Diary of an IFFRian Lady – Fly around Australia June 2003
October 2002

Programme for the fly around arrives. Will go anyway as this is my 5th and I love them; but program is of vital interest. Barrier Reef – great, on my life things-to-do list, Hamilton Island sounds fantastic Not too many clouds in Australia either, judging by the last fly around. And only one flying museum! James says that we are renting a Bonanza with the Wadias. Even better; they own a Bonanza so know all about them, and Raye will be great company as a fellow passenger.

Tuesday 3rd June – Melbourne - Collerenebrei
We meet at Moorabbin airport; great to see the Wadias and the plane looks good. Until we discover that is has 6 seats and carries much less weight than Feroz’s. Poor Bev Fogle is sent to Brisbane scheduled with her luggage and her usual good humour; and I set about halving our luggage; I am sure James can’t need all those clothes. I make a few minor sacrifices myself… We discover that the passenger seats face backwards; Raye and I discover that this is not as bad as one might imagine, as you can’t see clouds until you have gone past them. So we are finally off –hooray. Spend the night on a friend of James’s station in the outback, we land on his airstrip on one of his wheat fields. They are there in their “ute” to meet us; a surreal experience; never thought I would do such a thing. Discover that I have discarded all James underwear in my luggage cull; he is cheerful about the prospect of no knickers and washes them himself before bed.

Wednesday 5th June– Redcliffe - Roma
We arrive in Redcliffe in time for the pre-flight briefing, and just time to say hello to a few old friends before we set off for Roma. Entertainment there was the Big Rig Oil Museum; mmmm. Where oil was first discovered in Australia. The locals not pleased as they were looking for water. at the time...t hen on to a BBQ on a Rotarians farm; a great log fire and country music to entertain us. A good night.

Thursday 6th June Roma – Longreach
Not a cloud in the sky –“ CAV ok” it is called. We take over the local motel, which is within walking distance of the Qantas museum. It is also near the much more female friendly “Hall of Fame”. This tells the stories of pioneering days in out back Australia. The women were tough. . Floods, droughts, and all those impractical clothes. Their only medications were “castor oil for the inside and iodine for the outside” That night we had a typical Function Dinner in country Australia. The women get different food! Soup and chicken for the Sheilas, while the men get pate and steak.
Sunday 8th June – Longreach – Cairns
We stay at the idyllic Trinity Bay Apartments with the Wadias.. Toss a coin for the room overlooking the sea and win; sleep with balcony doors open to hear the waves. (A washing machine too - bliss).

Tuesday 9Th June – The Barrier Reef
I am anxious as I have also discarded James bathers from the suitcase; but he gets a pair from the hotel lost property complete with comb, so decency is preserved. We depart on the beautiful catamaran Ocean Spirit for the 2 ½ hour trip to the Reef. We are visiting Michaelmas Cay, a semicircle of white sand 25 miles out to sea, covered in sooty terns. We are landed on the sand, and the reef is just there; giant clams, spaghetti coral, shoals of tiny turquoise fish… beyond belief. The crew count us back on board; they have left a few people out there, which isn’t good for trade. Lots of lovely sailing kit to buy; the crew are all modelling the merchandise. We all look like the crew by the time we get back.
The Kurunda Scenic Railway, Rainforestation, the Sky Rail
A glorious day. We wound up the mountain in a Victorian narrow gauge train, saw a crocodile that had eaten 13 of his wives, met a very nice aboriginal called Damien, rode in an army duck (in the rain) in the Rainforest lake and learned more about the rainforest from a cable car just above the trees!

Hamilton Island Resort
A good thing this was last, as it was the highlight. A magical tropical island, with cockatoos that came into our room for a sachet of coffee in the morning that they ate from the packet. Little golf buggies to ride around in, no cars. We chartered a yacht the second day and anchored in a bay for a swim; nine people from 5 different countries. The other Rotarians were very disappointed when they discovered that it wasn’t our yacht that could be seen aground just outside the harbour that evening. The farewell dinner came all too soon and we said goodbye until next year – so don’t miss Hawaii!

A special thanks to Alan and Maisie for such a female- friendly programme

Catherine Alexander