@travellingwiththeateam

Moving on again today after our night in ‘Cell block H’, part of a portacabin on wheels in central Bundaberg which had limited windows and had a wipe down feel to it – that’s what you get for 120 dollars a night these days!

Waking at 6.15am, we quickly changed and jumped in the car and made our way to Bargara beach for coffee and breakfast on the waterfront.

Before Cafe on Bauer, Andy hit the streets to get his 10km completed before it hit 30c – it’s fair to say that when he returned he was struggling and conversation was lacking for the next 15mins until he showered and taken on water and caffeine!!

We breakfasted on the esplanade enjoying our daily staple of granola, bananas, berries and lots of Greek yogurt – the morning food of champions.

We then enjoyed a relaxing hour over coffee and the news, before driving the 90mins up the Bruce Highway on to Agnes Water/1770.

Whilst it’s a little off the beaten track, we definitely have chosen well as the area is stunningly beautiful and unspoilt, having only opened to the world in 1986 when the first hotel rooms opened and a sealed access road was created. Since then the place has elicited interest from those in the know who have experienced, like we have, the wonderful nature and beauty.

Agnes Water is the closest access point to the southern Great Barrier Reef and is the neighbouring settlement of the Town of 1770.  

Much of the area’s natural beauty has been preserved through the establishment of Eurimbula National Park, covering more than 23,000 hectares and the nearby Joseph Banks Environmental Park, located on the headland originally known as Round Head.

We spent our lunch time down at Agnes Water beach dipping in and out of the warm waters of the Pacific.

As with so many beaches in these small towns, aside from a few tourists and locals on holiday, they are deserted in the week and we have the whole place almost to ourselves.

After spending time at Agnes beach on the ocean side, we drove on to 1770 beach on the peninsula, where we came across Joseph Banks Conservation Park and Headland Lookout along with Lt James Cook lookout, where the explorer first spotted Australia in 1770, hence the name of the town!

After strolling along the coastal paths and various lookout points, we descended down to the beach at 1770 and spotted a very friendly Australian Pelican who is well known to the locals, due to his love of people and fish scraps.

Andy walked over to the very friendly pelican and despite getting up close and personal the bird seemed completely unfazed and in fact was happy to be patted.

We soaked in the last hour of so of the sunshine and took in the awesome views across the sandbanks and up the coast to Bustard Heads where some of the best sunsets are to be had – we plan to be there tomorrow night to witness it in all its glory!

Before leaving, one of the locals was fishing close by on the beach and suddenly announced he had caught a small bull shark and was trying to pull it in.

We were soon joining the throng of people as we watched in amazement as the shark came into view and was soon pulled out of the shallows and on to the beach. Thankfully the intention was not to kill it, merely to acknowledge the fact it had been snared and then a couple of daring people helped to open the sharks mouth and remove the hook before pushing it back out into the ocean. In between time we managed to get some incredible pictures up close of the animal beached and looking dazed and a touch confused.

After pushing the creature back into the water, the uneaten bait was tossed to the waiting pelican who gladly gobbled it up in a matter of seconds.

What a great way to finish the day. More of that again tomorrow hopefully. We’ve booked to go on an afternoon cruise in amphibious vehicle bobbing in and out of the surf and exploring the coastline of Round Head Creek & the town of 1770.

We departed Hervey Bay early this morning, but only after Andy had completed his daily 10km run ritual. He made it down to the Esplanade at 6.30am, which even at that time the temperature was 25 Celsius.

Our plan today was to head up the coast to Woodgate, a small beach town we’d been recommended by our friends Paul and Naomi. Despite being just 25 miles up the coast, ‘as the crow fly’, due to a number of rivers that flow out to the ocean, we had a detour drive of almost 50 miles. We are pleased to confirm it was well worth it, as Woodgate and its beach are stunning. A white sandy beach that stretches for miles and with only a handful of locals joining us for a relaxing morning.

Our first success was finding the Woodgate Beach general store which offered up fantastic coffee along with a nearby bakery selling pasties and cool Bundaberg traditional lemonade.

After our midmorning snack it was time to try out the beach and catch up with some reading and swimming.

