The Isa Street bridge in Mount Isa was closed for several months during 2019 for reconstruction and was opened to the public with a grand opening street party celebration. The new bridge constructed at a cost of $7 million replaced the previous bridge which was constructed in 1932. Despite the heat it was awesome to see so many people walking along the bridge and enjoying the festivities. One of Gumby's co-workers, Sam Wylie, entertained the crowd, singing and playing guitar with his band.
Shovel and I were up obscenely early on Friday morning to drive approximately 1,100kms from Mount Isa to Airlie Beach for the wedding of Amy (Shovel’s sister) and Zak. We stopped in Richmond for a steak sandwich at Treats for your Table a locally owned café serving homemade goods from an old weatherboard house on the main street, and arrived into Airlie Beach later that evening at around 9pm, after enjoying a curry for dinner in Bowen.
Amy & Zak's WeddingAmy and Zak were married on a private out-of-town beach. In March 2017, Airlie Beach was hit by a category 3 cyclone, known as Debbie, which produced winds of 150km/h and left homes destroyed, with insurance losses totalling almost $2 billion. Two years on it’s difficult to imagine the town had experienced such devastation, as the region is recovering, thanks to the combined support of local residents who rallied together to restore the paradise holiday destination. The Wedding Gift
The Big Mango at BowenCrossing the Burdekin RiverTownsvilleThe Flinders HighwayWe love Florence, but staying a night at the Blackman was heavenly. The studio apartment quipped with a kitchenette (including a dishwasher) was perfectly portioned and very liveable, without being overtly fussy. After we checked in we ventured to Albert Park for a Reuben Sandwich and shopped for some local produce. Shovel cooked up a storm and we dinned in our robes whilst sipping on kombucha. We enjoyed a long-arse continuous hot shower before diving into the massive king sized bed for a luxurious and restful sleep, surround by iconic art.
The night started with chilling out on the fresh grass of Alexandra Gardens eating Lord of the Fries for dinner, we then strolled along St Kilda Road, across the Yarra River reaching Margaret Court Arena where Gumby seen me off to let loose to one of my favourite bands, Parkway Drive. I lined up in the cue with 7499 other people, the soundtrack of hard-hitting spring hay fever and smells of excessive nicotine intake surround us all. The ticket gates lifted, security pat downs were done and the sprint up the stairs was in full action, mostly for people to get to the bar or a toilet, or for some to take their mind of being away from cigarettes. I got down to what is called the “mosh pit” commonly known as the floor area, or in this case the tennis court. The first band arrived on stage was called “Thy Art is Murder” a Deathcore band from Sydney. The first sound of the night was an insane roaring vocal and a machine gun like drumming which brought many heavy metal smiles around the crowd. Thy Art is Murder certainly got the crowd warmed up with ear piercing guitar riffs that get your heart racing, its hard edge tone isn’t for the faint hearted and is a lot of fun to mosh along to. Second band out was a heavy metal group from the USA called Killswitch Engage. Formed in 1999, this band took the metal world by storm with stunning vocal range and killer guitar solos. If you were to take up heavy metal listening, this would be a good place to start. The band creates an amazing atmosphere that anyone could enjoy. Killswitch brought the crowd to life with their perfectly executed music that 7499 people (and me) sang along to, and also some in between music humour from guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. After Killswitch Engage tearing it up on stage came a playlist of some of Australia’s most popular sing along songs, this included Jimmy Barnes – Working Class Man, Daryl Braithwaite – Horses and John Farnham – You’re the Voice. Without any doubt, all of us sung along to the bottom of our hearts waving phone lights from left to right. The music faded and so did the light, which meant the entrance of Parkway Drive, a metalcore band that formed in Byron Bay 15 years ago. A group of 5 mates that surfed together thought they would put a band together too, after several laps around the country and the world playing gigs and making albums they haven’t looked back. Their music is notorious for explosive hard-hitting breakdowns and fast paced riffs and beats that turn crowds into storms. I’ve seen these guys play in a pub in Cairns, a regional music festival in Townsville, a large hall in Berlin and now a larger than life show in Melbourne. Every Parkway song as usual was just played at 110 percent, alongside that is the audience giving back their effort with crowd surfing and circle pits. From what used to be a wild pub gig is now immense levels of fire, an orchestra, a full upside down rotating drum kit and a full light show to go with it too, its all pretty crazy which I think is great. Although their gig was on steroids, you can still feel the presence of the humble chilled vibes from Winston, Ben, Jeff, Pie and Luke, which make you feel just as close to them as you would be in a pub gig. The curtains dropped and I, alongside 7499 other people were covered in sweat, blinded by fireworks, deafened by noise and heated by flames, that is satisfaction! As I leave the arena and walk outside and find Gumby, I know the highlight of my night is walking home with the love of my life.
