BRISBANE MAGISTRATES COURT

A few weeks ago we went to "Open Day" for Brisbane Buildings. Some buildings were open for public tours. We chose to visit the "Brisbane Magistrates Court". We would have liked to have seen more of the others but the rain chased us home.

The architect was our volunteer tour guide. He explained how they used a lot of open spaces, as it is supposed to make people more at ease, especially if they can see outside.

The court rooms go off from the open space.

A general courtroom.

A Murrie (aboriginal) Courtroom. The magistrate sits at a round table with tribal elders and the accused to make it more like their traditional ways of settling disputes. There is the rainbow serpent in the middle of the table. (An icon of their Dreaming Culture.)

A Criminal Courtroom, with safety glass. We enjoyed the tour.

BUDS ARE BURSTING

Spring is warming up and the native flowers are prolific. Here are some Grevilleas from our garden.

The bud. (It probably has a scientific name but I don't know it)

Opening

Almost fully open.

Coconut Ice

Fire Sprite

Honey Gem

A TALL (TREE) STORY

We have been warned that cyclone season will soon be here and this year many have been predicted. So sensible residents check their yards to make sure there are no dangerous trees, which may fall on a house if there is a cyclone.

Our neighbours at the back of our house have such a tree. However, it was right on the border of their land and their neighbour's. The cost to remove the tree would be about $5000 so there became a little hesitancy for the neighbours to agree to pay half. Besides they liked the tree and didn't think it was dangerous.

At first they weren't convinced that the tree was on their land so a surveyor was contemplated. There were actually two trees together and both had to go to be safe.

After many months and discussions the neighbours agreed the tree was dying and offered to pay half of the cost of removal.So the tree loppers were hired and in between showers they managed to get the tree down without damaging power lines, houses, gardens and each other.

Bit by bit it was dropped to the ground and fed into the noisy mulcher.

Our house is the green roof in the front left hand corner of the photo. We are on the other side of the road, but if that tree had fallen during a storm it would have torn down the power lines and could have possibly hit our roof, so we are glad to see it go. It was a lovely tree once but recently it got attacked by termites and was dying. It took them all day to get most of it down.

The following day they had to return to get the biggest part of the trunk down. This looked awfully dangerous. One guy sawing and the others pulling it towards them. They knew what they were doing and all were safe and no fences damaged. Now we will be safer if a cyclone comes but I hope we don't get one. They don't usually come this far south, but weather hasn't been usual this year.

LUCKY LIZARD

While walking around the headland, I spied this water dragon lizard sunning itself and enjoying the view. 

What a life!

Gazanias as far as you can see.

The pesky Ibis which has multiplied into pest proportions. Councils are forever devising ways to eradicate them without killing them.

PARTY TIME

A reunion one day and a birthday party the next. That is how it was when we were on the coast last weekend. Our good friend, Lyn, turned the big Six O. Lyn is married to Ben, who migrated with Bill from Switzerland back in 1967. Even though the boys went their separate ways after a while, they both ended up marrying Aussie girls and remaining in contact.

Ben and Lyn organised a BBQ in the Community Recreational room and swimming pool area in their estate. There were many friends and relations. 

Lyn with some of her grandchildren.

We had a feast of steak, sausages, rissoles. salads, cheeses, nibblies and cakes.

REUNION in RAINBOW BAY

One of the reasons for going to the coast last weekend was to attend  reunion of some staff members of the school where I taught in the early 90's, when it was a small semi rural school and there were only 5 teachers. The secretary then was Ann, she arranged the little party at her rented holiday apartment in Rainbow Bay. We all took along some food.

Bill baked these cheese and spinach pielets.

Others bought lots of yummy food and these desserts.

Ann and George did well to accommodate us all in a small unit. We gorged ourselves on food and stories. 

It was great to see everyone all looking a wee bit older but all less frazzled except maybe the beautiful, young Lisa, who is the only one not retired. Here we have The principal (far right), teachers, admin staff, teacher aide and spouses. 

We stayed on that night as we had another function in the area the next day. It was very windy and rainy during the night but the next morning was fine and we went for a walk to NSW.

We are near the border of QLD and NSW looking south to the mouth of the Tweed River. The brown silted water coming from the river is due to the many rainy days we have been having.

Ann is in NSW, Bill has a leg in both states and George is in QLD. They are inside the border monument.

We walked down to the Tweed River where there were many fishermen.

Looking up river towards Mt Warning. It is about 9k away and is 1,156 m /3,793ft high. It is where the sun first hits Australia of a morning. It is the core of a huge volcano which was twice as high and 80k across. It was active 23 million years ago. The weathered caldera is one of the oldest and biggest in the world. It is in the Wollumbin National Park which has rainforests and mountain walks.

SEASCAPES

 Here are some seascapes from last weekend at Rainbow Bay, on the southern Gold Coast.

Looking north towards Surfer's Paradise.

In the afternoon a strong wind blew and made the sea choppy.

In the morning the wind had gone.

RAINBOW BAY

Friends asked us to spend a few days with them in their rented holiday apartment at Rainbow Bay, which is a beach at the southern end of the Gold Coast near the border of NSW.

We had a great view from the 14th floor, looking north towards Surfer's Paradise.

It was cold and windy, as a winter's day returned to interrupt our Spring. The wind flattened the surf and the surfers are forever sitting and waiting for a good wave.

They were having fun so we went down to get a closer look.

This area is called Snapper Rocks and the dare devil surfers jump off the rocks and paddle out to behind the rollers. These fellows are trying to pluck up the courage.

Some more come to give support. (C'mon jump I want a photo!)

They are taking a long time to decide.

In the end they think better of it maybe next time.