We spent the first hour or so just ‘chillaxing’, before going for a stroll along the beach and a spot of star jumping…!!

This was one of the most beautiful & unspoilt beaches we’ve visited to date on the East Coast and is well worth a visit if you’re ever in this part of Queensland!

After 3hrs at Woodgate, we made the decision to drive on to Bundaberg, where we are staying at Riverdale Caravan Park for the evening.

Before departing Woodgate we managed to grab a final photo on the sands, and had a little ice lolly intermission before getting back into the car.

We arrived at the caravan park bang on 2pm, the earliest check in time, so we could leave our bags and food safe and cool before we headed to our 3pm tour at The Bundaberg Barrel for a spot of brew tasting.

Our abode tonight is basic to say the least and very Country Aussie – even the van makes it clear – Made in Australia by Aussie blokes and Sheilas. Seemed very fitting, as Michelle’s mum was a ‘Sheila’.

Our tour of the barrel to witness the Bundaberg brewing business proved very interesting and we soon immersed ourselves in their brewing history.

Bundaberg is a Queensland soft drink institution and can now be found around the world.

After the walk around the store, we then had a chance to taste all the twelve flavours.

Souvenirs anyone…Andy got close to buying himself another hat…thankfully he decided against it!

The tasting session was led by a local who chatted us through the history of the drink and the first and most famous drink, ginger ale.

One by one we tried lemonade, lemon and lime bitters, pineapple, mango even Sarsaparilla.

After the taste session, we then helped ourselves to six drinks of our choosing – well that’s the next few days of ice cold drinks sorted.

It was then time to visit the coastal beach of Bargara, a family friendly area with some great cafes and ideal spots for us to picnic, along with an esplanade along the coastal strip.

With a few hours before the sun started to set, we spent the first half snoozing near Moneys Creek, then went for a wander along the beach to The Basin, a makeshift swimming pool sculptured from rocks placed around the beach edges.

Along the way we witnessed a small eagle with a fish in its claws happily dinning on the rocks.

We strolled on along the Esplanade past a number of bays and an ANZAC commemoration plaque for those Australians who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

We finished the day with a final stroll to Woolworths and then dinner down at the beach looking out across the ocean. A great way to finish.

Tomorrow we head to Agnes Waters and Seventeen Seventy, areas famed for their pristine beaches, headlands for hiking and wildlife spotting. It’s also the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef so we may try our hand at some kayaking and catch some sunsets over at the infamous Bustard Bay.

After four wonderful days in Noosa, we waved goodbye to the rich and elite of the Sunshine Coast (!), and started our journey north to the tropics of Northern Queensland.

Before we left Andy managed one final 10k run along the Noosa River and must have covered every last street and esplanade in Noosaville.

We were showered, breakfasted, packed and in the car by 9am and well on our way up the Bruce Highway to our first stop of the morning, a small town called Tiaro where we took on caffeine and a cake before going for a short walk to explore the Main Street and surroundings.

This interesting coffee shop, come retro store sold an assortment of goods from the 1960’s and 1970’s including those airline satchels with the logos on them – Qantas and British Airways being the most notable.

After a further hours drive we arrived in Hervey Bay and drove down to the main coastline where Scarness and Torquay beaches meet and lead down to Urangan Pier.

The town is renowned for whale watching as well as nearby Fraser Island (K’Gari), the largest sand island in the world. Having visited Fraser on three prior occasions, we have decided to focus instead on the other attractions in the area, notably the wonderful beaches and esplanade walk that leads down to the historic Urangan Pier.

Also located on the Esplanade is the Wetside Water Park, popular with the young and the old, with slides and interactive fountains.

Once we’d parked up we went for a stroll along the Hervey Bay Esplanade which offered picturesque views and access to the numerous cafes and restaurants.

The beaches here are famous for being so pristine and they don’t disappoint. We had a dip and can confirm the waters are getting warmer as we head north.

Our stroll went on longer than we realised and after a couple of miles we arrived at the Urangan Pier, stretching over a kilometre into the ocean. It’s ideal for leisurely walks and fishing. More of this later.

