Issue 127 OUT NOW. Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organisations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.
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Bribie Island is home to many bird species, many with amusing and improbable names. Some of my favourites include the spangled drongo, the ruddy turnstone (which sounds like either a curse or the name of a ruggedly handsome blacksmith). Then there’s the spectacled monarch. I picture Her Majesty, of course with glasses. Several years ago I noted in an article that, just like birds, bicycle riders also come in species. I referred specifically to two main species spotted on Brisbane bikeways.
The first is the ‘shiny-bottomed hairless racer’ – this deeply serious bike rider, complete with streamlined aerodynamic helmet and fluoro lycra-based, figure-hugging plumage. Much of their garish outer covering features sportswear logos or corporate branding.
The other common species I dubbed the ‘domestic, timorous wobbler’. These mostly middle-aged recreational cyclists are identified by their leisurely pace, tragically miss-matched clothing and daggy bikes. They travel in groups (not pelotons), which I call either an Enid Blyton or a ‘conversation’ of cyclists.
The latter term reflects their habit of travelling three abreast along the bike path to converse with each other. You, dear reader, will be aware of Bribie Island’s wonderful bike path which meanders from Woorim to Bongaree. You will rarely spot a shiny-bottomed hairless racer on this dappled path.
No, Bribie’s bikeways form the habitat of the domestic timorous wobbler. Excitingly I’ve recently discovered a new sub-species of the wobbler – found exclusively on Bribie – which I’ve coined the ‘elderly, wandering dodderer’.
Plus I’ve discovered that while I once was a domestic timorous wobbler, somehow with the passing of the years, I’ve transformed into an elderly, wandering dodderer This sub-species is less interested in the destination (the ice cream shop at Bongaree) and more interested in simply completing the journey without ‘having a fall’ and breaking a hip. Like the wobblers, the dodderers delight in taking many stops along the bike path for sustenance.
A shady tree, a bridge, a bench – any of these will cause a group of wobblers or dodderers to brake collectively, down cycles and begin to graze on chocolates, Tim Tams, and lashings of ginger beer – most of which they have crammed into their colourful handle-bar baskets.
Along with those yummy treats, dodderers may also whip out the glycerin spray for a quick squirt under the tongue, and maybe an anti-inflammatory or two to keep the aches and pains at bay. Bribie birdlife looks on with amusement at the antics of these bike-riding species as they dodder and wobble their way across the island.
You’ll often hear the laughing kookaburra chortle as yet another dodderer narrowly avoids an oncoming teenager.
Or you may hear the wandering tattler regaling her branch buddies with the hilarious escapades of marauding gangs of wobblers. But let me tell you, it takes more than the ridicule of a Red-browed treecreeper or the mirth of a masked wood swallow to deter this merry band of Bribie cyclists.
So, to all you wobblers and dodderers, stock up on the meds and ride on!
What seems like a lifetime ago I started in the wine industry as a sales representative with Kaiser Stuhl which was a co-operative of over 100 small grape growers in The Barossa Valley in South Australia and it operated more like a family business than a large behemoth of a company. Kaiser Stuhl which mainly satisfied the bulk end of the market concentrating mainly on 4-litre casks, 2-litre flagons, Summer Wine, Black Forest Moselle and Gold Medal Rose was a co-operative created out of the great depression of 1931 as small winegrowers struggled to survive and did so until the 1990’s when Fosters who had acquired a large number of wineries decided to retire (dump) a lot of the cheaper ranges such as all of the Kaiser Stuhl products.
Kaiser Stuhl was the company that brought a young winemaker called Wolf Blass out to Australia to make a sparkling wine that would compete with Orlando’s Barossa Pearl but he would create a very successful selling rose which became known as Kaiser Stuhl Gold Medal Rose after winning a gold medal in an obscure tournament in Ljubljana and then going on to win more gold medals in Montpellier, Perth and Adelaide.
It was a wine ahead of its time and in Australia, we had a wine that outsold Mateus Rose from Portugal which at that time was the largest selling wine in the world, K.S. Gold Medal Rose was made from Grenache grapes, a variety that lost favour for a while, but has now come back in a big way now that Rose has all of a sudden found favour around the world as wine drinkers once again turn to this lighter style of red wine that can be drank icy cold, and there is a style to suit every taste.
