contagious laughter of 18-mth old Dexter running as fast as his little legs would carry him holding tightly to a leash attached to his 11-mth old puppy. This is truly a community of young families and senior citizens.
Wednesday (yesterday) after a relaxing morning we went grocery shopping at Woollies. After lunch we crossed the 3km bridge to Woody Point and drove north to Scarborough, the very tip of the Peninsula. We drove slowly along the scenic coastal roadway all the way to Morgan’s Seafood, a local market and restaurant situated on an operational fishing wharf. We stopped at Redcliff Information Centre and met Mary & Sophie – another find sample of local friendliness! We left with a shopping bag of materials on Brisbane & region plus our buckets filled with laughter! We strolled along a seawall walk accessible from Morgan’s, which Mary had suggested before we purchased fish for our dinner Barbie! Fresh prawns, sardines, Atlantic salmon, red snapper and ocean trout were our BBQ selections ($38 AUD). If that sounds like a lot of food....it was, but man oh man was it delicious accompanied with some inexpensive local chardonnay. As it was St Paddy’s Day, we delivered green cupcakes and wine to Fiona, the Irish expat who lives next door with her husband and 3 kids. What a day as we watched the sun go down; no not on Galway Bay but Brighton Beach!
BTW: temperature 29 C, cloudy with a few sun showers. We’re monitoring the cyclone due to hit 800 K north of us by Tuesday; evacuation has started on some of the lower altitude islands. We have the high ground plotted (Toowoomba) should it start veering in our direction! Don’t worry; we are safe!

Gold Coast March 13/14th

We are at Gemini Court Holiday Apartments in beautiful Burleigh Heads, a wonderful location in the heart of the Gold Coast. We are in the SE corner of Queensland, our 3rd Australian province this trip. The apartment is on the 3rd floor (really the 4th) overlooking the ocean & the Gold Coast strip. Burleigh Beach is across the street, renowned for its surf break. The Burleigh Heads National Park is a 5 minute walk from our front door, offering a 7 Km ocean view walk along a rocky shore at the Head of Burleigh. Yes, we did the walk along the ocean rocky shore and over the hill through the rainforest; plus walking around town a few times, making it another 10k day! Thank goodness for cold beer & wine rewards with an oceanfront balcony as our prize for exercising today! We’ve had the balcony door open most of the time and the sound of the surf fills the apartment. The building is older & the unit a bit stale however the fresh ocean breeze is refreshing. We have lots of Rainbow Lorikeet, Kookaburra & unknown others visiting the balcony. We have not escaped the rain but get a break during the day; the sun is hot & we are able to walk along the beach, watch the surfers, etc. The town is a Florida Spring Break clone of the 70s & 80s. There are lots of restaurants and the food is reasonable. The busiest store is the Sally-Ann for used clothes & products – indicating the transient crowd of surfers! Today is a ‘long-board’ competition and the surf’s up! Our first night here we dropped into the Lawn Bowl Club. They welcomed us with open arms, an inexpensive but good meal & live entertainment! We had a marvellous time. It was like an old fashion Newfie Time and we were youngsters again! Today, Sunday, Tom & Lewis will bus to Surfer's Paradise to pick up a rented car for our drive to Brisbane tomorrow. The Gold Coast will be another check on our bucket list!