As we started our walk along the pier we came across a number of the local kids fishing off the pier, one had just hooked himself a Puffer fish that isn’t edible and is poisonous, so he left it squirming on the floor as we caught a photo before its sad demise.

Our walk out along the pier became increasingly windy the further out we got, and also hotter as the early afternoon sunshine heated up. Andy was already shirtless by then and looking for an opportunity to get in on the fishing lark.

Andy didn’t pick up the fishing rod, but was keen to be photographed with one close at hand to give the impression he’s a proper Aussie on his holidays!

When we eventually returned to Torquay beach, we were greeted by a large flock of Australian White Ibis who were just hanging on the beach fence. None moved even when we got up close, such is their confidence that food could be on offer.

With an hour or so to spare, before we checked into our latest accommodation, we went for a snooze on the beach then a further walk along the Pines Park beach up in the direction of Point Vernon.

After checking into the Talisman Holiday Park we then went for a final wander along the esplanade and found ourselves as honorary members of the local ladies walking club, who we accidentally walked with for a mile or so. Amazing ladies who outpaced us despite being in their mid-60’s and showing no sign of slowing down – good for them!

Tonight we planned our next steps up the coast which include visits to Woodgate beach tomorrow morning before driving up to Bundaberg to join a tour of the ginger beer distillery.

We woke this morning to rain which dampened our plans for an afternoon on the beach. Irrespective Andy was up early, as per usual, pounding the pavements and hitting his 10k mark before breakfast.

We then sat out on our deck and watched the raindrops hit the pond and the lizards scurry around looking for food scraps in the water.

Despite the wet, we decided to keep with our plan to visit the Farmers Market on the edge of Noosa.

It was a traditional affair with fruit and veg from local farmers alongside the obligatory food stalls selling coffee, bacon & eggs baps alongside other Aussie classics.

Michelle set the pace and the fashion stakes rocking her Rains jacket whilst others chased for cover.

The Aussie market offer, included legs of lamb and rump steaks, but given our vegetarian leaning, we gave them a wide berth and instead settled on a coffee from Flying West, the Coffee Roasters.

We hung around the market for an hour or so, watching the weather heat up and get sunny before returning to the wet as we walked back to the car. Shame for the stall holders as the market was open and so weather dependent!

So instead we returned to Noosa Heads and wow the sun came out again and we managed to grab a 30min slot, before the dark clouds descended again and we then decided to head in land to explore the rain forest and tundra.

We had previously dropped into the tourist info centre and they recommended a few places to visit away from the coast, so we made our way to Tewantin National Park and the viewing point at Mount Tinbeerwah. The walk to the top of the Mount was relatively short, thanks to the car park being so close, and the vista was pretty impressive too. You could see Noosa on the coast alongside extinct volcanoes, tropical rainforest and sunshine…!!

Our next stop was a short drive to Cooroy, where we spotted this monument to the fallen Aussie soldiers in the First World War. Despite the place being modest in size, we counted over 25 names of men who didn’t make it back.

We then drove on to the town of Pomona to visit the gin distillery. What a great place, although as Andy was driving, it turned into just beers and chips as a late lunch.

After our refuelling we drove back down to Noosa Botanical Gardens next to Lake MacDonald. Our plans to keep in the country this afternoon worked a treat, as we were blessed with dry and sunny weather. Added to this we managed to grab a few minutes to watch a pantomime, Cinderella being acted out in Amphitheatre by a young cast.

We left the kids to enjoy the pantomime and then walked around the scenic trail skirting the MacDonald Lake. The wonderful plants and statues made the place feel so very special, especially given the land was used as a tip up to 30yrs ago, before locals lobbied for the land to be reclaimed and turned into gardens for the local community.

After our excisions in the bush, we returned late afternoon back to Main Groyne Beach where a rainbow and sunshine were in perfect harmony.

This proved to be the best part of the day, so much so people were arriving at 6pm to hit the beach for the last hour before dark. We love walking along beaches and this is one of our favourites – we been fortunate to do it a few times before, both with our daughter Amelia and also friends Paul & Naomi so it brings happy memories to the fore.

