The Birthday Festival of Katie: Champagne and Tiaras.

 

Letter No. 277

Dear all,

🎉 The Birthday Festival of Katie: Champagne, Tiaras & Reunions

On the 5th of July, Katie launched what can only be described as her Birthday Festival—a month-long extravaganza of celebration, sparkle, and yes... a lot of champagne.

It all kicked off with eight of her closest girlfriends arriving at our house at 4:30pm, champagne in hand and bearing gifts. The main present? A very large glamorous silver champagne bucket —clearly not something you want to lug through the city on a night out. The ladies headed off to the chic City restaurant, Supernormal, with Katie wearing a Birthday Girl sash and tiara, while the seven accompanying partners made their way to Breakfast Creek Hotel’s Spanish Garden, a Brisbane institution and perfect spot for a juicy steak.

Later in the evening, both groups rendezvoused at Brooklyn Standard, a lively venue pulsing with live music. It was quiet when we arrived, but the atmosphere quickly turned electric. The band fired up, the crowd swelled, and the champagne flowed generously—especially for Katie. Each of the men bought her a glass, potentially helping her surpass her long-standing personal record of 14 glasses, famously set with Liz Redfern back in the '90s. The latter half of the night remains... fuzzy.

In one memorable moment, a trio of tiara-wearing birthday girls met on the dance floor. One of them exclaimed to Katie, “It’s my birthday—I’m 24!” Katie replied, dry as ever, “I’m not.” Priceless.

The next day, Katie remained triumphantly in her pyjamas—no regrets. Meanwhile, I took a trip to the airport to greet Jessica, fresh from a three-week whirlwind through Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. She’d reunited with her brother Matthew for a nostalgic few days in Hong Kong, even recreating baby photos at Ocean Park. Their emotional farewell was short-lived—they bumped into each other just three weeks later in Bangkok for a spontaneous breakfast that turned into a long lunch.

11th July brought champagne lunch with Uni mates Cassie and Alex, followed the next day by Pilates and more bubbles with Rowie and Angela. At lunch we had a FaceTime call with Matthew in China, and Jessica in Milton while Katie opened her gifts. That evening we went to a a French dinner at Boucher in our village with our friends the Biddles and Rassmussens, complete with pre-dinner canapés and, naturally, more champagne.

By Sunday, we shifted gears. My sister Lisa and her family visited for morning tea. I was thoroughly champagned out, so we opted for coffee and birthday cake instead. Later that afternoon, I popped over to Ipswich to check on Dad in hospital—just making sure he was playing nice with the nurses.

On Friday 18th July, we reunited with our friends Nick and Roz Swarbrick from Bowdon Church School in Manchester, who were visiting Brisbane to see the British and Irish Lions take on the Wallabies. We kicked off the weekend with cocktails at Mr Percival’s at Howard Smith Wharves—though a rainy evening kept the sunset hidden behind clouds. Spirits weren’t dampened though. We moved on to Felons Brewing for pizza, surrounded by a sea of red jerseys—probably 75% of the crowd were Lions supporters, including Nick and Roz! It was genuinely heartwarming to catch up after so long.

Saturday brought game day. Roz and Nick headed to Suncorp Stadium, while Katie and I watched from home, curled up on the sofa. Let's just say—some of us were thrilled with the result. I wasn't. 😅 On Sunday, Roz and Nick came over for lunch and stayed the night. Katie outdid herself with a classic Aussie surf and turf: Moreton Bay Bugs and lamb grilled on the BBQ, and a long, relaxed lunch. Later, we walked the dogs and finished the evening with tapas at Botellon in the village. A lovely way to end a long-overdue reunion.

Katie’s birthday celebrations continued on 26th July with an afternoon concert from Collectivo, a Brisbane-based chamber music collective led by Tania Frazer OAM—our sister-in-law, sort of! The performance was magical, and Katie had a chance to chat with Tania afterwards, along with several members of my brother-in-law Andrew’s family. I joined the group at 5:00pm and we headed to Layla, a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant at the Thomas Dixon Centre. Tucked inside a heritage war bunker, Layla served up bold flavours in a warm, velvet-cloaked atmosphere. It was a perfect evening to celebrate with friends.

The next morning brought a milestone: Katie played tennis without any concern or worry from her knee whatsoever – the first time since her horrific skiing accident in 2023. She confidently pivoted and chased shots across the court. It was brilliant to see her moving with ease again. That afternoon, we joined Paul Pincus for a BBQ and travel planning session for our upcoming boating trip in France in September. It was a relaxed afternoon with all twelve of us who are boating.

