While on our travels in Western Australia we found this enchanting place that truly deserves mention in these pages.  Originally called the Southern Forest Nature Walk, it has been reborn recently to tell the bigger story around the conservation of old growth forests for our younger generation.  It provides fun and challenges for the young and sculptures that evoke adult thought.  All of this wrapped around a bushwalk.

As noted earlier this year, we have had some relatively serious hospitalisations amongst our group.  I am pleased to announce that all are recovering well despite Allan challenging us with a relatively slow recovery from his knee surgery.  Len has recovered very well with his tipping and report coming from Buladelah, near Myall Lakes on central NSW coast where I understand that he is sampling the Hunter reds.

This report would not be complete though without wishing another tipster, DougG, our best wishes for recovery from back surgery.  I understand he is just starting 3 weeks in rehab (that means lots of physio) to aid in his recovery.  Our best wishes are with you Doug.
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As many of us reach (or have passed) our "Three Score and Ten" years the conversations inevitably moves to health issues.  I will not seek to report all details, but I do wish to acknowledge several excursions to hospital so far in 2023 for annoying or sometimes serious repair work.  Please join me in wishing all well in recovery.

• Mel is recovering well at home after abdominal surgery
• Avril is recently out of the moonboot after breaking a foot
• Allan is about to go in for knee surgery.  This follows Amanda who had her knee surgery last year.
• ..and a special callout to Len who is recovering from his serious heart surgery.  The picture below says it.

Our wishes go out for a speedy recovery to all.
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While many Tasmanian's are not celebrating the thought of a new stadium, we certainly enjoyed the celebration of many birthdays in the apple isle.  Below is the photo of the major 40th for Glenn but we also celebrated Steph's, Glenn's sister, Elyse and her husband Alex.

We spent our two weeks in Tassie between the northeast and west of the state, tackling many walks, mountain bike rides for the youngsters, a couple of wineries and whisky distilleries and a luxurious cruise down the gorgeous Gordon River. Checkout some of the sites below.

Who would have thought after all these years of travel to Noosa, that there was a new experience to visit.  The beauty and the peace of the Maroochy Bushland Botanic Gardens is really quite astounding.  There are 8 different walks that range from several 100 metres to 2km, featuring fern gulleys, manicured sculpture gardens, bush tracks and a sensory path aimed to excite the kids.

​Perhaps the most inspiring was the 40min walk through the sculpture garden. Throughout the garden there are inspirational works by artists and inscriptions to tease the mind.  I found the John Sawhill quote worth repeating; In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy.

​The sculptures include gum leaf shaped seats, contemplative water scenes, obelisks and plenty of bird reflections.  One area is set up with the results of 8 international stone carvers involvement in a 16 day event to create a wonderful array of outdoor art.

​At the other end of this extensive site there is the Whipbird Walk that is focused as a challenge to the kids sensory experience.  A 30min walk (with eyes closed and holding on to the guide rope) leads you to sights, smells, feel and noise that challenges your senses.

​Then there is the more traditional bushwalk that takes you through natural rough tracks, creek crossings, through ephemeral wetlands, fern gulleys and under magnificent stands of trees.

​This Bushland Botanic Gardens is obviously maintained with great care and attention.  It has clearly been around for quite some time but is not easy to find as the Bruce Hwy bypasses the entrance that is near Forest Glen and the extinct Deer Park.  Its history is perhaps reflected in the brochure map reference to UBD Map 77 – N17 (how long since you used one of those books containing paper maps?).  If you find yourself there one day do not miss the cute little coffee and snack counter for a nice lunch.

This year we have made our way down to Sandy Point for Easter via the Strzelecki Ranges. Travelling south from Morwell into this picturesque country provided a lovely couple of days around Mirboo Nth, a cute little BnB at Boolarra and a stimulating walk through the Lyrebird Forest.  But definitely the most surprising find was the Sculpture Festival at the tiny township of Yinnar.

Yinnar, population of a few hundred people, boasts two art galleries in amongst the 140 year old buildings in the main street and puts on a sculpture festival every two years. Around a hundred sculptures adorn the main street and galleries from 26 March to 7 May this year.  If you get a chance this is worth the trip into this region.

​For more information about the Gippsland Sculpture Exhibition look here.

​Here are some of our memories.

​It's taken awhile since the COVID lockdowns to get back into travel mode.  However, Janet and I were recently away on a two week 2400 km road trip through SE Victoria and NSW. 

The first part of the journey was something of a trip down memory lane - out through Sale in Gippsland where we first started working, me with Esso Australia and Janet at Sale High School.  We caught up with friends who still live in Sale and had lunch and a good catch up.  It was then on to Metung on the Gippsland Lakes for two nights.  We stayed at the Moorings resort, which is right in Metung opposite Lake King.  In years gone by, we spent many happy occasions exploring the Gippsland Lakes and the many rivers that feed into them. For this visit, we explored in and around Metung - lots to see and do - a lovely nine hole golf course, hot springs and we can recommend the Metung Hotel for drinks and meals.

​This story starts about two weeks before 2022 Grand Final Day as Marg & I returned from a wonderful trip to the Top End and Red Centre.  Perhaps inspired by the military exercises, Operation Kakadu and Pitch Black 2022, that were running during our stay, this is a story of envisioning, planning, preparation and execution.
It starts with the Envisioning Phase.  Half our study houses a library of cooking books and I am sure most came out along with many pages torn out of magazines and printed recipes sent from very dear friends (looking at you Jilly).  Soon Marg was sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by piles of recipes assembled in some logical order.  To me this looked like a practical demonstration of Chaos Theory.

​Next the Planning Phase commenced.  The inevitable lists appeared.  List of recipes and ingredients that ultimately resulted in shopping lists.  These constantly changed, got replaced and started getting lost at various points as the planning continued.  I am sure that I saw a “List of Lists” appear at one point.  Eventually the added dimensions of time and fridge storage were added to the planning, resulting in a multi-dimensional puzzle worthy of any Mensa Club.
Now to Execution Phase.  But like any military operation identification and elimination of any risks is essential before the main event.  So trials were planned.  Precise inputs, defined implementation procedures and intended outcomes were identified for some of the riskier components.  Precise inputs included impact of sunset for outdoor cooking so trials were conducted precisely one week (to the minute) prior to this event. Intended outcomes was fun for Mel and I as we got to sample new sausage rolls, pork crackling and Magnum icecreams without chocolate (yes they are still to come!)

​Trials complete and adjustments to lists made it was now time for the final Execution Phase. The kitchen turned into a battle zone for days.  Fridges were filled and emptied to be replenished with partially complete recipe components. Lists were being ticked off, rewritten for clarity and consolidated into an ever-changing landscape.  Negotiations continued with the Women’s Auxiliary as everyone contributed with their best offers as Major General Marg held it all together as a focused battle plan.

​Now to the elephant in the room …. Me.  My feeble attempts at assistance were obviously not working.  How could I assist with transport to/from fridges if I could not tell the difference between pork and chicken mince?  How could I wash preparation dishes when chopping boards and cooking utensil surrounded the washing space? Even a lame attempt to line an oven tray with baking paper ended up with 20M of said paper rolled out across the kitchen floor … still don’t know how that happened.

​But like any well-planned military operation minor variations are easily accounted for and the result is something to be proud of … as I am of you Marg.  Thank you and the Women’s Auxiliary so much for your astounding efforts.