Mt Tamborine

Today we drove up to Mt Tamborine, high up in the hills behind the Gold Coast.  A beauiful trip up through the lush rainforests of the hinterland.

But first a photograph together of the intrepid three, Nola, Jackie and June, who arrived in Australia in July 1965. An innocent threesome then, keen to travel and try much more interesting pastures than in New Zealand.  And here we are, all together on the Gold Coast.  June and Jackie live here, but for me, an annual pilgrimage. 

When we visited the Gold Coast in 1965, there was not much here - a two story pub called the Surfers Paradise Hotel, and some small holiday houses.  Things have  changed but of course not us - always young at heart.

After a short drive of about 30 km, some on a freeway and some on a steep curving road up through rainforest, we arrived in Mt Tamborine.   North Tamborine, that is, with a wide street and interesting buildings on either side. However, when we drove around afterwards we found Mt Tamborine to be a large settlement, with many houses and shops, and plenty of walks.   I think we did quite a few of the walks in the past, way back in the 1980s.  A beautiful area.

A stop for coffee, and a chance to talk to these two characters first.   Very cute.

A very relaxing garden in which to drink coffee,

with a toilet hidden amongst the trees at the back of the garden.

The German Clock shop.  A little out of character.  Where am I?

An old world building.

A cutsie building.  I bought a scarf to beat all scarves here, doubles as a short cardigan and a scarf with a budding flower (the sleeves doubled up).  It has rabbit fur sewn on it.   I will never again suffer from a cold neck.  Just you all wait and see.  But do not ask the price!

Mole hills?  Pimple mole hills?  No these are small ant hills.  Still just as ruinous of a lawn as mole hills.

On the way down we stopped at the Eagle Heights Pub for a drink and a view over the Gold Coast.   Lemon, lime and bitters for me, by the way.

The view was amazing, all the Gold Coast was visible, but visibility not good for photographs.  And threatening clouds all around us.  No rain though, thank goodness.

Today is our last full day on the Gold Coast, amd tomorrow evening we set forth to travel to Kuala Lumpur.  A cup of coffee at the Q Centre, a swim and then off we go, on our way home.   Sad to leave but will be good to see our home and family and friends in the UK.

Out and about on the Gold Coast

We went for a drive around parts of the Gold Coast, just to see any new developments.   As we have been here for yearly visits during the last three years I have not taken photos this time of the usual Gold Coast areas known to overseas visitors, for example the Surfers' Paradise area.  

The first stop was the Ferry Road market, where we drank the most delicious coffee, from a speciality coffee shop.   Quite a long queue of customers waiting for their morning coffee fix. 

The tropical fruit on display was especially alluring.

So I decided to purchase some of the fruit to make a fresh fruit salad, first choice was the papaya, beautifully displayed in front of the stall in the photograph below.

We drove around one of the very upmarket and expensive housing development areas on Sovereign Island, Paradise Point.  Many of the houses are holiday homes, probably owned by overseas investors.

Grand,

and even grander!

A distant view of the high rise buildings of Surfers' Paradise.

One of the theme parks, Sea World perhaps.

And  home for lunch and a swim.  Just before the first storm broke over the Gold Coast.  And then it rained solidly for two days.

Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley

During our recent wet weather, with accompanying thunderstorms, high winds and sultry skies, we decided to visit the Tweed Regional Art Gallery, in Murwillumbah,  northern New South Wales.  

The main purpose was to view the Margaret Olley exhibition, which has recreated part of her Sydney home, as well as show a few of her paintings.  Margaret Olley died in 2011, aged 88, and was well known for her still life paintings.  She lived in the Murwillumbah area for much of her childhood.   Margaret held over 90 solo exhibitions during her lifetime so was a very prolific painter.  And quite  character too.

We loved the sign outside the gallery 'Olleywood'.

A view over the Tweed Valley with the high range of hills behind it.  A very hot and humid day.

A recreation of Margaret Olley ' s sitting room and dining room.  Clutter, clutter everywhere.  She would set up different arrangements, be it objects or flowers or both and leave them in situ for years.  She would often come back and do another painting, in a different light or when the flowers had faded or died.  She also left painting materials in different parts of the room, so that they were always ready.   Her house was too gloomy and cluttered for me.  But so interesting. She also travelled extensively and had lived in France for a number of years.

The kitchen, not tidy and not clean, and with painting materials at the ready.  Apparently great meals were cooked in the kitchen among the clutter.  Although there were plenty of bottles lying around, Margaret gave up drinking alcohol when she was about 39 years old.

Another view of the kitchen.

After another look at the paintings, and a listen to a talk about Margaret Olley,  we set out to drive back to Coolangatta.

We stopped at the little settlement of Tumbulgum,  to take some photographs of the old Queensland houses by the river.   The houses are known as 'Queenslanders',  and are built on stilts and have a verandah around three sides of the building. The building below is a charming pub.

And this house is for sale.

The Tweed River, very wide at this point.  Margaret Olley ' s mother rowed her and her siblings  over this river so that they could catch the school bus on the other side.

A fish and chip lunch at Coolangatta.  Delicious.

The marker which divides the twin towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, and the states of Queensland and New South Wales.   For six months of the year Queensland is an hour behind New South Wales, as Queensland does not have daylight saving.  Very confusing for the people living here as one side of the street is one hour behind the people living on the other side of the street.  Compromises?  Probably none.

A view of the high rise buildings of Surfers' Paradise, across the bay, and just before the rain came pelting down.

If you would like more information about Margaret Olley, the painter, type into a search engine - Margaret Olley art centre.