Mainly a summertime wine Rose continues to grow in popularity accounting for over 11% of the world’s wine-drinking consumption. Here in Australia it is possible to find Rose made from just about every red wine grape and at every price point, Jacob’s Creek Le Petit Rose $14, Chapel Hill Sangiovese Rose $17, Mr Mick $16, Blue Pyrenees $18, Deep Woods Estate ‘Harmony’ $11, Shingleback Red Knot $15 and Pizzini $19 are just a small selection out of the hundreds out there and if you are having a meal at Seasars Restaurant at Spinnakers Marina try a bottle of ‘Rhythm and Rhyme’ Rose which goes well with the fish and chips.
Another region producing very good Rose wines is Provence in France and Australia ranks sixth in the world for importing Rose from this area. Provence sits in the South East of France and with the heat and sun ensuring the grapes early ripening and a variety of soils which can consist of limestone and shale near the coast to clay and sandstone inland influencing the different styles there is something for everyone.
Even Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have got in on the act with their Chateau Miraval Cotes De Provence Rose which costs around $27. Which Australian grape is very popular with winemakers with its vigour, ease of propagation, high yields and resistance to disease, can produce outstanding dry white wines, unbelievable botrytised sweet wines, ages beautifully and when blended with another grape variety is one of the country’s largest-selling white wines? It has had several different classifications before its real variety was revealed yet escapes the attention of many wine drinkers who for some reason choose varieties that are far less interesting than this outstanding Australian icon. We are of course referring to the grape variety Semillon.
As with many European grapes, Semillon arrived in Australia in 1831 as part of James Busby’s collection and found its home in the warm, humid Hunter Valley. In the early days and even until the early 1980s Semillon was often labelled Hock, White Burgundy, Chablis and even Hunter River Riesling so no wonder this classic had a confused existence and found it hard to stand on its own as a standalone variety, however when it was blended with Sauvignon Blanc in the early 1990s and called a “classic dry white” the public went crazy for this excellent new age dry white, but on its own Semillon still struggles to find its rightful place amongst Australian classic white wines.
As with Chardonnay Semillon ages very gracefully and changes from a young zesty light coloured crisp white wine with aromas of citrus, grass, straw and subtle green herbs making it a natural to drink with almost any fish course or oysters to a deep golden, nutty, honey and strawscented old-timer. The grapes are picked at a low baume (sugar level converting to 10-11% alcohol) gently handled, crushed with minimal skin and seed extract, the juice is fermented at cold temperatures in stainless steel tanks and transferred to bottle as soon as fermentation stops. It can also be fermented in oak barrels giving the wine more complexity.
It’s these wines that make the Hunter Valley Semillon one of the great collectable wonders and although prices vary are in the reach of most wine lovers regardless of budget. My favourite wine from this region is the McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon which can be found at very attractive prices often less than $20 but other notable producers include Brokenwood, De Lulius, Keith Tulloch, Pepper Tree and Tyrell’s whose iconic Vat 1 Semillon sets a benchmark for the region. Other regions producing high-quality Semillon include The Barossa Valley and from winemakers Peter Lehman and Grant Burge. From The Clare valley Stephanie O’Toole at Mt. Horrocks makes an oak fermented style and other producers in the region include Kirrihill, Taylors Annies Lane, Tim Adams and Paullets.
In the Riverina region of New South Wales Semillon can be affected by the fungus botrytis cinerea which reduces the water in the grape to produce a sweeter more intense wine with lovely flavour and complexity. DeBortoli sell a wine called Noble One which would be a wonderful ending to any dinner party to accompany the dessert, however, for some reason, it is also magnificent with any blue cheese from around the globe such as Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort.Cheers, Philip Arlidge, [email protected]
INGREDIENTS
• 220 g unsalted butter
• 200 g dark chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 125 g cream cheese
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 24 fresh strawberries
• 12 mini marshmallows
Method
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Grease and line a 24cm x 30cm shallow baking tray.
2. Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan. Allow to cool slightly. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and eggs. Add melted chocolate and butter and mix well. Pour into prepared tin, smooth out evenly, and bake for 25 minutes.
