Beefalo & Pork

The sun was blazing down on us as we picked our way through the paddock, but we knew we didn't have to suffer for long as we were soon to be distracted. After much hollering and shaking of the food pail, it wasn't long before eight small charcoal grey piglets came bounding out from underneath the cool of the Pandanus, followed closely by mum.

It was our second farm gate visit to the Whitsunday Farm Butchers, and this time we took along visiting family for an outing with a difference. Christina della Valle not only breeds free range Berkshire pigs, she is also a Beefalo breeder. Beefalo is beef cattle bred with bison, and the monthly open gate day includes some tastings of the very meat she breeds. Free from chemicals, hormones and any other unnecessary additives that tend to be put into the animal's feed and in the processing, your taste buds will wonder at the flavour.

Cooked expertly by Peter, you'll be fighting the children off to get a taste of the maple bacon, beefalo spare ribs, pork sausage and combination rissoles. Pay $10 for the privilege, or buy some meat to take home instead. You'll be hooked and never want to visit a supermarket meat aisle again.

Look for Christina's van at the weekly Saturday Airlie Beach Markets, pop into the Crocodile Cafe on Shute Harbour Road, or call ahead and visit the farm to get your vacuum packed Beefalo or Berkshire pig portions.

Living in the Whitsundays - Proserpine

The Whitsundays is well known for its 74 Island Wonders in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. It truly is stunning, but there are some other scenic areas that don't make it in the brochure. First, the town of Proserpine.

The sugar cane and grazing town of Proserpine is a 10 minute drive to the south of us, with the airport a further 15 minutes’ further on towards the city of Mackay. 

Proserpine from Tawvale Heights

Proserpine, named by the explorer George Dalrymple after Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring growth, has a population of about 3300 people. It has all the facilities one would expect in a small country town, but of particular interest to me is the library, entertainment centre, 50 metre swimming pool, museum, sewing store, tennis courts, op shops, supermarket and post office. The town is just the right size and busyness to usually get a parking spot right out the front of the required service, or to amble down one side of the two block Main Street and back up the other.

Main Street, Proserpine early weekday morning

Cafe 22 is well worth deviating off the Bruce Highway for its great coffee, excellent wholesome food and friendly, efficient service. The artworks out the back and Colour Me Crazy around the corner are also worthy of some attention.

Colour Me Crazy lives up to its name

Proserpine is a mill town, and first began crushing sugar cane as a cooperative in 1897, producing 11 000 tonnes. Now owned by a Singaporean company, the mill crushes over 2 million tonnes annually. 

Sugarcane takes 12-16 months to mature, reaching up to 4 metres in height, and is ready for harvesting between June and December when rainfall is less frequent and the plant's sugar content is at its highest. The mill operates 24/7 during this time, and Proserpine bustles to life.

The 62 metre tall mill chimneys at full steam. Wiley's Jeep in Foreground.

Traditionally, the cane has been burnt before harvesting to remove leaves, weeds and other trash which impede harvesting and milling. Some farmers still burn off, which makes a spectacular sight in the early evening as the 6 metre flames race through the cane: it's all over in a matter of minutes. However, it is now common for the sugarcane to be harvested green rather than burnt. Green harvesting recycles nitrogen in the plant by leaving trash cuttings from harvesting in the field.

Cane replanted after harvesting - January

The volunteer-run Proserpine Museum tells the story of sugar cane, from its hand cutting beginnings through to the evolution of the harvesters, as well as the life of well known Proserpinian Sydney Cotton, the local invention of the Glass Louvre Window System, and the nearby Australian Field Experiment Station of WWII. 

Located 26 kilometres inland from Proserpine on the Proserpine River is Peter Faust Dam, or Lake Proserpine, constructed for irrigation in the dry season, flood mitigation in the wet season, and a water supply to the town. Anticipated to take 10 years to fill, it reached 98% capacity in the big wet of 1991; just a couple of months after completion in December 1990. It's a well known fishing area and The Fish Stocking Association ensures that Barramundi and Sooty Grunter are plentiful for the local and visiting anglers.

Proserpine Dam 

Proserpine has a humid subtropical climate that consists of two main seasons: the wet (November to April) and the dry (May to November). The average rainfall in the wet is 1400mm, which transforms the countryside from a dry dust bowl to a lush green carpet. The best time to visit is during the dry, as it is cool and pleasant with scarce rainfall and low humidity. The peak season for tourism is during the winter months owing to the reliable extended runs of clear weather which are ideal for outdoor activities. 

Surrounding countryside in September

New home

I’ve just read about a woman that has sold up her business for life on the road in a fifth wheeler. We have just done the opposite. Well, sort of. We’ve bought a house so we are no longer on the road, but we still have the motorhome. Delvy has her own parking bay, undercover beside the shed, which is adjacent to our house that overlooks the valley below.

