15 December 2008

Danny and Eva's send off

Ahoy!


This weekend Danny and Eva set sail for Noumea, New Caledonia; Vili, Vanuatu; Luganville, Vanuatu; Isle of Pines as part of a 10 night South Pacific cruise aboard Rhapsody of the Seas.


We were left on Circular Quay GREEN with envy.


Before we get to the envious itinerary; we had a fantastic day at the pub catching up. Phillip Foote Hotel at the Rocks in Sydney has a great backyard garden and courtyard. Danny had contacted all the school mates and the boys had a rowdy and fond farewell. Living in Queensland means we don't get to catch up with Danny as much as we would like and so we jumped at the opportunity to see him off; taking the drive down to Sydney on Saturday.


Danny's dad, Russell (aka Flash) has been on 26 cruises and is a pro. He said that the Rhapsody of the Seas, the cruise ship Danny and Eva were booked on was the best ship he has been on yet. It did sound good. It has a rock-climbing wall, 8 outdoor pools, 6 whirlpools, indoor/outdoor pool in a solarium with a sliding roof, stunning centrum (an open atrium featuring shopping), themed bars and lounges, beautiful airy dining rooms, youth facilities, Casino Royale, a day spa and fitness centre! Oops, I said I would do the ENVY thing a little later, didn't I?!

Russell and Danny's step mother Judy joined Danny and Eva, Scott and I and a few rogues from Scotty's childhood. Wattsie, Dave, RD, and Ross made it, however sadly we missed Einstein who was working. Ross' wife, Michelle and their 3 year old Kyle was there, making a fantastic afternoon!

We drove down to Sydney from Bathurst on Saturday morning, arriving just in time at the Rocks to meet the gang at the Phillip Foote Hotel. We had a few afternoon refreshments and a BBQ with a few laughs and giggles.


After lunch, we headed over to Circular Quay to check out the ship. Danny and Eva set sail at 6:30pm. We spent an hour and a half on the concourse entertaining ourselves with Kyle. It was great. Danny and Eva have 10 nights in the South Pacific.



First port; Nouméa, the charming capital of New Caledonia, has quite a few things to brag about. It's the third largest island in the South Pacific. It's home to the world's largest lagoon and second largest coral reef. And if that's not enough, it's part French. Ergo, the cuisine must be fabulous. The shopping, well, can you say haute couture? (I can't) [I have even tried practising and well, I don't get the hawk/spitting action right at the beginning. ] And you're never very far from a full-bodied glass of French wine, especially if your name is Danny. And yes, you also get to visit places like Pierre Vernier Walk, Baie des Citrons, and Place des Cocotiers. Which are almost as much fun to say as they are to see.


Second port- Vanuatu. There are 83 idyllic islands that make up the amazing archipelago of Vanuatu. (Archipelago is also one I stumble over, is it "arch" as in Triomphe, or "ark" as in the convenant? And then is it pe-logo as in a log or pe-lago as in lag? I am stumpered) Back to the cruise..... Port Vila, the capital city of the island of Efate, is the heart and soul of them all. Sandwiched between the northen and southern atolls, it's like the city was built for island hopping. With it's beauty and tribal traditions Vanuatu must be one of the most beautiful and happy place on Earth. And well, when a day consists of floating in a hidden lagoon, lounging under a gnarly banyan tree, cooling off in a waterfall shower and snacking on freshly picked fruit, you will be the happiest person on the planet also!

Third port- Lugan ville, Vanuatu. Luganville is the second-largest town on Vanuatu. It is one of over 300 volcanic origin islands in Melanesia. It's population is diverse with over 100 languages, a multitude of dialects and a South Pacific island heritage that spans over 3,000 years of Pacific region immigration. A WWII general insisted that the main street be 4 trucks abreast, means Luganville is unusually wide.

Yeah, I am pretty envious.

Scott now of course wants to go. The moment we got home on Sunday evening he logged into Royal Carribbean.com to get cruise details to plan for a group adventure..... it would be great fun- ahoy, matey!!!

15 October 2008

Thanks be to.... Lowndsy?? Foiled again.

Thanksgiving is an annual one day holiday to give thanks for things one has close to harvest season. Some people thank God for this bounty. Others, offer thanks to those around them for such blessing, still others simply enjoy a public holiday.


