A CRUISE IN THE SUNSHINE

It was our last day on the central coast of Queensland. Since we were here celebrating George's birthday, he was asked to choose what activity to do on the last day. He chose to go on a river cruise on the Burnett River which flows through the town of Bundaberg.

 We arrived at the mini dock at 9:00am where the "Bundy Belle" was waiting for us and a few others too. It was already a hot sunny day.

 The captain of the boat was also a local school music teacher but he gave us a running commentary on places and their history as we lazily motored along the river. We couldn't go any further up stream than this because the huge floods last year filled the river with silt and sand. The water came up to the top of the bridges and did a lot of damage in the city.

 So we headed towards the mouth of the river. George, in the checked shirt, chose to sit in the hot sun on the top deck.

 Paul, Helen and the rest of us sat inside and collected a cool breeze through the windows. We admire Paul so much as he is having treatment for cancer and he is in quite a lot of pain but he keeps fighting it and joining in with us whenever he can. We hope this new treatment will give him some relief and more time with us all.

We passed the rowing club and.....

 the sailing club. Behind the yachts is a huge sugar storage shed and the wharf where ships come to fill their holds with bulk sugar. Bundaberg is famous for its sugar, rum and ginger beer.

 We passed miles of marinas crammed full of million dollar yachts shimmering in the sun.

After three hours we had returned back to the little wharf and a huge seafood restaurant. We didn't take long to decide this is where we'll have lunch and.....

it was delicious!

BIRTHDAY BEAR IN BARGARA

After the late night before watching the turtle lay her eggs we had a sleep in. Then we had a leisurely breakfast and went for a stroll along the beach front at Bargara (on the central coast of Queensland)

Some of the birthday bear group, Mary, Bill, Helen, Paul and George. Ann was on a park bench soaking up the beauty of the sea and I was behind the camera. 

 It was a very hot day so we didn't venture too far out of the shade.

 On the return walk I was interested in the variety of beach accommodation. This was a neat house but..

there was a well worn beach house and...

 a spruced up old house trying to hold off the encroachment of new apartment blocks.

Then we arrived back at our apartment block. We had lunch, a rest and a swim in the pool  before it was time to prepare a BBQ birthday dinner with Birthday Bear.

 George had to wait in his apartment until I had pulled Bear out of his bag and set him up on the table by the pool. I dressed him as a tree lopper with a chain saw and ear protectors. He had a sawn down tree at his feet. George is a great friend and he saws down trees in my garden with his chain saw when I need it done. It was George's 70th birthday and that is why we did something special. We did a five day trip to Bargara to see the turtles. Those not familiar with our Birthday Bear tradition can read more on Birthday Bear's blog.

 The boys kept an eye on the BBQ, with Paul doing a great job of cooking.

We had a relaxing dinner by the pool watching a big orange moon rise.

A PICNIC WITH KOOKABURRAS

On our second morning at Woodgate Beach I went for a walk along the beach. It was quiet and serene. I saw a couple fishing with the early morning sun glinting off the water. After breakfast we all went for a walk through the wetland forest on the boardwalk but there wasn't any water because the wet season forgot to come this year so everything is very dry. Ann packed us a picnic for lunch and George drove us to Walkers Point which is on the northern bank of the Burrum River. We found a table in the park near the river and set out the picnic. Ann had cooked us an Aberdeen Sausage, which she sliced for us to have with a variety of salads. While we were doing this kookaburras started to gather in the trees around us. We started eating and the kookaburras came closer and closer, laughing at us. We were getting a bit apprehensive as we knew they have been known to steal your food. However, they left us alone until Ann was about to finish off the last slice of sausage. Suddenly one swooped down with his wide wing span and big ferocious beak, landed in Ann's plate and stole the last slice of sausage and flew onto the ground where others tried to get some sausage too. Ann got a fright and knocked over her glass of homemade pear cider. It was a scary but funny event. It reminded me of Hitchcock's 'Birds'.

Woodgate Beach

Woodgate Beach

Woodgate Boardwalk

Woodgate Boardwalk

Theodolite Creek Woodgate

Walker's Point

Kookaburra

Burrum River

BIRTHDAY BEAR HITS THE ROAD

Our Birthday Bear Group is on a road trip north to Woodgate Beach and Bargara where we will celebrate George's big 70 birthday. Unfortunately bear has to be kept hidden in a bag until he is allowed to come out and surprise George in a few days.
We stopped for morning coffee to keep TOH happy. Later we stopped for lunch at Sexie Coffie to keep us all happy.(see my Facebook page). Then we arrived at Woodgate Beach in the late afternoon. It is a beautiful quiet place. We booked into some cabins and went to discover the beach. TOH and I have never been here before but it is where Ann played when she was young. She has enjoyed showing us around.

Ann, George and Mary

After a late afternoon stroll on the beach we returned to our cabins and then we walked to the Bowls Club for dinner.