Travelling North

Around August last year we booked a holiday on Queensland's Gold Coast. But like a lot of things in 2020 that plan didn't work out! 

Thanks to Australia's success in limiting the spread of COVID we can all travel freely now (fingers crossed!) - so here we are - for the next two weeks - our delayed holiday at the Goldie (as Joshy would say)!

We left Canberra on Friday and found it a relatively easy day's drive to Coffs Harbour thanks to the new North Connex tunnel that cuts out all the traffic bottlenecks driving through Sydney. 

We had plenty of time to take a walk around Park Beach in Coffs Harbour late that afternoon and get rid of any stiffness from the long drive. Every other time we've done this long day's drive from Canberra we've stayed with Ros and Pete at Sandy Beach - but that's not happening any more!

Looking back to the harbour at Coffs (Harbour)......

We arrived in Brisbane on Saturday around lunchtime. By sheer luck I was able to catch up with my dear friend Jane who just happened to be in Brisbane at the same time - and staying at the same hotel (the Novotel in South Bank)! It was only an hour or so catch up - but a good one (and a very lucky one). Afterwards we braved the pending storm and the gathering Saturday night crowds and found our fave "Baba Ganouj" Lebanese restaurant on Grey Street ..... and enjoyed our meal - before getting caught in heavy rain as we walked back to our hotel. Brisbane does stormy weather so well!!

We had some more sober business Brisbane too. Before Rob's Mum died in late 2019 she expressed a strong wish that a gravestone be commissioned for the little baby boy she and Allan had lost many, many years ago (one day after his birth in 1962). Rob's brother Colin ensured it was done last year and we were keen to see it finally in place at the historic Nudgee Cemetery.

We know Rob's Mum would feel very happy with the way little Barry Pettiford's headstone has been done - exactly as she wished.....

And so then, after a good catch up with Rob's brother and his Elaine too over brunch at Coorparoo, we made our way to Burleigh Heads ..........

We have a very well located apartment here, for the next two weeks, just opposite a park at the southern end of the beach. This is the view from the balcony ........

Arriving at Burleigh on a Sunday afternoon, the last day of the school holidays was an eye opener! Cars and people everywhere!!! We had a lot of fun as the day drew to a close watching all the parking and car cruising antics over the road..... all to a sunset cacophony of screeching Rainbow Lorikeets and Kookaburras laughing their heads off.....  

Today dawned absolutely beautiful - perfect weather to start our beach holiday......

We did a long beach walk this morning - heading north to Miami Beach ........

Taken from the lookout at North Burleigh, facing on to Miami Beach and Surfers Paradise in the distance..

Looking back the way we'd walked, from Burleigh Heads......

Our lovely neighbour Ellen who comes to Burleigh a lot recommended the Commune Cafe which we found on the walk back to the apartment. Thank you Ellen - we enjoyed the best coffee here since we'd left Canberra 3 days ago!

We needed to stock up on supplies today so we headed to Pacific Fair at Broadbeach in the afternoon. To a pair of country bumpkins like us Pacific Fair seemed as big as Terminals 1,2, and 3 at Sydney Airport (at least twice as big as Bondi Westfield, at least - and complete with resort style pools and cabanas etc etc etc... mind blowing!!). Lucky for us we managed to find some groceries in amongst all that - and a store that Ella would love to visit one day ............

Unloading our groceries this afternoon, we couldn't help but be distracted by the wedding being conducted in the park over the road - slightly unusual timing on a Monday afternoon - but hey why not???

Late this afternoon we took a drive about 7klm south - to Currumbin Beach, where our friend David had recommended a beautiful spot for taking a drink, and a meal, by the sea!

The Currumbin Surf Life saving Club has the most spectacular setting of any Surf Club on the Gold Coast (IMHO). Its been built on a rocky platform - nestled into the iconic "Elephant Rock" lookout with spectacular view up the coast to Surfers Paradise ........

And southwards towards Tweed Heads (NSW).......

It was just fabulous to have a delicious seafood meal looking out to these spectacular coast views, with the waves crashing just below us ........

We'll be so lucky if this beautiful weather continues - maybe a swim tomorrow?

Mayfield Garden

We spent most of today at the beautiful Mayfield Garden - about 3 hours drive north of Canberra, near Oberon (on the Western fringe of the greater Blue Mountains). So we could spend as much time as possible at the gardens we drove up to the region yesterday and stayed overnight at a B & B in nearby Wisemans Creek.