🍷 A Weekend of Flavour, History & Winosaurs Fun in the South Burnett

On 1^st August we rounded out the month with our annual Winosaurs wine tour, this time to Kingaroy. Katie and I joined 23 neighbours from our street for a weekend of wine, laughs, and countryside cheer. We dropped the dogs off at Mum and Dad’s before hitting the road on Friday morning which was also my sister Lisa’s birthday.

  

Our first stop was at the Blackbutt Bakery, where we indulged in some of the most delicious pies ever tasted. The bakery's warm and inviting atmosphere made it the perfect place to start our day and we met quite a few of the Winosaurs wandering around the town en-route to Kingaroy. Next, a brief stop at the Roy Emerson Museum, a tribute to the legendary tennis player who hails from this region. The museum was filled with fascinating exhibits that showcased Roy Emerson's illustrious career and his contributions to the sport. It was inspiring to learn about his achievements and see the memorabilia that celebrated his legacy.

Our journey continued to the Kingaroy Heritage Museum and Art Gallery. This stop was a treasure trove of local history and artistic expression. The museum's exhibits provided a deep dive into the town's past, while the art gallery featured works by talented local artists. It was a wonderful blend of history and creativity, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Across the road were the Kingaroy Peanut Silos, an iconic landmark that stands as a testament to the town's rich agricultural heritage. The towering silos were an impressive sight, and we learned about the important role peanuts play in the local economy. It was fascinating to see how these humble legumes are processed and stored.

We then went to the Kingaroy Peanut Van, where we had the chance to sample a variety of peanut products. From roasted peanuts to peanut brittle, the van offered a delightful array of treats. We then drove another 30minutes to the Dusty Hill Estate where we had a fabulous cottage with a lake view we were sharing with our friends the Whittles.

That evening we had a short bus ride (with 23 Winosaurs) from Dusty Hill to the charming Clovely Estate, where we were treated to an evening of sensory delights. Since 1997, Clovely has been crafting small-batch wines and aromatic gins that speak to the soul of the South Burnett. We arrived around 4:30pm and dove straight into a Gin Tasting Experience—four distinct Clovely gins, each paired with elegant canapés designed to elevate every sip. The estate’s passion for local ingredients shone through in every bite and pour. Dinner was a relaxed affair under the stars: grazing platters, wood-fired pizzas, and sides, all complemented by Clovely’s award-winning wines. Laughter flowed as freely as the Shiraz, and by 8:30pm we were back at Dusty Hill, full and content.

Saturday 2 August was a day of discovery, art & wine. We boarded the bus at 8:30am, ready for a full day of exploring the South Burnett’s hidden gems. Our first stop was Wondai, a town whose name comes from the Wakka Wakka word for “dingo” and is known for its proud timber heritage. We wandered through the South Burnett Region Timber Industry Museum, marveling at its impressive timber architecture and the iconic bullocky sculpture.

Next door, the Wondai Regional Art Gallery showcased vibrant works from local and regional artists—one of the finest galleries in Kingaroy! Before leaving, we popped into Dimities Cottage Restaurant & Tea Rooms for a taste of their famous pumpkin scones, made with Goomeri-grown pumpkins and a nod to Florence Bjelke-Petersen’s legacy.

At 11am, we arrived at Nuova Scuola Wines for a guided vineyard tour. With bubbles in hand, we strolled through the vines learning about wine-making at the grass-roots level, before settling in for a cellar door tasting paired with Italian charcuterie. The fusion of European tradition and Aussie terroir was unforgettable.

Lunch which was served at D’Vine Restaurant, nestled within Moffatdale Ridge Winery. A two-course feast awaited us—alternate drop beef and chicken mains followed by a decadent dessert – each dish matched with a glass of Moffatdale Semillon or Shiraz, showcasing the region’s rich produce and winemaking prowess. The day’s highlight came at 2:30pm with a private visit to Barambah Station, where the 1840s homestead is one of Queensland’s oldest and most storied properties. Normally closed to the public, we were honoured with a vertical Semillon tasting featuring six vintages, followed by a Shiraz flight.

We returned to Dusty Hill by 4:30pm, with time to relax, browse the gift shop, or admire the rally cars from the Fraser Coast Dunga Derby—a four-day adventure full of colour and character that were staying at Dusty Hill that night. There were around 280 rally drivers, cars and support staff so the place was buzzing. At 7pm, we gathered at Prendergast’s Irish Tavern on the Dusty Hill Estate for a hearty dinner. The tavern’s warm atmosphere—complete with leather lounges, pool tables, and a roaring fireplace—was the perfect setting for our final evening. We retired to our cottage and had a nightcap in front of the open fireplace.

