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We rushed to the Noosa Marina to try to catch the sunset. We then went to Hastings Street and shared a wonderful dinner for Joanna's last night in Oz. She left very early in the morning to catch her flight in Brisbane. It has been quite a fun and action packed 10 days!
We drove to the next little town...Mooloolaba
Tuesday Joanna and I drove to Maroochydore. A small beach town just south of Noosa.
On the way back home we stopped to buy fresh strawberries and custard apples.
We arrived Mt. Beerwah expecting to hike one of the trails. The trail was blocked off due to falling rocks. A father and his 3 sons walked past the blockade shoeless wearing only shorts and tshirts (it was a chilly day). Later that evening Joanna and James were watching the news. There was footage of a man and his 3 sons that had to be rescued off Mt. Beerwah. They were shoeless and the father didn't have a shirt b/c he gave it to one of his sons that was freezing. In the clip the father said, "The sign said there was falling rocks, but we didn't see any rocks falling, so we decided to hike the trail."
June 9th was the Queen's Birthday...a national holiday, so James had the day off. The four of us drove down to the Glasshouse Mountains-about a 1 to 1.5 hour drive south of Noosa. More plagerism:
Craggy volcanic peaks tower over a scenic patchwork of pine plantations, bushland and cultivated fields. Many of the peaks are protected in Glass House Mountains National Park. Named by Cook during his epic voyage along Australia's east coast, the Glass Houses are rhyolite plugs formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Remnants of the open eucalypt woodland and heath vegetation, which once covered the coastal plains, provide a home for an interesting variety of animals and plants, including 26 rare and threatened plant species.
The Glass House Mountains area was a special meeting place where many Aboriginal people gathered for ceremonies and trading. This place is considered spiritually significant with many ceremonial sites still present and protected today.
A Jelly fish and a ride back on the ferry...
We packed up our things and stopped in at Lake Macenzie and Kingfisher Resort before heading back to the ferry.
We camped right on the beach...beachfront property! :) Burritos for dinner and smores for dessert. YUM!
Our last stop for the day was at the Champagne Pools. The view was amazing. We saw a number of octopus. James was brave enough to pick one up, causing 4 girls to scream simultaneously. He also picked up a crab and later on a jellyfish. Yuck.
This is my 3rd (and most likely NOT last time) on Fraser Island and this is the first time I spotted a Dingo! They're actually really beautiful creatures. Fraser is home to the purest strain of dingoes since they are cut off from the mainland and other dogs are not allowed to be brought onto the island.
In the morning James dropped some toothpaste on his shirt. The little drop almost looked like it was supposed to be there! We headed out early for the ferry to begin our excursion on Fraser.
Once James got back from work, Chelsea, Joanna, James and I loaded up the truck for our weekend camping trip. We drove 2 hours and stopped in at Inskip Point for the night. It's right next to the ferry that we will take to get to Fraser Island in the morning.
Today Joanna and I walked along the Noosa River bank and looked at the shops at Gympie Terrace. We stopped and looked at the beach near Hastings Street and then headed up to Nambour to see the Big Pineapple and to pick up Chelsea. This weekend we're going camping on Fraser Island.
I've mentioned before that Australia prides itself in its BIG things. Noosa has the big shell. It's actually a very cute shop with little shell trinkets and gifts.
I think I created a monster. James is now addicted to bowling. We took Joanna bowling twice during her visit [almost 3 times except Joanna and I put our foot down and said NO ;) ]
We got to pet Koalas :)
Next stop...Montville. Here is where I plagiarize again...
Montville, the jewel of the Blackall Range, will captivate you with the tranquility and beauty of its national parks, scenic walks and inspirational lake views. Allow yourself the time to soak up the majesty of the rainforests and let the cool mountain air revive your spirit. The quiet beauty of this area makes Montville the perfect romantic getaway destination.
From shopping to galleries, chic cafes to fine dining restaurants and exciting young wineries, Montville has a well earned reputation for excellence. You'll be amazed at the skill and craft of some of Queensland's premier wood workers. For art lovers , Montville's galleries are both unique and rewarding.
Today Joanna and I checked out the Ginger Factory. Ginger plants (above) are actually really pretty. We enjoyed some ginger and macadamia nut ice cream and then headed across the street to the Macadamia Nut Factory. We got lots of free samples and I was a happy little girl :)
We took Joanna out on the boat. We cruised down the river and along the canals to see all the beautiful and large homes. After our adventure we cooked up some steak, chicken and shrimp on the barbie :) Joanna was intrigued as I peeled and de-veined the shrimp.
We took a long walk along Sunshine Beach after lunch. Joanna had her first meat pie :) I think she liked it!
We took a walk through the National Park. Thank goodness the weather cleared up for Joanna's visit!
Poor Joanna had quite the adventure getting to Noosa. She flew into the Brisbane airport but her bag didn't make it on the same flight. She then took a shuttle to get to Noosa and because of all the rain, many of the roads were flooded. It took her quite a long time to get into town. I felt so bad b/c she had already been traveling for such a long time. When she arrived, she had a big smile, so I knew she was ok :) We took a quick walk out to the beach. The water was so high b/c of the storms, there was barely any beach left. She experienced her first sunset in Australia so that was a good end to a long day :)
It's been raining for a week straight. James worked so hard to make the front garden look nice for Joanna's visit (June 2). The storms were so strong that the yard started to flood. Not only did the garden get filled with water, but James had to come home from work on Monday morning to dig a quick trench to keep the rain water from rising too high and getting into the house. Sigh...
Every Sunday there's a farmer's market in Noosa. James and I went and picked up lots of fresh vegetables and meat for my first attempt at cooking a roast dinner. The Yorkshire Pudding didn't turn out quite right, but overall it was a DELICIOUS meal. Sidenote: Joanna arrives tomorrow!!!!
It's been raining non stop since Thursday. Saturday morning the clouds cleared up and the sun came out for a few wonderful hours. James and his friend Pete went surfing while I went for a nice walk along the beach. We then went to some garden shops to look for plants for the front garden.
Sam's friend Nicole was visiting from Michigan. They made their way up to Noosa on May 25th. We met them for a few drinks and then went out to dinner the next night. Let's just say mexican food in Australia is a BIT different than the real thing :)
May 25th was Kaylene's, James' stepmom, birthday. We had a BBQ breakfast along the Noosa river. The weather was absolutely beautiful and there were lots of other people with the same idea. James' father manned the grill and we had a delicious spread of food and beverages.
More beautiful flowers!
I'm obviously very behind with my blogging. I'll quickly update you on what I've been doing before I post more pictures (it might not be for a while). My dear friend from Cincinnati came to visit for 10 days. Joanna just left early this morning. We had quite an adventured packed week and a half. Tomorrow James, Chelsea and I leave for our Outback Adventure. We are going to camp in the outback and sleep under the stars. We start in Alice Springs, see Ayers Rock, head up to Darwin and visit Kakadu National Park. Should be a good time! I'll write more when I get back from my trip. Hope everyone is doing well! See you soon!
More animals at Lone Pine...
