Fancy Hunting for Boulder Opal? Start at Winton IF YOU’VE ever fancied yourself striking it lucky on an Australian opal field but felt it was daunting, the annual Winton Opal Festival is your chance to get the lowdown on all things Boulder Opal. In July 2021, the Winton Opal Festival and Trade Show had everything […]
What’s strange in the Granite Belt Wine Region? Something strange is happening in the Granite Belt Wine Region of South East Queensland, and it’s not just the birds. Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, […]
Mary Ann’s priceless nameplate comes home A PRICELESS piece of Queensland’s railway history has reappeared after 127 years. Ipswich railway enthusiast Merv Volker, who visited Maryborough last week, has donated the nameplate from the original Mary Ann locomotive to the Whistlestop museum, where its replica locomotive is housed. Mary Ann was the first steam locomotive […]
Top 5 ways to unwind with a reef tour Update (20 July 2023): Annette Swaine is no longer with Port of Call. Boats are still available for hire, and other operators in the area also offer guided and self-guided options for exploring the region. IF YOU’RE looking for a top spot to relax, far away […]
Why hold world-class white water rafting championships at Tully? Watching all the adrenalin pumping action on the first day of the 2018 Pre-World White Water Rafting Championship on 11 May was certainly a highlight of my five-week house-sitting stint in Tully. BEFORE visiting Tully, I knew the town of 2,390 people, located 140 kilometres south […]
Discover Cooktown in Far North Queensland THERE’S no shortage of things to do at Cooktown, where in 1770 James Cook landed after his ship ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef. The old adage “Seen one rainforest, seen ém all” certainly doesn’t apply. Exploring Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula was just a blip on my travel […]
In October 2014, I stood among hundreds of Butchulla people on K’gari as a temporary Federal Court sat on Country to formally recognise native title over the island then known as Fraser Island. Covering the determination as both a journalist and photographer, I witnessed a historic moment that followed nearly two decades of legal effort […]
Jocelyn Honoured in the Black and White Spider Awards Fraser Coast photographer Jocelyn Watts received international recognition in the prestigious 9th Annual Black and White Spider Awards, earning a Nominee Award in the Abstract Photography category. The Black and White Spider Awards are regarded as one of the world’s leading competitions dedicated exclusively to black […]
Discovering New Norcia IF TOURIST brochures suggest staying at Margaret River you can bet hubby will want to book at Yallingup, a stone’s throw up the road. Doing the tourist thing or mingling with crowds is not his idea of a relaxing holiday so when we visited the southwest corner of Western Australia recently, he […]