Twogreenfrogs

Every September, there is, on Mount Tamborine a Scarecrow festival.  The first year that the frogs visited we missed it by one week and could not return the next week.  So this year amongst all the Covid mess we actually had the privilege to visit during this time.  If you are keen, the visitor information center has maps of where all the scarecrows are and you can drive and see them all.  There are plenty along the Gallery walk too. Scarecrows. We came across one scarecrow and there were some young children laughing and they said walk past it.  The scarecrow was a pirate and  when you walked past the mouth would open like it was laughing.  What an interesting way to make a scarecrow.  It was funny and we understood why the kids enjoyed it so much.  So what else is there to see? I hear you ask.  There are a number of activities to do.  On our first visit we found a lovely Bed and Breakfast that supplied you with breakfast to your ro...

I lived in Bundaberg for nearly thirty years before I finally visited the Rum Distillery, in Bundaberg.  Since then I have been back twice with my other frog partner, who, like me likes Bundaberg Rum in many different forms. part of the Distillery and Museum We did the tour through the rum distillery a couple of years ago and it was really fun and informative. When the tour guide showed us a bottle of 75% alcohol, Frog number one got his wallet out and asked how much it was. The rest of the group and the guide were quite amused at his antics. The initial production of rum began with a team of 5 men in 1888 and then the first production of rum was in 1889.  Where you enter the big building that houses the molasses, to the vats that show the rum in different forms of fermentation.  There is a story, or myth, that goes that a fire broke out in the distillery and the rum flowed into the Burnett River making the fish drunk and therefore the people had plenty of fish to easily ...

We both had never visited here before, and so when we were having a short holiday in Bundaberg we decided to visit the Hinkler museum. The admission fee is for both the hall and the house. Bert Hinkler's plane  There is a replica of Bert's airplane that he actually flew under the Burnett traffic bridge, and when you look at the bridge it would have been an amazing feat.  Further into the museum you will find another airplane which you can sit in and in front of that one is a large box brownie.  With this brownie you can take a photo of the airplane and someone special and email it to yourself.    There is a plank that you can lie on and try gliding by moving the steering stick to glide with the screen in front of you.  There are also 3 different flight simulators where you sit in the seat like your are actually flying and you are now the pilot flying an airplane. These are fun and children would enjoy them and try to fly.   Simulator glider Hanging fro...

It is the weekend and you're looking for somewhere different to visit.  Why not try Old Petrie Town. Located in the Brisbane suburb of Petrie. It has many stalls and attractions that will please the whole family.  Old Petrie town is also open Wednesday to Friday if you are not working during the week and want to visit or even to take visitors there to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.   And if you are hungry there are places to find food for many different taste buds.   When you arrive, you will notice that there are many different shops with the old time frontage.  The walkways are bitumen and they are a pathway around the grounds.  The markets do not start until 10am, so there is not an early start to find that elusive bargain.   Some of the many stalls include but are not limited to the following:  crafts  book stall  used goods  clothing  collectables  plants  vegetables (locally grown)  music shop  ho...

The Big Pineapple was once a popular Queensland icon of the 70's and 80's.  Visited by many locals and tourists during its hey day.  I  remember back then there was a small zoo, though now the zoo has grown and has two parts to it.   The main building is still there, though not used at present. You walk up to the front and there is a small café where you buy your tickets for the train ride that takes you down to the zoo. The paddock, which was once filled with pineapples is now just green grass.  I remember looking over the pineapples and feeling sorry for the people who used to work amongst them as they are quite prickly on the edge of the leaves.  Hence the term 'rough end of the pineapple'. After boarding the train it takes you on the round trip down the hillside to the furthest end of the zoo where you hop off at Koala  Junction, from there it is a small walk down to the main part of the zoo, (just a word of warning while walking down the path be c...

After a visit to the Ginger factory, across the road is Nutworks. In Australia macadamias are grown in the fertile soil along the east coast from the Nambucca Valley and Byron Bay hinterland in NSW, to the Sunshine coast,  Bundaberg, Atherton Tablelands regions of Queensland and are now being grown in Western Australia. At the entrance to Nutworks there is a café and shop.  They sell all sorts of confectionery made with chocolate and macadamia nuts, nougat, ginger chips and chocolate covered coffee beans.  Out the back there are glass windows that show large mixers with a pipe facing inwards to the barrel.  These are used for coating the nuts with chocolate.  As the barrels move round the chocolate evenly coats the nut and creates nice yummy sweets.  The factory has tours from Monday to Friday, though on the weekend you can see part of the factory and there is information on the wall. Macadamia nut oil. Macadamias are a native tree to Australia,...

Another weekend and another adventure.  This time we decided to visit the Buderim Ginger Factory.  What is there, and will we like it? Firstly yes you will enjoy it, there is something there for all ages, we are proof of that.  Secondly they have tours of the ginger factory and a video, all accompanied with a tour guide that has excellent knowledge of the history and other fun facts eg: Buderim ginger is used by Lite "n" Easy and Newmans Own sauces to name a couple.  The tour begins with the history that explains how the factory began its origins many years ago, with the farms in the local district from a 70 klm radius supplying the factory with ginger. Further on you can see what the factory looks like through large glass windows while the tour guide gives you more information.  It will depend on what time of the year you go how much activity you can see through the windows. There was a video on the history and how the staff harvest, prepare the ginger and w...

                                                                     Sunday morning and we were off and exploring around our area again.  So where too this time, hmm, ok somewhere fun with a bit of exercise involved too.  We discussed where and found that we have never visited the Glass house Mountains.  We know that people climb and walk around them, but we personally have never done this. On our way out there we passed a nice little café and there in the car park was a group of Volkswagens, both beetles and kombi vans.   These had been lovingly restored to their original condition.  It was a good start to our day.   View towards the Ocean. From here we drove off towards Mt Tibrogargan.  When we arrived we found the car park full and over flowing on both sides ...

With restrictions easing we are allowed to travel out into the local area. The two green frogs searched for a place to visit that was both different and unusual to share with you.  Well, where did you go, I hear you ask?   We visited Fort Lytton, on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, in the Fort Lytton National Park. Before entering the Park, you need to make sure of the park opening times and if you want to go and have a volunteer guide you around, which is interesting as they can give you more information than the Self Guiding Trail pamphlet that we used on our visit.  At this time there were no guides to assist us, though we still had a great time and learnt more about our local history.  According to the website the Historical Association provides FREE guided tours which, if you are a family and need an outing without the expense, is a good tour.  Take a picnic with you as there are plenty of areas of green grass and shade trees to sit under. gr...

As we are not encouraged to travel at this time, due to travel restrictions because of the virus, we thought that we would share with you our previous adventure to Nambucca Heads New South Wales. Sitting in the office one night we were discussing the forth coming Easter holidays, we decided to visit Nambucca Heads where my partner grew up  and where he still had family living there.  A place to stay was sourced and booked.  We both love the water and like walking along the beach front, so we decided to stay at a local caravan park, The White Albatross Holiday Park.  We booked a cabin with our own ensuite and a kitchen to cook our meals. Allowing us to enjoy some privacy together. The day finally came to leave and start our adventure...………... Nambucca is a nice place, a quiet beach side town.  Our caravan park was set beside the water front at the river mouth.  Hmm we should have taken our kayaks, that would have been fun to paddle up the river and se...