Local Travel Welcome to my Kiwi Friends

Welcome to my Kiwi Friends.

Another visit from my old friends Fay & Bob Sparrow, this time Alan Read came with them, all workmates from Placemakers, Hamilton, where I had also worked before moving to Australia.
There was excitement at the Brisbane Airport to welcome my friends to Australia and a promise of a great holiday.
Our first day was spent touring around the south; first stop was to visit the Dick Johnson’s Racing Museum at Stapleton on the Gold Coast Highway, an interesting story of the motor racing legend. Travelling on south towards Surfers Paradise Tamborine Mountain mountains was our next stop, set in the hinterland above the Gold Coast, there is a lovely craft village, lots of nice eating places, we settled on some gourmet sandwiches and special coffee. Not far from the village is an old pub, which gave the kiwis their first taste of Ozzy beer; there is a great panorama view of the coastline from the garden bar. It was a nice drive down from the mountains through bushlands and on to Sanctuary Cove. Another craft town set beside canals of very expensive town houses, all with their own boat moorings. The Hyatt Regency Resort is also there, set among nice gardens and a small man made beach. Bob and Alan managed to sample some different beers.
Our lodgings for the next two nights were with Colleen and Ben Ryan, more ex-Placemakers folk but now live at Monterey Keys, Hope Islands. It was a great reunion with lots of laughter and stories, also time to open the duty free rum and enjoy one of Colleen’s special dinners plus their new 56-inch television set. Next morning Ben played bowls and Colleen took us all to Harbour town shopping centre with numerous shops at warehouse priced goods, Next was a visit to the newly upgraded Robina Shopping centre for some more retail therapy, then another mart for shoes. A drive into the hills to collect some discount cards for our dinner later gave us another view of the coastline and many gum trees. Our dinner at Marriott’s resort at Surfers Paradise sure was a night to remember, lot’s of delicious sea foods and eat as much as you like, I even sampled a few raw oysters, my first for many years, not fully convinced that I enjoyed them. We took a late drive along the beachfront where the nightlife was just starting with the younger set; clubs and restaurants were overflowing into the streets
Time to say goodbye to Colleen & Ben after a hearty breakfast, Bob & Alan as master chefs; Ben supervised the toast and tea. Although no one was hungry I couldn’t resist turning off the Pacific highway to sample a famous Yatala pie which everyone enjoyed, they are nearly as good as Kiwi pies, my favourite is steak and mushy peas, the coffee was good also. We travelled further north over the Brisbane Gateway Bridge, then onto the Bruce Highway, our first stop was Bribie Island, just a bridge separating it from the mainland. I found the R.S.L. Club and we were soon enjoying further samples of the brown liquid. The Kiwis were having a difficult job deciding on what brew they preferred but I’m sure they had great fun agreeing to their preferred drink. On the Bruce highway again I pulled into Burpengary, just for old times sake as Gary Larsen was taken with the name when he was with us two years ago. The car automatically turned off the highway at the quaint Ettamogah Pub, full of great yarns around the walls and a huge amusement park and tourist shops behind it. At last we reached Mooloolaba, did a quick tour around the beach front before introducing my friends to my humble lodgings set on one of the many canals. We have been invited to stay with my sister Nancy and brother-in-law John’s place not far from mine in Buderim. The rum bottle was soon produced and we all enjoyed some tasty snacks and drinks before attacking a great Australian Barby. Next morning we were all feeling a little light headed due to Bob’s pouring of the drinks, the day was glorious so it was time to check out the beach with it’s golden sands and rolling surf. The water was a little cooler than usual, must be from a cold front coming across the Tasman Sea. Returning to my place, that night Alan cooked dinner, one of his favourite gourmet dishes and I sure agreed it was very nice.
A drive into the hinterland next day started with a lovely view of the Glasshouse Mountains at Mary Cairncross, the annual Cycling rally was also using the area for a pit stop. We all enjoyed a walk through a piece of rain forest before driving along some very scenic roads to Montville, a peaceful craft town high in the rolling countryside, lots of handmade ornaments in ceramic and timber, an interesting cuckoo shop and many tasty eating places. Our lunch stop was an old Queenslander style Hotel at Mapleton where they serve delicious fish and chips, which can be enjoyed on the huge veranda with the coastline far in the distance. Being still early our return journey was via the Noosa beach resort town. Hastings Street has very upmarket shops and the beach is situated just behind the apartments and shops. We followed the coastline south back to Mooloolaba passing lots of lovely beaches and pockets of scenic beauty
Wednesdays are working days for me at the Maroochydore Tourist Centre, a good excuse for the kiwis to catch up some more retail therapy at the huge Sunshine plaza while I sweated away promoting the coast to tourists from all over the world.
Next morning there was a little welcome rain, we joined sis Nancy and B.I.L John along with their neighbours for a lovely seafood lunch in a small restaurant on a canal.
Early next morning we all started on a three-day trip north to Gladstone, about six hours north of here. Taking the Bruce Highway which is far from scenic but faster, just gum trees and more gum trees, our first rest period was just past Gympie at a very popular road house, petrol and fresh fruit stop. They served some delicious crab sandwiches to our delight and a very nice coffee. Bob took control of my Magna for the next part of our journey, which took us into Maryborough, an old coastal town deep in history and old historical buildings. I rang some ex-Hamilton friends Kevin & Gae Maynell, who gave us very good instructions of their property and we were soon enjoying their company at their Rose nursery which they called “Rhapsody in Roses”, Gae worked the nursery and Devonshire tea shop, also cut flowers while Kevin was busy working as a builder. It was nice to catch up with another connection to Placemakers. Back on the Bruce highway again we bypassed Bundaberg and made our next rest stop at Childers, another old sugar cane town still surviving on growing fruits and vegetables. A visit to the rebuilt Backpackers hostel was very touching as up to twenty young travellers died in a terrible inferno deliberately set on fire a few years ago. The memorial mural to the young people shows a group painting of all the victims. We found a Subway, which served top class foot long sandwiches. The Bruce highway continued north passing through Gin Gin and Miriam Vale, lot’s more gums and sugar cane plantations. Our destination was to find Boyne Island just south of Gladstone, this is where the home of Fay & Bob’s friends Maree & David Tyrrell. We stopped briefly at the Islands newly opened shopping centre for some badly needed supplies plus some food. Maree and Fay & Bob’s daughter Jody were at school together, she lived in England for many years and married David there and moved to Australia.
