OUR ‘UNFORGETTABLE’ HOUSEBOAT

On July 18, 2015July 18, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

We flew to Adelaide early in the morning and after shopping for supplies, we drove to Mannum on the Lower Murray – an hour and a half away – where our houseboat was waiting for us. Mannum is known as the Houseboat capital of Australia and a number of companies are located here. We chose ‘Unforgettable’ as it could accommodate our party of 11 in 6 queen size bedrooms all with ensuites. Http://www.houseboats.com.au

On top of this luxury we also had a jacuzzi, a huge gourmet kitchen complete with dishwasher and microwave, ducted air conditioning and an outdoor barbecue. After a quick lesson on the mechanics and driving of the craft, we set off for our first stop for the night.

Houseboats lined up at Mannum

But first we had to unpack the stores which included cartons of wine and beer and lots of gourmet food. Clearly we were going to be doing a lot of feasting!

The river is wide and to my amazement there were pelicans everywhere. I love these graceful, often aloof birds and spent hours capturing them on film at various times of the day.

After choosing our spot for the night, the next challenge was to tie up. No anchors here! The method is to steer the boat to the edge of the river, firmly plant the gangplank to the shore, find two trees to tie the ropes to and settle down for the night! Easier said than done.

“Yes, this looks OK”

oops, better try putting the gangplank down again!

Now to tie one side…..

Settled, now for the campfire…..

and a few sundowners

Then it was time to have our first meal on the Houseboat – and a celebration of a special birthday with masses of seafood brought from Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay.

A good time was had by all – especially Chel in the white sweater!

This is a typical scene along the river and we were looking forward to seeing lots more including the beautiful limestone cliffs towards Walker Flat. Tomorrow is another day.

COFFIN BAY, THEAKSTONE’S CREVASSE AND WHALERS WAY – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

On July 16, 2015 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

No visit to Port Lincoln is complete without a trip to Coffin Bay and a tasting of the famous oysters. We set off for lunch at a newly opened restaurant but first we took a detour to the beautiful Whaler’s Way and Theakstone’s Crevasse which is some 32 km from Port Lincoln.

Located on private property – owned by the same family since 1860 and old friends of the Ferry family – we obtained the key from Bob Theakstone and navigated the sandy, winding road first to Cape Wiles which was named after the botanist James Wiles who sailed with Flinders in 1802. This is part of an area known as Whaler’s Way and an old whaling station can still be seen at Fishery Bay. The Whalers made a living off Southern Right Whale blubber and today these massive whales once again pass through the waters annually during the winter months.

Cape Wiles is truly spectacular and dozens of fur seals are often seen splashing around the base of the golden sandstone islands just off the point.

It was blustery but a beautiful day – so the clan gathered for a photo opportunity! Then we drove on to Cape Carnot which is at the southwesterly tip of the Eyre Peninsula and named by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin in 1802. The waves are often freakish and have claimed lives. The full force of the Southern Ocean meets some of the oldest rock formations on the planet and, well known to geologists, these rocks are some 2460 million years old. We didn’t have time to climb down to them but the view was pretty spectacular.

Finally we came to Theakstone’s Crevasse, which I first visited in 1969 and it hasn’t changed! It is a deep fissure along a fault line formed over millions of years and is 1-2m wide and 13m deep. The walls are said to be 9m high. The crevasse has been scoured by the sea and extends some 30m underground.

Time was beating us so we made our way out of the property and on to Coffin Bay where we had booked lunch at 1802 – a new restaurant on the foreshore of the pretty village.

Matthew Flinders named the bay in February 1802 in honour of his friend Sir Thomas Coffin who was Naval Commissioner at Sheerness where the “Investigator” was fitted out. The waters are calm and ideal for oyster farming which has grown over the years. Surrounded by National and Conservation Parks, this is an ideal family holiday location with lots of fishing, kayaking, walking, water sports and fabulous scenery. We were there primarily for the oysters and they didn’t disappoint!

Then it was back to Port Lincoln and a visit to the local winery – Boston Bay Wines which is located on the shores of Boston Bay.

Love the name of the Sav Blanc – this is the home of The Great White after all! We didn’t have the time nor the inclination to swim with the sharks but hundreds do!

Makybe Diva – the famous racehorse, winner of the Melbourne Cup and owned by Port Lincoln identities. The statue is on the foreshore and this was taken early in the morning on our walk to our breakfast spot.

Farewell to Port Lincoln – you have turned on the best weather and showcased the full beauty of the region which we have managed to explore in just three days but we all vowed we will return.

