News from Queensland, Australia!
(newest at the top)
14th May 2008
Please find a photo attached that was taken of us at Rocky and published in the local Rotary magazine. Ray.
12th May 2008
Hello again from Oz and what a fab time I'm still having, tiring however just brilliant.
I'm now in Rockhampton having spent the last week or so in the outback. Biloela was our first stop and I stayed on a 100-acre farm where the stars were again, simply stunning. En route, we walked through the Cania Gorge and I did a great vocational visit to the special needs classes of the local schools, which I loved. I've also met a real-life cowboy (called Dick! - check him out!!) and then it was onto Emerald where we went fossicking for sapphires. I found quite a few, however none that you could do anything with. Our presentation to 80-odd people went well and the Charlie's Angels theme is going down a treat.
Moranbah was our next stop where we visited two mines - one open cut where I loved all the big trucks (check out the photo) and the other underground - you should have seen me when I came out - I was so dirty I looked like I'd done a full shift! It was great to reach Mackay next where we did our presentation the same day we arrived to nearly 200 people, including the mayor and I have to say, we were just fab! The big trip to the Great Barrier Reef was absolutely fantastic. We flew out over the Whitsundays on a sea plane, then it was onto a boat before snorkelling around for an hour. The coral is simply beautiful and I've never seen so many pretty fish. We were enjoying ourselves so much we had to be called back in where a fresh warm towel and a glass of champagne was waiting for us (and both pilots were gorgeous too!).
My next vocational day was to the Coal Terminal at Dalyrymple Bay (something of a theme going on here!), where I met the HR Superintendent and had a tour of the site, which was very interesting, despite my fellow angels laughing at where I was going. On Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed some free time with my hosts and after walking on the beach and having fish & chips, I went quad biking along the beach which was brilliant. In the evening, we went to a masked Debutante Ball where we were special guests and introduced to everyone - we had to walk down the middle of the room on the red carpet, smiling away and I loved it!
En route to Rockhampton, we visited the Capricorn Caves which were amazing. They hold weddings inside their cathedral cave where the acoustics on near-on perfect so I know where I'm getting married (although I need to find a victim, sorry a nice guy first!). I surprised myself by walking the zig-zag cave, no wider than your body, as I don't particularly like enclosed spaces. That's one thing I'd move to Oz for is the open space - the land and the houses, it's wonderful. Today I've been on another vocational visit to the Main Roads department of the Queensland Government and spent some time with the HR team. This was interesting as it also tapped into my work with URS (my former engineering employer). My hosts George & Marion then took me on a tour of Rocky and drove me up to Mount Archer where the views where just lovely.
Tomorrow we're off to the beach (and re-negotiated our 7.30am start!) and then it's off to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo. Wednesday sees us visit the historical settlement of Mount Morgan before returning for our evening presentation. We leave for Gladstone on Thursday for the Rotary Conference where we'll be presenting the highlights of our trip, which has been absolutely fantastic. It's been hard work and we're constantly representing Rotary so have to be on our best behaviour, however it's been great, fab, wonderful, brilliant and whilst I was a little homesick, I'd love to stay a little longer.
See you too soon (sorry!).
Kerry xx.
1st May 2008
G'day Terry! Hope you and Val are well. I know the others have emailed so apologies if you've heard some of this before. I'm having a fab time and am absolutely shattered. Each place we visit, there's so much planned for us we haven't had any time for shopping and emailing and we've all been ready for our beds at 9pm! So just to give you a brief run down of what's been keeping us so busy and making us so tired......are you ready? Well sit back and enjoy!
We arrived at Hervey Bay to the most wonderful and friendly reception from Greg, Danny and the Hervey Bay Rotary- we felt like royalty! We stayed at the Marina Resort and then went on to Fraser Island for 3 days (the largest sand island in the world), staying in a Rotarians holiday home in Happy Valley (it was even more happier when we arrived!). We went all over the island in 4-wheel drives as there are no roads, just sand tracks and it was very bumpy! We fished from the beach (I caught a fish!) but first we had to catch the bait known as 'pippies' and that's me and Jackie having fun doing that (I also nibbled a bit too - bit like an oyster). Lake Mackenzie was stunning, Eli Creek was just beautiful and we also visited the shipwreck, the coloured sands, had lunch at Waddy Point (on the beach) and swam in the Champagne Pools (sadly no real champagne ). Our breakfasts were cooked on the barbie and it is simply the most beautiful place I have ever been and the main highway is the beach - yes, you really drive along the beach and that was fab too - we all had a go!
