As we zig-zagged our way down the Australian east coast, we stayed with many wonderful people along the way – most of them through Servas (an organization we can’t say enough about!). This is a little photo gallery of the people and places we stayed as our way of saying thanks for sharing your homes and showing us your part of Australia.Our first stay was at the 6,000 acre farm of David and Julienne, with 250 breeding cows and never-ending fields of sorghum.
With David and Julienne
Eva collecting sorghum seed from the combine
Eva tries out the cattle chute and just misses getting branded
David is a conserver at heart, with contour tillage to reduce erosion and stacks of articles on the latest in robotic spot spraying to reduce pesticide use.
From Capella, we drove out to the coast to Agnes Water, where we stayed with Peter.
With Peter and Hanna (another guest through Helpx)
Peter’s tour of the beach, including local delicacies
After our stay in Agnes Water we drove south to Elliot Head, where we stumbled upon a tasty strawberry farm run by Tina and Bruce. Tina took a shine to us and invited us to stay the night. Eva was in heaven.
Tina and Eva doing the rounds
Eva helping to make passion fruit jam
Eva convinces a skeptical buyer to go for the premium berries.
Our next stay was with Sheree and her mom, Enid, whose rural home in Gympie was a gaming paradise and a wonderful couple of days of relaxation! We learned several new card games, remembered lost skills at darts and pool, and set a few new high scores on their video word games.
Lunch on the patio with Enid and Sheree (and Sassy)
We all look in anticipation of where this dart might end up
Making a batch of Anzac biscuits
Further south again, to Brisbane, where we stayed with Ben and Melynda, and their two sons.
Yep, that about captures it
Our first Pavlova Meringue
In Newcastle, we stayed with Carrie and Peter and their 2.9 children.
We make crepes, another “Canadian” dish, for Carrie, Pete, and the family.
The view of Newcastle from the nearby beach
Nancy and I took a quiet stroll along the Memorial walk on the Newcastle cliff
The kids modelling the latest school uniforms. Actually, it was book day at school.
On our whirlwind tour of Tasmania (one week is just not enough) we spent a couple of days in Hobart with Jane and Ian. Their backyard was a mini-farm, complete with a chicken run.
With Ian and Jane among the backyard fruit trees
Eva checks for eggs from the plumpest and cuddliest chickens we have ever seen. Not that they wanted to be cuddled.
On our last two days before starting the long trek back home, we stayed with Irene and Howard at their home in the Blue Mountains, an hour’s drive from Sydney. They drove us to spectacular views, and took us on a hike and picnic lunch at Hanging Rock (not the one from the movie of the same name).
The Blue Mountains. It’s easy to understand how early explorers got lost.
Hanging Rock
Stopping for lunch
Hiking back up the cliff (spot the red and purple dots)
Aran takes in the view
Just a few photos to show how magical and special our time in Australia was.
Looks like the foodie theme continues! Good times!
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