Our first night was a happy celebration, lots of laughs and our chef Bob cooked us a nice meal. A nice walk along the beach next morning helped to clear the head, Alan was happy, as there were lots of kangaroos grazing along the streets, he was always watching out for them on our drive up here. We took a drive into Gladstone, it is an industrial town but has a very nicely laid out marina. Coal seems to be the main export and there were huge piles of what looked like a coarse sawdust but no one could tell me what it really was. We had a refreshing Guinness stout at the local yacht club overlooking the water.
On returning back to Boyne Island all the food was gathered and taken to a delightful barby area, soon the topless chefs Bob, Alan and Dave were deep in their cooking skills, some special sausages referred to as Kangaroo penis’s, don’t know why but they tasted okay. In the evening more food, Dave decided on seafood and was soon cooking up some tasty fish and a good quantity of king prawns.
Next morning after a thank you and farewell to Maree and David we started our journey back to Mooloolaba, calling into Bundaberg as we thought for a lunch break but there was the annual spring bloom festival ready to start. Most eating-places were either closed or packed out. A drive to the Rum distillery was also in vain, closed. So we decided to find our way out of the city through detour streets and move on to Childers where our favourite Subway café was and also good coffee. Apart from a stop for fresh pineapples and oranges at a roadside shop we made it back home and then on to Nancy & John’s place for the five o’clock happy hour and a nice barby, we all stayed the night.
Mondays are my Writers Workshop classes at Caloundra so we all went the 15 klms. South, me to exercise my brain, the rest to check out the beaches and the lovely town settled among huge mature trees.
How exciting, a train ride, next morning we drove to Landsborough, left the car there and caught the train to Brisbane, about 1 ½ hour journey. The main Queen Street Mall of Brisbane was just a short walk from the Central station. Firstly we decided on a river cruise on the fast cats, which do a circuit of the city. At a cost of $1.80 for pensioners and $3.60 for others you can stay on the boat for a few hours. We firstly headed south to the University stopping at all the pick-up’s along the way, then back north as far as the Hamilton area and the start of shipping and maritime. The day was brilliant, warm and sunny and we all enjoyed the peace and lovely scenery of the Brisbane River. We disembarked at the relaxing South Bank with its man made salt-water lagoon and beach and swimming area, a parkland of international standard, lots of riverside cafes, museums and a huge performing Arts centre.
Back in Queens Street Mall we all entered the beautiful old Casino, just for look around and a small flutter. We found a nice selection of foods for lunch, and then we separated for shopping and sightseeing. Alan and I found Brisbane King George Square and the art museum of city hall; a posed photo beside the sculptured kangaroos was a must for Alan. A bit of window shopping in some of the big department stores filled in the rest of the afternoon before it was time to catch the train again. This time we travelled to Caboolture and then the trans-bus for the rest of the journey to Landsborough. Cooks night off so the Bowling Club was an ideal place to enjoy a meal.
Wednesday has come around again. The trio decided on a trip to Eumundi Markets, always an exciting and colourful place to visit, poor Jim has to work again, promoting our gorgeous Sunshine Coast to the tourists and get no pay for it.
Our friends Don & Glad Hewitt have arrived back to the coast nearing the completion of their “round Australia in two year” journey. Don is also an ex-Placemakers staff member and Glad always helped out with stocktaking. I had met them before they went up north to Cairns, and also spent the day with them in Karunda Rain Forest outside Cairns while I was visiting there with my sister Noeline and B.I.L. Kevin in August. Don and I have kept in touch all over Australia through text messages so I always new exactly where they were. We made arrangements to meet at the Alexandra Surf Club for Thursday lunch; were we spent a few hours talking about our working years together.
Time is running out, after a day relaxing on the beach arrangements had been made with more Hamilton and Placemaker people, Kevin & Olwyn Mc Quillan at the Maroochy R.S.L. Sister Nancy and B.I. L John joined us and once again it was an evening of reminiscing and discussing mutual friends and work. Kevin & Olwyn live around the corner from Nancy & John and recognised each other from early morning walks with their dogs. We all enjoyed the good food and drinks, the pokies were not very nice to us, we caught the late courtesy bus home.
Good heavens, it is Saturday and sadly the day my kiwi friends have to go home. The sun is shining as usual so we all took to the beach for a last sunbathe and swim at the Mooloolaba beach, then a quick change, and off to the Surf Club for a farewell luncheon in a lovely setting of beach and surf. Nancy & John joined us, we had a nice meal, Bob managed a huge sweet after his nice seafood, just like a last supper.
Alas, time was moving on, they said their goodbyes to Nancy & John and just had time to get into the long trousers and wait for the Sun Air bus to collect them for the airport.
The house is quiet, no laughter, no organising new places to visit and no drinking and eating companions.
Roll on next year; we are already planning a holiday to Cairns to see the sights of the Great Barrier Reef and local attractions. We will then get a rental car for the journey back to Mooloolaba. September will be a great time in the north, before the hot and humid weather arrives. On their return it was an unsettled climate back in N.Z.; hope they have a long, dry, warm summer there.
Till next time
Cheers
JIM