Fraser Island across the water from Hervey Bay
Separated from the mainland by a narrow channel, Fraser Island is the largest sand island on Earth (around 124 x 25 km ) and an ecological masterpiece. Vast tracts of sand dunes with deep midnight blue freshwater lakes trapped 700 feet (212 metres) above sea level are balanced with lush rainforest and surrounded by endless white beaches. Native wildlife abounds including dingoes, brumbies (wild horses) echidnas, wallabies, and 206 species of birds: Peregrin Falcons, Kingfishers and just to mention a few. The island has rainforests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests, wallum and peat swamps, sand dunes and coastal heaths. It is made up of sand that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock that provides a natural catchment for the sediment which is carried on a strong offshore current northwards along the coast. Unlike many sand dunes, plant life is abundant We had just a days short stay and were restricted to the main admin area altho we we surrounded by bush/water/sand and bloody March Flies!! Fortunately these creatures are seasonal,and yes, we were in their season! The rangers took us on an ECO short trip (good lookers too !!) and we enjoyed some bush tucker (berries,roots etc) and they were surprisingly good ! The trip over is a 45 minute boat ride on the car ferry and once on the Island we were transported to the main Admin for info on what we could do on our short visit.We have just invested in a 4 WD and will hopefully take lessons in the near future on how to use it !! Around 600 Aboriginees lived on the Island,but early in the 1900s they were removed to the mainland (and mostly disbanded now sadly) by the government of the day.The dingo population is around 150 and IF left alone are normally docile We will visit again BUT in the fly free season !!
The Day a Nation Stops!!
After visiting nearby Maryborough for some tips on horse racing from Mary Poppins the first Tuesday in the month of November,Australia comes to a halt at 2pm Eastern ! All to watch a horse race ! Millions of dollars are placed in bets in this once a year race! just a quick note on the history of the Melbourne Cup which is Australia’s most important thoroughbred horse race . The race is held over a distance of 3,200 meters for horses three years and older and is the richest and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world. Fondly called “The Race that Stops a Nation”, Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne and Melbourne Cup history has spanned centuries since its first gallop in 1861 up to its 150th in 2010. Needless to say I listened to my betting wizened,well meaning,supposedly great horse tippers in England and backed their “informed” tips (They all lost !!) Of course Ann who doesn,t know one end of a horse from the other picked the winner !! In future I will stab the racing form page with a pen and put money on the nearest to my pen mark !! I t was a good day tho and although the tv screens were very small pubs along the Bay were packed and trouble free.Tomorrow my grandson and mum arrive belatedly due to QANTAS strike !!
QANTAS & the Bloody CEO + Ozzie Soldiers
This weekend is a bad one for Australia.QANTAS have grounded ALL aircraft worldwide and Im especially annoyed because my daughter and grandson were due to visit on Monday.It is absolutely disgraceful that an Australian tourism icon can be halted on the say so of ONE man (who incidently has JUST been awarded a 70 % increase in his salary ! Shame on you for disrupting people thru out the world causing extreme distress for those stranded thru NO fault of their own !!
On a more sombre note THREE Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan . How is it Australia welcomes young male refugees from that country while brave Ozzies are losing their lives . PULL OUT NOW Julia its a futile war,look after your own first
Pull them out NOW !!
Urangan/Hervey Bay my new Neighbourhood, a boat and a Garden
Annie is busy putting finishing touches to the newly established Garden ( I,m being very good and keeping out of the way !!) She has had trenches gouged out of the very tough clay in order to put native and very delicate plants into the freshly dug beds. I am currently trying to blow up (with air!!) our newly obtained blow up boat (glad I didnt misprint and write dolly !!) The garden is intended to be very low maintenance and Annie id hopeful it will be established afore we set of mid December for Tasmania This coming week is going to be a really good one,my daughter and grandson are flying over for a few days AND boat (Plastic Blowup Kayak) trials will be taking place and maybe some sand castle building. Hervey Bay has a FREE magnificent water playground for the little un and gives me a chance to get in there too !!!! (ermm to protect me grandson whilst in water !!) Hopefully my assistant Annie will be on hand to take pics !! Sorry that my blogs arent flowing at the moment BUT normal service will be resumes when we head towards Tassie.The boat trip is on New Years Eve so I,m hoping for a great sailing night,needless to say Annie will be driving Jan 1 !!! Af ew extra pics on NED,JACORANDA and past WORKERS thrown in for good measure !!
Annie & Friend make curtains involving Iconic Blackpool
We received a gift from my home town Blackpool Tea Towels !! Each one depicts a Blackpool familiar landmark scene and we deemed them too important to use and wear away as Towels.My clever wife got some old bits of material and made up these bathroom curtains (neat eh?) Feel free to contact me and reminisce on our well misspent Blackpool Youth !! As she was fitting them onto the window a small tropical frog appeared in the bath.(How on earth it got there must have been magical) We gathered the little creature up in a glass tumbler and released it back into the wild ( How could French people eat them?) good deed done for the day The Curtains deserve a blog of their own with a little distraction from the frog !!!