We done a fair share of walking today, in fact Andy has managed to create his own new record of hitting over 200,000 steps in a week after numerous runs and walks.

Tonight was our last one in Noosa, so before leaving we stopped at the main roundabout and grabbed a photo of the old tree that’s lit up over the festive season and often well beyond it. Great memories of another happy stay in the wonderful Noosa.

Tomorrow we drive north for a couple of hours and our next stay in Hervey Bay.

The day started as all the others so far in January with Andy up early to do his 10k run around Noosa Heads and out to Dolphin Point Lookout.

After showering, breakfasting and then packing we left Chez Noosa Motel and made our way in land to the infamous Eumundi Market, a proper institution in these parts.

The place opened at 7am, however we arrived at a more palatable 9am and grabbed a coffee before starting our tour of the hundreds of arty stalls and food stations.

We’d been warned that being summer holidays the market might be busy, but due to some early rain and cooler temperatures the place wasn’t too crowded and we managed to navigate around the numerous stalls selling everything and anything associated with Art Australia!

When we first arrived, Michelle’s sunglasses, bought in China, gave up the ghost with a handle breaking off, so we went in search of a replacement pair.

A stand out stall, selling didgeridoos, a wind instrument played with by vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone. It’s most famously developed by Aboriginal peoples dating back over 1,000yrs.

Another favourite at the market is the Lemonade which we’ve tasted before and is a treat in the heat.

After walking around for an hour or two, we stopped to admire one of the local artists singing cover songs to the masses. Max James was a great singer and had an amazing voice – we think he’s destined for big things….

On from the main market we found our way to Matso’s Sunshine Coast Brewery. The place was packed selling wood fired pizzas, beer tasting paddles, cocktails, along with a huge grassed area for big and small kids to roam and lounge.

Following our visit to the morning’s market, we returned to Noosa and made our way to the Yacht Club. From there we decided to walk along the Noosa River up to Noosa Spit, an hours jaunt providing some of the best views of the cream of Noosa real estate.

Amongst the many interesting things we saw, the Big Pelican stands out as one of the more unusual and eye catching. Affectionately called ‘Pelican Pete’ by locals, the pelican sculpture was created in 1977 to be part of the Council float in the Festival of the Waters street parade.

Our next stop was a return to the Boathouse, a truly unique experience, floating on the Noosa River across three levels. Here you can begin your day with artisanal coffee at Little Boaty, indulge in the local’s favourite takeaway fish & chips before savouring a la carte offerings. We went for plain old take-out coffee!

Along Noosa River there was an array of palm trees and numerous expresso bars and restaurants – it’s a place like no other.

Looking out over the bay we were mesmerised by the boats bobbing up and down the river, along with kids jumping in and out of the sea from the numerous bridges criss crossing the waterways.

After walking for almost 90mins we arrived at the Spit only for the rain to arrive. Fortunately tiredness out trumped the rain and Andy was soon snoozing as the sun returned.

We returned to the Sofitel Hotel and the boarding point on the river for the Noosa cruise. We last went on the ferry boat about 8yrs ago and intend to revisit tomorrow for the sunset cruise.

Late afternoon we booked into our latest apartment in Noosaville, a wonderful place with pond views and lots of space to relax. Added to this we have a washing machine and a dryer so we quickly took advantage.

After dinner, we went for an early evening river walk. The night’s sky was filled with thousands of bats out for their evening feed. It was an incredible sight as we watched them circle and dive in perfect unison.

Michelle stopped for a photo on the waterfront and it was only afterwards that we noticed just how many bats were flying over us. It felt like an invasion, such was the scale and number.

Within minutes the sun was setting and an orange glow took over us and created a mesmerising sight.

We found our way to Noosa Marina and stopped for some chips and a drink and watched the river cruise boats come and go. A relaxing way to spend a Saturday night in this special place on the Sunshine Coast.

Tomorrow we plan to visit one of the nearby Farmers Markets before moving on to the Main Beach at Groyne for our last day, before we drive on up to Hervey Bay.

Keeping with his plan to run everyday in January, Andy was up with the birds (and the bin men) hitting the road just after 6am.