While the actual Thanksgiving holiday is on a Monday, Canadians might celebrate (eat their) Thanksgiving (meal) on any day of the three day weekend. Thanksgiving is often celebrated with family, it is also often a time for weekend getaways for couples to observe the autumn leaves, spend one last weekend at the cottage, or participate in various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, bathing in hot sauce, and hunting.


As an interesting aside- in my ever-vigilant plight to educate people about Newfoundland; The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now the province of- You guessed it! Newfoundland and Labrador- to give thanks for surviving the long journey. (As Scott and I can now also attest it is a BLOODY long journey and I can understand why Frobisher was so relieved to have survived it!) The feast was one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in North America, although celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops had been a long-standing tradition throughout Canada.


I note sadly, that Wikipedia had a nifty little side bar on their Thanksgiving (Canada) page which stated:
Significance A celebration of being thankful for what one has and the bounty of the previous year.
Date Second Monday in October.
2008 date October 13
Celebrations Parades, Spending Time with Family, Eating Large Dinners, Religious Practice


As any Canadian family can attest, Thanksgiving is definitely about "Eating Large Dinners"; however it is my hope that the cultural significance is slightly more.....


Living now in Australia, I have carried on the tradition of Thanksgiving (minus the Turkey in recent years in favour of the more assimilated and appropriate Aussie Barbie) and more recent again, living now in Bathurst for some years, Thanksgiving will often coincide with: you have guessed it, Race Week.



A record crowd came in force to the Mountain to see Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes win the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for the third year in a row.

More than 187,000 fans enjoyed a remarkable race with Whincup and Lowndes becoming the first pair in 24 years to win three years in succession. And the win elevated Whincup to the top of the Championship table with Lowndes now fourth.

They dominated in a day of drama to head off Greg Murphy and Jason Richards (Tasman Motorsport Holden) with James Courtney and David Besnard (Jeld-Wen Ford) third.

In the following video below which I entitle "How not to start a race."... From POLE position, my favourite team of Garth Tander and Mark Skaife experienced clutch problems which they should be thankful they did not get CREAMED from behind!!!

From a stalled start (FROM POLE) to more drama on the track, poor Skaife had little to be thankful for this Thanksgiving:



As you can see, my traditions are now becoming meshed as I assimilate here in Australia. This does not mean, however, that Thanksgiving is not appropriately marked in our family. We were gratefully joined this year by Kerry (ex pat) and Andrew and Greg for a BBQ and an afternoon/evening/night of fantastic company and laughter, to only be reminded again of how lucky we are to have such love/acceptance/kindness/joy in our lives. Of course, we were able to top it all off by some marvelous PUMPKIN PIE!!! yum-yum. (Thanks Kerry for your culinary prowress)

As we capped off what was (to my mind) a tragic and sad Holden day at the Races, filled with much drama, and disappointment; we were also reminded that although we have not received the result we were after- we are in one-heck-of-a-better place than most people are. We have our health, we have happiness, and we have each other.

Foremost in my thoughts (believe it or not, yes, aside from the tragedy which struck Garth and Mark, I could spare a thought for other than Holden events this day) of course was Glenda's sister-in-law Thellie and her family, and Grace's closest friend Jackie; and for Kerry and her very special friend Laura and Laura's family. Which gave me pause to consider how blessed I am and how fortunate my life is.

So although I make light of the fun weekend we had once again this week and the activities and high jinx we get up to; Thanksgiving celebration did not pass without acknowledgement and gratefulness in Bathurst this year.

I will provide information below for those of you NOT familiar with Bathurst 1000 or v8 racing in Australia as it is a culture which I have embraced with gusto and fun. And that is something for which I am thankful also- the capacity to live and enjoy life. And believe it or not, the Bathurst 1000 is one of those things that not just I, but thousands of other Australians celebrate in their life.


The following overview was prepared as publicity prior to the Grand Final of key contenders and some great shots of Bathurst Races in years gone past:



The Bathurst 1000 is a 1000 kilometre touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.

The race traces its lineage back to a production car race held at Phillip Island in 1960, called the Armstrong 500. Since then 51 races have taken place under the combined history of two events at two venues in two states. I t is known among fans and broadcasters as "The Great Race", and is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Australian motorsport.