After being spellbound by a Conversation with Richard Fidler on ABC radio we were influenced to venture again to Bendigo and to the Bendigo Writers' Festival. Lemn Sissay is a remarkable person who experienced an incredible childhood. Born in the UK in the late 1960's to a young Ethiopian woman who was raped by her escort whilst relocating to the UK to further her education, Lemn was placed in foster care and has gone on to write incredible poetry, exposing horrific conditions living as a 'child of the state'. We spent about an hour and a half in an intimate setting with Lemn Sissay who delivered a moving sermon, detailing his story, in a room within the Ulumbarra Theatre. The theatre precinct has given a second life to the former Bendigo (Sandhurst) Gaol. The layout of the Gaol is very close in aesthetic to that of the Geelong Gaol, both being built in the 1860's in a crucifix form. It was the intention of Lemn's mother for him to remain in foster care for a few years whilst she completed her studies, she would then return to Ethiopia with Lemn. Ethiopia during this time was affluent and economically viable. Unfortunately however an evil social worker renamed Lemn, "Norman" and gave him to a Christian family by the name of Greenwood, under the provision it was a 'permanent adoption.' Lemn Sissay grew up believing his name was Norman Greenwood. It was not until he was discharged by the state as a young adult that an empathetic social worker gave him his birth certificate. There on the certificate was the name, Lemn Sissay. Lemn's mother returned to Ethiopia without Lemn as she was unable to locate him and was told by the evil social worker that he was doing well with the new family. Lemn wasn't doing well with this new family, as their own family grew they began to look for reasons to remove Lemn from their family and when he was 12 years old was taken from the Greenwood family, the only family he had ever known and placed into state facilities. He was effectively made to feel like a nobody, with no family and nobody to love, but he wasn't a nobody, he was Lemn Sissay. We visited the Bendigo Art Gallery viewing the fascinating exhibition by Myuran Sukumaran called 'Another Day in Paradise'. Myuran a member of what the media dubbed, the 'Bail Nine' was executed in 2015 in Indonesia after being found guilty of drug trafficking. We ate dinner at the Rifle Brigade Hotel and jogged through Rosalind Park early the next morning wearing gloves and beanies in sub zero temperatures.
Geelong was transformed into a whirl of colour, visual effects, sound and performance as hordes of people descended into the city centre to be part of Geelong After Dark. Shovel and I ventured through the streets, watching musicians and performance artists, then headed into the Geelong Art Gallery to view art whilst being serenaded by a two local djs. We had a blast!
Love was most definitely in the air for the 40th Annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The atmosphere was electric and inclusive, yet respectful with people from a multitude of various backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, sexualities and lifestyles uniting for one hell of a party in recognition of those that marched for equality in 1978. When the parade began, Oxford Street erupted into a cavalcade of music, revving engines, stiletto heels, flashing lights, dance, leather chaps, rainbows, sequins, flag waving, air kisses, colour, gay icons, and of course glitter. There was no happier place in the world than right there in Sydney during the parade. Big love to the family that generously donated their stools for us to stand on, after they left the parade early, to give us a better glimpse and provided us with a dance podium.
Shovel and I went to a Bush Poet’s breakfast where we were treated to the humours wit of Ray Essery, Neil McArthur and Marco Gliori. Were mystified by an impromptu performance by Mount Isa born Didgeridoo Master William Barton. Watched colourful (apparently it’s just food dye) chickens race around a track winning money for auction winning punters and charity and marvelled at young people whip cracking and iron men and women contestants pulling a truck and pushing a ute. We slept in the back of Cherry at the local racetrack and were woken by beautiful sunrises, hopping kangaroos and galloping horses. We dined at the stunning Art Deco styled North Gregory Hotel with artistic glass carvings by Daphne Mayo and a hydroponic vegetable garden. Winton is an outback opal (pun intended) and we had a beautiful few days admiring the town and enjoying the festivities.
2017 marks 150 years since Ernest Henry discovered rich deposits of copper and kicked off the Great Australia Mine, that put Cloncurry on the map. To celebrate Cloncurry’s mining success, the council has been hosting a series of special events and we were grateful to be a part of one - a ride on a Steam Train! Gumby and I surprised my (Shovel’s) mum for her birthday and brought my Parents out to Cloncurry to experience a bit of history. The train was manufactured in the 1950’s and was the last steam train ever built. The carriages were all different, their build dates ranged from as early as the early 1900’s up to the 1970’s. Every carriage was beautifully preserved, it was a moving history museum and the outback Queensland scenery outside filled the windows with endless bush colours. Fascinating experience and loads of fun. We also pulled up at the Chinaman Creek Dam lookout for some rock chucking and views, then stretched the legs at Burke and Wills memorial.
We had the opportunity to meet the amazing people of the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) and were inspired by their enthusiasm and love of their jobs. Each member of the team was generous with their time and Shovel loved getting inside the aircraft and checking out the controls. To the RFDS we salute you.
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November 2023
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