28. – 31. January

We headed to Tin Can Bay to have another animal encounter – it’s dolphin time!!! Every morning some dolphins are coming into the bay for a feet and you can join them; just be early. We arrived at the bay at 7.00am although the feeding starts at 8.00am. This meant we had the bay nearly for ourselves and could see the dolphins really close. You just get into the water (wash your hands before in a special solution) and wait until the dolphins arrive and maybe they come and touch you – you are not allowed to touch them. During the feeding you were only allowed in the water until your fishes were eaten – earlier I was nearly 30 minutes in the water but no dolphin decided to touch me but they came close so I could see the bite marks and different colours of their skin. We had only two dolphins for the feed – sometimes there are four coming around. Maybe the others were nursing the new arrivals (one dolphin was born on Australia Day).

Unfortunately we didn’t swim in the ocean as there were too many bluebottles and other jelly fishes on the beach so the chance for a sting was high. So we went on a beach walk to see the Coloured Sands. You just had to be careful not be touched by a car – yeah driving on the beach is allowed and even tourist buses are going there. After the walk we went swimming anyway and not just in the pool. We went swimming in a creek just meters off the road. The water was really cold and refreshing. The creek had two platforms, one with little rapids and the other one with a pool. Several young people came around and they even jumped into the water although it was just one meter deep.

The Wildlife Sanctuary in Currimbin was our next stop. There is even a park in the park – you’ve also the possibility to do a “Green Challenge”. The sanctuary itself is quite small but you could travel around with a train. We had a look at the nocturnal animals, the turtles, eagles and tree-kangaroos. We wanted to have a look at the free-flying bird show but I was occupied finishing my challenge.  To participate in the challenges you have to get dressed up – overall and harness – and then start; lock the carabineer to the steel rope and off you go. You have to get over the ropes in different way; slide along the rope, step over swinging bridges, crawling through a pipe, climb through nets, swing like tarzan, pulley yourself up or glide down and be careful to slow down before reaching the other end. It was a lot of fun, hard work and exhausting especially as it started to rain halfway. I was completely soaked.

Finally we got our ocean swim – back on NSW coast in Ballina. The water was cold and choppy and rough. There are even king-tides happening at the moment so there is a lot of water and new rips forming so definite swim between the flags. Then we walk along the north wall which covers the North Creek and Richmond River in Ballina. We also had a look at the lighthouse and beaches in Byron Bay.

Cheers, Anja and Tom

22. – 27. January

We are on the move again – up to Bundaberg to see some turtles and the Hinkler Museum which we did first.  Bert Hinkler was a aviation pioneer – he was the first one to fly solo from England to Australia. He had his first flight attempt in 1913 with a Hang Glider off the coast in Bundaberg. You could give this gliding experience a go – there are two boards with a handle – lay on and it will start showing on a screen where you actually flying. They also display the airplane he owned and his dream about a sea-plane… Bert Hinkler died already 1933 at the age of 40 this might be the reason why he is not know to the public that much…

Another big thing in Bundaberg is sugar. Where every you go you will see sugar cane fields and the warning signs about sugar hauling during May and December. But sugar can be used for something else – you need it for rum production – the famous Bundaberg rum. We visited the rum distillery but did only the small tour without actually going into the factory. But we got to taste the rum anyway. Several people saying that rum tastes better if it’s stored in a wooden barrel but only few people know how to make a wooden barrel. We had a look at the production – it really looks like hard work even for a barrel just 20cm high.

Mystic Craters is a rock-formation just 25km east of Bundaberg. The craters look quite interesting and the scientist are not sure how they were formed.  There are several speculations: volcanoes, water erosion, dinosaurs and even UFO. I think the UFO theory sounds the best – as the craters are only found in a small area, have a different depth, some are filled with water others not and there is no connection between them although they are so close to each other.

 

 One of the harder choices was “where to go for swimming? – Burnett river, the ocean at Bargara or Elliot river”. We decided for the Elliot river – clear water with not many waves but still a strong current. If we would had been sick of this place we could just move around the corner and swim in the ocean.

Now it was time for the probably most famous attraction in Bundaberg just available between November and March – the turtles!!! The beaches are haven for nesting turtles, Loggerhead, Flathead and Green turtles lay their eggs and you can watch them – under supervision by a ranger of course. The nesting season is between November and January and the Hatching season starts in January. Unfortunately we didn’t see any turtle laying eggs (it’s already late January) but we saw turtles hatch. It’s interesting to see them suddenly burst out of the sand and starting the long way into the water. The hatchlings are not bigger than a thumb. When they walk/crawl into the water they get imprinted on the beach and hopefully will return when they’re going to lay eggs in probably 30 years.

Cheers, Anja and Tom

1. – 21. January

Finally the first entry in 2010!!! We spent the first three weeks in Brisbane not able to do much due to Tom’s back problems. I just discovered the both sides of the Brisbane River and told Tom about my experiences.

But not all was done alone – we’ve visited the Police Museum which is located in the Police Headquarters. It displays how the police developed over the years in Queensland – from just a little outpost near the river and “tent-stations in the outback” to what it is now. They even had a motorcycle on display which you could climb and start the lights. One section was devoted to the unsolved crimes and how a crime scene is established.

Close to the Police Museum is the Roma Street Parklands a beautiful landscaped garden featuring different plants – you could easily spent half a day.  In some parts you really have to watch your steps – the water-dragons appear out of now where and 

they are everywhere. Listen to some kind of music is made easy – just play the Japanese Harp. You have to get water dropping over a stone while the water is dropping put your ear to the tube and you can actually hear it – fascinating.

As we like railways the railway workshop in Ipswich was a must visit. The museum had “Thomas the tank engine” as a special theme so most trains had a face on and they had other signs up. You could even drive a train yourself –

standing at the controls and playing the railway simulator. They offered some behind the scenes tours and you had to go with a special designed machine into the workshop area.

Do you know what XXXX stands for? We do as we did the XXXX-brewery tour. Mr Fourex told us that this was a sign to establish the beer quality and it was the bet quality you could get around 1880 when this brewery started. After the tour which lasted around 1.5h going through the theory of brewing and through packaging line as well we had time to taste some (4) of the beers. We tried Summer Breeze (a special summer brew), a dark brew (quite strong) and a Hahn. Yes, they brew Hahn beer as well as Toohey’s and XXXX. It was a day well spent and don’t worry I’m still  able to count – I had a two Summer Breeze.

You can enjoy Brisbane’s river and skyline differently – cruise the river with the river cat or the ferries, walk along the river side or even go into a Ferris Wheel in the Southbank Parklands. We enjoyed our trip at night – in fully enclosed air-conditioned cabins going up to 60m. Several buildings and some bridges are lit at night – they change the colour from green, purple, red to blue and back to green.

CU, Anja and Tom