Our house & shed

So here we stay for awhile, earning some money in between looking after the garden, tinkering in the shed, and catching glimpses of the threatened Proserpine Rock Wallaby from the balcony. They are hard to spot in amongst the thick dry vine forest, but at dawn this morning we spied the first one from our bedroom window, grazing on the grass outside the shed. Easily startled, it wasn’t long before he knew he was being looked at and ran away into the bush.

Sunrise from Hill Fort

We have seen a few Lace Monitors climbing up the remaining tall trees of this once logged hillside. Last week two together stopped to bask in the afternoon sun for a while, halfway up the tall trunk, before heading back down to earth.

Lace Monitor
 

At nearly 300 metres above sea level it’s a steep climb (average 15% gradient) up the road for 1.5 kilometres to our driveway. It’s hard enough on foot let alone on the bike, so I park at the bottom for my early morning ride around the block (22 kms). Or, I brave the downhill run and hope the brakes don’t get too hot, and Gary picks me up at the bottom an hour or so later. It’s still too warm for a MTB ride in the Conway National Park, so I ride solo on the road at the crack of dawn before the harsh sun beats down on me. It’s pretty at that time of the day; there is often a layer of fog hovering above the sugar cane fields, giving a perception of coolness. It burns away immediately the sun strikes, but usually I am back up the hill by then where it’s about 3 degrees cooler.

Bottom of Staniland Drive

 

Top of Staniland Drive

Our driveway

Being up high means we catch the breeze, when there is some at this time of year. It’s the wet season now – hot and humid. The sweat runs down your back just standing still. A sharp and rude contrast from the dry air of the Victorian alpine region where we spent the last two summers.

Life in the tropics is so very different in all aspects. First of all, it’s hot. Did I mention that? For 3 months of the year you can cut the air with a knife. The bugs are ferocious; mosquitoes, March flies, and any other creepy crawly you care to mention.  And when you live in the forest, scrub itch is rife. Cover up and soak yourself in heavy duty insect repellent when walking (or gardening!) in the forest, otherwise you’ll be scratching in places that start to get embarrassing. For the other nine months of the year, the climate is ideal. Daytime temperatures in the 20’s and overnight below twenty Celsius, with the relative humidity at a much more bearable level – around 60%.

Carport - back of house

Side view with carport

Air conditioning – the world’s greatest invention – makes life very comfortable in our Hill Fort on Mount Lucas in Strathdickie. We face north towards Gregory and the Gregory River, with a carpet of cane fields spread out all the way to State forest.  It’s like we are in an amphitheatre, surrounded by a ring of forest but still have a view of the bright green world below.



View from balcony of Hill Fort

 

Rear courtyard
 

Kitchen with view of courtyard

 

Living area



So now that I am in the one spot for awhile, and have a beautiful view of the valley from my study window, there is no excuse to not write more frequently. I aim to post once a week. Writing this down may make it happen! Meanwhile, there's some gardening to do.....

Queensland

After a lot of stops and starts due to road works, I crossed in to the Sunshine State without knowing. I twigged when the driving ability was noticeably worse; tailgating, lack of indication, cutting in front...general disrespectful behaviour. Although it could just be general road rage due to the high volume of traffic around; nothing to do with Queenslanders at all. Hmmm, time will tell.

Lunch with Uncle Russ and Denise at a trendy café in Palm Beach to catch up on family news was a welcome break before plunging back into the horrors of multi lane traffic. I had to pick Gary up from Brisbane airport the next morning, so time was too short to catch up with all my friends in BrisVegas; plus I didn't want to negotiate traffic any more than I had too. Three turns off the freeway and I was safely parked up in Lea's front yard at Woolloongabba, only mildly shaken up. I thought the traffic was bad on the Sydney to Newcastle motorway; but it didn't even come close to the high speed four lane bumper to bumper insanity that is from the Gold Coast to Brisbane. I think the eastern seaboard is going to explode with traffic. Anyway, soothing beverages, tasty home cooked snacks and relaxing company in the backyard soon had my pulse rate back to normal. A walk to Southbank enlivened the senses as we wandered through the blazing pink bougainvillea and extensive vegetable and herb garden, Epicurious. Well done Brisbane for growing the biggest community garden for all to share. With a collected few silver beet leaves and a handful of basil and parsley to add to our lunch, we had to stop for a coffee to admire the beautifully fitted out pale blue Kombi van, Lost Bean.

