Chris's Trip to Australia

Chris and his trip to Australia.

 

Earlier in the year, Chris was meant to be visit Richard and Michael with Bethanne but he had forgotten that he needed to attend his (Formal) School Ball, so we postponed his trip from April to October.

 

The trips are back to front but the photos below, are from our trip to Girraween National Park with Richard coming down from Rocky for a long weekend.

This is not a happy face - this is fear, pure fear, as he is standing in long grass in jandles. Chris can feel the snakes around him. Hahaha!!
 

Michael leaning on the archway.

Chris showing everyone that if you are still young and fit, you can run up the pyramids.

Shahn was feeling the burn. (and the only one carrying a bag, just saying!)

Shahn sucking it up trying to keep up with Chris (like the rest of us).

Chris standing on the highest point of the pyramid. Richard is looking around.

Enjoying the walk.

Bit windy up there, just looking over the edge to see how far the fall was; we decided unlikely to survive. The second pyramid behind Chris looks like a hard climb but would be cool trip.

Making our way back down before the rain.

Chris obviously still concerned about the possibility of snakes.

Following the pathway down.

Down the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.

RAIN STORM, just trying to make it back to the car without getting too wet for the 2hr drive back home to Ipswich.

Loving the warm rain.

Trying to hide from the rain or hugging a tree?!

Temporary relief from the rain…..

Trip to Moreton Island

This was the weekend after Chris had flown north to catch up with Richard in Rockhampton. We had got up early to get the ferry across to Moreton for a day trip.

On the ferry heading to Moreton, almost missed it just got there as the ferry started boarding.

Everyone was looking happy and excited to be on the boat.

Chris thinking he was on a tropical island.

Dosen't look like we just got out of bed at all and were running late so haven't had breakfast yet!

First activity of the day, Stand-up Paddle Boarding to the wrecks from Tangalooma, an hour round trip before we booked in to go banana boating.

Shahn killing it, paddle boarding like a pro - in reality, trying to keep up with the boys!

From left to right, Chris, Richard and Michael

Finally arrived at the wrecks, beautiful morning

Manoeuvring around the wrecks

Enjoying the sun and the wrecks

There were a good 30 starfish in one little patch while we were paddling back and it was very difficult to take pictures of them, so pretty.

Someone off on their own rouge mission

Chris and Shahn getting ready for the ride on the biscuit, just a minute or so until Chris managed to kick Shahn in the head, giving her bleeding nose and a cut her lip…….lol

Shahn and her cut lip….. (it doesn't look bad, but it was an awesome fat lip!)

After the sea biscuiting saga, we decided to hire a boat instead of kayaks to get to the wrecks - plus it meant we could get in and out of the afternoon wind.

We are on a boat...

Wrecks in the distance

Coral reefs formed on the barge wrecks with reef fish

Snorkelling the wrecks

Wrecks from above the water

Everyone was a bit cold, but stoked to have had such a great day

That face!

Sea Turtle - not sure exactly, ?Green Sea Turtle

Go Pro pictures of the wrecks from above water

Shahn & Eak adjusting masks before having a look at the wreck reefs

Fabulous day at Moreton Island, we got home and everyone was exhausted.  We ordered some great woodfire pizzas and played a board game called, Articulate.  Was pretty funny!  Great to spend time with family - Chris seemed to enjoy his time with us in Ipswich and his time up in Rockhampton with Richard.

Hiking, swimming and other weekend fun

Girraween & Stanthorpe - 5th to 7th October 2013

Another return visit to Stanthorpe, we love the area as there are lovely walks and everyone is very friendly. The days are incredibly hot and the nights freezing.  We camped at Bald Rock over the long weekend and managed to tag along to the local Observatory tour, it was awesome - he had his own dome and a great knowledge of astronomy, awesome night under the stars!

Shahn all rugged up outside the dome and telescope that he built in his backyard. It was a 46cm reflector cool images turns a small twinkling star into a whole mass of thousands filling the entire view finder.

Eak taking some creative pics of our campsite at Girraween!

Cooking some eggs, lovely day

Sphinx rock and Turtle Rock. There was this crevasse that split the two massive rocks, Eak being the perfect gentleman as always let me go first. So it was a climb up but a body width so I was trying to get myself up the higher step, turned sideways to get myself higher and got my ass stuck, Eak was pissing himself laughing and the guy above me who kindly lifted my bag out, was judging me but beautiful view from the top.

Video to show how graceful I am.  Hahaha!

Butt crack rock hehehe!

Climbing up the pyramids again!

The quick way down

Getting to the top of this rock was a mission, bit of rough climbing good fun

Because everyone that climbs up a rock needs to do a handstand, we love it!!!

Cunningham's Skink (Egernia Cunninghami)

White Rock Conservation Area - 1st December 2013

 Sunday afternoon wander before Eak headed back to Chinchilla for the week. 

We climbed up the side of this wee rock, and met a lovely lady up the top having her lunch and of course we chatted to her for an hour but she showed us another track out which was good. Nice walk.

Mount Norman  - 23rd November 2013

Another weekend walk, it was a pretty crappy day but that made it nice and cool for walking. It was quite challenging this hike, lots of steep sections and lots of stairs. Just stopping for a snack and some water before heading back down before the storm set in. When we got back to Ipswich there was a huge thunder storm that blew our power which meant homemade Sushi for dinner by headlight.

Having a snack up the hill, watching out for snakes with out gaiters on!

Enjoying the view watching storms build

Lace Monitor a big bugger

Mount Timbrogargen - Glass House Mountains 22nd December 2013

We have covered most of the Glass House Mountains now, Timbrogargen was one that Shahn never made it to the top of previously (in hindsight, a very clever move) it was a bloody tough climb - hot as rocks, vertical cliffs and pretty much a freestyle rock climb.  We have been doing a bit of indoor rock climbing so that helped. 

Climbing up Tibrogargan, Shahn did not enjoy this so much a bit steep and lots of shear rock, drinking litres of water and as the rock was so hot from the sun it burnt your hands as you climbed.

Sussing out the climb

The view down…..

Shahn was happy with the climb at this stage

The warning sign - rocks kill people

Enjoying the view from the top

Shahn looking really happy with life (just to clarify, it was 35degrees and very little wind.  We were so sweaty! I didn't make it up the top last time and I did it this time, on the way home I vomited in the service station car park from heat stroke and probably dehydration too - dedication I think, thoughts??)

Michael just living

Dragonfly

Bribie Island in the distance

Cootchiemudlo Island - 21st December 2013

We look gooooood.
So we caught the ferry 

Shahn kayaking and Michael paddle boarding.  Enjoying the South East QLD sun!

Also sailing at Wivenhoe Shahn dared me to see how easy it was to flip my boat so I got out there and put the hammer down and went as fast as I could until I over powered it and flipped the boat, Little did I know that with out extra body weight i was unable to flip the cat back over…… I must have been out there for half an hour until Darryl had to swim out to give me a hand. Lesson learned….. need a float on the mast or mast filled with foam and possibly a bit more weight or a longer rope. So I owe him one or two….

The Kiwi kids playing a bit of Mini putt and having a few light beverages