One Sunday, we made our way slowly home, with a couple of brief stops en route.  At the Pottique Lavender Farm & Shop we were greeted by the soothing aroma of lavender. The farm was a picturesque sight, with rows of lavender plants swaying gently in the breeze. We explored the shop, which offered a variety of lavender products and beautiful homewares. Next, we visited the Whipbird Café, a cozy spot nestled in the countryside. The café's rustic charm and tranquil setting made it the perfect place to relax and have a coffee. We decided to skip lunch that day after our day of feasting the day before.  

Our final stop was to pick up the dogs from Mum and Dad. It was heartwarming to see our furry friends again, and they were just as excited to see us.

Cheers from Derek, Katie, Matt, Jessie, Molly & Pippa

 

Letter No. 276

Dear all,

APRIL  On 4^th April it was our friend Helen Hill’s 60^th birthday party – the first of many 60^th events this year. The girls went for a long lunch at 1pm and men were invited to join for drinks and more food from 6pm. One of my close friends at AECOM was also invited and turned out to be a good friend of Helen as well. We were at an AECOM meeting that morning and worked out that we were going to the same party that night. It was quite funny. The party was lovely, and Katie was quite merry by the time I arrived.

The next day we went to the Brisbane Gin Festival at the RNA Showgrounds with a group of 15 friends. It was a three-hour gin tasting from about 60 boutique gin distilleries. We were a little more restrained as a group than last year, and our purchasing capacity went down to about four bottles per couple, as opposed to an average of six last year. Afterwards, we went to Soko, a lively Latin American rooftop bar and restaurant. The food is an unusual Japanese-Peruvian combo, which is apparently quite a thing and was delicious. Someone played bongo drums for a couple of hours, and there was a huge blue macaw on a lead which everyone posed for photos with. There was also a stunning sunset while we had dinner.

Katie has signed up for a course of French lessons at the Alliance Francaise to brush up her French language skills. She hasn’t studied French since her schooldays several decades ago, so was a bit nervous about her French knowledge. After the initial test she was placed directly into Elementary 4, skipping the first 3 levels. It is two hours every Thursday night for ten weeks. Hopefully she will be fluent by the time we go to France in September.

We went to our friend Gavin Lee’s 60^th birthday party at Slipstream Brewery on 12^th April. Katie had gone to a Girl Up event with Jess in the afternoon and was coming separately, while I caught an Uber with some friends in the street. We arrived dead on time but were surprised to see no sign of the party whatsoever and the hosts standing at the bar by themselves with another event in the party space. It turned out that the hosts had accidentally printed their invitations with a 5pm start time (and forgotten this fact), then told everyone verbally that the start time was 5:30pm but booked the venue for a start time of 6pm! The other party guests started arriving shortly after us and we all stood around at the bar waiting for the 50^th birthday guests to vacate the party space. It was a fun evening after all the initial confusion.

We spent the Easter long weekend at Stradbroke Island. Katie had booked a huge party house for a group of 11 of us. We all travelled on the same ferry on Good Friday, squished into three cars between us, and arrived at the house at 2pm. The house was amazing, definitely the best holiday house on Straddie. There was a minor BedroomGate issue at first, but it was instantly resolved as soon as the girls hit the gin. Everything went swimmingly after that. We had a fun afternoon drinking our GinFest bottles and then all had to have a little lie down before dinner. Katie had planned the weekend with food and dress themes for each night and two couples rostered each night to host the dinners, which worked out well. I also made themed sundowners cocktails each night. Friday night was Italian white night. We looked pretty good dressed all in white. I made Peach Bellinis, and the meal was a spectacular Italian fish dish for Good Friday. On Saturday we hiked to the Blue Lake on the far side of the island for a swim, before hitting the beach in the afternoon. Saturday night was Mexican night with colourful dresses, sombreros, Margaritas, chorizo, patatas bravas and a delicious paella cooked on the BBQ.

On Easter Sunday we were all treated to a fabulous day sailing in Moreton Bay on Paul’s yacht Solace. This is the yacht that he had raced in the Sydney to Hobart just a few months earlier. She is a beautiful little yacht, but hard to imagine eight people racing on her for four days straight. Paul sailed us to Moreton Island for an afternoon at the beach. The weather was glorious, and it was a picture perfect day with champagne flowing and delicious prawn rolls for lunch. The only issue was that one of our friends stepped on a stingray when we were getting out of the dinghy in knee deep water. She got a huge fright and fell over fully clothed. We had only just been talking about Steve Irwin being killed by a stingray. It was funny in retrospect.

