THE ROCK TOUR @ MELBOURNE.
This was a welcome news as my friend and me hadn’t taken a proper holiday for years. Nor had my friend being to Australia before. I was not disappointed. There was so many amazing places to see and the weather is brilliant in January when we were there. At least it was until we arrived. Then it rained - in Melbourne, Sydney, Byron bay and Brisbane. At Byron Bay we walked at to the lighthouse and ate ice cream in the drizzle, just like in England.
I liked Melbourne parts of the city have a character not unlike London about 20 years ago with interesting shops and friendly people. North of Adelaide we visited the Barossa valley and sampled fine wines at Chateau Tanunda, established as many of the vineyards were, by German immigrants in the mid 19th century.
Then I has an extensive tour of my relatives across New South Wales and only when we reached Hamilton Island did the rain stop. Hamilton is a dedicated tourist trap, built unashamedly for people who wish to do nothing but holiday. Hamilton is one of the Whitsunday Islands, which appear as a series of verdant mountain tops peeping out from the seabed off the coast of Queensland. There are about 70 islands in the chain, only a few of which are inhabited the main one being Hamilton.
Whitehaven beach a beautiful sweep of light sand, is a short hop away and we were dropped off there to wander about and take some pictures. Swimmers here are told by beware of the deadly box jellyfish, one of the seas most venomous creatures. However the local bay is netted against them. Boating alone the islands is without doubt the best way to experience this coast. I spoke to 3 British visitors who were chattering a boat to sail for the week.
I rode the commercial ferry over to Air lie beach on the mainland via Daydream and South Molle Island and met up with Mike, a brass player who had jammed with us a few days earlier. From Air lie Bach to Hamilton you can take a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef, 40 miles out to sea. Queensland coast and is the largest structure on the planet build by living organisms. There are 2000 species of fish on the reef and a few sharks too.
Overall the beach and pool areas of Hamilton are perfect for families. Finally I met up with 2 lads who ran a safari night really a barbecue, out on coral beach across the island to which they ferry visitors in a four-wheeled drive for a nights party with food, drinks, stories, songs and a few mad games. There is a tremendous view of monkey island, one of the few named by Caption Cook, who sailed down the cost line in June 1770 aboard the endeavour. The indigenous negro people stage cultural festivals every September off air lie beach.
Orange and white hibiscus was flowering, right on the beach. I lay under a gentle cloud until the sun emerged and started to burn my face, forcing me to move on. Hamilton island lays on every activity for you, but there’s nothing like finding something for yourself. An acquaintance took us out to the 20 years, just off Hamilton and we spent the evening eating and playing guitar under the stars.