Phantom Lake – March 11/12

Mansfield Country Resort used to be called Lake Eildon Country Club. We suspect the name change became necessary after the lake dried-up! Originally the owner operated a houseboat rental & caravan camp on the shoreline of Lake Eildon. In the 70’s, after witnessing the success of timeshare in North America he built 50 lakeside cottages under shared ownership. He built jetties, a floating marina, boating-related facilities; 2-story lodge housing common areas, bar, kitchen, squash court, gym, library, sauna, swimming pool, etc. not to mention the corresponding lighting & security systems. One can imagine this was a popular weekend & vacation destination. But, that was before the decades-long drought and the disappearance of “The Lake”.
Today as we walked the dry lakebed the remains of boat docks, buoys & petrol-pump ‘floating’ stations are abandoned high & dry along the foreshore. Evidence of the many failed attempts to follow the ever-decreasing water level as the lake gradually evaporated! The formerly waterfront cottages are now landlocked about one kilometre from the nearest moisture; a small boggy weir running along the former lake bottom. A sign posted nearby warns: “No Skiing from Shore in Club Area, No wash inside marked areas, Beware of Swimmers” reminding them of days of water; or is it hope for a wetter future!
The trees which relied on moisture from the lake are dead, creating a desolate landscape. We were reminded of Harry Potter’s enchanted forest as we expected the limbs of these tree skeletons to spring hands! The floating marina sits on a desert, an eerie sight. Looking across the valley one can see the progressive levels of “lakeshore” over the years. The resort itself is worn, in a time warp. The managers are hopeful, welcoming those who grace the resort. No doubt the original purchasers are disgruntled & new investors aren’t anxious to buy into this ecological disaster; a poster child for global warming.
The 170mm rainfall in this part of Australia over the past week made international news, creating amazing flooding situations. In 2009 only 7mm of rain fell in the entire year. You can imagine why 170 mm would create floods, if you have ever over-watered a very dry houseplant! On a positive note, already the grass is greener; the trees have sprung to attention and no limbs have dropped from the Stringybark trees! Signs of hope for sure, but with the drought so advanced it will take a lot more rain to restore this area to the 1970s lakeside resort.
From drought to forest fires; today’s blog is about local realities! Last February a flash forest fire hit this region at night, killing 125 people. Even though the fire was 30-40KMs from the resort, the smoke was so thick one could not see from one cottage to the next. Thursday morning, March 11th we drove the valley road to check its condition for our airport trip tomorrow. We stopped at Alexandra, a lovely town surrounded by 380-490 metre mountains. We ate lunch at “MIA MIA Tea Rooms” in the town centre. Elsa & I shopped at Alex’s Giftware & Woollens. Elsa bought a dessert cookbook and we gained firsthand knowledge on living conditions when the surrounding hills are in flames!
We drove a little further into the valley to Marysville where most of the 125 died. It is ying/yang; while the devastation is evident everywhere, there are signs of re-growth! The tree trunks are blackened while a few branches are lush with new greenery. The prefab housing parks have clothes on the lines & kids’ toys on the lawns. New homes are in various stages of completion. Some have temporary corrugated metal roofs. Building lots have been cleared with work-in-progress evident while others are “For Sale” with prices advertised as “POA”. We were dumbfounded to see entire hillsides burnt with only charred tree trunks remaining; then a few rows of trees in full health! We took no pictures but the images will not soon be forgotten!
As we drove to Melbourne Airport we saw barren hillsides, some in various stages of reforestation, trickling brooks and dried-up riverbeds. Folks live with the constant need for fire prevention and water conservation. We leave this area after 4 days and 1274 KMs. We have checked OZ wildlife in its native habitat off our list & have a greater awareness of our environment. We made the right decision coming to Mansfield.

King Valley March 9

A day of sunshine & a trip to the King Valley wine region – does it get any better? Around 11 am we were on our way to Whitfield’s (63K) 6 wineries. Our plan, lunch matched with a superb glass of wine! Our maps didn’t indicate the 1000 metre climb on narrow switch-back roads; a slow drive but with amazing vistas. After 2 hours of driving we reached Powers Lookout, 20 minutes from Whitfield. Powers Lookout is 3K along an unsealed road (think of a log path); what the heck we were here. A lookout platform was just metres from the parking lot. Two friendly Aussie ladies (Janice & Lucy) admiring the view gave us the scoop on Whitfield (1 cafe town with ok coffee). They suggested driving the extra ½ hour to Milawa. Tom, in the meantime had read about Harry Power & his famous hide-away, just 300 m along the trail. Harry Power was a bush ranger (outlaw) who cumulatively spent 30 years in jail. His hideout was the caves in this rocky isolated region. Today, a well-engineered set of narrow steel stairs with handrails gives access to his private domain & fabulous ‘lookout’ vistas! The rocky cliff was covered with moss & low shrub the same colour & texture found on the Barrens in NFLD. The smell of peppermint filled the air from the surrounding bushes. We stopped in Whitfield for Lewis to grab a snack (2 pm) before motoring on to Milawa. We drove through cattle country and vineyards (no ‘For Sale’ signs like elsewhere) on a good road for 45K. At Milawa our designation was Brown Brothers; no, not the business Elsa worked at for nearly 7 years but Australia’s winery with the largest range of varietal wines! Their Epicurean Centre Restaurant offered a range of dishes, each with a matched glass of wine but it closed at 3pm (now 2:40). Wine tasting first; forget about the $32+ lunch. We purchased a 2008 Pinot Grigio, a Limited Release Riesling 2008 & a Limited Release Durif 2007 (red & specific to here) for Friday’s arrival on the Gold Coast. The town centre had locally grown/produced shops for: Mustard, Olives, Cheese, Bakery (where we ate) & more wine tasting outlets. We purchased a Beetroot & Horseradish Reduction for bread dipping or basting ($10-Olive Shop); a large Brie ($20) and said goodbye to this tourist town! We drove back to Mansfield via the Hume Hwy, a much faster route home! Lewis & Tom fired up the BBQ to grill steak, sausage, kangaroo and some minced mystery meat. Before sunset, we walked around the resort. Oh Boy - the Cockatoos were upset! There are hundreds (but it sounded like thousands) of these birds at the resort. Several sat in the highest tree & sounded the alarm as we approached. We walked on to witness the 2nd stage of their defence: swooping down over our head squawking at high decibels. When this failed, all the Cockatoos took flight! What a sight! P.S. - we purchased a $4 SIM card for Bob’s cell phone today ($10 prepay), now we need to activate!