Noosa sits on rolling hills, which made avoiding them tricky, and lead to a winding route and a very sweaty finish, requiring a dip in the motel pool.

In an effort to keep healthy, we breakfasted in the apartment and enjoyed our special mix of granola, bananas, strawberries and Greek yoghurt.

We then made our way to Noosa Main Beach and booked us a towel spot in a prime location close to the water.

With it still only 9.45am, we decided to do the coastal walk to Noosa Head, via Little Cove Beach, Tea Tree Bay, Dolphin Point Lookout finishing with views down along Alexandria Beach.

We’ve done the route a few years back, when we last stayed in Noosa in Dec 19, and thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent views over the turquoise ocean and the wildlife in the national park.

The elevated decked path offered wonderful vistas of Noosa and the surrounding countryside.

As we carried along the path, we passed Granite Bay, onto Noosa Heads, where large slabs of granite sit being battered by the incoming tides.

The walk from end to end was almost 5km and in the heat we felt the need to stop and take in the view, or have a paddle in the hidden scenic bays.

After a great walk, we made our way back to the beach and relaxed in the glorious sunshine post our strenuous workout.

Before we knew it, happy hour at the Sofitel hotel and we found ourselves at the bar ordering G&Ts for the second day running – when you like something it’s hard not to repeat!

Early evening after a quick change, we returned to Hasting Street for dinner at Noosa Surf Club. It’s a great location on the beach, very reasonably priced, and wow what great views.

Being Friday night, the restaurant was full to the brim and it took some luck to snare a table and one that looked out over the beach and horizon.

As the nights sky came to a close, we walked to the park to marvel at the beautiful sunset over the Noosa River.

It’s been another fantastic day in Noosa, so much so, we’ve decided to stay for the weekend and see a little more of the town and take a trip down the Noosa River. As tomorrow is Saturday, we plan to visit the famous Eumindi Market, an institution in this part of the Sunshine Coast.

Another day of indulgence on the numerous beaches along the northern stretch of the Sunshine Coast.

With today lining up to be a scorcher, Andy was out early trotting along the coastal path to get his 10k in the bag before 7.45am.

After checking out of our excellent apartment at the Oaks Sunshine Coast, we drove a few miles up the highway to Peregian Springs and on to Peregian Beach. As we walked across the car park to the beach walkway we came across a noisy parrot munching away on a trees berries. Such a beautiful and colourful creature.

Once on the beach, we were greeted by the full arm of the life savers team – van, tent and half a dozen volunteers marshalling swimmers and surfers between the flags.

This was turning out to be one of the hottest days we’ve experienced in Queensland so far, with the temperature exceeding 36 Celsius. As a result, every opportunity to take cover in the shade was greeted enthusiastically by Michelle, who by her own admission was starting to struggle.

Having spent a couple of hours at Peregian Beach, we drove a mere mile or so to Marcus Beach where we had the place almost to ourselves.

Down on Marcus Beach, we carried out some star jumping and then relaxed in the sand and in the surf to cool off.

The third beach visited early afternoon was a revisit to Noosa main beach, a place we’ve previously spent many hours on over several prior years. It’s a beautiful sandy affair with views that are to die for.

As the afternoon wore on, and the tan developed, we dipped in and out of the ocean before making the decision to retire to the Sofitel Hotel, for a happy hours G&T. Got to be one of our favourite places on Hastings Street to watch the world go by.

We’ve previously stayed at the lovely Sofitel hotel, but not on this occasion as our budgets don’t stretch that far when we are away so long. Instead we are a couple of miles out at the Chez Noosa Resort Motel. It’s pleasant and tidy, with plenty of room and a pool and sauna to boot!

This evening we made our way back to Hastings Street and then on to the beach to check out the stars in the night sky. The lack of light pollution meant that we were able to see an extensive range of stars including Jupiter, Mars and Uranus. Incredible to seem them all so vividly and with such clarity.

After our time stargazing, we returned to Hastings Street to check out the lights on the trees, in particular the main one at the central roundabout.

