Take 2 : Southbank, Brisbane ... A Favourite of Ours !

As we enjoyed Southbank so much we decided we just had to take Jessica while she was visiting !

Once more we headed out on the Sunday as this is when the markets are held there and the afternoon Music on the Green. Much to our surprise there was a bonus the monthly speciality art and craft markets were on as well.

This time we drove and parked under the Cultural Centre at Southbank for $15, a great solution to Brisbane's expensive train service !

We spent the morning walking around Southbank and browsing through the markets. 

It was a very special occasion when we stopped to speak with Charmaine of Diva Head Wraps who offered to place a wrap on Jessica's head. Once completed she asked Jess for a photo and got more than she bargained for as Jess played up to the camera ... A typical drama/ musical theatre student ! But the even more than that, George wanted to join in the dance poses ... The dancer and showman in him was yet to surface as Charmaine insisted he had his hair 'wrapped'  before she would take a photo. So much to her delight he agreed. Once they both were donned with a Diva Wrap the fun began much to the joy of Charmaine. What a fun time they both had, as well as the crowd that stopped to watch the shenanigans.

After grabbing a bite to eat we headed down to the wharf to catch the rivercat. This took us on a 2 hour journey up and down the Brisbane River stopping at each wharf. 

Overall we had a wonderful day full of surprises !  

By Lynne

Take 2 !! Jessica comes to visit !

Take 2 !! 

Jessica Comes to Visit ... 

...  So we return to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

We decided to have a few nights on Bribie Island at the Bongaribee caravan park so we could visit George's cousin but still have some quiet family time with Jessica to catch up.

We drove to the east coast of the island where we looked across to Moreton Island and remembered the days we spent as a family at Tangalooma Island Resort when the girls were little. We walked the beach and went out to the southern tip.

We also drove out to White Patch on the Pumicestone passage side, where we could once more we could look across the passage and back to the Glasshouse Mountains. The day was getting on as we sat and talked with locals down on the sand and the light was great for taking photos across the water. 

 We decided to have happy hour back on the esplanade, nearer to the caravan park, as the light faded.

The next day we headed up to Montville where we stopped to take in the views up and down the Sunshine Coast and forage through all the different shops in Montville together. There was the usual trying of clothes, smelling of soaps, perfumes, candles, puzzle shops, chocolate and wine  and of course lunch and lots of giggles. To finish the day we headed back up to the Glasshouse Mountains lookout for her to see the views from there.

While Jessica was with me I decided to brave the new clippers we'd bought from Aldi (we love Aldi) a few weeks ago and give George his first home haircut. I needed her to bouoy my courage. She was also hesitant at first but taking over the clippers she did a great job, leaving me only to cut the top with the scissors. 

We farewelled Bribie and the cousins and headed back across to Munruben for a few days with friends. Here we mainly relaxed, but did manage a drive up to O'Reillys in Lamington National Park. But on this occasion we had ' insider local knowledge ' and were told to take Duck Creek Road up the western side of the mountain ... Thanks Patrick ! 

It was a ' 4wd only ' track, with warnings not to attempt if raining ... just our luck it was overcast and of course me being a worrier I worrried the whole way. The track was excellent and proved not too difficult, but is definitely not for the faint hearted as it is narrow, steep, and has quite a drop off down the mountain. We now know what our ute and driver is capable of. The views were excellent with opportunities to stop so the driver had a chance to see the views as well. The track has been kept up by locals with a sense of humour, as there are many placards naming viewpoints and spots along the drive. I'm guessing they may be in honour of people who have donated towards the tracks building and maintenance.

We reached the top and had a brief wander around before heading back down the usual road. 

   

  

In the next instalment, we move with Jessica back to Beenleigh for Jessica to spend some time visiting our good friends Jim (Lefty) and Loris and head back into Southbank, before she flies home again.

By Lynne

Sunshine Coast Hinterland

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland

We have spent a week touring the hinterland around the Sunshine Coast, covering the areas of Caboolture, the Glass House Mountains, Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Eumundi and of course the beach areas of Caloundra. 

We also took advantage of the CMCA's MSO program (Member Stop Over) for the first time and called ahead to stay with a CMCA member who has opened their property for members to park up for a few nights. We intended staying for 2 nights and were convinced to stay for 7, driving out from their home as our base instead of moving on. We met and made new friends with a very generous couple, I would highly recommend this program to members of the CMCA. On a personal level, it was difficult to bring ourselves to ring a member and ask to stay over as we felt we would be imposing on them. But as we learnt, they would not have placed themselves on the list if they did not look forward to having members visit. This is something we still struggle with, even on our second time around. 

Caboolture Markets was the first stop on the Sunday with an interesting mixture of all things 'markety' and much bigger than we first thought. George had wanted me to use my scooter, but as usual I rejected that idea saying we wouldn't be that long, and once more regretted my stubbornness. We left armed with bags full of fresh vegetables, bread and yoghurt and custard from Maleny Dairies.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Glasshouse Mountains beginning at The Glasshouse Mountains Lookout which had beautiful views over the whole area, especially when you climbed the Fire Tower. 

Next was the Beerwah Mountain lookout, but we were disappointed to find that it was closed due to a rockslide. There was no forewarning of this closure until we drove to the top, but the views on the drive up were well worth it.

Beerwah Mountain and The Organ Pipes in close up.