Labour Day weekend in OZ

Monday, March 8th is Labour Day in OZ & our 2nd day in Mansfield; boy what rain! Our Rainbow Lorikeets are replaced by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos & Crimson Rosella parrots. These white cockatoos (with bright yellow plumes & under-wing feathers) are noisy but thank goodness their morning starts at 7:30 versus the sunrise wakeup call in Sydney. Kangaroos are everywhere. They hop through the resort to drink at the lake; munch on grass in nearby fields; and then retreat in haste when we come too close! We laughed as they hopped away and recalled our childhood jumping games! We are enjoying our new location; another right decision! The town is large enough for necessities but small enough to maintain its “high country” charm. The resort has the atmosphere of a cottage but encircled by exotic ‘gum’ trees & wildlife. The Information Centre provided materials on manageable day trips so today we explored Mt. Buller Alpine Village and Jamieson. Mt Buller is a 45 minute drive from Mansfield, all uphill! (Australian Gold Medal in Aerials) Its summit is at an altitude of 1804 metres & the village is at 1604 (Mansfield is approx 100). The materials told us to expect cool temperatures, pristine mountain air and panoramic views. (We took light jackets) Well, we can confirm the altitude; navigated a rapid ascent via numerous switchbacks and sharp turns! At the village the temperature had dropped to 9C (25C in Mansfield). Fog, sheets of rain, cold strong winds; most places closed due to the Labour Day holiday! We spoke to a guy whose comment was ‘it is wild’ ‘wild weather but yesterday was worst’ (yelps); he directed us to the Cattlemen’s bar. Dylan’s hot coffee & Sticky Date pudding ($9 AUD) thawed our bones & gave us a warm haven before tackling the return journey. Back at ground zero (2:30 pm) it was hard to believe (except for the video) that Mt Buller had been real! Always an adventure! We visited the village of Jamieson with the hopes of fresh raspberries and a JB (Jamieson Brewery) award winning beer! Not sure what we expected but it wasn’t exactly what we found. Jamieson was once a bustling logging town but no longer! The town is a museum; a few service people, some commuters to Mansfield and one welfare family. Otherwise, the population o f 125 watches the tourists. During summer weekends the town swells to 5000 strong the owners of the General Store told us; happy to have someone to pass the time. We stopped at the brewery; the beer weak and served by an unfriendly lady! Awards 3 years running – yes, but what was the criteria or competition? A brief stop for raspberries; too wet to pick today! A $5.25 jar of blueberry jam was our consolation prize (50% berries & 50% filler) tourist gimmick or what? We should have left town after the General Store! The truly best part of our day was returning to Mansfield Country resort to watch a herd of kangaroo and a flock of Cockatoos & Crimson Rosario Parrots dine in the fields near our cottage! Wow, this is Australia! A glass of local wine & the smell of eucalyptus trees as we watch the sun set! YES!

Drive with Bob - March 5

This is our last full day in Sydney before leaving for Melbourne/Mansfield. Bob called and kindly offered to drive us to Palm Beach, on a peninsula north-east of Sydney proper. Of course, we jumped at his offer and set off on the “coastal route” to capture views of the Pacific. Most beaches are secluded primarily due to limited access caused by private homes along the periphery of the beach. Unfortunately many of the best views are from the driveways of these fenced private homes.
Palm Beach is part nature reserve so provides good beach access, peach-coloured sand....and is used as the shoot by a popular TV series in OZ (Home & Away). It also has The Boat Shed, a casual but trendy restaurant where well-presented waiters serve well-presented food to golfers from the nearby course, leisurely-types and a bevy of blue-rinse ladies (plus us of course!). After lunch we strolled to the beach for a final view before heading back to Sydney via the interior route, in a light rain. Most enjoyable....thanks Bob.
As previously mentioned we leave tomorrow (March 6th) to stay about one week in Mansfield. We’re not sure if our accommodation will provide reasonable access to the internet.....so there may be limited blog during this period.