One last treat before heading back to our motel, was a trip to 7-Eleven for a slurpee. At just a dollar and 50 cents, these are incredible cheap drinks, although admittedly not the most natural or healthy with more E numbers than we care to consider – but boy did in taste good.

After our sugar rush, we returned to our apartment to help our daughter who was in the midst of finalising her CV and personal statement for University. We then spent the next couple of hours helping to finesse the documents – it was almost like being back at work!!

Tomorrow it’s back to the beach along with a walk in Noosa Heads National Park.

Today was a proper beach day and one that included visits to not one, but two surf clubs to pay homage to their great locations and reasonable prices!

Andy carried out his daily ritual and got his 10k run completed by 8am, enabling us to breakfast and hit the beach by just after 9.30am. Needless to say this is ‘late’ by Australian standards with many making it to the beach well before 7am when it’s cooler and the surf is up.

We started our beach marathon with a visit to Alexandra Headland beach and dipped into ‘Alex’ surf club for our 10.30am caffeine fix. We would normally go a little later, but have learnt to our cost that some of the espresso bars do close at midday. In their defence they are often open from 5am.

Alexandra Headland beach offers an enchanting blend of soft sand and warm waters with views down to Alex Bluff lookout and down to Mooloolaba main beach.

As we wandered down the beach we were overtaken by one of the surf rescue buggies, and the driver kindly stopped so Andy could resurrect his ‘Baywatch’ extras pose….not very convincing!

Andy then tried to get in on the act by standing next to one of their surf boards which gave him a little more kudos but still not the full blown, body perfect Aussie lifeguard.

After spending a couple of hours enjoying the sunshine and cooling off in the surf, we decided to walk on to Mooloolaba beach. This meant for a 2k walk along the Esplanade, with an initial saunter along the beach passing the signs about rips and currents that make swimming in these waters a little more challenging.

After spending time on Mooloolaba beach we felt it best to take a well deserved break from the heat of the sunshine and enjoy a cool beer and vino at Mooloolaba Surf Club. We last visited here almost 15yrs ago with our daughter Amelia and our friends Paul & Naomi. Nothing much has changed other than the prices! Still a great place to hang out and enjoy the coming and goings on the beach.

On our way back we stopped to take note of the surfers code – Give respect to Gain respect – lots of good tips for budding surfers who are unaware of the etiquette in the ocean.

It’s so hard to pass up taking a photo of a beach as you pass it and so was the case this afternoon – great views down Alexandra Headland beach.

Despite it being 15th Jan, there were still Xmas decorations up along the Esplanade – got to wonder how they managed to get the star to the top of the tree.

Tomorrow we are driving just 40k up the coast to Noosa for 2 nights. It’s one of our favourite places on the East Coast. Such a beautiful spot with shopping on Hastings Street and drinks in one of the bars fronting on to Noosa Main beach.

This was our last morning in Pullenvale, providing Andy one final time to run around the steep streets and complete his 10k fix for the day.

Once back at the house, we soon re-packed our belongings ready for the off.

Before we departed Michelle was saying her goodbyes to Rocket and Lightning the wallabies named by Paul & Naomi.

We’ve loved staying in the Degnan’s fantastic house which has the most amazing verandah looking down on the gardens and woodland in front.

Before leaving we managed a few last photos to document our stay. It’s been 5yrs since we last visited Paul & Naomi but we hope to be back again much sooner – possibly to join them on a road trip somewhere in Australia.

After saying our fond farewells we drove up the coast and stopped at Golden Beach on the outskirts of Caloundra. The beach and sand dune’s made for a beautiful setting and in the sunshine we took root on the beach for a few hours and managed some light snoozing.

As we indulged in some sun worshipping we organised our next few days stays both in Mooloolaba and on from there to Noosa Heads.

Tonight’s pad is at the Oaks Sunshine Coast Seaforth Resort, where we have a large open plan apartment with outside seating and a communal pool.

Late afternoon we went down to the Pipes beach which stretches out for a couple of miles in either direction. Whilst we planned to go straight to the supermarket for dinner ingredients, we found ourselves distracted by Maroochy Surf Club where we stopped off for a drink with chips and aioli dip.

