No Monday Ice Today...just an East Coast update!

Well I have just returned from a 10 day sojourn to the Australian east coast.  First stop was to northern NSW near the Queensland border where I visited a close friend and her family for 5 days. They live in the small picturesque town of Dunoon with a population of around 500, it is known as the Macadamia capital of the world. 

I introduced my friend and her children to Geocaching and they planted a cache in a beautiful place mainly only known to locals, Whian Whian Falls a natural swimming area.

 My stay in Dunoon was a chance to absorb some of the beautiful countryside that makes up Australia, a much greener Australia than what I am used to.

Another pretty place was Rocky Creek Dam not too far from Whian Whian Falls, it has a Platypus viewing platform but unfortunately we did not get to see any that day.

 Rocky Creek Dam

 covered

 in huge

lily pads.

I also got to see Crystal Castle a tranquil Buddhist setting 20 mins from Byron Bay.  There is a serene beauty to this place which is covered in large crystals and my friend and I had a relaxing few hours wandering through the gardens, having readings and just enjoying the view from the cafe.

 Two huge amethyst crystals in front of a mural

 There were large crystals every where you walked

 The Buddha garden

View from the Cafe

I particularly liked the bamboo cathedral walk

and Nandi the sacred bull

I arrived in Melbourne on the 20th to spend time with eldest son Dom and youngest child Jesse (who happened to also be visiting Melbs and Dom).  Jesse and I spent time together during the day mainly walking the city streets and eating on Lygon St.  Even though Jesse lives in Perth we were able to spend whole days together just the two of us something that didn't happen back home.

 

Flinders St Station

The Architecture is quite fabulous something that WA has very little of

A tree lined walk to the Museum

The taxidermy collection is quite amazing 

 There is something about collections of butterflies, moths and beetles etc that engages the Darwinism in me

Aah Phar Lap an Aussie icon, his heart is said to have been nearly twice the size of any other horse

 The best coffee I had in Melbourne was at Brunetti's in Carlton much nicer than Brunetti's in Federation Square, leftovers also thoroughly enjoyed by the wildlife.

 Jesse on Lygon St
 Jesse and I also went on a bus/train tour to the Dandenongs

I needed to get my fix for trees and forests as there are very few in Iceland

Jesse on the Lyre Bird walk humouring his mum when she nagged for photos,  however we did not see any Lyre Birds but we did get to see...

 Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Pink and Grey Galahs and Crimson Rosellas
 
Plus King Parrots

and a Kookaburra

We went for a ride on the Puffing Billy Steam Train
 

 Puffing Jesse

All the kids hung their feet out the window and over the side, including big kid Jesse

 Dom and I went shopping later that night for his birthday and then enjoyed a good meal together.

The AFL Grand final was on in Melbourne the day after I left.  I didn't notice too many avid football fans around the streets during the week but this church was advertising a Grand Final mid week service for serious fans who were eager for any extra help they could garner for their team, however God was playing even stevens on the day as the game ended in a draw, unfortunately it all has to happen again this Sat and I have to now try and avoid all the hoohaa 2 weeks in a row!