Local historian and friend Leith Barter recently sent me a copy of a photo taken near the bottom of my street around 1930.
The footbridge was built to allow local children to get to North Pine (Petrie) State School school on the other side of the river, without having to go all the way down to Gympie Road and back again.
Harrison and I went out exploring today to see if we could find where the photo was taken so we could get a “then” and “now” photo.
This is Government Street, Deception Bay. I think the name is quite apt. It looks promising when you start following it, but eventually you end up bogged, and (in the case of the car) never see the light of day again.
But what a ride!
I just followed a few single trails in the bushland between North Lakes and Deception Bay, over a rickety handmade log bridge, held together with bits of rope, and stumbled across this swamp.
Unfortunately I fell over in the stinking mud as I tried to ride through it, and came out the other side smelling like the boys toilets at a primary school (remember?).
Thankfully I had a spare pair of gloves and socks, so I was able to clean up on the other side and ride home.
The best part of a ride is discovering something new.
Today’s ride was awesome.
While I was rocketing down a trail by the dam this afternoon I almost ran over this little guy ambling along by the side of the track.
He very kindly let me take his photo while he stood next to my bike, then as quick as I came, I went.
Reminds me of an old fable – except this time I got home first 
I thought I’d explore some of the forest up in the hills to the west of Yandina.
There are some awesome trails in those hills, and the forest is beautiful.
Unfortunately it was raining quite heavily and the clouds blocked out any view from the lookout.
One of the hills on Browns Creek Road was heart braking, and actually beat me. It was a continuous rocky and muddy climb in excess of 20% for about 3km. The gradient was fine, but when I stopped, I was unable to clip into the pedals again, and had to walk a couple of hundred metres up the steepest part.
Browns Creek. Gorgeous. What more can I say?
Browns Creek Road
The view from Point Glorious.
I spent a couple of hours exploring some dirt roads north west of Coolum this morning.
I didn’t really have a plan – just wanted to stay off the main roads and discover some places I’d never been before.
Even thought it was raining when I left, I wasn’t disappointed. There are plenty of dirt roads, fire trails, and bush tracks around here and I had a great time finding some new places.
Lake Weyba is a large salt-water lake north-west of Coolum. There aren’t many roads that allow access to the lake because it’s bounded on the east by national park and mostly on the west by private property.
After riding down a dirt track for a kilometre or so, I eventually found the lake shore. It’s quiet and picturesque – well worth the effort to find it.
Noosa National Park – Emu Swamp Section is low-lying swamp land containing lots of paper-bark / Tea Trees, Banksias and Tree Ferns.
We have family and friends who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease, so Liz had a great idea and suggested our family take part in the “Parkinson’s Qld Unity Walk” to raise money for research into the disease. This involved seeking sponsorship from kind hearted donors, and walking 4km along the foreshore at Wynnum on a glorious Sunday morning.
Of course, since yours truly sometimes (often?) marches to the beat of a different drummer, I thought I’d make it a bit more interesting by first riding from Lawnton to Wynnum, then doing the walk, then riding home, which added another 97km to the journey but made it a bit more of a challenge. So Liz kindly agreed to drive the kids to Wynnum and meet me there.
So we set off together along the waterfront with several hundred other like minded people, including a few walkers who were suffering from Parkinson’s disease themselves. On the way, we passed a fascinating line-up of colorful Volkswagen Beetles by the side of the road. All of them were immaculate with perfect paint jobs, sparkling chrome and proud owners not far away.
And it seemed obvious to me – if you want to have fun, spend your time with passionate people.
Whether they’re passionate about cars, or finding a cure for a disease, or just crazy / passionate about riding a bike somewhere, if you spend your time with people who have a flame burning in their heart for something, you can’t go wrong, and life is much more worthwhile.
All up, I did about 103km for the day. It should have been a little less, but I got lost (twice) trying to find bicycle tracks between Eagle Farm and Clayfield – as you can see from the map….
