AT Alexandria Bay!

AAaaarrrGH!

Ludwig, you dirty old man you!

My memories of Castle hill was goat hunting on it at about 8 years old, from our home, one of the last in Stanley street where it starts the climb. They go a bit further up today. In 3 years we never saw a goat, but hay, so what.

One really lovely place is Whitehaven beach, on Whitsunday Island, with Hill Inlet at it's northern end, a total gem. There are regular tourist trips from a number of resort Islands to Whitehaven, so all can enjoy it, although they don't go up hill inlet, it's a bit tricky, & you have to work the tides.

There are many truly beautiful places throughout the Pacific islands, but one of the most spectacular is in the Duke of York Islands, between New Island & New Britain in PNG. Not an atoll, but made up of about a dozen islands, there is a spot in the inner lagoon from which no exit is visible.

With virtually no tidal range, deep water right up to a sandy beach, backed by groves of coconut palms, it is a perfect spot to drop a stern anchor, nose up to the beach, with a line to a palm, & step ashore.

The Rabaul yacht club used to have a bar-b-que weekend there each year, rather grandiosely named the Duke of York's Ball. Each yacht was heavily loaded transporting members, who would sleep ashore after the festivities

As we were getting ready to go to my first one, three middle age ladies appeared in ball gowns, & dancing pumps, looking to go to the "ball". Undeterred when they discovered the truth, they came with me, & had a "Ball" regardless.

Our spot was completely isolated, but the most striking thing was the next morning, when we were woken reasonably early by the hymns from a village church, just 100 yards across the inlet. The voices were beautiful. To wake up to them, lying on a sandy beach, under the coconut palms is something I will never forget.

Dear Ludwig and Hasbeen,

Thanks for sharing your memorable places.
They sound wonderful.

Another favourite of mine is the city of
Ballarat. We often spend a week-end there -
at the old historic Craig's Hotel. Like so
much of Ballarat, it has the aura of solidity.
Beautifully restored to its Victorian splendour.
It's good to see Lake Wendouree full of water
again. Then there's The Avenue of Prime Ministers
where the Right Honorables sit very comfortably.
I was surprised at how small Kevin Rudd's head
was compared to Malcolm Fraser's. Not sure what
that means. Then of course there's the Gold Museum
and Sovereign Hill.

It's great being a tourist - and I do intend to
bring my grandchildren there once they're a bit older.

Another great spot that all can enjoy is Henning Island in the Whitsundays.

On the eastern side of Whitsunday passage, near Dent & Hamilton, it is only small, has a lovely little sandy beach, with the anchorage in front of it better than it looks, as it is protected by strong tidal currents.

It has a small soak, which always had enough water to have a nice fresh water shower, always important on a yacht with limited fresh water, & a large number of goats.

I had an amazing experience there once. A mackerel had committed suicide on my trailing line. We & a couple of friends on another yacht decided to bar-b-que it that night on Henning, one of the few where mozzies & sand flies are not a problem.

After having a shower we were walking around the foreshore, when we surprised one of the herds of goats. As they scattered one very small young kid ran into me, & kept trying to run through me.

I picked it up. As it was terrified & trembling I cuddled it, trying to calm it, as we walked. As the herd had disappeared I did not know what else to do with it.

Within a few minutes it had calmed, & when I put it down it stayed within a foot or so of my legs. I believe it thought I was mum. It followed us back to the beach, & stayed by me, right through our dinner.

Continued

Continued
About 8 or 9PM it's mother found us, & was calling to the kid from the near darkness. The poor thing was torn. It would walk a few steps towards the calling, then run back to snuggle up to me. It took quite a few minutes before it ventured far enough to recognise it's mother, & we could hear them moving away.

We do get our magpie young eating from our fingers, & I have had many foals I have breed following me around, looking for a bit of bread, or apple, but this is the only wild animal that took me as a protector.

I gather Henning now has a camping area on it, & wonder how it may have changed. I'll bet the oysters are gone. However the beach is rather coarse sand, & does not have the problem with stone fish, or sting rays that many beaches in the area do. It is also sheltered from the prevailing south easterly trades, that do get a bit strong, so it will always be a good spot.

Dear Hasbeen,

What an amazing experience. And Thanks for sharing it
with us. I'm glad though that the kid was eventually
re-united with its mother. I guess we often forget
that there can be a strong connection between ourselves
and other animals. In our modern world we often feel
insulated from nature. We forget all too easily sometimes
that we too are animals, ultimately dependent on the
environment for our survival as any other species.

The Dandenong Ranges are world-renowed for specialised nurseries
and many fine gardens. Sherbrooke Forest Park is great for
its scenic walking tracks and wildlife - especially the
endangered lyrebirds. There are great stands of mountain
ash and gullies of giant tree ferns. Then of course among
the many tourist attractions of the Dandenongs, a great
favourite is the William Ricketts Sanctuary, where the sculptor
Ricketts has paid homage with a mystical complex of works
depicting the area's strong Aboriginal heritage.

We met Ricketts a few years ago - a quietly-spoken gentle man -
with an "other worldy" air about him and eyes that seemed to
be able to see into your soul. Not much seemed to be hidden
from this man.