Neighborhood Kangaroos!

Mark's sister Brenda was our first visitor since our arrival in Australia.  Until recently she had been teaching in Malaysia.  Since she was between jobs, (she has accepted a job on the Ivory Coast in Africa) she decided it was time for an adventure and some dental work. Yes family receives a significant discount!  Brenda spent two weeks with us and in that time we managed to show her a bit of Queensland, as well as a trip to the northern part of New South Wales.  We hiked the National Park at Noosa to find a koala bear in the wild.  Then the following weekend we stayed in Byron Bay, a bustling surf town with a hippie vibe.  We even managed to take in some culture at the local Queensland Performing Arts Center.  Below are a few pictures from our time together.  You will notice Brenda in a  fancy jumpsuit.  It seems she is working on her "bucket list" as one Sunday morning Mark and I watched her fall from the sky. Check!

Beautiful Byron Bay

Cape Byron

Melbourne

Melbourne is one of my favorite cities in the world.  To celebrate my birthday we flew south and left our sunny Queensland weather behind.  It was a refreshing change to bundle up and enjoy the moody Melbourne sky.  We spend three glorious days wandering and enjoying this lovely city.  We even met up with our friend John, whom we had met several years ago in a hut in Patagonia.  You never know when we may be coming to city near you!

Moreton Island

In late March we decided to take Scholarship out of her comfortable slip and go for a sail.  Our destination was Moreton Island, which lies about 10 nautical miles to the east.  The bay we dropped the hook in is called Tangalooma.  A busy place, ferries and helicopters transport tourists to the various resorts all day long.  An interesting part of Tangalooma is the large man made breakwater.  Less than twenty years ago, about fifteen ships were sunk in a semi circle to form a (supposedly) calm anchorage.  Today the artificial reef is a habitat for lots of sea life.   You will almost always see divers and snorkelers nearby. We had a lovely time exploring the beaches and enjoying the wildlife.  There was even cold beer to be had on a very hot Australian day.

                               A kookaburra!!

Time for an update!

 

I was recently in the US and got the opportunity to visit with a lot of family and friends.   During this visit, they did remind me that I have been delinquent in my blogging.  Since Fraser Island way back in February we have been waiting.  Since we have decided to stay in Australia for awhile, work visas were in order.  We spent the last few months dealing with paperwork and hiding from the intense heat and sun of a Queensland summer.  The good news is that we were successful.  We were both granted visas and Mark has been working for a little over a month at his brand new dental office.  I just spent three weeks in the US.  I spent a little time in California but most of my visit this time was to the Midwest.  It was a fantastic trip but now I am ready to settle in to our new life here. For a little while anyway!   These photos are of one of the prettier sunsets we have had here in Scholarship's backyard! 

Fraser Island

                                The clear waters of Lake Mackenzie 

Measuring 120 Kilometers by 15 kilometers, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world.  The beaches are picturesque but lethal. Undertows and numerous sharks make them unsafe for swimming but there are over forty crystal clear freshwater lakes and creeks for swimming.  Fraser Island is also home to around 150 of Australia's most purebred dingoes. We spent day three days on Fraser Island, seeing the sights and getting sandy.

                               On board the passenger ferry to Fraser

Mark and I in front of the sand dunes, the highest one on the island is 244 meters high

                                Fraser Island Dingo

                                Driving on 75 Mile Beach