Australia - From Brisbane to Townsville

Set off from Anna and Leon's to Noosa.  I had booked an apartment at Peregion Beach near to my friends Sally and Peter who I met on the Macchu Picchu trek and are in the 2006 bit of the blog.  They moved to Marcus Beach from Canberra and are living in a lovely house.  We had lunch with them when we arrived and then checked into the Peregion Court resort.  Upgraded to a three bedroomed apartment which was well appointed.  Two bedrooms and two bathrooms with a huge lounge.  Only two days here and I will definitely return to Noosa.  Had dinner - ribs in a newish restaurant with great service in Peregion village.

The next day.we walked the track from the national park to Hell's Gate.  Lots of people on it, running, walking and taking their surf boards down to the sea.  We arrived at 6.45 am but had to wait until the rain stopped before starting our walk at 7 ish.  It took an hour and half return, strolling and taking pics.

Cairns with paddle boarder in the distance

Ady took the photographer at work

One of the beaches on the walk

Magpie bombing kookaburra by the beach near Hastings Street 

 Large breakfast in Hastings Street when we returned and then spent a lot of money on the way back to the car.  Back to Peregion Beach to chill out for the rest of the day.

Guarding the shop

I went down for a stroll on the beach, in the afternoon, which was over the road from the apartment.  I spotted commotion in the water.  Large fins coming out from the sea.  I only had my wide angle lens on.  Then I saw whales breaching.  Managed to snap one.

Humpback breaching

Sand dunes on North Peregion Beach

Sally and Peter treated us to dinner at the Surf Club at Noosa Heads.  A beautiful view and lots to eat and drink.

Sunset from Noosa surf club

Up early the next day for the 6 hour trip to Yeppoon to stay over on the way to Townsville.  We booked into Driftwood Motel, which was very basic and not worth the price.  All the places in Yeppoon seemed to be on Noosa prices which was bizarre as there was no comparison in location.  Would not bother to return to Yeppoon.  We did have a good meal at the Tapas bar there.  I had my usual afternoon stroll on the beach and saw what I think are whistling kites eating the fish heads which were washed up on the beach.

Kites on the beach

The little dog is called Gavin

Early again the next day for the 8 hour drive to Townsville.  We arrived just after 3.30pm.  Went to see the movie "Sully" which was very good.

Arrived back at Ady's to a phone call from Anna with dreadful news.  Her dog Boomer had run out into the road and was hit by a car.  He died on the way to the vet's.  Anna and Leon are devastated.  He was a wonderful dog.  I wish I had taken more photos of him.

Boomer RIP

Took Ady's dogs Blue and Chillie for a walk on the beach this morning.  Still can not believe Boomer has gone.  I kept seeing a lot of Bloomer in Blue.

Chillie and Blue

Balcony Bar in the city for breakfast and a walk along the Sunday market in Flinders Street.

Stall holder

Up early and out for the 6.30 am walk on the Strand with Ady's friend Mary and her dog Boss.  They have been on previous posts from Townsville.

One of the sculptures on the walk

Chillie catching the ball

Back for breakfast then Ady spotted this huge butterfly.  27 shots later!  We went for coffee before I processed them.

Cairns Birdwing laying eggs

I had hoped to see the Birdwings hatching but that was September.  Pleased to see at least one adult.  Now I have to hunt to find the eggs.  Sadly I won't have the same opportunity to photograph them in Townsville as this will be my last visit.  Ady leaves for Brisbane on 19th November.

Back to the Strand to meet Ady's friend Sue for an ice-cream.  Then a walk along the Ross River looking for Rainbow Bee-eaters.  There were a lot of them and spotted a few pelicans and a white-bellied sea eagle.

Spot the mating bee-eaters

White bellied sea eagle

Bee eater eating insect

Young bird I think 

Last walk on the Strand this morning.  Mary had Boss in his halloween outfit for me and he was photographed by a few people.  Ady will have her dogs outfitted by tomorrow but I will be on my way home.

Balancing stones

What is this on your head

Jezzine house

Mary and Boss  Blue Ady and Chillie

Do I have to pose

Chillie enjoying her latte

Australia after Anna's wedding

Tuesday after Anna's wedding and bride and groom went off in different directions.  Leon and Mullet went to the Gold Coast while Anna, Ady and I went off to the Hinterland for a girlie day.  A lot of eating, looking at scenery and shopping.

Having breakfast at the Lookout cafe at Glass House Mountains

Coffee at Maleny with the dragons.  My photo of King George is top  left.

Lunch at Poets Cafe at Montville

Ady and I are off to look at a rental tomorrow morning than stocking up for Straddie.  Well the rental looked perfect but would need a bigger fence for Ady's dogs, Blue and Chillie.  It will probably be gone by the time Ady is able to rent in November but the good news is that there are more properties in the area and the area is convenient.  We drove on to the Stradbroke Island Ferries and were able to catch an earlier ferry at 1 pm.  Arrived at Samarinda Jewel by the Sea at 3 pm.  A fantastic apartment overlooking Main Beach at Point Lookout.  Whales have been going south with their babies and close to shore.  Ady and I walked along the North Gorge walk keeping an eye out.  I saw a turtle but he dived straight away.  Apparently if the water is calm, one can see manta rays from the cliff top.  Had a glass or two of wine on the balcony and watched kangaroos box.  I took photos but not fast enough.