Tullebudgera Creek

A Sunday walk along Tullebudgera Creek in perfect weather, warm and sunny.  There were plenty of people enjoying the water, either paddling, swimming , canoeing or standing on surfboards and paddling along.  A serene scene.

But the tide was coming in, and underneath this serenity danger awaits when the tide goes out, and then it takes the hapless swimmer and canoeist with it.

Surf Rescue ready to save the people being swept out to sea.   The structure below is actually a small shelter for the surf lifesaver to sit in.  Jackie and Walter contemplating the dangers of the river.

A careful watch.  There was also a rescue boat all ready in the water. Most of the guards are not paid.  A remarkable organisation.

The beach on the other side of the river.  Also with an area supervised by surf lifesavers.  The beaches along the Gold Coast can be quite treacherous with undertows and rips.  Not my type of beach really.  Too much surf.  I prefer the calm and tranquil beaches of Adelaide.

We walked further along the river and passed the camping ground, where the lucky campers had a beautiful view of the river and the surrounding bush.

And then off to lunch at June's house.  Pancakes.  Yummy.

Gold Coast

We are currently on the Gold Coast, in lovely warm weather.   It was sunny too initially, but now it has rained heavily for two days.  'The rain we all need, ' answered the Queenslanders,  but we would have liked the sunshine to last until next Tuesday.

Holiday mode, at Jackie's complex.  At the swimming pool, crystal clear, and cool.  I had been determined to swim a few laps each morning, and I have kept it up too.

 A few hours lying on the bench in Jackie's patio has been very restful.

The umbrella and plants make a very cool environment.

A gated complex, so no riff raff allowed in through the entrance

 Jackie's house, two stories and semi detached.  Luxurious.

And for us a holiday environment, for ten days, but for Jackie, it is a year round lifestyle.

Early settlers in Nelson

In my blog about Nelson I forgot to include the photograph of the memorial to the early settlers of Nelson. The memorial is on Wakefield Quay, and beside the sculpture in the photograph below, there is a wall which has much information written on it.  The names of the ships which arrived between 1842 and 1846, as well as the names and occupations of the passengers are written on the wall.

The first ship that arrived included only men, who had trades that were suitable for starting a new Colony.   Interestingly both Gordon, and Jackie, had ancestors on this ship.

The wives and children arrived on a later ship.  On this journey 86 children died due to a whooping cough epidemic, poor food and little medicine.  A tragic journey. And for Jackie' s ancestors, the wife arrived, with only two children as two others had died on the journey, to find her husband had returned to England.  A very hard beginning to a new country. But it did end well for this woman, as she remarried and had many more children.

The names on the wall were often familiar as streets were named after them, and some of their shops and businesses still exist in Nelson.

Adorable Pets

During our travels we have met lots of adorable pets, all with individual personalities.  Great characters.

One of the first pets was Elvis, a little dog, who really wanted to be a big dog.  Elvis loved the beach and was a very happy dog when he saw the white sand, especially if he was allowed off the lead.  Elvis received top marks when he happily lived outside the camping ground in Port Hughes, without a complaint.  Good one 

Elvis.

Elvis and JD, the cat, did not get on.  JD would lie on the ground and wait for Elvis to start jumping on him.  Elvis would then get into trouble and be evicted, outside or inside, depending on where we were sitting.  JD always looked extremely satisfied afterwards.

JD sitting on Scott's bed while we were skyping Donna.   She was not physically in the room by the way. Just on the IPad screen.  Just as well as JD had fleas.   A cat with a temper, a manipulator and an annoying meow when he did not get attention.   A survivor too, at 18 years old.

Lily, a pretty cat, and very gentle. Loving too.  Easy to have around the house.  Always happy.

I forgot this dog's name, Apologies there. A very friendly dog, who followed his owners around all the time. A very placid personality.

Ping loved her nightly treat, some ice cream, and then went happily upstairs, to share the bed with her owners. Ping has decided I am now okay, thank goodness, and does not run away anymore.

Alec, loved his owner, and no one else.  He was happy to sleep all day, usually where I liked to sit, and spent the night 'mousing'.   A very sleek cat, with sharp claws and teeth. 

But Alec's brother, George, was a force to be reckoned with, and as I watched him attack this scratching post with his oversized claws, I made up my mind to stay well clear of him.   He also loved his owner.

Lucy was the most adorable dog, so quiet and placid.  She never barked, even when she got stuck under the couch when trying to retrieve a ball.  She spent ages chasing balls, and never seemed to get tired, and especially loved tummy rubs. A very happy dog.

Baxter loved attention, and did not like being ignored.  Of course he did not get the undivided attention he craved now that there was a 2 year old boy in the house.  But Baxter still tried, and believed he was the most important dog in the world.  Tummy rubs were also high on his agenda.

Mikki was a lovable, and highly active dog, always on the go, and it took some time to get him to stand still for a photograph.  Although a fully grown dog, he was still a ball of fluff.

I did not get a photograph of Coco, a highly strung dog, with a sense of superiority.  Coco would sit and look at you with her coal black eyes, as if to say 'This is my house and my owner'.   She was very cute though, a mixture of Shi tzu and other breeds, small, white and long haired, which needed to be cut in the summer time.

And before I finish I cannot resist including a photograph of baby seals playing in a rock pool.  There were hundreds of seals around Kaikoura, when we drove to Christchurch last Thursday.  And plenty of baby ones.  They looked like they were having fun in this pool,

while the adults rested on the rocks.

It was great meeting all the pets and spending time with them.  Very special.