“What I love about Bathurst is that an otherwise ordinary season can be rescued by a spectacular result on the mountain,” says Tracey Donaldson of the importance of this monumental race.

“So although it’s near the end of the calendar, it’s kind of like a clean slate,” she adds.

The winners of the race receive the Peter Brock Trophy, inaugurated at the 2006 race in honour of Peter Brock who, with nine Bathurst victories, remains the most successful driver in the history of the race. Since 2000, the race has been run exclusively for V8 Supercars and is now a round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The mountain, is calling.


07 October 2008

Camping Labour Day Weekend: Macquarie Woods

Welcome to another edition of Australian Geographic. While Lorne Greene is on holiday, Jen Quill will be your correspondent reporting from Macquarie Woods, in NSW.

Give me sun. Give me gum trees. Give me rosellas and roos. Give me watermelon pips, white bread-sandwiches and silver long toms strung from hand-held fishing lines. Give me balmy summer nights under a canvas canopy. Give me mosquito coils, guy ropes, sleeping bags and the distant sound of someone snoring. (I don't kiss and tell, so you won't hear from me that Ginny Weasley and Scotty snore like chainsaws) Give me all of this and I’ll give you 1001 golden childhood memories pegged out in camping grounds nationwide.


Australia is a country of campers. Throughout the human occupation of our wide brown land we’ve headed to beach-side campsites in droves. However, my heart lies in the bush. I love and advocate tree-change, not sea-change. Camping is essential to the Australian experience. Camping connects you directly to the earth and the sky, the vegetation, the animals, the birds and especially each other. The strength of the wind, the power of nature…it overwhelms you. You understand the scale of things and your own place.


It’s the notion of this ancient way of life connected to nature and the elements – and the links that are forged between people living in such a way – that continues to resonate for modern campers. Europeans may have brought tents to Australia but they did not bring camping. Aboriginal people are great campers. The middens along the coast tell us how they moved from one good spot to another, visiting the same sites year after year. And the camper’s eye notes what well-chosen sites they are: near the beach but out of the wind; near a creek but sheltered behind the dunes.


Well, Scotty and I have taken a leaf out of the Aboriginal book and have ourselves found our favourite places of heaven here on Earth, and they are presenting themselves in the form of Macquarie Woods and the Bridle Track in Central West country New South Wales. (Although I still love the Brindabella's of Canberra, the Ranges of Broken Hill and the forests of Tasmania, but the secret hidey-holes Scott and I have discovered and laid claim to are predominately in the central west of NSW)



As a species we’ve been looking at – and wondering about – the night sky and other aspects of the natural world for a million years or more. Our western stories of the sublime, everlasting perfection of heaven and (from watching volcanoes) the eternal damnation of hell probably arose in this way. Humans are both blessed and blighted with an almost insatiable curiosity and a need to know why things are as they are – it’s what makes us human – and there’s nothing more puzzling than our experience of the night sky.


What better place to see this thing of beauty and awe than when camping in Australia?!


As you have gathered, Scott and I took the kids and went bush this past weekend. We are feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and reconnected. We are including some of our photos from the weekend, and as usual, there are very little of Scott. I make an apology now for this which must seem to some as a deliberate act of neglect on my part, however the simple matter is that Scott loves to take photos and is an amatuer photographer of both growing and prodigious skill. (Exhibit A: the 6,000 photos taken in one month in Newfoundland recently. Exhibit B: 300 photos taken over a day and half this past weekend!)


What I do hope is demonstrated to you is the fun and carefree time we are having exploring our little neck of the woods and sharing that journey together. We are simply getting out there; and no better fun has been had.

Signing off, for Australian Geographic, I'm Jen Quill. Lorne Greene returns with you next week when he looks at the World Heritage Rainforests of NSW.

01 October 2008

Congratulations

Clearly there is something about Springtime and creation of life. Clearly.

Even though it is not spring in Washington DC (or Clinton Maryland as the case may be) nor in Mount Pearl Newfoundland, it is spring here and that is my explanation for the wonderful and exciting creation of life news:

Congratulations to Trevor and Maxine Kearsey whose son Tavian will undertake big brother duties as Maxine and Trevor are expecting a bundle of joy in March 2009. How wonderful!