One of me by Ady

Main beach which runs the length of the island.  Closed due to strong currents so no surfers

An in camera movement version

A record of the kangaroos boxing

Off to recce the island tomorrow.  Stopped off at Amity Point.  A little stroll and Ady spotted the first dolphin.  I snapped but only achieved a very undolpin shape.  There were two of them but they were swimming away from us.  Coffee in the Seashell cafe and on to Brown Lake which is past Dunwich.  A peaceful spot with a few walks.  We explored the rest of the road and ended up on Main Beach, a lot further south than Point Lookout and still more of it south of us.  Lunch back at Seashell cafe in Amity Point and back to chill at the apartment.  The wind has got up and although there is sunshine, it is chilly.  Unlikely to be whales this afternoon.

Beach at Amity Point

Amity Point

Pelicans 

Stone curlew trying to hide from me while the other one looks on

A black beaked gull caught a fish and dropped it.  The pelican is retrieving the fish.

A satisfied bird

Blackened gum trees 

A huggable tree

Brown Lake

Tracks  on Main Beach towards Point Lookout 

Main Beach in the other direction

Oystercatcher with shell

We went out into the wind to catch the sunset.  I didn't think I would be wearing my fleece but it was needed.  Then we spotted part of a rainbow so we had some rain.  Luckily only a few drops for us as I had no waterproof for the camera.  Walked along the North Gorge walk again.  The railings are a good substitute tripod for the camera.

You can just about spot the rainbow on the horizon.

The kangaroos didn't mind the weather

One with joey

Scenic shots

We are not on the right side of the island for the sunset so this had to do

Early up this morning for a good walk along Deadman's beach, Cylinder beach into Home beach, looked down onto Flinder's beach and walked back this time took in Frenchman's beach before an ice cream on the way home.  Two and half hours with a few stops.  Still very windy although there is more shelter once past Frenchman's beach.  Apparently the wind is strong even up to the Sunshine coast.

Along the whale track towards Deadmans beach

On Home beach

Dolphins off Home Beach

Opposite the sea

Taken from Rocky Point looking back to Home and Cylinder beaches

Surfers on Flinders beach.  Waves are much bigger at Main beach but that is closed due to the weather

My feet

Lots of fishermen on the shore but I have yet to see them catch anything

A plover

Silver gulls

Blue blubber jellyfish

Taken on Frenchmans beach

Plan to go to Dunwich for dinner so might catch the sunset on the right side of the island.  Well the sunset was not great but we had a good Thai dinner at the RSL in Dunwich.

We chilled at Point Lookout the next day eating an excellent lunch at the Blue Room.  I have forgotten to mention the ice-cream or gelato which we have had from the Oceanic Gelato Bar.  Delicious.  I am not an ice-cream lover but this has less sugar and is made fresh daily.  I have tried the strawberry and mango, passionfruit and this morning (Sunday) a lemon and chilli.

Walked along Main beach for an hour than back.  It stretches for 32 km and we only did a fraction of that.

Whale watchers

Surfing waves

Marine stinger

Kite tied to fishermens truck

Sandpiper in the Gorge

Me taken by Ady

Dolphins

Saw lots of whales today but too far away.  I have lots of black whale shaped blobs but too small for the blog.  Also saw a big green turtle, manta rays and dolphin with calf.  A small grey shape but I have included that.  All sightings from the North Gorge walk.  Ady and I took another look from there in the evening and I photographed the full moon with the reverse sunset colours.

A pheasant coucal

Full moon

Reverse sunset colours

Up early on Sunday for the sunrise at 5 ish.  Back to the same spot I took the full moon last night.  Again nothing spectacular in the sunrise.  We went back to bed and once up again walked a long way to the Sunday market.  Back along the beach and stopped in at Julie Sisco's photography gallery.  Some lovely images to be had there.

Sunrise at the blowhole

Osprey

Turtle

Walking on to Cylinder Beach from the Sunday market

Now chilling at the apartment until the late afternoon for more photos of waves, hopefully wildlife and more.  Took some more waves but nothing of wildlife except for a small lizard near the apartment.  Went for a hot dog at Sisco's Philly Cheese - delicious.

Checked out of the apartment the next day around 9 am and drove to Amity Point for coffee at Seashells.  Unfortunately they were closed on Monday as was most of Dunwich.  Back to Point Lookout for usual coffee at Oceanic Gelati Bar then another walk around North Gorge.  No whale activity.  We decided to stop off at the stone platform by the blowhole.  After about half an hour I spotted a turtle.  Then two large manta rays turned up and seemed to be doing a courtship dance.  They stayed around for ages.  A group of people came down as they had spotted the rays.  One of them shouted whale and I looked towards the horizon, when I heard a splash close by.  I had missed the breach.  Then we all saw the whale and calf right by the couple of fishermen on the rock below.  My lens was at 170 metres when I took the shot.  After they had drifted off, a pod of about 4 or 5 dolphins appeared.  All in a matter of ten minutes or so!  Ady and I walked on and saw the manta rays again and a dolphin and calf swam towards us parallel to all the surfers.  So lots of pics for our last day.  Had lunch at the Blue Room again and caught the ferry at 3 pm on standby as we were booked on the 5 pm one.  Just before we went on the ferry we stopped off at the water ferry stop as a woman had told us earlier that there was a koala with baby in the tree by the bus stop.  Not a good image as koala was asleep, holding on to the tree which was blowing in the wind.
Had a conversation with a fellow photographer and his sister on the ferry about cameras.  Then was asked to take pics of someone flying a kite off the ferry.

Bottle brush at Amity Point

The two lines in the image are the fishing rods.

Humpbacks

Manta ray flipping over

Dolphin and calf

More whale watchers

Koala with one arm around her baby.

Flying the kite

Back to Anna and Leon's in Brisbane.  Out to dinner at Zegatos at the golf club on Tuesday.  Ady and I drove off to Noosa on Wednesday.  Next post for that bit of my trip.