The Parkwood Mixed Probus Club

Outing for February 2006 -  Down South
We left for our outing with dark clouds, but as usual they disappeared pretty quickly. Heading south with an unusual amount of traffic we notice how green and fresh the countryside looked after the rain. A relaxed morning tea stop at Fingal. How that little place has grown, but still a lovely place and plenty of caravan parks along the way.

We continued on to have a look at the Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypass Project. Just as well Bob knew where to go, this is where the sand is bypassed to keep a safe navigable entrance to the Tweed River and also to restore and maintain our beautiful beaches. It is a joint initiative of the N.S.W. and QLD governments.

Next a look at the Salt Development, cannot imagine what sells these houses, weird shapes, isolated and expensive with probable plenty of mossies and sandflies in the summer. Still, everyone to their own. General opinion "not our cup of tea" Bob then drove round the enormous Salt Resort, beautifully set out, but every unit looked identical, and again a long way from shops,  restaurants etc.

Nearly lunch time, so we headed off to the Moo Moo cafe at Mooball. To those who had been before, we were looking forward to the  "best burgers on the Tweed" and I think we all agreed the food was excellent and very reasonable. Everything in the place has a definite "moo" influence.

After a long and leisurely lunch we headed home with our usual ice cream stop, if you could manage to fit one in, and arrived back 4.14 pm after a very relaxing day. It's a great time to see the countryside, enjoy the food and have a chat to everyone.
 

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                                                        Report on our outing - Wednesday 22nd  March
 
 
 'A Journey in the Clouds'  


  We had a fine day when it was needed and just light rain when we were on the road with pleasantly cool temperatures.

  Out trip took us down the Highway to Nerang on the Mt Nathan/Beaudesert Rd then there was a roadwork's stop for men felling trees at the sides of the road and on to the pretty village of Canungra.  Jean, our navigator took us on a short cut on gravel roads where we passed through the horse stud farms and cattle country and back on to the tarsealed roads at Tabragalba.  At Beaudesert we stopped for morning tea and conversation ranged from setting the country to rights to the best ways of despatching cane toads.  Then it was back on the road past-shrouded mountains looking very beautiful and on to Kooralbyn Valley after passing the old Boys' Town buildings.

  Bob took us a little way into the International School campus past the Kooralbyn Resort and little airport where we noted a bright pink aeroplane (is his a blue one?).  We dropped off Jean Mondientz and Elena to visit a friend and on the way back saw a Turkey farm.  At Billabong Village shopping centre in Kooralbyn we stopped for lunch.  Some lunched at Crepe Koralbyn and others sat outside under cover eating their own lunches.  Later a few were observed purchasing bags of delicious homemade fudge here.

 Then it was onto a scenic lookout with sweeping views of Mt Lindsay and part of the McPherson range in the distance, all very misty and rainy looking.  The blackboys growing wild in the area were quite dramatic to see.  Then we passed a road sign saying 'Turtles Cross Here', we were pleased we didn't have to wait on one, it could take some time.  We collected Jean and Elena before going on to Tamborine Village by a different road, then it was up to Mt. Tamborine in light rain with mist clinging to the treetops at Eagle Heights, the wooded drive looking very splendid.  Bob drove us to the Botanical Gardens at Mt. Tamborine for a quick look and then back up a very hilly road with the bus giving a little slide even in low gear.  We descended down the mountain, passed Wongawallan and Upper Coomera and then stopped for our usual ice-cream stop at Maccas.

  Another interesting day thanks to Bob and his assistants.  It certainly beat sitting at home looking at four walls.  Thank you Bob.

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Bus Trip to Redcliffe By Lorraine Keilty   Parkwood Probus  26th April 2006

 

Oh what a beautiful morning Oh what a beautiful day......

With the lyrics and melody singing in my mind, with Bob the Driver (no, not Bob the Builder),

our gang of 22 set out to explore and enjoy the City of Redcliffe.

 

It was a cool morning and everyone rugged up with jackets, scarves etc, except for yours truly,

 who looked like she was going to frolic around the Riverina somewhere, so lightly attired was she!!!!!

 

The motorway was a very easy drive, and Bob was able to have a very easy cruise up the highway,

and within an hour we were coasting over the Gateway Bridge, destination in our sights......

