Aussie Bloggers

We are a family that has been relatively untouched by the scars of war. To the extent that we don’t have close relatives that died in battle. We do have a couple of relatives that went to war and one who has been awarded a civilian medal for civilian service during a war. However, without having anyone personal to “remember”, it’s easy to allow thoughts of war and remembrance to become a lower priority in our lives.

So when we were planning a trip to Canberra with our children, a visit to the Australian War Memorial was high on our list of priorities. We saw it as an opportunity to give them some sort of understanding as to what has happened in the past and how important remembering is, to honour the lives of those who were lost and to ensure we work hard not to let anything so terrible happen again.

As it turned out, the War Memorial was running special tours designed particularly for children at the time we were in Canberra.

I was SO impressed with the way the War Memorial was run. I believe most of the staff are actually volunteers. The attention to detail they gave and the overall service and information was second to none. The kids were fussed over and treated very well and what they learnt through the entire experience was fabulous.

We were able to take them into the Discovery Zone where they were really able to get hands on and do things like sit in the cockpit of a helicopter, search for mines, get inside a submarine and see what trench foot looks like.

By far, the most significant part of the whole experience though was a visit to the tomb of the unknown soldier. I was stunned by how this group of children, some of them quite young, were very solemn and quiet during the minutes silence we had. It was a very special and poignant moment.

If you’ve never been to the Australian War Memorial, I can highly recommend it as a place suitable for all ages. I’m so thankful to all the wonderful volunteers who work hard to keep the place running smoothly and making it a worthwhile experience for all.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in the Great Ocean Road region of Victoria. Apart from the scenery which is truly exquisite, I was impressed with the quality of dining in the region.

We stayed and dined at Aire Valley Guest House in Horden Vale. It is located just west of Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. The first thing that you notice about the food at Aire Valley Guest House is the freshness, which should really be no surprise as the majority of the vegetables, fruit and herbs are picked straight from the garden before cooking.

A cooked breakfast complete with eggs from the hens that roam freely on the property and tomato and spinach from the garden was delicious. They also support local producers with beautiful locally made jams and a range of Prickly Moses beers.

In the warmer months, dining can be had on the balcony as pictured above, but as it was still quite cool in the evenings we ate in the homely dining room.

Closer to Melbourne and slightly off the Great Ocean Road itself is Bellbrae Harvest (20 minutes inland from Torquay). The setting of this restaurant is quite serene. We had not booked so had to sit inside the restaurant as opposed to the lovely terraced area. This however still afforded beautiful views over the property, including the ducks and geese on the large pond.

Although not growing the produce it cooks on the property, Bellbrae does pride itslef from sourcing much of its food from the local region, for example butter from Warnambool, specialty bread from Geelong etc.

The service was excellent, professional but with friendliness and if one was so inclined they have an impressive wine list which the staff knew well.

We only had a couple of days along the Great Ocean Road and there would still have been more wonderful dining to sample. Some other places that come highly recommend in the area were:

Chris’s at Beacon Point – Apollo Bay
A La Grecque – Airey’s Inlet

Do you have any favourite establishments from the area to add to this list?

I snapped this on the way to the bus this morning. Normally I drive to work after dropping off the kids. Taking public transport gave me the chance to look around as the sun rose over the hills. A vertical truncated rainbow appeared to the west. Australia really does have some extraordinary morning and afternoon skies. Where we lived before there were always buildings obscuring the view. Now there is a bit more space and some great vistas.

Most people think of the seaside and long, sandy beaches when you talk to them about Queensland or the Sunshine Coast.

For me, one of the prettiest spots in Queensland is not the actual Sunshine Coast but the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. The Mary River valley (see map below) in particular is just so relaxing and idyllic.

Good places to stay are Maleny, Montville, Flaxton, and Mapleton to explore the Mary River valley.

If you are a bit of a food-aholic don’t forget to stop in Maleny at Colin James and try one of his award winning ice creams!

I’m off to Tasmania for a few days early October, so I thought I’d share what I think is the most beautiful place there, Cradle Mountain.

Last time I went there was 2005, and we must have been lucky to get weather like you can see in the pictures. I think they only get about 30-40 days a year of sunny weather. I can attest to that, I’ve been there in rain and snow on other visits. Doesn’t matter, it is still extremely beautiful regardless of the weather.

Cradle Mountain is at the northern end of Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. From Cradle Mountain you can walk the Overland Track, which covers 65 km over 6 days. This is something that is still on my to-do list.

If you get to Tasmania, I recommend getting up to Cradle Mountain. If you haven’t been to Tasmania, its a fascinating place, and there are many worthwhile places to visit apart from Cradle Mountain.