PORT LINCOLN – SEAFOOD CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA

On July 15, 2015July 15, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

The first part of our trip to South Australia and the River Murray was a quick visit to Richard’s home town of Port Lincoln. A picturesque town on the Eyre Peninsula which has grown and developed over the years since I have been visiting. From a relatively sleepy place in the early 70’s to a very dynamic and thriving community today, Port Lincoln is known as the “Seafood Capital of Australia” and is perhaps the nation’s biggest combined agricultural and fishing centre. Tuna, prawns, lobster, abalone and scale fish are the major fishing and aquaculture industries and there is also major farming including sheep, beef and cereal crops.

We flew in by Qantas Link and checked into the Port Lincoln Hotel which is right on the bay in the centre of town. The next morning we were greeted with the most magnificent sunrise……

We devised a little “Port Lincoln Discovery Tour” for our group which consisted of Chel and Rob, Eva and Hark and Jeff – all of whom had not visited the area before and were keen to see the tuna farms and, most importantly, visit Coffin Bay, the home of our favourite oysters.

We set off early on a short boat tour of Boston Bay and the tuna farms with Peter from Triple Bay Charters who explained the whole tuna and fishing industry, showed us Fur seals and Sea lions and lastly gave us a tasting of fresh Blue Fin Sashimi tuna. http://www.triplebaycharters.net.au

The boat takes 8 passengers and Peter is a wonderful guide. We set off from Port Lincoln Marina and Peter explained the different types of boats used for tuna, prawns and deep sea fishing.

Then we headed out to the tuna farms which are situated off Boston island in the middle of Boston Bay. The tuna are caught in the ocean and placed in the round netted cage where they are towed very slowly to the bay. They are carefully tended each day and grow to an enormous size before they are sold and sent all over the world but primarily to Japan.

After observing and feeding and maintenance of the nets, we cruised to a little bay off the island and had a wonderful time watching the beautiful Fur seals and several large sea lions – all sharing the rocks with hundreds of birds.

Look at the whiskers!

Finally it was time to drop anchor and have the long anticipated sashimi tasting!

Different grades of tuna all sliced ready for tasting.

And here is the prepared plate with horseradish, pickled radish, wasabi and soy sauce.

Chel, Rob and Richard intently listening to the correct method of serving and eating sashimi!

The pelican and jellyfish couldn’t care less….

And here is the group – fully informed about the aquaculture and fishing industries of Port Lincoln and well fed on sashimi!

FAREWELL BRUNY AND HELLO AGFEST

On May 25, 2015May 25, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

Our visit to Bruny would not be complete without exploring the very south western tip of the island and the old lighthouse at Cape Bruny. Built by convict labour in 1838, it was first lit in March 1838 and was Tasmania’s third lighthouse. It is situated on a particularly spectacular spot overlooking the wild ocean and beautiful Cloudy Bay.

The road to the lighthouse is long and very bumpy in parts but a visit is well worth while – walking up the hill to the lighthouse itself can be a challenge as the wind whips around the cliffs and makes standing upright somewhat difficult! The air, however, is so pure and clean one can imagine it has blown straight from Antarctica it is so cold!

Wildlife in this area remained elusive except for the odd wallaby, rabbit and some birds. One little creature which is quite numerous on the island and particularly in the south is the rare white wallaby. I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I saw him, munching grass quite happily in front of our house.

We left Bruny on a bright but cold morning and after a night in Hobart we drove to Launceston where, to our great surprise, we found snow on the Pass. It was sunny and very cold but quite beautiful to see the first fall for the season.

Then it was Agfest – the yearly Agricultural Show held just outside Launceston. We love coming here as there is something for everyone. I love the Craft Pavilions where there is every type of craft on display and for sale. This, to me, is very motivating and I always come home full of enthusiasm for new projects – half of which ever get done! The Food Hall is also very popular and the wonderful Scallop Pies – a speciality of this area – sell out very quickly. Then there are the animals, the wonderful llamas and their beautiful wool, cattle, sheep and our favourite – the Sheep Dog Trials. The day is always full and rain or shine, it is always fun.

Watching the sheep dogs perform – they are amazing.

I wonder how he can see!

Baby animals are always a hit

The Supertank and hints on fishing holds a captive audience – all sitting on hay bales!

Beautiful display of produce – anyone for pumpkin soup?

Just before leaving Launceston we called into the Farmer’s Market where locals buy their meat, fish, fruit and vegetables for the week. There is even a Boulangerie with real French bread baked by the local French baker – the pain au chocolat was to die for. Together with an excellent cup of coffee this is my perfect breakfast.

