Sir Reginald (Reg) Barnewall’s ambitious dream of developing a resort on Fraser Island is a fascinating chapter in the island’s history. In the 1960s, Barnewall envisioned creating a high-end resort that would attract visitors to the island’s natural beauty, which was then known more for its timber industry and fishing than for tourism.
The greatest piscatorial event in the world Read More »
At 9.00 pm that night, it came bucketing down nonstop. It was so loud that it was hard to hear anything. By 11.00 pm, I thought it was pointless to go to bed and looked outside to check this downpour, with thunder rumbling and lightning flashing around us.
A resident describing conditions in Gympie on Friday night, 25 February 2022.
A rain bomb hits Gympie and surrounding districts Read More »
Introduction
“They became men overnight”. A reference to young 19 year-old crewmen that had only been in the Navy for six months and rose to the occasion in the rescue operations after Voyager collided with HMAS Melbourne.
Tomorrow marks the day, 60 years ago, of the worst peace-time tragedy for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The tragic loss of the Voyager Read More »
“I’ll put a girdle ‘round the earth in forty minutes”
William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
While travelling around the country, I came across yet another little-known wartime story which again highlights the heroics of Australians. This time it involves midget submarines and divers cutting underwater telegraph cables to thwart the Japanese communication efforts towards the end of World War II.… Read more
Every Fraser Island visitor has seen or knows about the Maheno wreck on the eastern shore about five kilometres north of Happy Valley. These days it is a tourist attraction and photographic stop. It must be the most photographed piece of rust in the world. The rusted remains, however, bear no resemblance to the luxury liner that plied its trade between Australia and New Zealand and the war-time hospital shipping the Mediterranean.… Read more
The slow disappearance of one of Fraser Island’s tourist icons Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has made us drastically change our travel plans. After only six weeks, we made it to the NSW-Vic border but returned to Queensland to sit out the nationwide lockdowns. Given some states maintained their border closures at the drop of a hat, we decided to remain in Queensland until things settled down and everyday life returned.… Read more
A summer of house sitting Read More »
Unconfirmed reports from seagoing fishing parties suggest that Fraser Island is again suffering considerably as a result of bushfires which some say are raging from the island’s “stem” to its “stern.” Maryborough Chronicle, Tuesday 5 February 1952
I have decided to bring this blog forward ahead of others I have already written for several reasons.… Read more
Fraser Island afire from stem to stern Read More »
As we entered south-east Queensland for the summer period, and before we do some house-sits during the summer school holidays, we decided to return to Hervey Bay for a couple of weeks.
We stayed at the same caravan park and same site we had during the 12-week COVID lockdown period.
In September’s travel blog I shared our experiences with the local antechinus who would entertain us each dusk as they were out and about feeding.… Read more
Sequel to “Our friends at Hervey Bay” Read More »
While staying in Hervey for ten weeks during the COVID19 travel restrictions, the two of us would sit outside under our awning during late afternoon, near dusk, enjoying our happy hour drink. Most times we were entertained by a pair of brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii) darting about at twilight after waking up from their slumber.… Read more
Our friends at Hervey Bay Read More »
As most of you would know, we eventually started our dream to travel full-time around Australia on 12 February this year. We had planned this trip for many years and saved hard to fund it. We retired from our jobs and managed to sell our house in Dalby on the Darling Downs in Queensland.… Read more
Travelling full-time during a pandemic Read More »