We met our friends Judy and Jurgen for lunch along the way, at a pretty village, only an hour and a half from Canberra: Taralga. I should say we met our two friends AND their two precious puppies, Charlie and Poppy, who were there for the ride (and lunch) too!! 

So close to Canberra, and we can't ever remember being this way before! Taralga is very picturesque and quite historic too ....

We eventually made our way to Glenburn House at Wisemans Creek - our B & B for the night. Glenburn House started life in 1883 as a school. It's had a number of very sympathetic additions in recent years, and is now a really comfortable place to stay, in this quiet rural area.

We were greeted with afternoon tea (complete with handmade treats) in this very pretty spot in the back garden. The two white buildings used to be the schoolchildren's toilets back in the day. Now they've been converted into a very stylish outdoor kitchen area.

There were a lot of horses around the adjoining properties, so knowing Abi would be interested we made friends and took some pictures.

We sat in the back garden and watched the sun go down in this idyllic setting.....

It was hard to get moving early this morning. Jennifer's beautiful home cooked breakfast was not to be rushed...... but we did eventually make our way to Mayfield Garden - looking absolutely stunning (and popular with the crowds gathering) in the clear Autumn morning light. We met our friends Megan and Mark there - they'd booked in overnight for the "glamping" experience.

The current owners (the Hawkins family) bought the property in 1984, originally as a sheep farm - and over the last 35 years or so have been gradually transforming it into a showcase garden. The public area of the garden, together with the Hawkins family garden cover more than 75 hectares (185 acres). Sixteen days each season the family garden is opened to the public too. We were lucky that our visit today coincided with one of those 16 day periods: the Autumn Festival.

A stunning feature of Mayfield are the extensive water gardens ...........

(Thank you Mark for this nice pic of us)

The gardens have been inspired by the Hawkins family visits to the great gardens of Europe and Asia. In different parts of the garden we were reminded of gardens we've seen ourselves in Japan, China, England, and, of course a certain garden in Giverny.........

Another pic from Mark..........

We're sure we've seen a bridge like this (but MUCH older) near Yangshou in China..............

And now to Italy for the Grotto feature.........

And the Chinese pagoda.......

At this point we were walking around the private family gardens ........ Croquet anyone??

The Hawkins family front lawn .........

The cascading temple .......... (but no water cascading today) ...

A corner of the Hawkins family house (not their main house - this is just their "country weekender").

Leading to the glass house (full of large potted citrus and Cymbidium orchids!!)

Colourful dahlias (now back in fashion I hear!)...........

We loved the "Pear Walk" ............

And the chook runs are referred to as the "Chook Hilton" (with good reason) .....

Charlie, the Jack Russel, thought this was the most interesting aspect of Mayfield!

There were orchards, vegie gardens, wisteria arbors, an extensive maze, the largest herbaceous border garden in Australia under construction - all just amazing ........ and this beautiful example of a formal French style Parterre garden...... (Apparently the surrounding paddocks are planted with Canola - which provide a stunning backdrop of sunshine saturated yellow in the right season!)

Our friend Mark braved the Maze - and recorded this picture to prove he made his way to the Lookout Tower.....

The Valley of the Five Ponds....

Megan and Mark walking down the allee of London Plane Trees towards the obelisk, at the end of our walk around the garden .......

...from the Sandstone Gallery ........

back to the area set up for "glamping". The wind had turned quite fierce and cold by now and we were ready to find a sunny sheltered spot for our picnic lunch...

Not a bad set up for a fairly impromptu picnic under very windy conditions!

Our friends had been to Mayfield once before, in Spring, and we were lucky to be led around by them to find all the "best spots" without all the laborious map reading you'd need to do as a first time visitor.

Mayfield is a relatively young garden by world standards - and an extraordinary undertaking by a private (albeit wealthy) family! We can see how enjoyable it would be to do return visits as the seasons change and the plantings mature.....

And to conclude: Our gorgeous girl spent a quiet afternoon with us during the week (school holidays) enjoying a spot of painting. She decided to tackle "sunflowers" and spent ages mixing just the right colours and getting the textures right. We both enjoyed a long chat about Vincent Van Gogh and related matters while she worked - I was amazed at her interest and the maturity of her painting. Clever girl!!