Then onto Maryborough where we did our first presentation and I forgot the adapter plug (these Aussies' have funny 2-pin plugs!). Anyway, never fear, Norm was near and he'd brought along his laptop so all sorted there, phew (as if we weren't nervous enough!). I also spent the day with the HR Manager (and also my host) in the local hospital and her L&D Officer is called Angela Price, same name as my Mum, no kidding and she likes pink too!! I brought back a lot of information from here so a very worthwhile day. We had lunch beside the river and I ate pumpkin - I did, honest and it was yummy. Dinner that night was of course the traditional Aussie barbie, yummy too. I then got up at 4.30am the following morning for the Anzac dawn service which was very moving.
It was then onto Childers, where we walked in the Anzac Parade wearing our polo shirts and were clapped and cheered - you would have been proud. You may remember the backpacker hostel fire that happened here a few years ago. We visited the memorial which has been done beautifully and this was one of our quieter and sadder moments as we contemplated the loss of so many young and beautiful lives. Morning and afternoon tea is certainly a tradition over here so we've never stopped eating (not a problem for me!). Alwyn, an 80-year old Rotarian (and we've met a few oldies and looking so well too!), baked scones for us and this was all set out in his little old house, where time seems to have stood still, it was just gorgeously old fashioned (and the picture of him carrying the Sydney Olympic Torch was very impressive too).
Woodgate was our next stay in the beach house of a Rotarian and my room overlooked the sea - it doesn't get much better than that. The Angels stayed together in the top floor self contained flat, which we nicknamed 'Angel HQ'. We visited Snakes Down Under and held a snake and baby croc. Dinner was a fish cookout so I was in my element and I even ate the hibiscus flower in the bottom of my champagne - I'm doing well aren't I?! You also have to see the stars here to believe them - they are truly magical and you can see everything so clearly, including the milky way, simply stunning.
Bundaberg was our next point of call (my favourite place so far) where I stayed on an old sugar cane farm with Grant and Ros and her Mum, 80-year old Mabel who still drives and has a motor home she goes away in - she was lovely and it was just like having my Nana back, she really looked after me and we had lots of cuddles (which I needed as I have been feeling a little homesick). They have a cockatoo called 'Tosser' which was hilarious every time they shouted at him. Our visits were very interesting especially when we visited the Jabiru light aircraft factory - the owner only took us for a flight over the ocean which was awesome, wow wee! Jackie and I loved the Rum Distillery where we got to taste the rum (not something I like, however this is much different). We've also seen one of our hosts at work, glassblowing which is amazing and we've snorkelled in the coral too. My vocational visit to the Department of Housing was great and I had a good morning there, followed by a visit to the local radio. The Endeavour Foundation has to be the highlight for me so far - it's a working farm where people with learning difficulties work, growing, picking and packing fruit, veg and flowers (I had to keep my shades on to hide the tears, it was so wonderful to see). And finally, we had a yummy fish & chip farewell supper with lots of Bundy Rum and a few giggles along the way (no change there then). Bundaberg Rotary are fab, so warm and friendly and we really didn't want to leave. We also saw the Aussie GSE team too when they came along to our presentation, with Helen having a vocational visit with Tanya the following day. Pete stayed for drinks afterwards and David offered to get me arrested so I could spend the day in the police station with him!
We're now in Biloela which is further inland (6000 population) and I'm staying on a 100-acre farm. We've been to the Cania Gorge and went out for dinner to a delicious Thai restaurant last night. Today I've been on another vocational visit to the primary and high schools and visited the special needs classes, which I really enjoyed and was able to talk to the kids, which was just fab. This afternoon we went to a redclaw farm and visited a 100-year old homestead which was great and again, just transported you back in time to the cowboy gold mining days. We're doing our third presentation tonight so wish us luck (as everyone I've met today kept saying "I'll see you tonight" - arrggh!)
So we're having a great time and getting on brilliantly too - I hope you'll be proud of your Angels. Will try and email again soon (we're off to Emerald tomorrow and are all looking forward to seeing Judith).