3. Using handheld beaters or a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag or zip-lock bag and snip the end.
4 Wash strawberries and slice off stalk end. Halve marshmallows. Use a small scone cutter to cut 3.5cm rounds from the brownie. Pipe on some cream cheese icing. Top with a strawberry. Pipe a dot of icing onto the top of the strawberry and press on a marshmallow halve.
Hi again everyone! The last couple of weeks has seen excellent fishing reports coming in. The Whiting season still in full swing with most people getting plenty home for a feed. Some really good specimens have been taken along the front of Bongaree on live blood worms and live yabbies. Early in the morning on an incoming tide in shallow water has seen best results. Also finally the Mackerel have turned up around the channel markers and Skirmish point off the beach. Before the sun gets up is the best time to target these with live baits, pilchards and small metal slugs. Look for the bait schools and there is sure to be Mackerel around. Whilst up in the passage around the creek mouths and Bribie bridge the Bream have been plentiful. Claude bagged out on these with strip baits of Yellowtail Pike and Mullet being choice baits. It’s been easy to get a good feed of Leather Jackets under the bridge and around any structure, peeled prawn on a small hook has been doing the damage. Nighttime has seen a few big eye Trevally chasing baitfish. Using poppers to target these is great fun but their eating quality is not the best. That’s all, for now, stay safe, wet a line and relax…
John and I are having a big problem with our new 16-week-old little prince. Both of us are constantly causing the same problem….. Although it’s over six months now since we lost our Chihuahua ‘Nougat the Fearless,’ whenever we are supposed to call our new sable Chihuahua Silver Streak: SILVI, SILVO, STREAKY or the like, we keep calling out Nougat by mistake.
So now we have given up and are calling him NOUGUIETOO, which, of course, reverts back to the short Nouguie. He weighed just 1100gm when we brought him home at the end of September and he is absolutely gorgeous. He has been microchipped and vaccinated. But there are two more vaccinations to come. So we can’t socialise him or take him into the dog park next door to play with his predecessor’s fur-friends, nor take him for a walk outside the house till the end of November.
It’s really no surprise that we kept accidentally calling him Nougat, as we are still devastated by his loss and he is still always in our minds. Although our new fur-baby is not as beautiful in his dark colours as our little light champion was, we think he is even more intelligent and The Challenges Of Nouguietoo! By Helly Kemp funnier than Nougat, who was the cleverest dog we had over six decades.
Nouguie has a wonderful temperament and sense of humour, was nearly potty trained on his portable artificial grass tray toilet on arrival, and on first entry into our house, ran immediately into our bedroom up the sixfoot-long ramp to the top of our bed without hesitation. This took Nougat The Fearless several days with hesitation. Gwen Caskelly, the breeder, gave us his plastic, round food dish, which he carries to us when he wants his meal. And I don’t think John and I will ever have to wash our faces again as we are commanded to participate in the hourly ritual of cheek, neck, eye, ear, nose, and mouth cleansing sessions.
And if you’re not fast enough closing your mouth, you have your teeth cleaned as well. This affects me in particular, as I only breathe through my mouth. It took him just three days to plan his escape from his bath nursery at 4 am for an early morning attack in our bed. Nougat, admittedly was only six weeks old when he arrived, but he lived two months in the bath. Our new hero loves rolling speedily around the carpet like a gymnast, leaps up in the air like an Olympic high jumper and has already destroyed my best-loved sandals, the only ones I feel safe in after my shoulder replacement earlier this year. (Started chewing them before we woke up that fourth morning after he conquered the tall Mount Everest bath wall).
Nowadays he regularly struts the whole top of the circular bath wall around and around, like a soldier guarding the castle turret. From that height, he can see us easily in bed.
The bath nursery as you can see has some of our own huge toys including the white snow tiger I bought John some thirty years ago. I was actually not sure whether to place it into the bath, as I thought it might frighten our tiny newcomer. Guess what! The afternoon we brought the little one home and put him in the bath, Big Snowy was the first toy he attacked, climbing all the way up to his head, licking his shiny nose. And that’s how he started, parading on the top of the bath wall, then jumping onto the carpet, up the ramp and terrorising us in the early hours of the morning. But for four days we wondered how he got out of the bath, as even standing up, he could not see over the bath wall.