Congratulations also to another beautiful 'sister' in my life, as Juanita and Rick Spence prepare for their first child who will be arriving in May/June 2009. How bloody fantastic is that?!!!

Clearly there is something about Springtime and creation of life.

The irony that it will be springtime THERE when Maxine and Juanita are due is also not lost on me. Clearly there is something about Springtime and creation of life.

I am so happy for both of you. Congratulations.

You now join my cousin Joanne as she also expects in Spring 2009.

Isn't life grand? Isn't life great?! And well, let's face it, Spring babies make the BEST kids! (Not that I am saying that as a spring baby also makes me, well let's face it, pretty perfect- hahahahahaha)

Congratulations again, to the Kearsey/Barrett family and the Spence/Davison family.

I am sure you will all enjoy parenthood, best wishes for a smooth and safe pregnancy!

****** In other News******

In other happy news, some of you may be aware that I have been accepted as a scholarship holder of the Australian/New Zealand School of Government and will be undertaking an Executive Master's of Public Administration next March for 2 years as the NSW Government initiative to retain their middle and senior level managers in the public sector.

So there you have it, all sorts of wonderful and exciting things happening.

Hoping you are all doing just as well in your little patch, as I am fortunate to be doing in mine.

Love, Jen

23 September 2008

Macquarie Woods photos

As mentioned yesterday, we only had a few shots from Macquarie Woods bushwalk because I drained the battery at Floriade. As you can see from the first photo above, I mentioned that the site was large and nearly flat with large trees and canopy providing great shade and protection. There was one picnic table and one fire ring for campfires.


Sasha is staying close to Scott and I whilst Ginny and Neville are at about 2 o'clock in the photo above ready to bolt up the trail for their adventure. You can just make out me swinging out of the photo on the left at 9 o'clock.

I had fun swinging!
As mentioned it was a great day and a you-beaut campsite!


22 September 2008

Tour of the Wild West

Macquarie Woods is the Central West's best kept secret.


View Larger Map

Macquarie Woods is a beautiful forest area with picnic tables, an extremely large (and apparently well used- it was quite full yesterda) camping area, picturesque walks and a fragrant arboretum. It was opened as a demonstration forest to showcase the uses and beauty of plantation and native trees. As with much of state or sentimental naming in our area, this state forest was named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie, an early governor of NSW. Governor Macquarie was responsible for the exploration and early development of the area.

Macquarie Woods not only displays exotic conifer planted forests, but has an area of native woodland that once dominated the landscape. The native woodland is made up of yellow box, Blakely’s red gum, red stringybark and apple box and other eucalypts in an expanse of native grasses. Macquarie Woods also has a variety of tree species established as windbreaks and an agroforest where trees have been established to show how such plantings can complement agriculture.

This was where we set off for an excursion Sunday morning. We had a great drive (it was only about 30 min in total) and parked at a picnic area away from the camp sites to go for a bush walk. There were adventure racers having an event all weekend we had to look out for and a Venturer and Scout Troop who were playing capture the flag which we had to be careful not to give away their position!

We pulled into the picnic site we liked the look of and there was a large level clearing which was about 400 square metres. (It was huge) and we thought, "Gee this is a you-beaut camping area we have 'discvoered'."

There were very tall and very shady eucalpyts around the perimeter and a creek and gorge along two sides. There was a tree swing (which I had to test out- like you would) and a picnic table and several fire rings. We are going to attempt to stake it out for camping this coming long weekend because it is gorgeous.

Scott started taking photos to discover that the battery was dead from my Floriade excursion the previous day (oops). So I don't have the photos to show you, he took some of the beautiful site and of Jen on the Tree Swing.

Ginny, Neville and Sash thought the camp site was pretty sweet also. After a thorough investigation, we set off for a steep climb up a service track. We could hear the Venturer's hooting (perhaps that was the adventure racers because the venturers were playing capture the flag). We could also hear a bit of rustling and some lowered voices (THESE must have been the Venturer's.)

Ginny, Neville and Sash were galloping ahead on the trail and managed to startle every rabbit, Roo, wombat, echidna and lizard in the entire forest. So although we did not see any wildlife (except of course the kids racing and/or capturing the flag) we could plainly hear them, particularly when Ginny Weasely scampered through the undergrowth off the trail. The kids had a marvelous time, as did Scott and I.