There was a stunning sunset as we left the boat, but we didn’t get back to the house until 6:30pm. Katie and I were hosts for the final Pirate Night and had decided that pirates eat lamb and drink rum. Katie did a sterling effort to produce a dinner of BBQ’d lamb, roast potatoes and grilled veggies and salads by 8pm, with me BBQing and making Rum Daiquiris. There were rum truffles to follow. To our surprise, everyone had made a spectacular effort with their pirate costumes, which was hilarious, and we polished off the remaining wine, cheese and chocolate easter eggs. On Easter Monday we had the final morning at the beach before grabbing prawn and avocado rolls before the ferry home. It was a great weekend, and we were so lucky with the weather. It started raining the next day and rained all week.

Next weekend Katie and I went to Queens Wharf. We had planned for sunset drinks at the newly opened SkyDeck bar on level 23. We walked across the new pedestrian bridge linking Southbank to Queens Wharf but then discovered that the whole of Level 23 (a huge bar and two restaurants) had been booked out for a private party. That would have been a massive party! We had dinner on the 4^th floor instead just next to the waterfront. It then turned out that the private party event had arranged fireworks from a boat in the river, so we had front row seats for those, which was spectacular. The next day, 27^th April we had my parents and sister and family over for a BBQ lunch to celebrate Mum and Dad’s birthdays.

MAY Next weekend Katie attended yet another 60^th birthday Long Lunch, this one for our friend Mary-Anne. The girls appeared to have a very fun afternoon of cocktails, lunch, speeches and dancing while the boys were on pick up and drop off duty only. The next weekend was Australian Mother’s Day. Sadly, Jessie had just broken up with Kyel, her boyfriend of three years, so she was very sad. She decided to move back home for a few days while she came to terms with the breakup. It was lovely to have her back though. Katie and Jess went to Libertine Vietnamese restaurant for a nice lunch banquet for Mother’s Day and had a good time despite Jessie being a little weepy.

May was pretty quiet actually. We only had one other event, which was our Winosaurs wine club night. It was at our next-door neighbours, so it was an easy night for us with a short stagger home afterwards.

JUNE On 1^st June I went on Ivory’s Rock hike with my walking friend Derek. The walk took us to a stunning volcanic plug with steep cliffs jutting out of the countryside. The peak is actually on land owned by a supposed cult and access is usually restricted so we were pleased to be able to hike there. The guide was planning to take ten of us, but unfortunately, one of the group members could not find the starting spot despite us waiting for over an hour! The hike was excellent and somewhat challenging. We got back to the cars at about 4:00pm and I was knackered. The start was only about 5km from Mum and Dad’s farm, and I had been planning to surprise them with a visit in the afternoon, but the combination of the late start and difficulty of the hike meant I decided to go straight home instead. I did discover that one of Mum and Dad’s neighbours, who knows them quite well, was on the hike with me though.

We went for Sunday lunch with Ian and Cathy Muir on 8^th June. They moved back from Hong Kong in September last year and have been renovating their house in Jindalee since then. We had a lovely lunch and went back to their house afterwards. Multiple builders had let them down so the huge deck that they are putting on the back of their house still hasn’t started. It seemed like there was still several months to go, and it can’t be fun living on a building site, even if it is mostly outdoors!

On 14^th June I participated in the Canungra Combat Challenge 2025 with three of my AECOM colleagues. It was a fundraising event for Legacy Australia, an important charity which supports the families of Australian veterans and fallen service members. The challenge itself was extremely demanding. We had a 7:30am start and the temperature was only 5⁰C, so it was a bit brisk. It was a 7km course, starting with a 4km trek through the jungle warfare training course at Kokoda Barracks, each carrying a burdensome load—an ammunition crate, weighted sack, iron bar or large water jerry can, all weighing between 20-30kg. The uneven terrain made the weight even more challenging, especially uphill. Relief came when we finally set them down, but only for the next test: carrying a stretcher with a 90kg dummy for another kilometre.

The gruelling obstacles continued. We endured 100m carrying water jerry cans, punctuated by burpees every 10m, followed by crawling the same distance while pushing the jerry can ahead. Then came a 1km run with a large wooden log. It took two to carry so we did get a little rest while alternating turns carrying it. Next was the obstacle course - 25 challenges packed into just 800m, involving climbing, crawling, balancing on single wire rope bridges, and attempting monkey bars, which none of us managed to finish!

