Lillydale Farm Homestay Queensland

... island - I doubt they know where the ferry port is bless them. The bus driver is an old eccentric driving in a loop around the island over and over again day after day. You get the picture. There is nothing not to like about Maggies. Apart from maybe Base Backpackers. Who insist on playing music as loud as possible until the early hours with a DJ who really does not know how or when to shut up. I wonder what the locals think of Base? God I must be getting old!

20, 21 ...

... and we took special notice of the Brushbox trees as our floor at home is made from this wood.

The forest was cool and refreshing on hot days and it was great to come across waterfalls with water and a creek that was flowing. The gorgeous Bangalow Palms were tall above the ferns. The Booyong track took us into guess what? an area with tall booyong trees!

What did we do here? Walked the tracks, read and stared at nature. The ranger who ...

... forward to testing out our battery and gas power. Bush camping separates the 'yuppies from the toughies' and we were determined to rough it and rely soley on our skill and resourcefulness.

We had the fridge running on gas and the lights were working perfectly off the battery. We couldn't boil the kettle or make toast and jam but hey, this is the bush, sacrifces must be made.

That is, until your ...

... signed. It's a straight road which makes its way to a hill crest, which once you've reached the top there is the unexpected, stunning open expanse of the heart of Scenic Rim country before you. The distant, blue formation of Cunninghams Gap takes preseidence of the gorgeous vista. Along the way you will pass by historic Harrisville Cemetery (It is home to the resting places of many of my pioneering ancestors who settled in Harrisville and the surrounding areas) I arrive ...

... see if anything was coming their way. A mother rock wallaby and her baby 'joey' came into the garden and fed on the lawn, a lovely sight. We drove for a guided tour round the hilly, forested area and at a couple of lookouts our view over the valleys was sadly restricted by the low cloud level. We visited the site of a ski centre, the buildings of which had been built and then abandoned as the company went bankrupt. This large ghost lodge lay deserted in the ...

... to go across to Mission Beach to the shops especially excited to go to Woolsworth how funny is that its a highlight as there no shops on the island and woolworths in Oz sell food aswell as everything else. Its suprising the things you miss and really need when you are stuck on an island and can t get to the shops. Going over to the mainland is always and adventure we get the water taxi which you practically have to wade through the sea too and the at the ...

Our last day with the group and we spent the morning at the Egyptian Museum. What an amazing place - so many awesome things to look at. I think the highlight was all the stuff from King Tut's tomb. How could it all have fitted? And how exciting for Howard Carter to actually discover it. I loved wandering around and could have spent the whole day but we were limited on time and had to leave by 12. We got a lift to Helene's ...

... everything else. It was a real spectacle. There was a sign by the street hailing passersby to come up and see it, and the kids were all out to receive the neighbors with lollies (candies) and have a chat. It was a neighborhood attraction. The owner said he'd gotten 70 to 80 cars pulling up last weekend. With that, possibly the most exciting part of the day, we headed back to the farmstead and after a chat (mostly about our mutual genealogy efforts) we went to bed, exhausted.

... around pulling my hair out only to finally talk to an Aussie immigration person who told me that the manager was completely out to lunch and I was in the right. I said to her, can I have the said manager call you back in about 5 minutes when I get back to the counter because he doesn't believe a word I say. I made it on the flight, but the whole encouter led me to start drinking at 8 in the morning!

... Cathal again. I went skiing down to Thredbo with Cathal last weekend. Snow was ****. We didnt know it was the start of the season so there was only one slope opened. We made the most of it and it was worth it to see Cathal fall over again and again and again. Will probably head back in about a months time when the snow is better. Well ill write again soon when im finished work and going on my travels. Theres nothing interesting with work. Chat cha soon Paddy