There was one rabbit I saw race across our path with Ginny in hot pursuit, but that was it.

At our turn around point, Sash decided that she had had enough romping and stayed with Scott and I and pranced along between us. Meanwhile, Ginny managed to tree every bird and ground dwelling animate object she came across while Neville was content to race along wherever Ginny decided to go. Neville is not as adventuresome as Ginny, being such a princess that he is, but he does seem to have the air of one out on good behaviour and races along wherever Ginny manages to go. I think he is too much of a scaredy cat to try it out on his own, but you did not hear that from me.

He is just happy to accept Ginny's capable leadership.

Sash I think is the most precious of the lot. She just sort of prances along on what seems to be her tippy-toes. She will always be between Scott and I unless Ginny has found something worth checking out. Because we were climbing steadily up the track, the high side of the hill (on our right going up) was sort of sloped up into a cliff and down on our left into a gorge. We were on a service track and had a clear track through the pine and eucalypt. Up on the forest floor which was sort of above our right shoulder (on the way in) meant a bit of a scramble to get up to the forest floor from our track. Ginny bounded up regularly and easily (which is funny when you consider she makes a zillion attempts to jump onto the lounge next to me.) And Neville, ever the graceful and agile gazelle had no worries getting up to have a sticky beak. Sash meanwhile, with her stumppy little legs caused us no end of laughter as she would take a running start at the mound and jump to midway up the little rise and then flal her little legs like a swimmer out of water sort of motion. Once sufficiently gripped Sash would take a tentative step or two and then just launch herself up to the plateau- by which time of course, Ginny and Neville had come back down and Sash, you could see her look around, take a deep breath and sigh and then slide down the embankment toward us once again.

It was too funny.

After our trek through Macquarie Woods, we came into Orange to go to the Outdoor Shop. I was not aware that Grace had left her bag of Werther's in the console on Saturday. Sash was not long discovering it and the three of them gorged themselves on butterscotch sweets and we returned to the car full of golden wrappers and bits of toffee-like substance smeared all over Sasha's beard.

I was surprised that unlike kids who get wired on sweets, that Sash was not hyperactive after eating all those Werther's Originals.

We got back to Bathurst in time to put the roast on and enjoy a lovely meal.

What a great weekend! I can't wait for Labour Day Weekend now- a week and a bit to go and we will be back to Macquarie Woods (without the Werthers).....

21 September 2008

Floriade turns 21

I love spring in Australia, one of the best things about living in Canberra all those years, was getting down to Floriade. Many of you have been able to see my photos through the years and know what I am talking about when I say it is just such a garden spectacular and showcases the best of springtime in Australia.


Well, the best thing about going to Floriade from BATHURST is the drive at this time of year, which in NSW, Spring (aside from hayfever and pollen) means CANOLA.




As well as the beautiful drive through such wonderful canola clad hills, is the drive through quaint and wonderful towns in Country NSW, now you will get a sense of why I love living here so much.


Don’t mind the bugs you see spattered on my windscreen as I take some of these photos, that can not be helped. Grace and I set out from Bathurst at about 7am and headed southwest for the 3 hour drive to Canberra.




Clearly it was an astounding day. As we crested each rise, we found ourselves “Oh!” and “Wow!” and “Oh my GOD!” or “Look at THAT!”





It is fields and fields and miles and miles of yellow in the green fields against the blue sky- around every corner.


The drive is just spectacular and we really enjoyed it. We drove first through Cowra and then places like Boorowa on our journey to the Nation’s capital, Canberra.



We considered going on The Tablelands Way, the major gateway for a vast area of New South Wales. The drive is visually stimulating, traversing the Northern, Central and Southern tablelands with panoramic views for much of the drive. The gateway opens up direct North and South access to World Heritage Wilderness areas, National Parks, Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie Caves. However we took Lachlan Valley instead.


Spring is truly glorious. Once you get to city bursts into colour as the trees reveal their spring blooms, bright blossoms erupt and the regional vineyards awaken with the first bud bursts. You can expect moderately fresh mornings, bright sunny days and crisp clear nights.


