Gold Coast Queensland

We arrived on the gold coast on Friday the 15^Th of July.

We decided to spend a week here.

When we arrived the weather was cool and rainy but we didn’t let that stop our fun.

On Saturday we walked around the city and saw Ripley’s Believe it or Not Odditorium. It was quite interesting to see all the weird and wonderful things that he had discovered by travelling the world many times.

Sunday

We went to Wet ‘N’ Wild.

 Because it is out of season Todd and I were able to get in at children’s prices. It wasn’t very busy which was good for us because we didn’t have to wait to get onto the rides. Some people were running around in wet suits because it was a bit cool. We had a great day and lots of fun.

Monday

We didn’t do much during the day because the car was booked in for a service. Todd had to walk 7km from Mitsubishi back to the caravan park.

Monday night we went to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and did the Wild night Tour. We started off with a delicious buffet dinner and then we were taken,  in groups, around  the park. First we were allowed to hold a baby crocodile and a snake. Luke didn’t want to hold the crocodile but he held the snake without hesitation. Careena held both, Alanna held the croc but not the snake.

After the croc and snake handling we went to see the Koalas. Alanna has been wanting to hold a Koala for a very long time. After a short talk about the Koalas we were allowed to hold it if we were going to have a photo taken with it. The kids were  first in line for their photo. After the Koalas we saw a Barn Owl, more snakes and reptiles, a huge crocodile called Holey and fed the Kangaroos. The kangaroo feeding was really good because there were about 70 hungry kangaroos wanting to be fed.

In between looking at animals a short  Aboriginal show with dancing and singing was performed around a camp fire. It was a great night which  ended with hot chocolate and honey damper.

Tuesday Night

We went and saw the Outback Spectacular show presented by R M Williams.

When we arrived the audience was given hats with yellow or red bands on them. We had the hats with Red Bands. The red bands were for Warrego Station and the yellow bands were for Bunya Downs Station. During the show they held a competition between the two stations and we had to cheer for the station we were backing. It was a fantastic show with lots of special effects.

They even had a real helicopter  hanging from the ceiling flying back and forth over the arena. Luke’s favourite part was the race between 3 Quad bikes from Bunya Station and the three horse riders from Warrego Station.

Wednesday

We went back to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to do the Green Challenge. The green Challenge is a rope course through the trees. It is full of different activities like walking on thin ropes to flying foxes and walking on wobbly bridges.

Unfortunately Luke was too short to do the Green Challenge so Todd stayed on the ground with Luke while the girls and I did the challenge.

After we finished the challenge we went for a ride on the train that ran around the park and had a look at the animals in the day time.

About ½ hour before we left Todd and I had a go on the Segways. ( If you don’t know what aSegway is watch Mall Cop. It is the thing he rides around the mall. It uses your body weight  to move in the direction you want to go. If you want to go forward you lean forward. If you want to go left you lean slightly left .) We only had a 10min ride around a small man made course because the kids were too light to ride them. ( 45 kilos is the minimum.)They were easy to get the hang of and they were so much fun too ride. I want one.

Careena Green Challenge

Alanna Green Challenge

Me Green Challenge

Todd on a Segway

Sonia on a Segway

Thursday

We didn’t have anything planned so we decided to go to White Water World.

It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed it more than Wet’n’Wild. Todd, Alanna and Luke went on the Green room ride which is one of the most extreme rides there is. Because we were having so much fun we didn’t take any photos.

Friday

We left the Gold Coast and stayed at Coffs Harbour for 2 nights.

We went to the Big Banana, which was a bit disappointing, but we did do Tobogganing.

We all had our own sled. It was quite fun because a pulley system pulled us up the hill and then we could go as fast as we liked down the hill.

We were going to swim with the Dolphins at the Pet Porpoise pool but we have had sore throats and slight colds so we decided against it.( One of the rules to swim with the Dolphins was that we didn’t have any infections. ) We will save this experience for another trip.

Well our holiday is almost over we are going to spend a few days with Todd’s parents at Port Macquarie before returning home.

We had a fantastic time and I highly recommend it to everyone if they have the chance to go see Australia. It is worth it.

I am so proud of the Kids and myself because we all faced something that scared us and we did it anyway.

See you when we get home.

Airlie Beach

We arrived at Airlie Beach on Saturday the 2nd of July. The caravan park we stayed at was part of the Big 4 group and Todd has been wanting to stay at this park for a couple of years.
The weather was a little bit cool but that didn't stop the kids from swimming in the pool. Todd and I enjoyed relaxing by the pool while watching the kids.( The water was too cold for us.)
At night they played movies on a big screen under the stars and the jumping pillow and play ground is always a big hit with the kids.
On Monday we went on a cruise out to Knuckle Reef which is part of the Great Barrier Reef. The wind had calmed down and this was the best day to go. I was still concerned about Luke getting sea sick and I kept a careful eye on him. (He didn't get sick thank goodness.)
When we reached the pontoon there were a lot of activities to do. First we went on the semi submersible to look at the coral and fish. After the semi submersible we went snorkelling. It took us a while to put on our wetsuits and snorkellling gear but we got there in the end. Luke didn't want to snorkel so he used a boogy board with a perspex window in it so he could see under the water.
On the pontoon they had a waterslide into the Ocean which was heaps of fun.After we had many goes on the waterslide we had lunch then went out on the glass bottom boat. I really enjoyed the glass bottom boat because I could see a lot of coral and fish in a small amount of time.
We had a great day and we said we would come back in 5 years time when Luke is old enough to Scuba Dive.