On the Monday we headed out intending to do a lot of different things in the mountain towns of Maleny, Montville and Mapleton. As it happens we spent so long at our first destination we had to change our plans. First stop was at Maleny and the rainforest at Mary Cairncross Reserve. George had read in the tourist guide that there was a 1.8 km walk there that was wheelchair friendly and decided that was perfect for me and my scooter. Well as I have discovered in the past, wheelchair friendly does not always mean mobility scooter friendly ! It was a typical rainforest walk with all the twigs, rocks and ruts thrown in, suffice to say it would be sarcastic to say I had a very smooth ride. But we laughed and giggled and were stopped many a time by people who wanted to chat. 

We were very excited to have seen our first Pademelons, a miniature type of wallaby. We even managed to see one with a joey in its pouch which we watched close up for ages. There were also scrub turkeys, lots of different birds and wallabies. The volunteers at the desk remarked we were very lucky to see so much wildlife ... I believe it was just the fact I was sitting down so low and stopped often to have a break from the bone shaking drive ! Lol ! George says I need 4x4 suspension !

We spent the afternoon driving through the towns of Montville and Mapleton but other than stopping at the lookouts and driving down to Baroon Dam we did not stop, saving them for a return trip next week with Jessica when she comes up. The town of Montville has a n abundance of shops to explore together. From the lookouts we could view the Sunshine Coast towns and see out to Bribie Island, where we'd visited George's cousin, and Moreton Island.

Wednesday, and it was off to the famous Eumundi Markets. They have a very upmarket style and, as I remarked to George later in the day, very girly oriented. Lots of clothes, jewelry, personal care items, candles, homewares and natural therapies. I wish I had a bank account set up just for buying the grandchildren clothes and other things as there was so much I could have bought for them. Of course there was fresh market goods and food to be eaten as well. 

Our final day was spent touring the beach areas around Caloudra, beginning with Golden Beach and Pelican Point which are on the Pumicestone Passage opposite Bribie Island. All the places in our touring were beginning to link up as we now looked across the Passage to Bribie Island and Caloundra and back to the Glasshouse Mountains. We had lunch at Golden Beach as it began to rain lightly. As we headed around the Caloundra area to the beaches of Caloundra, Shelley, King and Dickey's Beaches the rain became heavier and we decided to call it a day. 

In our next blog Jessica flies in to Brisbane to spend time with us during her college trimester break. 

By Lynne

Brisbane Hinterland

The Brisbane Hinterland.

Rosedale, Laidley, Gatton, Esk, Kilcoy and Woodford

We spent a week touring the Brisbane hinterland. Heading out on the motorway towards Ipswich we stopped at Rosedale to have coffee with a friend, Nancy, who I met through the facebook support page for Auditory Processing Disorder. We were fortunate that she had organised for another member of the group, Janine, to come along too so we spent a wonderful morning catching up and getting to know each other more. Thank you both for a great morning, and Nancy, thank you for all your support over the years !

We spent the next few nights at Laidley Showground and travelled out to Gatton and Toowoomba.

George decided that Toowoomba wasn't far from Gatton so we drove up the very steep hill ... glad we weren't towing the caravan. 

First stop was the views from View Point where you could look back over the steep drive we'd just made up the hill and over the valley below towards Gatton. We decided to have our late lunch here looking out over the view. Late lunches have become a habit lately ! 

Next stop was the Cobb and Co. Museum, but by the time we found it time had gotten away on us and on entry we found it closed at 4pm and it was already 3pm. So... the museum will have to wait until another trip to Toowoomba.

On our way back through Gatton we visited the Truckies and  Coach Drivers  Memorial, in the Park behind the tourist information centre, late in the afternoon. Both the lake and the memorial were stunning in the afternoon light.

View from the lookout

Windmill display outside the Cobb and Co. Museum

Gatton Truckies and Coach Drivers Memorial

Next stop was Kilcoy Showground for two nights, a whopping 90kms up the road. We had decided to base ourselves there so we could do the scenic drive around Somerset Dam and Wivenhoe Dam without the caravan. George was glad we did !

While driving to Kilcoy we visited Esk which had a well laid out antique shop, and a coffee shop/art gallery that surprised us with a room displaying some local history. The shop was originally the home of an amazing man who migrated to Australia in 1852. He began a timber mill and with ingenuity and creativity built 3 rail cart sidings on the side of the mountains. He also chose to build the new mills at the site of the cuttings, which was a 

different idea. He connected the first electricity in the area to his own home from the mill, 15 years before electricity reached the town of Esk. He also designed and built many of the distinct public buildings still in use today.

The drive around Somerset and Wivenhoe Dams provided us with quite a few viewing stops and opportunities for photos and picnic stops. We had afternoon tea at Cormorant Bay Cafe, perched high on the banks of  Wivenhoe Dam with perfect views back across the water. The days had been very overcast but enjoyable.

Below: the town of Somerset; Cormorants on the dam; and Somerset Dam wall

Views from Cormorant Bay Cafe over Wivenhoe Dam 

On our way back down to our next stop at Beerburrum in the Sunshine Coast hinterland we  stopped at Woodford and once more visited their community museum and arts centre. The ladies manning the centre were a wealth of local knowledge and were happy to talk aboutthetown history and the local art/craft work.

Overall we were very pleased to be back in touring mode though it took a few days to settle  into the new routine. We found ourselves out and about picnicking without one thing or another the first few days ... margarine, thermos, water etc. Now they are permanently packed in the drawers or ute fridge.

 It has taken a little bit of time to get used to touring without our lovely old bus (which we still mourn over sometimes) which was like a snail ... we always had our house with us and therefore didn't need to remember to pack anything !