The following is information taken from the website www.floriade.com what a great way to showcase the Capital!!


Floriade 21 — Films that shaped our nation

Join in the celebrations as Floriade turns 21 in style! See Australia’s favourite films showcased in a dazzling display of over a million blooms, highlighting the theme of Floriade 21 — Films that shaped our nation.



You’ll see an interpretation of the wedding dress from Muriel’s Wedding, Australia’s favourite foot-slapping penguin from Happy Feet; the spectacular bus from the Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Babe’s lovable sheep-herding pig and more, all emerging from the beautiful garden beds.


But the theme doesn’t stop there — we celebrate Australian film in all sorts of ways:

· Live music to remind you of your favourite soundtracks

· Kids’ activities with a film flavour

· Roaming street performers

· An onsite cinema with a range of Australian films

· Special film-themed events.

Floriade is the biggest flower festival in Australia, a spectacular celebration of spring, set in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park.



The breathtaking garden beds, made up of more than a million blooms, create giant pictures which reflect the current year’s theme.


The garden beds set the backdrop for a 30 day festival filled with vibrant entertainment, many different learning experiences, unique markets, live concerts and delicious food and drink.


Canberra’s attractions join the capital in celebrating spring by offering Floriade-themed experiences throughout the 30 day festival in the Floriade Trail.




Floriade began in 1988 as a spectacular commemoration of Australia's bicentenary and Canberra's 75th birthday. Floriade blossomed for the first time with a stunning floral display of exotic bulbs and annuals, which grow beautifully in Canberra's ideal climate. The community embraced the inaugural Floriade, making it such a success that it became an annual event, Australia's celebration of spring.


Since its beginnings in 1988 Floriade has always been held in the heart of the city in Canberra's beautiful Commonwealth Park, on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. The word Floriade comes from the Latin word 'floriat', meaning 'to design with flowers'. The name was inspired by other flower festivals held in the Netherlands, called Keukenhof and Floriade.


Films in the flower beds

Each year the Floriade garden beds are planted to bloom in a design that reflects the theme, with this year’s theme being Films that shaped our nation.



The Red Carpet

Enter Floriade as if you were attending an exclusive movie premiere, with a walk down the Red Carpet, an avenue of crimson blooms. Get swept up in the fanfare as the red carpet takes you into the centre of a giant film reel garden bed, with a spectacular view out over the park’s main vista. As you continue down the path you will see purple and white edging on the garden beds to represent the perforated edges of film strips. Enclosed within these film strips on either side of the path are garden beds representing some of the many films that shaped a nation!


Theatre Treats


Two fun-filled garden beds represent those quintessential movie snacks - popcorn and Jaffas. See yellow flowers built up to represent a mouth-watering pile of buttered popcorn, topped with a giant popcorn box. You’ll be sniffing the air for that delicious aroma of popping corn, only to breathe in the scent of over a million blooms drifting on the breeze. Nearby, you’ll see a collection of floral Jaffas, 'rolling down the aisles'. Reminisce on the good old days when a visit to the cinema was not complete without the sounds of Jaffas bouncing noisily down the timber aisles.



Crocodile Dundee

Feel the danger as the crocodile lurking in this garden bed stalks an aluminium tinnie floating on a river of flowers. The film that inspired this display, Crocodile Dundee, shot to international fame, making it a household name and heavily influencing the world’s impressions of Australia. The film tells the story of a glamorous New York reporter who travels to the wilds of the Northern Territory to interview Mick Dundee, the survivor of a recent crocodile attack. Their adventures in the outback, ensuing love affair and Mick’s subsequent visit to New York make for thrilling and often hilarious viewing.



Babe

See a comical face-off between pig and sheep in this delightful garden bed, honouring Babe’s place in the history of Australian film. Babe endeared Australian audiences with its funny and touching story about a pig trying to find his place in the world. Feeling alone and scared after arriving at his new home, Babe the pig is adopted by the farm’s family of sheep-dogs. As he grows and the reality of the chopping block looms, he decides to make himself useful and become a sheep-herding pig!




The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

In this fitting homage to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, flowers bloom extravagantly in a display of the Priscilla bus, complete with a drag queen perched on the roof and a billowing silver cape trailing behind. This film delighted Australians with its humorous depiction of the sharp contrast between the rough Australian outback and the glitz and glamour of Sydney’s drag queen scene.