The journey to the airport was not too challenging as the route went through my old stomping ground, Fortitude Valley. The 30 minute free 'wait for pick up' parking area is another great initiative for Brisbane: saves driving around and around in circles. With husband now in the navigators chair, we headed north to the Sunshine Coast for a few days to visit the in-laws and friends. It was good to get out on the MTB's again together, returning to Tewantin State Forest for another spin around the trails. We also rode along Buddina Beach and beyond, and Finch took us for a tour around Noosa and the National Park.

Buddina Beach

Finch & Gary - Noosa
 

It was an early start to keep heading north; destination Yeppoon so at least a five hour drive plus stops along the way. We enjoyed a night at the Mercure Capricorn Resort, dining out at the exquisite Japanese Restaurant and soaking up the tropical view of the stunning pool. The last time I stayed here was 14 years ago (it was owned by Rydges then) as a travel consultant for Tourism Queensland. It was from here I headed up to the Whitsundays to have a look around, and it was there that I met Gary. A poignant moment really. So, it was here at the Capricorn Resort that we decided what our plans are for the next five years or so: stay put in the Whitsundays, earn some decent money, buy a little property and enjoy short breaks around the country.

 

Picnic lunch on the road

View from balcony, Mercure Capricorn Resort
 

An early swim in and around the pool before hitting the road again for the final leg to home. I used to think the stretch from Rockhampton to Sarina (300kms) was rather dull. However, after travelling around the whole country I have seen even duller scenery. Eye spy does get a little monotonous after the two hour mark, so we invented another game: quote a line or two from a song that contains the word 'love', and the other person has to guess the song and artist. We're still going with that one!

 

And so we arrive back in the Whitsundays, to Cannonvale. I've now done the big lap. Right around. I think it should be a bucket list item for everyone. It's a big country with so much to see: so many amazing and varied landscapes. It's hard to chose where to stay put for awhile, but sometimes the line in the sand has to be drawn. So, this is our home for the time being. We'll get jobs, buy a place to live and look forward to welcoming visitors. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the view from our temporary digs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

The NSW Mid to North Coast

The Sunday traffic was overwhelming as I drove from Bathurst to Newcastle. I'm not used to busy roads and high volume traffic: I've been living in remote areas for a long time and usually have the road to myself. Once I entered the outskirts of Sydney (and I mean the outskirts: Bilpin), the road rage was apparent, as time poor people rushed to their destination as the weekend was drawing to a close. I skirted western Sydney to join the stream of cars on the freeway north, feeling the pressure. It was with great relief when I pulled up at mum's place after some four hours of continuous concentration: it was not a pleasurable driving experience; it was hard work! And people do that every day! Geez. I guess that's one of the reasons why I elect to live the quiet life in rural areas. Too many people equates to too much traffic, and brings about a lot more agro. Part and parcel of surviving the rat race I suppose. Though I must join it if I wish to visit family and friends.

So I spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening reclined on mum's couch, recovering from not only the stressful journey, but also  from the big reunion weekend. Lots of chatting and recalling memories can be exhausting! Thank goodness for the sanctuary of mum's home (and mum!); it's a peaceful setting amongst a backdrop of large eucalypts and the sounds of native and migratory birds, just up the road from the shores of Lake Macquarie.

This was to be a short visit this time, so lunch and dinner dates were arranged to catch up with friends and my sister and niece, in between shopping with mum. The summer wardrobe was slim and needed a top up before returning to live in the tropics. Goodbye thermals; hello singlet tops! The shopping list was steadily ticked off, and in our travels we came across an old friend who we last encountered when we visited Kong Kong; Lucky Cat. Perhaps it's a good omen!

I stuffed the Subi with all my new purchases, plus other items that have been 'in storage' at my brother's and mum's for some years, including the wedding Persian rug. It is time to gather all belongings spread far and wide over the decades and take them to our chosen home base. Although I'm not sure what we'll do with the shipping container in Hobart at the moment! I'm sure things will become a bit clearer once we are settled some more and have gained employment (an interview this week is looking promising!).

A teary farewell to mum and it was off to Coffs Harbour. I would have preferred to take the New England Highway inland, but as I was time poor it was straight up the Pacific. It would have been great to catch up with more friends along the way, but not to be this time. Actually I think I could spend most of the year visiting friends and family, but it is time to get on with it I suppose. Job, house, veggie garden....then do some more travelling after that!

The traffic was surprisingly light along the coastal highway, a route I have not done for many years. The dual carriageway as far as Nambucca Heads made the journey very pleasant indeed - lovely scenery too. A spin around the Coffs Creek track on arrival into Coffs Harbour got rid of a few cobwebs after the five hour drive. Plus a ride to the harbour and beach with friend Brian early the following morning, after a pleasant evening in with a tasty risotto and accompanying glass of red.