The final challenges were the swimming, the most nerve-wracking being the submerged culvert swim. The frigid water surged through a narrow pipe, leaving only a small air pocket above the surface. By the time I reached the tight end, where there was barely 5cm of free space, panic set in, and I cracked my head on the culvert as I emerged. I saw stars for the next five minutes. The last trial was a swim through the icy Canungra River. The 50m crossing was so numbing that it was hard to climb out up the steep, muddy riverbank on the far side. We had to haul each other out and then gather our energy for the final sprint to the finish. It took us just over two hours to complete the course.

Looking back, I’m glad to have done it, but don’t think I’ll be signing up again! I was very proud to be the second-highest fundraiser overall though, raising $3,351, while our AECOM team secured third place in overall fundraising efforts. Thanks for all friends who sponsored me and contributed to the fundraising total.

On Saturday 21 June we went to a Winter Solstice Long Lunch at our friends Jeremy and Leona Tod. Queensland weather in June is usually beautiful dry and sunny winter days, so they had a table set for 25 people on their tennis court. At 11:30am it started to rain just as all the guests were arriving, so we all helped them to dry and reset the tables and chairs indoors. We had a lovely lunch and got home at 10:30pm after a few hours of dancing at the end. Everyone had taken a salad or dessert, and Katie had made a spectacular three-tier pavlova. It was a great afternoon and astonishingly we even managed to play tennis the next day.

Talking of weather, Queensland has had an exceptionally cold winter, with the coldest June for 40 years. We have a few heaters, but the continued single-digit morning temperatures make our house feel cold and Katie finds it hard to get out of bed in the mornings. Due to the cold weather and general lack of central heating, everyone we know is sick, with flu and Covid epidemics and offices operating on skeleton staff. I spent nearly two weeks of June working from home which is very unlike me.

On 27^th June we went to the Powerhouse to see Jimeoin who is a Northern-Irish Australian comedian. His comedic style is characterized by his observational humour and witty insights into everyday life. We met our friend Mel and Bernie for dinner before the show. We had never seen a comedian live before and it was a hilarious night. His first joke was that it was really good to hear people coughing and sneezing in the audience again – and it was. I was just getting over my lingering cough, and it was hard not to cough after laughing so much. 

Our neighbours, the Goulds, have just got back from a six-week tour of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales encompassing Lands’ End, John O’Groats, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Isle of Skye, Islay and the Shetland Isles. We had them, and our neighbours on the other side, the Poulsens, over for drinks and a light dinner on the Sunday night so we could hear all about their trip. They had some entertaining travel stories and seemed to have particularly enjoyed the Manx Classic TT, the fish & chips, and visiting multiple Scottish whisky distilleries.

JULY On Wednesday 2^nd July I went to see the British Lions play The Reds, the local Brisbane Rubgy Union team at Suncorp. We had fantastic seats, but sadly the scoreline was not so fantastic, with the Lions beating the Reds 52-12.

Jessie has just been on holiday in Southeast Asia, going to Hong Kong and then on tour through Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. She and Matt met up in Hong Kong, which was so lovely as they hadn’t seen each other for nearly a year. They spent a day at Ocean Park, which they both loved, and Matt recreated a photo of himself there over 20 years ago. By a total unplanned coincidence Matt then travelled to Thailand, so he and Jessie met again in Bangkok. Jessie is now home, and Matt is back in China, temporarily teaching English at the Omeida Academy summer camp in Yangshuo, and making plans for the next phase of his life.

Cheers from Derek, Katie, Matt, Jessie, Molly & Pippa

 

1770 and Skiing in Japan.

                                                                                                                                              Letter No. 275

Dear all,

DECEMBER 2024 We had a very different Christmas this year, with Matt overseas and most of Derek’s family sick with flu and COVID. The three of us enjoyed a slow relaxing day with lots of yummy Christmas food. Straight after Boxing Day we headed up the coast, taking the dogs with us on their first long road trip. The first stop was Noosa and Jessie drove up to enjoy this part with us. The traffic was terrible, and it took over 4 hours for what is usually around 2.5 hours. We had a lovely two-bedroom Airbnb with a pool, and did the usual Noosa beaches, restaurants and shopping. The dogs were very well behaved, sitting nicely under the tables and loving the local dog-friendly Sunshine Beach.