Take care.
Kerry x.
1st May 2008
Greetings y'all!!!
Well, I have finally managed to get myself some internet access!! So many thanks for whoever contributed to the 215 emails that I have just had the pleasure of reading - thank you!!! It's lovely to hear what's going on at home.
Well, it's been non-stop madness!! After a CRAZY flight over here (involving 4 planes, 2 trains, 1 bus, and a lost suitcase - not mine!), we all arrived safe and sound. We had one night in Hervey Bay which is a little coastal town that is fastly becoming Australia's fastest developing town! Rotary put us up in a lovely motel next to the marina with lovely views. Trouble was we didn't get a chance to just rest and enjoy it - but we did managed to find the time to enjoy a cuppa tea in the jacuzzi!! Well, it'd be rude not to hey?!!
Early the next morning we were off to Fraser Island, which is the world's largest sand island. One of the Rotarians has a holiday house on the island that we stayed in with 5 Rotary bods - an absolute hoot!! We had a lovely 2 1/2 days on the island swimming in the champagne pools, fishing, driving on the sand, I got bitten by a leech, going off road in 4x4's on sand dunes and seeing some AMAZING scenery - will try and get some photos to you all if I can.
Next step was Maryborough where we had our first presentation which went really very well - even if we do say so ourselves! One chap came up to me at the end and said 'it was really good, but out of the lot of them you were the only one that I understood!' - I'm thinking this may mean that it took me less than 4 days to get my Aussie accent back! Whoops!! We had 2 nights in Maryborough and were put with our first real host families. Mine however proved uncontactable so I ended up being put with Kerry and her host family. This was really kind of them (and brave!) taking on board 2 'Pommy Shelia's', but they had fully prepared for Kerry with gifts, food, etc., and although they obviously tried, I did feel like a tag on! Oh well!! Next day was a vocational day where I got to suss out the structure of there emergency response - they do lots of good stuff here, (as I guess we do too) but they also have some holes in the procedures (oh, and we definitely do!! :)). It was very interesting.
Stupid'o'clock we rose the next morning for ANZAC day dawn service (like remembrance day). There were HUNDREDS of people there - amazingly well supported! Then we drove to our next destination (via a groovy coffee place called 'sexy coffee' for breakie!), Childers, where we actually took part in the ANZAC day parade through the town - bizarre!
By this stage we were so tired as we just haven't been given the op to get over our jet lag! But the enthusiasm and passion that people have for their families, home, job, community and country is beautiful to be witness too, an it does feel like a true pleasure to be in the company of these amazing people.
Anyways, we had 2 nights in Childers, well a little township outside called Woodgate Bay where all 4 girlies stayed together in a house by the beach. We got up to holding snakes, crocs (not the shoes!!), checking out the memorial for the backpackers hostel that caught on fire killing 15 folk back in 2003, visiting sugar cane and macadamia nut farms - grand! Next step was Bundaberg - affectionately known as 'Bundy'. Which we sadly leave today.
I have been placed with a lovely couple (Ann and David Praed) who have been nothing but marvellous!! I was placed with them because David is originally a Brit, and actually lived in St Ives and went to the Tech in my home town of Camborne - FREAKY!!! We've been truly spoilt with lovely food and drink, vocational trips, snorkelling, scenic flights, ginger beer factory, rum distillery.......GRAND!!
It will be very sad to move on from here, but there are other places to explore - and hopefully I can catch up on some sleep along the way!! So that's enough waffle from me for now. I hope you can use some of that for Rotary Cedric - this is my first email access and it's rushed!!
Please let everyone know that I'm having a hoot, learning lots, and really appreciate them giving me this opportunity. So guys, until the next chapter, love and laughter to all,
Helen XXXX
Helen Barley,
Bundaburg, Queensland, Australia
1st May 2008
Hi Terry!
reporting from Biloela!
just a quick note to say hello and we are still loving every minute in
Queensland. Thanks for this opportunity I think we 4 are making the most
of meeting new people and it has brought us all out as a strong team and
i think we are all now friends for life!
We are still nervous about presentations but are managing between us
all!
We are enjoying lovely weather and seeing and doing some amazing things!
Thanks to Rotary for sponsoring me for this, i am so in love with GSE!
See you soon.\
With hugs from Oz
Helen M