Finally it was time to leave Tassie for this year –

Bye Bye Tasmania – see you again next year!

BRUNY ISLAND – BEACHES, WILDLIFE, SCENERY AND THE SOUTHERN OCEAN

On May 17, 2015 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

The moment we drove off the vehicular ferry onto Bruny Island, we felt we had stepped back in time. This is a stunning island and what is more surprising is that it is the size of Singapore in area which has a population of 6 million or so and yet on Bruny there are only 650 permanent residents.

The road to Adventure Bay, where we had booked a house for a couple of days, is well sealed and the drive takes about 40 minutes. Along the way found boutique produce such as cheese, wine, chocolates, fudge, salmon and a berry farm which was, sadly, closed as it was out of season. Undeterred we made our first stop at the oyster farm – this is pure heaven for oyster lovers. Workers were busy shucking as we got there, visitors were guzzling them down with buckets of wine and there were lots of sauces and accompaniments to tempt every palate.

Next stop was the Cheese Factory – where tastings were offered and the smell of wood fired sourdough bread was inviting.

On a little further and we found the chocolate and fudge shop – there the chocolate coated coffee beans won out but the choice was endless.

The scenery along the road is breathtaking and it is rare to pass another vehicle. Adventure Bay is towards the southern end of the island and we had to pass along a narrow isthmus which, apparently in days gone by, the local aboriginal tribes crossed regularly hunting for wallabies, fish and penguins. Now there is a well constructed walkway to the top of the hill affording magnificent views but also providing safe passage as this is also a penguin rookery.

It’s a long climb – but worth it once at the top!

I was very moved by the tale of an Aboriginal woman called Truganini. A plaque at the top of the hill commemorates her life which was forever changed by the white invasion. Her tribal connection went back 30,000 years and yet the arrival of white man brought violence and brutality. At the age of 17 Truganini witnessed the stabbing murder of her mother by men from a whaling ship, Sealers captured her two sisters, Timber getters killed the man she was to marry and she was repeatedly raped by the men, her brother was killed and her step-mother kidnapped by escaped convicts. Not surprisingly her father was devastated and died within months.

Following the loss of her entire family, Truganini worked as a guide and interpreter for George Robinson who had been appointed by the colonial government to persuade the Aborigines to peacefully give up their land. Promises were broken, people were exiled and many died of disease of despair. Eventually, Truganini spent many years at a settlement on Flinders Island before dying at the age of 64 in Hobart.

It is hard to imagine those dreadful days when today there is peace and serenity everywhere.

We arrived at the tiny settlement of Adventure Bay and found our house not far from the beach, up on the hill in a quiet little community. Wallabies greeted us at the top of the drive and then scurried into the bush.

The house is cosy and it wasn’t long before we had a log fire burning and a spread of delicacies picked up from the Deli in Hobart and local stores along the way, all washed down with fine Tasmanian wine. A perfect start to our little stay on Bruny Island.

JOURNEY TO TASMANIA

On May 15, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

After a full three days in Canberra we joined Chel and Rob and drove to Melbourne to pick up the car ferry – Spirit of Tasmania – for the overnight trip to Devonport. This was the third time we have done this voyage and so knew exactly what to expect! The drive to Melbourne took about 7 hours with a couple of stops along the way. We had lunch at Benalla at the wonderful art gallery overlooking the river and situated in the Botanic gardens.

The current exhibition is called “Dawn till Dusk” Gifts of Light and Landscape and is well worth visiting if you are in the area. As usual the lunch was excellent and the break was refreshing.

Then it was on to Melbourne in time for boarding at 5.30pm. The sun began to set and as we sat in the line up, we observed wonderful colours and light on the water.

Fortunately it was calm weather as crossing Bass Strait can be very rough and hazardous, even in a large ship such as what we were on with six decks of cars, two decks of cabins and a deck of entertainment, restaurants and sleeper seats.

Arriving from Melbourne — Photo courtesy of Spirit of Tasmania

After a gourmet dinner and beautiful Tasmanian wines, we retired to our cabins and were woken at 5.45am on arrival in Devonport.

Our destination was Bruny Island, at the bottom of Tasmania and which is accessed by vehicular ferry. Something I didn’t realise is that Bruny is the same size in land mass as Singapore which has a population of 6 million and Bruny only has 650 permanent residents!

