Quick Trip North – Part 2

TUESDAY

Continuing on our with our travels, I rose early enough in Noosa to enjoy the soft light and the stillness of the morning from our deck.  No sunrise visible from here, but the view was still lovely.

After breakfast I ventured to the other side of the river to look back towards our accommodation.  Pretty nice.

You can see Mick sitting on the deck of our unit.  They really are a great place to stay.  Nice and central and self contained.  I could handle staying here a bit longer, but not this time.  We had to play the tourist a bit more.

We continued to head north along the Bruce Highway.  It is a great road for getting somewhere fast, but that was not our aim.  We noticed a sign to the “Mary Valley Tourist Drive”, so took it.  There were a few little towns along the way.  We really liked Imbil.  Don’t you love the name of the creek.

Not too shabby for a creek.  Our river is nowhere as big as this.

We enjoyed coffee and cake at “Yabbadashery”, a great play on words.  Unfortunately, the business along with several others were robbed the previous night.  Not what a small town needs.  10 businesses were targeted, with only cash taken.  That is except for the two pieces of caramel mud cake taken from Yabbadashery.  When we were being served they discovered that their can of whipped cream has also been stolen.  All we could do was laugh along with the shop owner.

Back on the road we meandered along.  There were lots of cane fields.

Acres and acres of mangos.  So different from the landscape at home.

We aimed to get to Bundaberg for the night, as once again, we haven’t been there for years and years.  We arrived at about 4pm and it was bedlam.  We decided to drive out to the coast and ended up at the small town of Bargara.  So much nicer than he hustle and bustle of the large regional centre.

We found a motel that was right opposite the beach.  A rather lovely outlook in the evening light.

WEDNESDAY

One again I was up early to catch the sunrise.

Once we were all packed up we headed back into Bundaberg.  Much more enjoyable in the quiet of the early morning.  We enjoyed a great cuppa.

There are some beautiful old buildings in the main street.  You just have to look above the awnings.  This must have been a great shop in its hey day.

Civic building always give a feeling of grandeur.

Oh dear.  This is the start of something…..but I didn’t know it at the time.

I can’t remember where we saw this sign, but it made us chuckle.  Not what you usually see advertised at the butchers these days.  Mind you, served crumbed with bacon, they are pretty good.  I always enjoyed it when Mum served it up.

As we headed further north we detoured into Gladstone.  We’d never been there.  All we knew was that it is industrial.  It has obviously been a major port for a long time, as it was where my grandparents disembarked when they immigrated from England in 1913. 

Firstly, we headed out to the coast at Tannum Sands, where we enjoyed lunch at the Surf Lifesaving Club.

I’m not sure that I would want to venture in for a swim here.

I don’t know what we expected of Gladstone, but the town is rather nice. 

Oh no! Another one.

Mind you, there is lots of industry on the outskirts.  This was an aluminium smelter.

Finally, we reached our destination, to stay a couple of days with friends.

  More soon.

Quick Trip North – Part 1

SUNDAY

After Nundle Mick and I headed north.  We figured as we were pointed in that direction we may as well keep going, and while we were at it visit some friends and relatives that we don’t see enough of.

While everyone else was partaking of a huge breakfast at Mount Misery, Mick and I were already on the road, enjoying the lovely early morning light.

Once we reached the northern tablelands the trees were starting to show their autumn colours.  Just a pity that it was cloudy.

We turned off at Glen Innes and travelled over the Gibraltar Ranges towards to coast.  It is simply ages since we have gone that way and it was lovely to enjoy the scenery again. It was now nice and sunny.

However, that wasn’t to last very long.  By the time we reached Grafton it was heavy, set in rain and remained so for the rest of the day.

We arrived at our destination of Kingscliff by late afternoon and were able to catch up with some of Mick’s relatives.

The rain brought this little fellow out.  Apparently, the little green frogs aren’t as prevalent as they used to be, so this little chap was lovely to see.

MONDAY

After a lovely breakfast we were back on the road, now playing the tourist rather than just commuting. After bypassing the Gold Coast and Brisbane we headed inland.  The Glasshouse Mountains are always stunning.

While enjoying lunch at a cafe at Malaney we were joined by one of the locals.

Then it was down the mountain to Noosa.  We last visited here in 1999.  On that occasion we stayed at a lovely motel right on the river, just behind Hastings Street.  We couldn’t remember the name of it, but thought we would recognise it once we saw it.  Yep, we did and yep, they had a room available.  A bit of a treat to ourselves.

We enjoyed just relaxing for a while.

I was able to do a little more stitching on Nature’s Journey.  This is being worked on in all sorts of places.

We were joined by the locals again.

Once it cooled down we went for a stroll along the beach.

 

A lovely way to finish the day.

Girls Day in the Country – Saturday

 

Saturday is of course the Big Day.

Each year it is always fun to see what creative way Kerry has decorated the hall and tables.  This year our tables were adorned with lovely dahlias.  My favourite summer flower.

It is also fun to see how our kit is presented.

Some of the ladies.

This year our tutor was the lovely Lynette Anderson and our project was a table centre.  A bit of English piecing and some embroidery.

Everyone working away industriously.

There was lots of show and tell.  Two versions of Scandinavian Christmas.

Some more of Lynette’s patterns.

Susan’s project was tiny.

Jenny showing off her finished project from last year.  Just as well, or she wouldn’t have allowed herself to come this year.

All the finishes from last year.  I am conspicuous in my absence.  Slack me.

And of course there has to be the bloggers group photo.

In the evening we adjourned to the Caravan Park again for a nice, simple barbecue dinner.  Just what was required after all the eating we had partaken of so far over the weekend.  Then it was show and tell.

Fiona is hiding behind her rather windswept Some Kind of Wonderful.  Good to see it finished.

We were all drooling over Susan’s Irish Circles.  Just beautiful.

Kate is being the mysterious woman, hiding behind Susan’s tiny little clamshell quilt.  She is one clever lady.

Dory showed off her vibrant black white and lime quilt.

As well as her Night Before Christmas.

Dzintra’s quilt was Mick’s favourite. 

Finally, I think this photo sums it all up.  Good times with friends.

That was the end of the weekend for Mick and I.  Most of the girls (and the few hubbies) partook of a beautiful breakfast at Mount Misery on Sunday before heading their separate ways. 

Mick and I, on the other hand, got up bright and early and hit the road.  I think we may have taken a wrong turn, as we ended up going north, rather than south.  More on that to come.

It was once again a wonderful weekend of friendship and stitching.  You can’t get much better than that.

Janice http://jannimary.blogspot.com