Post our food stop, we made our way to Woolworths through Cotton Tree Park and the Maroochy River. It was such beautiful scenery and with the red light it looked like a tropical paradise.

Once we’d walked back to our new apartment, we stopped off for some cool beers for the next two nights stay.

Tomorrow we plan a restful stay on the nearby beaches and a revisit to Mooloolaba where we last stopped about 15yrs ago when Amelia was very young and begged to get a shiny princess dress. Looking forward to reminiscing and seeing what else has changed.

Today was our final day staying at the Degnan residence in Pullenvale. They live in such a lovely home with wildlife on their door steps and great views out over the woodland.

With the weather remaining mixed, and a little wet, we decided against a beach visit and instead took a trip into Brisbane to visit the Museum of Modern Art and the nearby botanical gardens next to Brisbane River.

Before heading into the city, Michelle carried out her daily ritual of feeding cashew nuts to the waiting wallabies, baby joey and also the odd lizard and bird that came close.

To have these animals appear at close quarters was a real thrill and made us realise just how diverse and tropical this part of Queensland/Australia truly is.

As Paul was committed to a work call later in the day, he kindly dropped us close to Queens Street, in central Brisbane and then headed back home to prepare for his meeting.

We then went for a wander around the main pedestrian area where the high end retailers of the ilk of Louis Vuitton along with everyone’s favourite Zara are located. Andy was on the search for some sun glasses after mislaying his favourite pair of Ray-ban’s the day before. Fortunately the sales were still on and a bargain was secured from David Jones department store!

After the successful purchase we made our way down to the river, passing the elegant former Customs House soon to be renovated to form part of Brisbane University.

The building was previously occupied by the Star Casino, but this has been relocated to the new development next door on Queens Wharf.

We found our way across Victoria Bridge, one of the many that traverse the Brisbane River and headed to GOMA bistro next to the Queensland Art Gallery.

The Queensland Art Gallery sits across a number of buildings along the river frontage, where a significant amount of works are being done on the roads and river in advance of the Olympic Games in 2032. Great that the city is getting ready so soon!

We found our way to Maiwar Green moments from the bistro, only to discover it was closed for refurbishment so we detoured to the Library Cafe close by.

After our pit stop we went into the Museum of Modern Art to explore the many varied pieces of art and exhibits. It’s an impressive place and full of a diverse range of art, with a bias to textiles that our daughter Amelia would have loved. The pictures taken below are in part for her and hopefully give some inspiration for her own Textile degree course at Loughborough University.

The range of textiles and images was endless so we tried to focus in on the pieces that grabbed our attention and stood out for the rest. It was great to see the diversity of work and creativity from artists across Australia and New Zealand.

Following the culture of the art galleries we returned to the riverfront and stopped at the iconic Brisbane sign to grab a photo with the city skyline in the background.

A little further on we reached the urban Streets beach where young and old were enjoying a dip in the pool and then relaxing on the sandy beach that’s been created on the South Bank.

We meandered on through River Quay Green, crossing the new Kangeroo Point bridge and the botanical gardens.

Despite our concerns over the weather, we got lucky and had a dry and sunny day in central Brisbane crisscrossing the river from the South Bank to the North and enjoying the views from the latest new bridge at Kangaroo Point. Having walked the best part of 15k around the city, we returned back to Pullenvale via train, and Paul kindly picked us up when we got close to Kenmore.

Once back at the house we had another encounter with the local wildlife who were keen for a snack before dinner. It’s incredible how quickly they got used to us feeding them and as a result they got ever closer to the point where you could almost reach out and touch them.

Tonight we had our final dinner with Paul & Naomi. They’ve been so very kind and generous allowing us to stay for the last 4 nights and we’ve loved spending time with them. Michelle in particular was such great friends with Naomi when they worked together all those years ago at Rush Common Primary in Abingdon in the early 2000’s. It’s great they’ve remained so close and can quickly reconnect. It’s going to be tough to say goodbye tomorrow, but we need to return to our travels up to the Sunshine Coast, where we plan to stay for the next couple of nights.