I wonder who the brightest spark in this family is!! Then, of course, there was the toilet paper, just like the TV advert, trailing into our bedroom from the other end of the house, the ice cubes from his water dish that skating all over the kitchen tiles, hallway and dining area, the paperwork extracted from my office bin, myriad fragments covering the floor, my huge Cassells Italian dictionary’s cover chewed off, but speedily replaced by John with leather.
And in my office he finds innumerable boxes with soft packaging materials or bags he crawls into and is very hard to find unless he pokes his head out and watches me on the computer. One day we so panicked, as neither of us could find him anywhere and although we knew no doors were left open, our hearts were still racing to search for him and that’s when I lifted out a Woolworths Canvas bag in my Post Office crate, in which he was fast asleep.
Well, at the moment we are getting less sleep than youknow-who, but it’s going to be a wonderfully exciting life with our new fur-baby, so full of love for life and for us.
BRIBIE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE Matthew Flinders Gallery THE 10TH ART TARTS EXHIBITION, FEATURING THE WORKS OF A WIDE ARRAY OF FEMALE ARTISTS, WILL BE HELD IN THE MATHEW FLINDERS GALLERY, BRIBIE ISLAND COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE FROM NOVEMBER 10 – 29.
The concept began in 2011 and has grown into a much-loved and anticipated, vibrant event. The three instigators, Bev Porter, Helen Mitchell and Sheryl Davies, invite a variety of artists to take part. Some come back year after year. Some are new to the exhibition this year.
This year’s exhibitors alongside Bev, Helen and Sheryl, are Lorrie Bradford, Lyn Buck, Susan Hamilton, Shirley Heapy, Sonia Patey, Lyn Storey and Tracy Tanin.
So appropriate that there are 10 artists in this 10th year of Tarts.
Their works cover a variety of mediums, including Painting, Drawing, Ceramics, Stained Glass, Fused and Slumped Glass, Textiles, Cards, Leadlight and Wood creations, Jewellery, Macrame and Silk.
As in previous years, Art Tarts will support Bribie Island Dragons Abreast. DA are a paddling group who offer fun, fitness, friendship and emotional support for those who have had, or are going through breast cancer. Each Art Tart donates an exclusive piece of work for the exhibition raffle, with all proceeds going to DA. So, come on in and see these lovely works.
A piece of unique Tart Art work could really enhance your Christmas gift shopping. Bribie Island Community Arts Centre, 191 Sunderland Drive Banksia Beach; Open 9am – 4pm Tuesday to Saturday; 9am – 1pm Sunday.
We re-join the Winnett family as they continue their journey, battling the confines of sea-board life with births and deaths on the high seas.
26th June – going pretty fair; not quite so warm now; every day will be getting cooler.
27th June – Lat. 10.40S. Long. 32.27 W – nice warm days; all invalids on recovery.
28th June – there is no twilight here; just as the sun sets it becomes quite dark; the stars are beautiful to behold; the southern cross is visible; also, a splendid star called, the Western Star; we have seen a comet; weather fine with lovely moonlight nights; the sea is a picture at night, everything so calm and bright.
29th June – sighted a whale, tumbling and sporting in the water; also some flying fish; we passed some rocks last night’ `tis called by the sailors the Emigrant’s grave; but thank God, so far we are safe.
2nd July – Church service at 12 o’clock; we have great need to be thankful to God for His mercies; last night we were near being in a watery grave through a sudden squall and some neglect on part of the second mate; all hands had to be called on board to pull in sail, and only for the united efforts of men and sailors, 3 minutes would have sent us to the bottom.
3rd July – Lat. 24.2S, Long. 29.5W – We are now out of the Tropics; weather getting cool; 4th July – contrary winds; going very slowly; overtook a vessel that left Plymouth 9 days before us, signalled Orontes, bound for Sydney with emigrants; so we have companions 412 souls including crew and they also signalled they had five births and one death on board. We passed her in Lat. 24S, Long. 29W.
5th July – morning very wet and dull – a wet day at sea is dreary indeed; we have to stay between decks with the hatch closed and it is dark; it has been a gala day with us; we were served out with jam, weren’t we glad to get it; one little child is very ill, not expected to recover, only two years old.
