We have had a busy time on the Sunshine Coast... busy doing lots of jobs, and we suddenly realized that we only had a couple of days left to enjoy the beauty on the coast. We didn't manage to do half the things we wanted to do holiday wise. We never did get to do our bush walk at Buderim or go for a drive up to Mapleton, Montville and Maleny. We never quite got to go to the second movie we wanted to see either.
So with two days to spare we decided that we needed to put down tools and actually spend some time appreciating the views, the water, the beach. and some new friendships.
When we had our little holiday in Bundaberg earlier in December, we met a lovely couple from England who were camped in their van next to us in the caravan park. Mike watched Steve do some maintenance on our van and realized that his van needed some work done on it also. We ended up spending a little time chatting to them most days.
It just so happened that we both left the park on the same day, and they were heading through to Rockhampton for a couple of days, so we invited them around for a meal. We enjoyed their company and they have kept in touch with us since. It just so happens that they have arrived on the Sunshine Coast a couple of days before we left so we spent our last night on the coast catching up with them for fish and chips on the beach.
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| Ann and Mike O'Hare |
They have only been in Australia for a couple of months and have just spent their first Christmas away from family and friends... A huge change for them, so it has been nice to befriend them and we hope to catch up with them again.
We did have a lovely time with them, we had dinner and then went for a lovely long walk out along the spit
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| Stone walk out to the mouth of the Mooloola River |
We did this walk at night a few times whilst we were on the coast. It is really pretty to look back at the lights of Mooloolabah and for the second time I wished that I would have had my camera and tripod with me. After our walk, we went back to Mooloolabah and went out for a coffee together at one of the little eateries on the beach front... We went wandered along one of the many walks along the beachfront at Mooloolabah. It was the perfect way to end our holiday. We actually felt like we were on holidays.
Yesterday, Steve and I spent the morning at Port Cartwright.. We went on one of the bush walks
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| Bush walks at Port Cartwright |
up to the lighthouse....
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| Lighthouse at Port Cartwright... |
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| Such a beautiful day with beautiful views.... |
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| You couldn't have asked for better weather. |
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| Rocks out from the Lighthouse |
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| Love the views of the ocean with land in the background.... |
The views from here were beautiful... The ocean was beautiful, it was perfect weather....
The Warana beach is a lovely long stretch of sandy beaches, kind of a hidden secret on the Sunshine Coast, but beautiful all the same....
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| Looking across the Mooloola River towards Mooloolabah and the stone wall we walked out on. |
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| Boats heading out to sea.. |
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| Mooloolabah in the distance |
I have to say though, the Coast is dry. Normally when we are here everything is so green, but they have had a serious lack of rain this summer and everything is so dry....
Up along the fence line at the top of the cliff near the lighthouse we find several memorials to lives lost...
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| Young lives lost... |
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We look towards Caloundra and all we see for as far as the eye can see is beautiful stretches of sandy beaches, Unpopulated. This beach is only three blocks from our place. We really do live in a place of paradise.
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| Warana Beach |
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| Warana Beach from the Lighthouse |
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| It's a beautiful spot to sit and ponder..... |
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| and we do take some time out to just soak up and enjoy our surroundings..... |
We ended up going for a drive back around to the Mooloolaba Spit. I love this area of beach,,,, it is not as populated as the main beach in Mooloolabah, and is quite shelted for swimming... We had our last walk along the beach for this summer holiday. It is always sad when you realize it is the last before you go home. This beach holds a lot of memories. It was where my sister and I would come to to find solace often when Mum was so sick. We would go to Alex Headlands and Caloundra too. Sitting and watching the waves seem to soothe out troubled hearts....
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| Beautiful beach and not too populated this morning... |
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| Walking towards Mooloolabah |
There were a handful of folk out swimming...
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| Beautiful warm water... |
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| A trailer out to see. Love seeing the land in the background across from the water. |
I love this part of Australia.... my heart is here and I hope that one day we can retire down here...
The last few years we have spent most of our time here working....
We have decided that, that needs to change.
We need to work in th morning and spend the afternoon enjoying the beauty.
One of our New Year Resolutions....
Something we need to work on.. as it won't happen if we don't
I am so thankful for this beautiful country we love in
I am thankful for the many many sunny days that we have
I am thankful for beautiful cool ocean breezes
I am thankful for the wonderful views and walks we have in this country.
I am thankful that I got to share it all with my wonderful husband.
I am thankful for 2013..
May this be the year of finding JOY in my life again...