On the pontoon

Ready for snorkelling

Alanna

Careena

Luke looking through his port
hole on his boogy board

Sonia having fun

The pontoon
Knuckle Reef

Fish and Coral

Coral

Coral

Coral

Luke on his boogy board

Todd out in the middle of nowhere

Careena thumbs up

Alanna having fun

A starfish we saw near the shore
at Hydeaway bay.
( Near Airlie beach)

Kids riding go karts around the
caravan park.



Paronella Park

We stayed the night at Paronella Park on our way down to Airlie Beach.
Paronella Park was the dream of Jose Paronella who purchased the land in 1929. He built a castle with a large ballroom, spectacular gardens and had built North Queenslands first hydro-electric plant in 1933 to power the 13 acre park. He opened to the public in 1935. The Paronellas invited everyone to movies on Saturday nights, built tennis courts made from crushed termite mounds, and a pavilion with turret-topped balconies, refreshment rooms and changing cubicles for swimmers.
After a fire in 1979 in the castle and damage from cyclones all that remains today are the ruins of something that was quite grand.

Mena creek falls

A walk through the gardens

remains of the castle

The 47 step grand staircase.
The first thing built to shift building
materials between lower and upper levels.

Remains of the refreshment rooms.

The picnic area beside the river.
Partly flooded

The fountain which is gravity fed
by the falls

Mena creek falls floodlit

Ruins of the Refreshment rooms lit
up at night

The Floodlit Fountain at night

Port Douglas

After leaving Cape Tribulation we headed down to Port Douglas for a few days where we were going to do a cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef. When we got to the caravan park we asked about the wind conditions on the waters and we were told that the wind was 25 to 30 knots which is the roughest it gets out on the water. Because Luke got sick on the plane flight over Lake Eyre from the turbulence we decided to wait until the weather calmed down before we went on the cruise. ( We didn't want him to get sea sick.)
The caravan park was quite nice with a lot of people that come from the South and stay for long periods of time because of the warmer weather. One day we went for a walk around the caravan park and had to walk up beside a caravan. Luke was breaking up palm fronds and dropping them on the ground. The man from the caravan came out and as we walked down the road he told us off for leaving rubbish around his van. We ignored him and kept on walking. They have nothing better to do than just sit around their caravan and rake up leaves and keep their little area tidy.

Mossman Gorge
From Port Douglas we did a day trip out to Mossman Gorge which is part of the Daintree Rain forest. It was absolutely beautiful. From the picnic area a raised boardwalk  made from recycled plastic wound through the forest to over look  the river flowing through the gorge. A swing bridge went over the river and on the other side was a spectacular 2 ½ kl walk. I really enjoyed the walk and it was amazing to see how the flora changed in the different areas of the forest.
Here are a few photos of the gorge. Our camera doesn't do it any justice.

Tjapukai

I wanted to experience Aboriginal culture so we went to a show at night called Tjapukai. At the show they played the didgeridoo, made fire the traditional way,sang songs and danced. It was quite a good show which we all enjoyed. (The kids enjoyed the desserts from the all you can eat buffet the best.)

Kids and I with 2 of the performers.

Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation.

On Saturday the 25^th of June we drove up to Cape Tribulation. This was as far as we could go with our caravan. (It was 4wd only from here to the top of Queensland.)

We had to cross the Daintree River on a ferry. When we got to the other side the road became narrow and full of twists and turns. It wound its way around the coastline.  In one section part of the road had washed away making it 1 lane only.

It was quite beautiful driving through the rainforest.

We got to our camp spot and guess what! It rained. It was amazing to see and feel the rain in the rainforest. We didn’t get wet much because the trees were protecting us. We went and had a look at the beaches. The water was brown from the cane farmers and there was warning signs about crocodiles and stingers in the water. Needless to say we didn’t go swimming.

On Sunday we were booked in to do Jungle surfing. Careena was very worried about doing this but when we got there her fears disappeared.

I became a bit nervous but I was O.K . I hung upside down and let go with one hand. My next challenge is to do it again and while hanging upside down let go with both hands.

The Beach

Crossing the Daintree River

Caravan spot in the Daintree rainforest

 

Girls ready for Lungle Surfing

Boys ready for Jungle Surfing

Careena - Loved hanging around

Alanna- happy to be above the trees

Sonia Trying to strike a pose but failing

Todd-Ready to catch bananas

Luke enjoying dangling upside down.

I have had trouble with the internet and blogspot, but I am able to finally finish Cape Tribulation.