Simon and I had an awesome ride today through Brisbane Forest Park.
We rode from Lawnton to Samford, up the Goat Track to Mt Nebo, down South Boundary Road fire road to The Gap, up Highvale Road to Mt Cooth-Tha, and then along the Coronation Drive Bikeway into the City.
All up, just over 70km, and 1,500m of climbing.
We rocketed down some amazingly fast dirt roads, climbed some mountainous steep hills, saw some beautiful sights, and met some great people.
I really must do that ride again!
Neil: “It’s down that road somewhere I think….”
Simon: “Should I believe this bloke?”
The unveiling of the refurbished Tom Petrie memorial was an amazing experience for many reasons.
I’ve written several articles here previously about Tom Petrie. The man was remarkable for the way he learned the ways and language of the local Turrbal Aboriginal people, and showed them a respect and honor that was more than a century ahead of his time. It was fitting to remember him on the 100th anniversary of his death.
I also had the chance to meet Maroochy Barambah, an elder, Songwoman and Law-Woman of the Turrbal Aboriginal people. This talented and dignified woman is the great grand-daughter of Kulkarawa, a young Aboriginal girl who ran off with a Sri Lankan man named Shake Brown in the 1840’s. Brown was killed in the 1840’s on the banks of what is now called Browns Creek. By some strange co-incidence I actually took some photos of this area and wrote an article about it a few months ago. So I was overwhelmed to meet someone who was actually related to Kulkarawa (Granny Kitty) and Shake Brown (Grandfather Brown).
This event was the first formal occasion that descendants of Tom Petrie and the Turrbal people had met face to face since Petrie’s death. It gives me hope that things like this happen. The mutual history of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia is something that can unite us, and strengthen our souls. It reminds us how precious is the place in which we live. It gives us continuity and reminds us that each of us is here for such a brief time, while the land is always here.
A few random pictures from a fun weekend.
We celebrated Josh’s 21st birthday on Sunday afternoon. I had a great time chilling out and watching the kids play basketball.
So did the girls
Lilly had fun trying to get the Piñata at Angela’s birthday party on Saturday
And I was so engrossed in taking a photo while out riding on Saturday morning that I didn’t realize I’d taken a photo of myself in the rear-view mirror.
All-in-all a fantastic weekend!
Sentinel
Ancient One with your arms held high,
Guarding the bones in this field of tears,
If I bend my ear to your gentle sigh
Will you sing me your song from long-gone years?
……
The dark-skinned keepers of the river of pines
Chant dream-time clap-stick songs and vows
And leave their beloved dead behind
To sleep in my timeless caring boughs.
I see the tears on your dusty face.
Your treasure is safe in my wooden embrace.
The sunburned settler far from home,
Far from the gentler softer lands,
Bows in prayer at the open grave
In the blessed shade of my verdant hands.
Lie peacefully now at my wooden feet.
I’ll shelter your parched bones from the heat.
The soldier’s widow speechless stands,
Farewells the ANZAC she loved the most.
The wind sighs through my leafy hands
As the bugler plays a sad “Last Post”.
Your brave lover’s watch has come to an end.
He can rest. I’ll guard him well, my friend.
……
Sentinel with your arms held high,
Will you watch my bones when I am gone?
Will you shade my children from the scorching sky,
You long-lived ageless timeless one?
The children of earth are a short lived race
Who rush to and fro in haste and greed.
I have not lived such a quickened pace
As I have grown to this height from such a small seed.
But I watch you all and I taste your tears,
And I’ll care for your bones through all my years.
I saw this tree in a cemetery a while ago, and later learned that some local Aborigines believe it was once used as a “burial tree”. The tree is certainly old enough to predate European settlement and there’s a beautiful resonance in the thought that a tree that may have been a vital part of the burials of the first Australians should still be “keeping an eye” on a modern cemetery.
Some things like trees are almost timeless.
Some things like grief at the loss of a loved on are timeless!