We stopped in Hobart to shop for supplies for the house we were renting and, as always, went to Salamanca Place where there is the most divine Deli. Tasmania is known for its produce – wines, cheeses, fish, meats and so forth and here was everything we could wish for all under one roof!

Hobart is beautiful at this time of year – all the leaves are changing colour and there is a crispness in the air. This is the car park at Salamanca Place.

Then it was on to Kettering where we caught the little ferry. A pretty little port village with a large marina, the area thrives on all things marine and visitors come daily to take the ferry, with or without cars. The journey takes about 15 minutes and once on the other side, you have reached another world!

And so we set off on a 40 minute drive to Adventure Bay to begin the next part of our “Tasmanian Adventure.”

A Few Days in Canberra

On May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 By alisonferryIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Last week we flew to Canberra for a few days before heading off to Tasmania. It has been several years since we spent time visiting the museums and wandering around the nation’s capital. Canberra is known as the “Bush Capital” and it is not hard to see why. There are parks and gardens everywhere, the leaves are all changing colour and falling and there is an absence of traffic jams and crowds that is so common in a city. Keen to get to see as many museums and galleries as we had time for, we headed first to the National Portrait Gallery and then the National Gallery next door.

The Photograpic Prize exhibition was on and was wonderful – 44 finalists and a presentation of varied styles and subjects. All very motivating and enlightening. The collection of aboriginal art at the National Gallery is amazing as well as many beautiful ‘Old Masters’ and modern art. In fact there is something for everyone at any one time.

The War Memorial was the highlight and what an amazing place to visit. Be warned, it is impossible to see everything in one day but we did our best!

It was a beautiful day and Parliament House was clearly visible from the entrance to the museum.

The Pool of Memories with the eternal flame is very moving and a place where one can contemplate quietly. As Anzac Day was only a week ago, all the wreaths made a colourful backdrop.

Walking through the through the various parts of the Museum from The First World War through to the current wars in the Middle East, one has to wonder at the incredible waste of lives and yet at the same time praise the courage of those who went to war to fight for their country, beliefs and freedom.

This is is my favourite sculpture – out in the gardens and depicts true “mateship” in the Aussie vernacular.

Next day we took a drive through Canberra and out to Cotter Dam and Tidbinbilla where we learned a bit more about research into Space.

And here is my sister all ready for blast off! It was quite fascinating to learn about the preparations the astronauts take prior to going into space – from the very basic needs to food and health. Not something one would undertake lightly!

The country side side was ablaze with blossoms and various changing colours of leaves – something we never see in the tropics.

Climbing up the Telstra Tower we had a perfect view of Canberra – how the city has grown since we were last here!

And so, next stop Tasmania – via the overnight car ferry “Spirit of Tasmania”.

A TROPICAL EASTER

On April 11, 2015April 11, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

We spent the few days of the Easter break over on Magnetic island this year. It has become a tradition for Townsville locals to flock to the island for the Easter school holidays and the place was buzzing. It was a very social weekend and wonderful to see friends and families all come together in a community spirit.

In the early mornings we like to walk to a beach at Arcadia called Alma Bay. Often we are the only ones there and whilst one swims, the other does yoga – what a great start to the day.

Walks and wildlife are part of Magnetic island culture and during the cooler months we enjoy the interaction with nature. This weekend was no different, although the weather is still hot and muggy. Tourists and children love to go to the rocks at Arcadia and look for the little rock wallabies – some of which are bold enough to approach if you have fruit, vegetables or the wallaby pellets you can purchase in the local store. Jacqui had an assignment to photograph these cute creatures and so, armed with cameras and wallaby pellets we set off to see what we could find.

They didn’t disappoint and even managed to pose for us before scampering away.

The children came over for a day and instead of giving them lots of chocolate eggs, I decided to present them with craft and a soft bunny along with some baby eggs. This was a great hit, although they did hide themselves in a cupboard to devour all the eggs before they were caught out!

Easter is all about chocolate – and lots of it! We pretended not to notice the eggs had gone! Later I was asked to bring a dessert to a luncheon we were invited to on Easter Saturday and not being known for my creative abilities in the sweet department, I was somewhat dismayed. However, after a little research and a lot of positive thought, I managed to created this delicious Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

It turned out exactly as the picture, was easy and fun to do. I was also complimented many times but the thanks have to go to the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website for the inspiration. Go to: http://www.philly.com.au

Finally the few days came to an end and it was time to go home – but not before another lovely sunset from the deck with wine and nibbles!