Young Einstein

Young Einstein’s wild red hair and his mayhem-inducing electric guitar are on show in this garden bed, representing the film Young Einstein. This off-the-wall comedy combines the story of Albert Einstein with the science of beer bubbles, a Tasmanian apple farmer and rock and roll music with hilarious results.




Count Down


Reminiscent of the countdown a projectionist sees on a roll of film, the flowers show the numbers 3, 2, 1 trailing down the bed. This garden bed is a reflection on changing technology in the film industry and the likelihood that the projectionist’s countdown will soon become a thing of the past.




Muriel’s Wedding

You’ll imagine wedding bells are ringing when you see this special garden bed, displaying a wedding dress of cascading white flowers, standing on a carpet of red blossoms. It’s inspiration, the film Muriel’s Wedding, is a great example of the quirky Australian sense of humour, so often celebrated in Australian film.



Phar Lap

In recognition of the film, Phar Lap, this colourful garden bed shows the movement and colour of the finish line at a big horse race, as horses and jockeys jostle for position. The film tells the true and uniquely Australian story of a famous Australian racehorse named Phar Lap. The film is set during the depression when this winning horse was nationally recognised as a symbol of hope and equality.




The Story of the Kelly Gang

Ned Kelly’s famous helmet towers over the word “REWARD” in this garden bed, set against a background of blood red flowers. This garden bed acknowledges the importance of the film The Story of the Kelly Gang, arguably the world’s first feature film, released in Australia in 1906. The film tells the story of the notorious Australian outlaw Ned Kelly and his family.





The Dish

The design of a satellite dish emerges from the flowers in this tribute to the Australian film The Dish. This comedy is based on the true story of Australia’s involvement in transmitting the first television images of the first man on the moon. The collection of quirky characters and the backdrop of the dry Australian landscape give this film a uniquely Australian feel.



Happy Feet

Get your feet tapping in front of this delightful garden bed of a tap dancing penguin in the middle of Antarctica. This garden bed represents the animated film Happy Feet, a lovable and funny film about a penguin who discovers that being different doesn’t have to make him an outsider. A favourite with adults and children alike.



Behind the Scenes


Sneak behind the scenes at these three garden beds, representing the artists behind the magic we see on the big screen. See a giant tape measure twisting through a vibrant multi-coloured flower bed to represent costume and set designers. Nearby, Floriade pays tribute to film’s musical composers with a flourish of musical notes designed into the flowers. Our talented Australian writers are not forgotten with a dedicated flower bed complete with letters, feathered quill and scriptwriting in the flowers.


Storm Boy

Pelicans are a common sight around Australia’s coastline and waterways but it’s not often you see one created out of flowers. This particular pelican represents one of the central characters in the Australian film Storm Boy, Mr Percival. Based on a classic book, often studied in Australian schools, Storm Boy the film was an Australian blockbuster. Exploring the themes of indigenous and white relations, environmental issues and family, Storm Boy has become a classic in its own right.



Puberty Blues

See the quintessential aussie surfboard, with rolling waves and a rising sun at this colourful garden bed, representing the classic Australian film Puberty Blues. Puberty Blues explores Australian teenage beach culture in the late 1970s. It follows the stories of two Australian teenage girls, who live their lives according to the strange code of behaviour required of a 'surf chick'. Honest and often confronting, this film resonated with many Australians.


Shine

See a giant floral keyboard dedicated to the Australian film Shine. Shine is based on the true story of Australian pianist David Helfgott. A story of triumph through adversity, Shine shows that despite suffering a breakdown when on the brink of an amazing musical career, Helfgott eventually returns to the concert hall to popular acclaim.




Rabbit Proof Fence

This striking garden bed shows the Aboriginal flag, bordered by a rabbit proof fence, in honour of the film, Rabbit Proof Fence. This topical and important Australian film tells the true story of an Aboriginal girl and her two sisters who are removed from their family in 1931 to be trained as domestic help for white families. The girls escape and travel 1500 miles on foot, using the rabbit proof fence to guide them home.