I could have stayed at Coffs for a week, but it was to be another five hour driving day, with a stop at the Gold Coast for a lunch date with my uncle. Queensland, here I come.

School reunion

It's been 30 years since I completed Year 10 at Bathurst High School: 28 since accomplishing the holy grail; the HSC. I was looking forward to eying my old class mates again. I missed the 10 and 20 year get together as I was living in some far away place; but wasn't really fussed about it either. This time though I was happy to go back in time. Plus I had the means to get there too. Overall I enjoyed my school years; there were some good and fun people there. There were also a couple of bullies that liked to make one's life miserable, but generally the good times out weighed the bad. Playing sport and escaping to the top floor library kept me sane, and I did enjoy some of the engaging teachers and the lessons they delivered. Each student has different memories of school life, and their own perception of others, so there was some trepidation amongst us as we began to gather in the City of Bathurst. (Australia's oldest inland city for that matter!)

Bathurst High School

The weekend festivities were kicked off on the Friday by myself and Gavin, our school captain, with a ride from Eglinton to Perthville on the MTB's. The afternoon was hot, dry and windy so refreshments were required on the return journey at The Church Bar. A handful gathered there  afterwards, but I headed over to stay the night with my Welsh friends.

Gavin and me out on our MTB's

Many more former Bathurst High students gathered for the school tour on the Saturday afternoon, and many more again for the evening 'do' at the Oxford Hotel (a somewhat insalubrious venue back in the 80's). Curiosity was simmering and uneasiness gave way to genuine delight at seeing old faces: most for the first time in 30 years. Some people had not changed in looks at all: others unrecognisable, until you looked closely, at their eyes; they never change.

School tour underway

"This is weird", many voiced. "So strange". But the awkward moment was indeed just that; a moment. The room was soon filled with laughter, wonder and continuous chatter of much reminiscing and catching up. It really was like stepping back in time: we just all looked a little older. People fundamentally remain the same over the years; so it was a great pleasure to reconnect with old friends, even though many years have passed it seemed a little like yesterday. Same sense of humour, same outlook on life, same personality. We all (about 70 of us) decided to not wait another 10 years before catching up again. I look forward to it!

I stayed the night with one of only two girls I remained in touch with since leaving school, who lives up the road from our old family home in Eglinton. It's always a relaxing visit, amongst all the animals.

Off to Newcastle next!

Oberon

It was a beautiful scenic drive from Yass to Oberon, via Goulburn, Taralga and crossing the Abercrombie River. The sky was blue, the fields green, the river the colour of tea. As I approached Oberon, the highest town in the Blue Mountains at 1113 metres elevation, the swishing sound of the pine forest and its sharp scent spoke of familiarity. My brother has lived here for years and I worked at nearby Jenolan Caves for a bit, so have spent much time riding, bushwalking, camping and yabbying in this beautiful area.

After sitting in the car for a few hours, a ride around the town was in order, especially since it was a glorious sunny Spring afternoon. The rhododendrons and azaleas were in full bloom; the vibrant colours so picturesque.

I rode along the Oberon Cycleway, which conveniently ends about 5kms out of town at the first gate to my brother's bush block, located at Hazelgrove, right alongside the old railway station. This site will soon be restored by the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway group (OTHR), who are preserving the 24.3km long track and its associated stations to one day operate as a heritage tourist railway. The train line runs behind my brother's 50 acre block, past an old eucalypt oil distilling plant and onto Tarana. The railway line first operated in 1923 and the last train completed the journey in 1979. It has one of the steepest gradients of any track in New South Wales and is a very scenic railway as it descends from the Oberon Plateau through wooded hills and farming country to the beautiful Tarana Valley, crossing two creeks and the Fish River. The bush has taken over any infrastructure left, but OTHR is determined and on track to achieve their objectives: they already have two locomotives and other rolling stock in the Oberon yard ready to go when the line restoration is complete. Something to look out for!

 

It's another couple of kms on a rough and steeply undulating dirt road to my brother's actual property, but this is what I love about the mountain bike: it can go anywhere. There were a few trees and limbs down from the huge snowstorm the week before, so the chainsaw will be kept busy in the coming days and months.

Back over on the other side of town is the Lions lookout, presenting glimpses of the surrounding countryside, Oberon dam (the town's water supply: currently at 67% capacity), and a smattering of houses.

A tour of the Oberon Primary School, where my brother is the handy man extraordinaire; a tour of my nephew's engineering workshop, where he is in the final stages of completing his apprenticeship; and a meal at the local pub rounded out my Oberon visit this time. Thanks for a fun visit, and for turning the weather on. I didn't need my thermals; we didn't even light the fire!

Next stop, the Bathurst High School - Class of 1984 - reunion.