We continue exploring Oceania; and now, having entered the waters of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef, we will explore the region Australasia. This is the southernmost portion of Oceania. It is defined as the region consisting of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and several neighboring islands.
Here, again, is the map of Oceania:
(Map of Oceania based on the United Nations geoscheme M49 coding classification devised by the United Nations Statistics Division source: Oceania_ISO_3166-1.svg: User:Tintazul
derivative work: Cruickshanks Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)
And here are a couple maps of Australia:
United States Central Intelligence Agency
Public domain
Australia-CIA WFB Map (2004).png Copy
[[File:Australia-CIA WFB Map (2004).png|Australia-(Thomas Steiner, CC-by-SA 2.5)
Nearly a week ago, we arrived in Queensland. Our first port-of-call was the capital city, Brisbane. We were here once before in 2010 and enjoyed the city tremendously!!! At that time, we could easily board the CityCat water taxi and tour the entire city. So, we were disappointed to learn that the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (which started operations in June 2022) had taken over all passenger cruise traffic. The cruise terminal is 13 miles from the Central Business District. There is no public transportation available into the city!!! It is a 30-minute drive away!!! A truly disappointing terminal.
Fortunately, we had booked a tour for the day!!!
In the past, it was easy to board the CityCat and move around the city.CityCat runs up and down the Brisbane River stopping at several “landings” on the route.But we had signed up for a tour to Lamington National Park….The first stop was O’Reilly’s Retreat & Villa….. (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Mitsu)…..where we set out to view the rainforest canopy from the Treetop Walkway–a suspended boardwalk.Afterwards, a lovely lunch was served…..…..along with some mighty fine wine!!!After feeding the wild parrots…..…..and browsing the gift shop…..
…..we moved on to O’Reilly’s Vineyards for a tasting.
We tasted several of their wines…..
…..but only bought two–the Sauvignon Blanc….
…..and a bottle of their port.
Returning to the ship, we walked, what felt like 41 miles, through a series of hallways, ramps, and inclines back to the ship for our departure to the next port…..
After a restful day at sea, we arrived at our second Queensland destination: Townsville. We had been here several times (as recently as 2019) and knew exactly what we wanted to do: shopping and lunch with friends!!!
Here are some photos along the way:
Townsville has an abundance of beautiful buildings!!! This is the old Custom’s House completed in 1902.But Townsville is known for several popular attractions. This is the Strand. It’s a 1 1/2 mile long strip of beach and garden.Then there’s riverfront parkland all along the Ross River. This is the NZAC Memorial Park.As we walked to our favorite brewery for the afternoon libation, we passed these trees in a roadway median strip. Why do you suppose they are wearing hats!?!? Really, why?!? We haven’t a clue!!!Shortly, we arrived at the Townsville Brewery!!!Located in what was once the Post Office building…..…..today, it’s a cozy and comfortable dining establishment…..…..with a nice selection of beers.
Roger chose the Legends Lager. Sandy stuck to her Sauvignon Blanc.
And then as we headed back to the ship…..…..we came across these cute metal critters. Nice send off. We departed from Townsville with smiles and chuckles as we headed to…..
…..our third, and final, Queensland port-of-call: Cairns.
And yes, we have the photos:
With its tropical climate, access to a tropical rainforest, and nearness to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is an exciting and interesting tourist destination.This is an easily walkable city. The Esplanade follows the shoreline around the fringe of the city. Or, a short walk across the street takes one to the popular Casino!!! Further along is the city center.Our favorite spot for French Fries and a libation is located right here in the terminal building–Hemingway’s Brewery.Hemingway’s opened several years ago at the end of the wharf.The location is sooo very handy to cruise passengers!!!Besides the beer…..
…..they also serve wine.
Roger had the Prospector Pilsner and, as usual, Sandy ordered the Sauvignon Blanc!!!This was the end of our Queensland touring…..…..we are now touring the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, and on our way to Komodo Island to see the ugly dragons. Then we will resume our Australian adventure in Darwin.
We will now be “at sea” for about a week as we make our way to Indonesia (just outside the Australasia region), before returning to Australia’s Northern Territory and the city of Darwin.
Join us for the continuation of the adventure!!!
PS: Before closing this post, Sandy wants to mention the craft market in the cruise terminal at Townsville. She met a talented lady, Meredith Yeoman, displaying her amazing Fibre Art. Her beautiful array of artwork consisted of several String Art pieces (according tp Wikipedia, “String art” or “pin and thread art”, is characterized by an arrangement of colored thread strung between points to form geometric patterns or representational designs…) Then Ms. Yeoman cuts and shapes them into 3D sculptural pieces:
This floral piece was dsiplayed under a glass dome. Ms Yeoman kindly uncovered the piece and allowed Sandy to photograph it without the glare of glass.This photo is from Ms. Yeoman’s website and shows her with the more traditional framed pieces. So very lovely!!!
Meredith Yeoman’s display was the highlight of Sandy’s day in the Townsville Market!!!
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