6th July – the morning is fine, but a little cold; the little baby died last night at 12 o’clock and was buried this morning at 8 a.m. The doctor read the funeral service, the sea was very calm, not a ripple on the water, and the sun shining. There were three sharks going round the ship the whole morning; they are pretty fish to look at in the water, back and sides are green blue and silver, fins white, and tail a dark green; everyone seems sad today.
7th July, fair wind again; going tolerably well; allowed our boxes today.
8th July – Cape pigeons flying round the ship; they are nice looking birds; very fair wind; travelled 202 miles; had an eventful night we went to bed about 10 o’clock at 11 I awoke in time to hear a voice shouting “All hands on deck”, it sounded dreadful to us who heard; we could hear the men running to and fro obeying orders. In the morning we found we were near being run down by some vessel unknown; `twas a very dark night, and the “watch” did not see the vessel until within a cable’s length of our bows; she carried no lights. If our vessel had not answered her helm, we would both have gone to the bottom; we would have been struck amidships; one of our stern sails was carried away.
9th July, Sunday morning service at 12 p.m. Children got sweets from the doctor.
10th July – very rough with heavy seas; ship rolling delightfully; we are scarcely able to stand on deck. Mollyhawk and cape pigeons flying in all directions and causing a little excitement to the men trying to catch them.
11th July, still very rough waves, very high like mountains and washing over the deck at intervals; we have to keep below as we don’t care to get wet.
12th July – weather rough and stormy with rain and snow – very cold like December; but still the sea is very beautiful to look at; like some sportive fury dashing along, first one man then another getting a ducking, the waves dash over the sides so often.
We passed the islands of Tristan da Cunh three, one is 7000 feet above the level of the sea, having about 90 inhabitants, chiefly English, only one landing place; we could see the houses and green fields. Oh! such a lovely sight to us poor emigrants; we cheered as if there was no lovelier place to be seen; `twas the first glimpse of land since we left Plymouth. Could also see three waterfalls falling down the cliff about 300 feet; the day was rough and stormy, were it otherwise, boats would have come alongside with fruit, vegetables etc. for sale; we were disappointed that the day was so unfavourable. There was a baby born at 10 o’clock, both mother and son doing well.
As a direct result of COVID-19 many in our community are currently suffering from poor Mental Health Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. MENTAL HEALTH WALK Sunday 22nd November 2020 Brennan Park Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, you’re thinking, mood, and behaviour could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
• Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
• Family history of mental health problems
Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to enjoy Good Mental Health. Pool Mental health can manifest in a number of ways – from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress, Bipolar, Anorexia, Bulimia to name a few. But we can help by being able to identify early warning signs –
• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Pulling away from people and usual activities or yelling and fighting with family and friends
• Having low or no energy or having unexplained aches and pains
• Feeling helpless or hopeless, or unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
• Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head or hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Thinking of harming yourself or others
• Feeling numb or like nothing matters and therefore inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school
We can further help by helping our friend/family member
• Get professional
• Keeping them connected with others
• Stay positive
• Get physically active
• Helping others
• Get enough sleep
• Develop coping skills
“Sandy’s sheet service” (for individuals) was only launched recently, after seven years of on-going success for her holiday rental unit, linen supply business on Bribie. Since starting her new laundering service “for everyone” , she has been “knocked down in the rush” with enthusiastic new clients, ranging from business people, who don’t have the time to do their weekly linen change, to others who simply don’t like the chore, to her favourites “the oldies”, who just find it too hard to manage baskets of wet washing or the effort to hang heavy blankets or doonas on the line. Many people these days don’t have enough clothes-line space to dry these big and bulky items.
Sandy says “every one of her new customers have been delighted with product & service she provides and that she is already getting great word of mouth referrals, from all of them.” The fact that Sandy can professionally launder & return big items, for a cheaper price than a visit to the laundromat, with no dragging the items backwards & forth or waiting & watching while your doona or blanket “goes round & round”, makes her service a boon for all. Everybody comments on how great their washing smells when she returns it. Being originally from Germany, Sandy is fastidious about the quality of the job she does, as well as the end result for her treasured clients.
It seems, there are so many people who either can’t handle the bulky linen, doonas, blankets etc., don’t want to deal with these big items or they simply don’t have the time. Sandy already has many clients who run businesses in and around Bribie, who are “rapped” that someone else can do this timeconsuming chore for them.