Gallipoli

Flanking the Diggers Rest Cafe, this garden bed reflects an image of the badge worn by Australian soldiers, the Rising Sun Badge. Sand bags representing the trenches mark the entry to the garden bed and a lone pine stands in the middle of the bed as a symbol of the battle fought at Anzac Cove. This detailed garden bed pays tribute to the classic Australian film about a nation at war for the first time, Gallipoli.


Moulin Rouge

Be wowed by a cabaret dancer kicking up her knees, resplendent in a lavish costume and towering headpiece at the Moulin Rouge garden bed. Moulin Rouge the film is a tragic love story set in France in 1899 that demonstrates the creative success of Australians in the international film industry. The film was written, directed and starred in by Australians.



Strictly Ballroom

Dance your way past the Strictly Ballroom garden bed, featuring two ballroom dancers entwined on the dance floor. This garden bed recognises the film Strictly Ballroom, which captivated Australian audiences with its tale of an accomplished ballroom dancer, striking out with an amateur. The lead characters’ controversial new dance steps eliminate them from competition but still make the audience erupt into thunderous applause. Australia’s tendency to love an underdog makes this a favourite aussie film.


Premiere Night

Get excited by the swinging floodlights streaking through the night sky, set against a skyline of lit windows and neon lights in the Premiere Night garden bed. Imagine the anticipation, glitz and glamour of premiere night as you stroll past this colourful display.



Kenny

Let your imagination take hold at this garden bed, designed in various shades of blues and yellows in recognition of the Australian film about portaloos, Kenny. Kenny is a comedy shot in documentary style about a man working in the portaloo hire industry. Classic toilet humour and lots of aussie colloquialisms make this film a laugh-a-minute, while also exploring the more serious themes of the class divide and the intricacies of human relationships.



Floriade is Australia’s annual celebration of spring – a flower festival with more than a million flowers that bloom on cue for four weeks in September and October each year.


To complement the spectacular flower display, Floriade presents an exciting entertainment program with visiting and local performers, children’s activities, workshops, exhibitions, showcase gardens, food, wine and shopping.



Over 1 million bulbs and annuals are used each year, depending on the design. The bulbs and annuals are planted in autumn each year. Different flowers bloom at different times but there’s always great colour throughout the event. It is constantly changing as the different plants come into flower, when I lived in Canberra, I would try to get down a couple of times and each time it would be different!


A mix of flowers, predominantly bulbs create the kaleidoscope of colours that set the backdrop to Floriade. Some of the blooms include tulips, irises, daffodils, hyacinths, violas, chrysanthemums, ranunculas and daisies.


The garden bed design at Floriade is different every year. A theme is developed and is carried through from the shape of the garden beds to the type and colour of the flowers used to create the meticulous designs.


The design process commences 18 months out from each year. In May, the designers are briefed on the event theme to facilitate the development of draft designs.


Floriade facts & figures 2008

Bed area

· The Floriade garden beds span 10,668 square metres

Quantity of growing media

· 3,556 cubic metres of mix, which equates to 3,556 box trailers

Drainage pipe

· 5,600 lineal metres of agricultural pipe and PVC

Area of pathway

· 4550 square metres of granite pathway

Commence marking out of design

· 18 February 2008

Date first bulb planted

· 7 April 2008

Completion of planting

· 9 May 2008


Bulbs

Hyacinth

11 varieties

Tulip

75 varieties

Dutch Iris

8 varieties

Muscari

2 varieties

Scilla

1 variety

Tritelia

1 variety

Narcissus

14 varieties

Rannunculus

6 varieties


Annuals

Bellis (English Daisy)

4 varieties

Chrysanthemum paludosum

1 variety

Viola

18 varieties

Pansy

44 varieties

Violetta

5 varieties

Polyanthus

10 varieties

Poppy

4 varieties

Primula

8 varieties


Other plants

Kale

2 varieties

Lomandra

1 variety

Banksia Serrata

1 variety

Magnolia

1 variety

Mixed Eucalyptus

1 variety

Waratah

1 variety

Poa

1 variety

Lone Pine

1 variety


But one attraction they never tell you about, is the baby animals! Spring of course always mean ducklins, signets, and other baby water fowl….




Needless to say we had a stellar day. I love Floriade. I love spring.


I had better get going, we are heading to Macquarie Woods for a bush walk…..