REDCLIFFE...a lovely city located 45 minutes North of Brisbane and is home to 50,000 people.

 

As our bus rattled over the 11km Houghton Highway Bridge which replaced the old Hornibrook Bridge

(which is now closed to traffic), but still very popular with cyclists, pedestrians and fishing enthusiasts.

 As we drove over the bridge we could see that this was indeed the case, people were  milling around

enjoying these pastimes....I'm sure artists have painted that very picturesque scene frequently..

 

Our first stop ... PELICAN PARK... .alas no pelicans, but a cup of tea and coffee soon had everyone

 enjoying the views all around, with the sun starting to peep through, so indeed it was going to be a

 beautiful day....

 

Our tour guide... MARION soon came along from the Redcliffe Council information centre

and made herself known to us all. After our tea and coffee break we all boarded the bus

and with a "Hey Ho, Ha Ha" we were off to explore this subtropical city.....

 

As we drove along it was easy to see why the folk of this lovely city are so proud,

to see the first class coastal facilities with the picturesque parks, and of course the beautiful

 Morton Bay as a back drop, I could just imagine the sailing boats of that long ago era,

sailing into Redcliffe Point, with John Oxley at the helm. He must have felt like he was sailing into Paradise.

 

Interesting to note, the first European settlement was in REDCLIFFE, but was soon moved to Brisbane.

I believe, there is a memorial on the sea front where John Oxley landed in the year 1823... .

I wonder what he would think of this lovely city today!!!!

 

Marion gave us an excellent commentary of the places of interest as we drove along, the many

nautically named streets, such as, ENTERPRISE..... ATLANTA..... NEWPORT, these streets were

named in celebration of Australia winning the Americas Cup...I did notice the houses were

extremely grand and very gracious...but I don't think I would like to clean all those windows!!!!

 

Our first stop was at the Redcliffe Museum, which was originally the Catholic Church in the district...

What a fascinating gallery it was!!!! One of the highlights was their showing of the

SPECTRAVISION THEATRE, this unique technology allows three dimensional figures

to interact with genuine historical objects.. I found this theatre so unique and the miniature

actors so fascinating to watch...It stars local Ningy Ningy Songwoman Marochy Barambah

and prominent Redcliffe actor William Mclnnes....Interesting to note that the aborigines of that area were

 the NINGY NINGY people but were known as the Red Ochre people because of the iron rich red cliffs.

 

Amazing when you read the history of this city how people travelled to Redcliffe by steamer all those

 years until 1935 when the Hornibrook Highway was opened, and more people were able to experience

 the magic of Redcliffe, just like we are doing today....

 

Our heads reeling with the history, we ventured once more on our travels, Marion pointed out the

Redcliffe Showgrounds, City Library, Cultural Centre, Kippa Ring Shopping Centre and the

Botanical Gardens, I really think we needed another day to explore all these exciting places.

 

HURRAH! Lunch!!! Scarborough Marina, blissful; time to relax and enjoy fish and chips,

overlooking the marina and enjoying the sunshine....saw this sign over the entrance

 to the fish and chip shop,..."For all those Ice cream lovers"............ "HEAVEN CANT WAIT"

 Ganache, the soft chocolate coating. Like the icing on a mud cake,,, WHEW!!!!

What a mind boggling description of an ice cream....and what an ice cream lovers delight......

 

Continuing on our travels we made our way along the coastal road, passed all the lovely beaches,

Queens beach, Redcliffe Point, Sutton beach and finally found ourselves back at Pelican Park

where we all enjoyed a short rest and a look inside the information kiosk, our tour guide

Marion left us here, and after exploring and enjoying talking to the volunteer guides we

 boarded our "steamer on wheels" and sadly left this magical city.

 

Headed down the motorway, had our usual McDonalds stop for an ice cream,

but definitely not the "HEAVEN CANT WAIT VARIETY' perhaps next time.....

Arrived back in port at 4.10 pm....ANOTHER MAGICAL DAY...

 

Thank you Bob once more, so fellow travellers with the words "Oh what a beautiful day"

still humming in my ears, look forward to next months venture,

 The House With No Steps, what a trip that will be.......

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