Sandy’s simple service of washing & sun-drying the linen, ironing & returning it, starts at around $16 for a queen set. She will also strip the bed & re-make it on return, for around $20 and she can quote you for other sizes and types of items to be washed.
Now Sandy has gift vouchers, so for as little as $20 you can help someone close to you avoid the laborious washing chores, whilst solving that age-old dilemma of “What am I going to buy my parents or grandparents for Christmas? They already have all the things they want or need.”
So, if you’d like to put a smile on Grandma’s face this Christmas, with a really useful present, Sandy’s Gift Vouchers can be customised to a one-off price or she can offer a subscription, for weekly or fortnightly service.
For more information, or a quote on your “washing job”, please call Sandy on 0409 385 611, email her on [email protected] or find “Sandy’s Sheet Service” on Facebook.
Helen Peters will be 70 on the 30th of November and decided to mark the occasion by supporting a cause that is close to her heart. Helen and Sharon from Eco Village Hair banded together for this wonderful cause.
Helen bravely shaved her head in memory of her two dear friends that lost their battles with cancer aged 42 and 60. She believes that women need emotional support and this was her contribution to the cause. Helen’s daughter was a great supporter by holding morning teas and printed off flyers that Helen dropped off in the neighbourhood for support for her shave.
Helen raised just sort of $2000 and the number is still increasing. Sharon from Eco Village Hair assisted in the fundraising and also raised $564 through donations at the salon where they held the shave. If anyone wants to donate please donate directly to Breast Cancer Australia. Helen’s generosity hasn’t stopped here! With a beautiful heart to match her beautiful smile, Helen has been busy donating to various charities her stunning handmade items.
Helen is naturally talented to the point she doesn’t follow patterns she just sees them and can make them just from sight. Helen has been doing this for years, Helen and her husband Jim went on a cruise and stopped off in Vanuatu where she took at a suitcase full of the crocheted items for the local orphanage. Helen her husband Jim were married for 30 years when he passed away earlier this year and in her quiet time now, she spends it crocheting for the Mater children’s hospital. As soon as she fills a box up she posts it to them for the children. Helen joined Legacy 6 weeks ago and donates a variety of crocheted things to them to use for raffles and fund raising. A blanket she donated recently to the Marter Children’s hospital was auctioned off and raised a whopping $1700.
If you have any spare wool lying around Helen will happily use it to create beautiful handmade items.
You can drop it off to the Bribie Islander Magazine, we will make sure Helen receives it.
Issue 126 OUT NOW. Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organisations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.
Download latest digital edition here. Or use the ebook below to view.
We’d heard the little town of COOYAR was doing it pretty tough And then came March and that bloody COVID19. It was such a bloody curse Drought and fires throughout the land, we thought they’d had enough We couldn’t think of anything that could be bloody worse
An aging group of musicians appreciated their plight A gig at the Cooyar Pub would surely lift the spirits high.
The MINSTRELS got together without a single sigh Karyn the publican was approached who said, “That I just might” October seventeen was set for this marvellous event Arrangement made to advertise with a glossy magazine The Bribie Islander surely was heavenly sent
And advertising costs were zero. Not a single bloody bean If you told me that we see more people from Bribie there I’d have said your bloody dreamin’
Who travels that far just to breast the bloody bar? Except to hear the CELTIC MINSTRELS who also travelled far A big THANK YOU to Karyn, the licencee and publican of the Cooyar Hotel. Also, a big thank you to the hardy group of Bribie Islanders who travelled bush to help their country cousins thecasinoapps.com. Mike Watts and I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with a group of bikies. A valuable lesson learned by all. Never judge a book by its cover and The good old fashioned “PIG ON A SPIT” went down a treat. The event was too successful and further meat had to be prepared.
The CELTIC MINSTRELS donated their time to put on this gig on, and our hosts treated us as family as did all in attendance. Having grown up in a country town it was great to rekindle bush hospitality. Even the Red Kelpie at the bar made us welcome, and the free camp sites catered for our needs. We chatted to some of the Bribie crew who felt a little let down by some who intended to come, but didn’t make it. Ahh well – there is always next time. Mike Watts and I were fortunate in having access to power but everyone else had solar, so all was good.