BANJO aka Brat

Poke family visit April 2024

 

Once again we were lucky to be visited by Jodi, Van and Kai - all the way from Darwin.  It was a double treat for the boys to get a break from the Darwin Wet Season - high humidity to a cooler dry climate in Gympie.

A quiet drink in the afternoon. Vance with Pops and Nana Jean (Kai was still sleeping in bed!)

Another quiet drink while waiting for evening meal (Kai trying to stay awake!)

Pops cooking lamb chops.

Anyway we had a loaded program to keep the boys entertained and having fun??  Also some stuff we wanted to do and used them as an excuse, some worked out …

The boys had go-karted before but Vance especially requested it again.  Think it may have had some connection to him getting his drivers Licence????

Go-Karting Fun

At the track on the Sunny Coast.  In the marshalling area, fitting for helmets and rules info.

Mum was the "gamest"

Van getting ahead

Think Mum was in the throes of overtaking both of them

At half-time, fuelling up and resting up …. Pops advising

According to Kai's calculations he won?????

Helping with jobs around the yard ...

We had a few tasks lined up for them to do,  being younger and fitter

He's a big lad

Vance did a great job with the hedger and trimmed back a runaway vine.  He also found the spade and chopped back the Choysa grass which involved 'good old muscle and sweat'.  Kai eventually got round to cleaning out the fishpond of all the growth (with nana's help) Don't know what happened to the photos though.

Locally we went to the duckpond and fed the fish (illegally)

Down at the local golf club we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the balcony.  The cart in the background was supposed to be the feature (to show Craig) but it doesn't' show all the paraphernalia that is draped all over it.  A pretty flash wagon really.  It has chromed, mag wheels and a pirate theme to signage. 

Mum and son.

Me and my handsome 13 year-old grandson!

Up on Tamborine Mountain …

We spent a couple of days on the Gold Coast hinterland at Thunderbird Park, a nature theme park.  Kids and Mum got to do a lot of tree top activities.  They finished absolutely tuckered out.  Pops and Nana relaxed in one of the Cedar Creek Lodges, a lovely retreat beside the creek.

Some rainforest canopy on the Skywalk

Some of the many waterfalls

Jodes and Mum

Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World 

Positioned high up on the Sunshine Coast escarpment,  overlooking a backdrop of the iconic Glass House Mountains is an amazing experience for bird lovers and gardeners.  there are beautiful landscaped gardens, lush property featuring walkways past exotic plants and waterfall plus bird and animal enclosures.

Kai and Van with the Glasshouse Mountain on the horizon.  Both tall lads!

There are five walk-through varies and are home to over 600 native and exotic birds from around the world.

Getting up close and personal with the birds

The birds were fascinated with buttons and some people lost them.  They were intrigued with jewellery also if they weren't removed or taped.  However it was a great interactive experience.

We picnicked in the gardens, and the boys loved Pops smoked chicken wings. 

 Another long but thoroughly enjoyable day.

2023 Xmas, Mt Tamborine

A special Xmas break - without family, the two of us, Dave and Jean.  We booked a lovely little cottage retreat, located in beautifully kept parkland-type gardens and we even had our own Avocado tree at the front door.  Very peaceful and private surroundings. 

We decided to stay for 5 days over the Xmas period as it is an area we hadn't visited since we'd been in Queensland.  It was a good choice as the Summer heat of SE Queensland was unusually unbearable at that time of the year.  We could cook our own or eat out - shops were about a km away.  Dave would cook up a big breakfast (his own ham) and then we would go out and explore for the day.

For those that don't know the area ...

Tamborine Mountain is nestled in the hinterland of the Gold Coast.  The mountain climate, because of its altitude, has a much cooler and less humid climate than that of Gold coast and Brisbane.  Situated high on the mountain plateau and part of the Scenic Rim there are an abundance of green rainforests and beautiful waterfall. 

I took a good pair of walking shoes with intentions of having a leisurely look around the National Parks.  The weather complied and I managed to get to see all the waterfalls and spend some quiet time enjoying all the natural sights and country.

The first waterfall we visited was the Cedar Creek Falls.  It was great for an easy stroll.  Passing through open forest and dry rainforest, we could see the cascading waterfall over the rocks into the swimming pool.  Water was very clear and apparently quite cold.  Very pretty spot.

Cedar Creek Falls