URBAN WILDLIFE AND MORE

On March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 By alisonferryIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The other day, as I was about to get into my car, I looked up into the tree nearby and found the sweetest little possum with her baby on her back. I was quite startled as she was very close and was probably as surprised as I was and maybe a little afraid. It is unusual to find these animals in the daytime and I can only think she was out looking for food and water as it has been so hot and dry of late.

They can be a real pest and we have quite a few around the house. Scampering along the roof in the middle of the night or every early in the morning they can make an awful noise and many is the time I have (not so) silently cursed them! However, I love their huge eyes and pink noses so put up with them – not that I can do much as they are protected species now and it is illegal to move them more than 200m. from the property anyway!

That got me to thinking about other wildlife we have around the house. There are wallabies on the hill around us and they too come looking for water and fresh feed – often they just sit and stare at me, almost willing me to do something to alleviate their problem.

This guy looks quite short sighted!

Then we have the scrub turkeys – and they are always around but recently one actually came onto the balcony, strutted around my pot plants and then hopped onto the garage roof. This one has a family and I have seen a few babies around from time to time.

Then, of course, there are the green frogs, which I love and which seem to come back to the same place all the time. This guy likes the colour of the shirt on the line, obviously and then retires at night to the lamp on the verandah.

When I don’t see him, I worry that the python has been around. Yes, we have a large resident python who, I think, lives under a large boulder on the hill behind the house. One day I found his skin entwined through the trellis of the back verandah…..

I have seen him a few times but was annoyed one day when I heard the birds making an awful screech and they sounded very worried. Looking up at the tree, I found a smaller python attempting to rob a nest.

The birds got together and several of them attacked him – being young I guess he didn’t know what to do in that situation, so he slithered off!

But – the family has increased as just last night, as I went to lock the gate, I found a baby python curled through the slats.

He was quite beautiful, so we just left him to his own devices and by this morning he had gone.

I love the sound of kookaburras and from time to time they are in the trees near the balcony or on the lamppost on the street. A couple of times we have had them on the balcony on the island and have fed them bacon or mince but here they just sit and sing.

We also have a resident goanna – he is quite beautiful, don’t you think?

Add to that a little echidna, lots of birds as well as the domestic dogs and cats and we have quite a little wildlife sanctuary – and they all seem to get on together! The most amazing thing is that we are only 3 km from the CBD…..this is North Queensland!

Reflections on Magnetic Island and Times Past

On February 20, 2015 By alisonferryIn Genealogy, History, TravelLeave a comment

Magnetic Island is a jewel in North Queensland’s crown and I look forward to each weekend when we can take the ferry across the bay and completely relax in our little paradise.

Last weekend I started to think more about the first white settlers who came to the island. We were walking along the shady path by the beach at Picnic Bay, which in itself is worth a visit. The old banyan fig trees that line the shore are fascinating with huge aerial roots and plenty of climbing opportunities for children who can let their imaginations run wild. There have been plenty of stories of goblins and fairies, dragons and monsters lurking deep in the twisted branches and all the while the cockatoos screech and play above looking for seed pods.

At the end of the walk there is a plaque remembering the life of the first known white settler. Harry Butler came to the island in 1876 after emigrating from Lancashire in northern England in 1867. My own family ancestors were also from Lancashire and at that time the county was important for it’s cotton mills and the industry arising from cotton. The countryside was beautiful and there were small villages and farms where people lived either from farming or spinning and weaving, which was done at home. They would send their bolts of cloth to the mill or factory via canal boat and canals criss-crossed the county with longboats providing much needed transport for coal and produce. The cities were grimy and crowded and living conditions harsh. I wondered about Harry Butler bringing his family across the oceans to the unknown and then choosing to settle on a small island off the mainland where there was nothing except opportunity.

Life would have been tough. A passenger, William Westacott, on a quarantined vessel Sir William Wallace noted in his diary on 3^rd October 1878 : ‘there is a hut and a man, his wife and six children and two brothers beside…..they have a fine garden….sweet potato, pineapples and corn …a lot of fowls, ducks and a dog.’ I tried to imagine Elizabeth Butler working in her garden in long skirts and heavy shoes in the heat and humidity of the tropical summer. Her English roses complexion would have suffered under the harsh sun in spite of large hats which were always worn. How different it must have seemed to them after Lancashire. Perhaps they thought it was their own little paradise.

The family planted an orchard and built another hut made from coral blocks and began to cater for people who came across from the mainland for picnics. Eventually they built thatched cottages so people could stay overnight and then, recognising the demand, they ran their own boat service to Picnic Bay from the mainland and built a temporary wooden jetty.

Thus began the first tourism venture on the island.