Bondi Beach March 4

‘We saved the best for last’ – today we took the bus to Bondi Beach to walk the 4+K to Bronte Beach; a stunning walk that hugs the cliff & beaches along the coastline. Bondi Beach is roughly 1K of golden sand & sparkling sea, gentle to big swells (surfers), weak to strong currents (swimmers); patrolled by lifesavers to enforce the yellow and red flag boundaries. We watched a few experienced surfers before our walk towards Bronte. At 1.5K we reached Mackenzie Point where there is a lookout over Bondi. Memorial plagues to ‘Black Sunday’ and ‘Nosey Bob’ are posted. On Sunday, February 6, 1938, with the beach packed by 35,000 people 3 huge waves hit & washed 300 people out to sea. All but 5 were saved thanks to the team of lifeguards gathered for the weekly surf competition. ‘Nosey Bob’ or Robert ‘the gentleman hangman’ who worked as the state’s hangman for 30 years lived alone in a cottage in Bondi. His reputation was as a decent fellow who carried out his job with respect, gave rise to his name! We walked on towards Tamarama. Tamarama is a tiny beach also known as “Glamourama” for the beautiful (but not necessarily smart) people who frequent it! It was here we saw an ‘out-of-condition’ middle-aged man literally drag himself on his knees out of the surf and flop on the sand, with his failing energy ... boy oh boy! We followed a white fence to Bronte Beach. A pretty and busy beach bordered by a large park, with shady Norfolk Island pines & picnic shelters. Each roofed picnic shelter is divided to form 4 individual private tables. Practical & impressive! It was time for lunch. A row of cafes at the end of Bronte Road caught our attention. Tom and I sat at a cafe for a Chicken Burger (sounds boring, but tasty & great value with 2 bottles of cold water). Lewis & Elsa ordered take-away steak burgers with awesome-looking fries from a grill; then sat under a Cabbage Tree in the park to eat, watch the surfers & enjoy a refreshing breeze off the ocean. Wow – what a perfect way to end our walk. Bronte Beach ocean pool, when opened in 1887 was restricted to women between 10 am & 4 pm. Outside of these hours, and on Sundays and public holidays, the pool was men-only. Today the ocean pool still protects swimmers from marine life but gender restrictions are gone! We covered the factual side of the walk but the cliffs and vistas were almost indescribable. The cliffs are amazing sandstone formations in colours of tan, brown, yellow, red, orange, gray and white. The formations, textures & color combine to create true works-of-art. As such, it is difficult to select a photo for this blog. Once again, the most spectacular views were created by nature! Bob painted and mounted a 5x6 foot beach scene in his condo. Today we discovered his inspiration!

Manly March 3

Back to normal today – sunny with heat to warrant sunscreen! We were away earlier and caught the 10:30 ferry arriving in Manly at 11 am. A direct run & everyone’s favourite way to travel to Manly. Our boat ride was a review of sites we recognize; the Opera House, spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park – the giant size happy-face, Cremorne Point (1st walk), Taronga Zoo – the cable car, seal tent & Treetop restaurant, & Watsons Bay with its lighthouse, before crossing the Tasman Sea inlet to the North Head & Manly Harbour. A 2nd opportunity to capture postcard quality photos, bath in the sunshine, & watch sailboats glide across the sparkling sea.
We followed Lewis & Elsa’s suggestions gained from their visit yesterday; stopped at the I-Site for maps, walked along the pedestrian mall, shopped at Coles’ supermarket for a picnic lunch, & then crossed the street to the Esplanade & Manly Beach. We watched the surfers & swimmers in the waves under the watchful eye of the lifeguard; flags strategically warning of the dangers of the undertow & where to play in safe waters. We sauntered along the Esplanade to Shelly Beach (1.5K) along the Cabbage Tree Bay aquatic reserve. We read the plaques & glanced at the marine life sculptures attached to the sandstone rocks along our way: weedy sea dragon, little penguin, snails and octopus. We snapped photos of the Eastern Water Dragons, from 3 inch to 3 foot ones basting in the sun. We ate our picnic in a quiet nook on the a bench in memory of a 55 year-old surfer ‘Big John’ with a wish for us to enjoy the view. We did enjoy the sandstone ridge coastal view (do you); & ate our lunch as 2 surfers navigated the surf far below us.
We enjoyed our visit to Manly and finished it with a beer from the 4 Pines Brewing Company. 4 Pines beer is brewed on the family-own premises; 4 regular brews on tap – Kolsch, Pale Ale, Hefeweizen and ESB. We sat on the patio to enjoy our beer and waited for our return ferry to Sydney. Lewis & Elsa had a memorable day at Watsons Bay and were waiting for us at the Wharf on our return; as Lewis would say “Manly – but I like it too!”
Tonight, Bob came for dinner – a little strange perhaps coming to his own home by invitation, but a great evening enjoyed by all. Yes, Lewis cooked a roast of lamb which was delicious!