Artistic Kids of Hervey Bay & a Pub in Urangan
We had an invite to go and view artwork organized by Annies niece at a popular pub (The Bayswater) in our suburb of Urangan.The pub has a lovely view of the very long pier here and looks even better at night when the tide is in .The Red lights along the pier have an eerie reflection that bounces of the top of the Coral Sea making it even more attractive. Artwork was designed by kids at Anglican Co Ed College and some of the art is quite good Atho looking at some paintings I have to wonder what goes thru teenagers minds these days? My boring teens consisted mainly of fags ( cigs) booze,birds and rock n roll !!! altho I did recall once being called a piss artist !!! Life has turned around those heady days except for the beard and long hair !! I fear that my head will soon be shorn.The Artist is pictured and somewhere amongst the pics are mum n Aunty Annie My artistic flair is depicted in the toilet and bikes (such talent eh?) The Pub itself has a good selection of beers and a cheap $12 steak night is held on Thursdays.I have to say tho the singer was very bland and dull ,but probably after a few more pints she will be the Best !!! ( These places don’t seem to do Karaoke !!)
- They look familiar?
Storms in Hervey Bay and my 401 st Blog !!! (such perseverance !!)
This blog is my 401 st and I am pleased I stayed with it !! Blogs just a tad on the boring side at the moment BUT more adventures coming up in Tasmania and 2012 will be a BIG travelling few months for us as we hit UK and hopefully more Europe around Norway etc Begins around May/June so Ann can experience a first and that is Europe in Summer
This last weekend we witnessed storms of the like I have never seen before !!45 mm of rain fell in just ONE hour and a mini tornado swept down the street next to us !! A freshly constructed metal roof was ripped apart and the ceiling insulation was blown for miles (some landing in my back garden and even a piece wrapped around a TV aerial ( look closely at the photo s) Lightening show was spectacular and a marvel to watch ( altho I understand lots of people are in fear of such storms) The VERY heavy sewer lid around the corner from us was lifted by the sheer pressure and amount of water flushing thru the underground water pipes .Trees that have been around for a lot of years were torn and splintered .even torn out of the earth !! The state emergency crew were out in force and had everything very quickly under control
Annie and the Craft Work Shops Apologies for first 6 pics I forgot to delete them previously !!
Sunday and Annie s sister Claire and daughter Natasha have taken her to arts n crafts show (held monthly) which is a very short distance from our new home. Members can use the shed for making of artifacts that include jewelry,woodcraft and items of clothing that are hand made.The work shop is open weekdays and people can go along and get ideas from established members who,I am told by Ann are extremely helpful and freely give out very goos advice on how to use machinery and put together jewelry items ( coincidentally the new house owners across the road from us are currently having a shed built to enable him to do his hobby that is gemstone cutting ,we are also on very good friendly terms with them !!) Monthly sales around the workshop are held with items made by the members on sale (NO obligation to buy) Annie is currently contemplating on becoming a member ! Altho Perth is nice and pristine,activities offered here in Hervey Bay are exceptionally good and more than enough places of interest ot keep us occupied during our retirement . We are still aching to get back on the road but will have to wait a while longer.Hopefully the roller door saga will end on Tuesday ! (the fitter or UNfitter has requested I keep out of the way (probably because of me being truthful and telling him what is wrong with his workmanship!) Annie will sit watching all the while he is around.
Urangan,our new Home, a little history
We are house bound till mid December due to work being finished on the house SO I will offer a little on our new “territory” and where in the world we are
I will start with the major outstanding feature Urangan Pier in Hervey Bay Queensland It is a former deep-water, cargo-handling facility used for the export of sugar, timber and coal. It was built between 1913 and 1917, originally to a length of 1107 metres. The pier was closed in 1985, and 239 metres of it was demolished. However, due to public outcry, 868 metres of the pier was left, original timber pylons had been replaced with steel pylons with a plastic covering
Climate
The area has a mild, sub-tropical climate with an average 30 °C (86 °F) in summer and 23 °C (73 °F) in winter. The coast is predominantly affected by the south east trade winds which keep a cool breeze throughout the summer.Cyclones are a threat at times. In March 2009, Cyclone Hamish threatened the area, however it did not cross the coast. Fraser Island protects Hervey Bay from such extreme weather. Average rainfall for the year is 1,100 millimetres (43 in) with an average of 300 sunny days (perfect !!)
Hervey Bay began as a dispersed community spread over numerous small, seaside villages. As the area grew, these communities amalgamated and became suburbs of the new city. The current city includes Dundowran, Dundowran Beach, Eli Waters, Kawungan, Nikenbah, Pialba, Point Vernon, Scarness, Takura, Torquay,Urangan, Urraween, Walligan and Wondunna.
Nearby
A 30 min drive inland will get me to Maryborough ,the birthplace of the Mary Poppins author.across the bay is Fraser island the largest sandy island in the world 120 kilometres and its width is approximately 24 kilometres further up North lies Bundaberg ( famous for RUM making and further still will get us into the Tropics) Brisbane is around 230 Kms South from here ans trains run daily at high speeds (Tilt Train) A one hour flight will see us arrive in Sydney
The beaches are safe and prisine,certainly NOT crowded and In sure we have made the right move coming from Perth !!
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 