Watsons Bay March 2

Still chilly today (20C) and it looked like rain; donned a jacket & took the train to the ferries. Lewis & Elsa have 2 more days on their more-expensive pass, which gives them access to Manly. So today, they explored Manly while we explored Watsons Bay. At Watsons Bay the 1st thing we see are fish eateries all named Doyle! (We thought of Mike ... Millie’s hubby!) We joined the cue for take-away fish & chips, sat at a table on the pier with Sydney & a marina of sail boats our backdrop. Can it get any better?
We followed the Harbour & Coastal Walks’ Guide and toured the 2.5 K circuit from the Wharf to South Head loop. We walked through the quaint streets of Watsons Bay to Camp Cove, a gorgeous swimming beach, before winding around the headland to Lady Bay (nude beach) and the lighthouse on the point. Sydney views are all along the walk with invigorating air on the headland. Sidebar: Lewis was told on his excursion that more suicides occur at Watsons’s lighthouse by leaping into the surf than at any other place in Sydney. Based on the rocks & surf, if you jump into the sea here, it is a one-way ticket! The lighthouse has the same colouring as Bonavista and the terrain looked like Marilyn’s area in Burin.
The houses are humble, charming and worth a fortune; cast-iron decorated gates & verandas, dormers, colourful hydranths, gardenia, orange jasmine & frangipani bushes adorn the gardens, and many had the look of a Newfie salt-box house. The 1872 black cannon sit pointing down-harbour to the Tasman Sea, where the view opens up to include Manly & the looming bulk of North Head. We walked through a patch of coastal banksias, tea trees & melaleucas to Lady Bay. This tiny golden crescent is a nudist beach. We were advised not to look if nudity bothers us! Needless to say I took a photo for Marilyn, tactfully captured the man’s back as he stepped along the rocky shore with a tree branch covering his rear! The headland track has remnants of pillboxes & fortifications dating from the Crimean War & WWII. Signage marks the 200+ years of shipwrecks bound for the safety of Sydney Harbour. There were noisy Rainbow Lorikeet and one lone Kookaburra on our stroll before returning to the foreshore promenade and the ferry wharf.
We caught the 2:50 ferry; arriving at Circular Quay at 3:10 just as the ferry from Manly was docking at Wharf 3 with Lewis & Elsa waving from the top deck. How’s that for timing? Tomorrow we will do the same excursions with the exchange of ferry passes ... we will fill you in on Manly tomorrow!

Sydney Living March 1

Sunday afternoon we took the train downtown to visit Chinatown & the gardens. At Town Hall we walked through the Queen Victoria Building. What an impressive building, with its stunning architecture, intricate tiled floors, domed roof, stained glass windows & elevator (lift), cast-iron decorative railings – not to mention the unique boutiques on each floor! The QVB was built in 1898 as a monument to the reigning monarch. There are jewellers, cafes, antique stores, Russian-made military miniatures store, model train & other ‘hobby’ stores plus a wide range of international boutiques (high-end brand $$$$). The clocks hanging from both ends of the mall are works of art – like in Prague or Vienna. We felt glued to the QVB & couldn’t resist checking out the 70% sale on the concourse level and the Aussie store for an authentic cow-hide ‘softie’ hat for Lewis. Oh if we could only get some of this stuff home without breakage! (Ashley Warehouse Sale+)! The most impressive place for the guys – the men’s urinals! First time using such an ornate P-spot! Unfortunately Elsa & I had to take their word for it, since they refused to take a photo! Couldn’t see why not, but neither wanted a black eye!
We walked to Chinatown but it was raining. We enjoyed a coffee & pastry (best value & taste); walked through a Chinese mall & Lewis found a great purchase at one of the video stores ... I will leave it at that! For dinner we ate the lamb dish Lewis had cooked overnight in the slow-cooker. Another fabulous meal! Too much food for late dining but what the heck....we are on vacation!
Monday, March 1 was cold (17 degrees) and raining. We couldn’t believe the temperature swing and wondered if the tsunami had an impact; from hot & steamy to wet & cold, but a good day to organize the next 2 weeks of our trip before Brisbane. We now have flights & car rentals organized for Melbourne to enjoy Lewis & Elsa’s timeshare in Mansfield (wine country in Victoria County) plus apartment, flights & car for the Gold Coast (Burleigh Heads Gemini Court Holiday Apts www.geminicourt.com.au). Regardless of the weather we will explore using the Ferries tomorrow!