Katie spent a lot of time watching the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race placings, as our good friend Paul was racing his yacht Solace in it. This is a very challenging 1200km ocean race which often has terrible weather conditions. This year was no exception and sadly two people died on the first night being hit by the boom, and one person was washed overboard. It was the first time Paul had raced in the Sydney to Hobart, so we were all quite anxious. There were 16 boats in his class and Solace came 8^th in just under four days, which was a great result.

After three nights in Noosa, we drove on up to Agnes Waters, just north of Bundaberg, and Jessie returned home. It should have been a 4-hour drive but when we were nearly there, we discovered that the police had just closed the road due to a fatal car accident just ahead. We were the first car stopped by the police and then had to make a 1.5-hour detour to get around the road blockage, retracing our route back to the motorway and then driving further north and back-tracking.

When we finally made it to Agnes Waters we were staying in a huge eco-retreat on 7 hectares with a paperbark forest surrounding the house and a lake at one end of the property. We were worried that Molly & Pippa would run off into the forest never to be seen again, so I walked the boundary fence with them both as soon as we arrived which took about 15 minutes. It wasn’t too big and was fully fenced so it was quite secure. They were both very good and stayed within visual distance of the house most of the time, except for the morning when Pippa saw a huge kangaroo just outside and was off like a rocket chasing after it. The big roo took a few large leaps and was over the fence and gone in a flash, but Pippa spent the next two days looking out for it at the exact spot where it had disappeared.  

We spent four days exploring Agnes Waters and neighbouring town of 1770. There wasn’t a lot to see, but we did a few nice walks and looked around a cute little museum dedicated to Captain Cook who had stopped in the nearby bay in 1770, obviously. We ate fish and chips one night while watching the sunset, and did a tour along the coastline in a submersible, looking at the black cockatoos and other wildlife and learning about the ecology of the area. It was New Year’s Eve during our stay, but there wasn’t much to do so we had a nice seafood feast and watched a movie. A pretty sleepy place and a relaxing few days.

JANUARY 2025 After four days in Agnes it was time to head south again. Our next stop was the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, where I did a tour while Katie took the dogs to the dog park. The tour was fascinating and delved into the history and the processes of rum production. The distillery had burnt down entirely twice due to the flammable nature of its product. The Australian Navy had also requisitioned the full output of the distillery in both world wars for the sailors. Katie met me in the gift shop, and we struggled out to the car groaning under the weight of all the Bundy rum and liqueurs I had bought! Pippa and Molly were a hit in the café but weren’t allowed on the tour as they were under 18 (and also dogs).

Our final stop was Rainbow Beach, just north of Noosa. I had last been there when I was about 12 and the town had barely changed! Katie had booked a cute little Airbnb just walking distance from everything, and we had a few more relaxing days playing tennis in the mornings, taking the dogs to the beach and going for walks and drives. We also went to the Carlo Sandblow, which was quite an astonishing sight – a huge sandy area like a giant sand dune, where nature is reclaiming the land by wind blowing the sand up the side of a tall hill. It’s a very unique site which has been used as a movie set due to its spectacular lunar landscape.

We drove back to Brisbane on Tuesday 7^th January and were both back at work the next day. A great little road trip for all of us and the dogs were very well behaved.

On 16 January we went to The Gabba to see Brisbane Heat play the Hobart Hurricanes at cricket with our friends Mel and Bernie. It was quite an eventful night as the DJ’s mixing booth caught fire midway through the game. There was a lot of smoke and flames about 3m high. It was on the other side of the stadium, and it was pretty concerning. We thought they would evacuate the stadium, but after about five minutes someone found a fire extinguisher and put the fire out quite quickly. There were a lot of jokes about burning the dance floor, not the stadium. The game was very exciting too and Brisbane lost on the last ball.

In other January events, we went to Slipstream Brewery for lunch with Ian and Cathy Muir who have moved back from Hong Kong after 30 years! Our school mate John and his wife Karen also came, and it was great to catch up. We also enjoyed Australia Day long weekend, with the usual Australia Day BBQ at our friends the Biddle’s. They had a cute new puppy who was very cuddly although also a little bitey.

FEBRUARY 2025 On 1^st February Sandra Rontree came to Brisbane. Sandra was a great friend during our Manchester days and was here for five days on a work conference. She arrived on Saturday night and on the Sunday we all went on a boat trip to Tangalooma on Moreton Island. Jess came with us as well. We picked Sandra up at her hotel and were on the boat by 9am. It was a perfect summer day. It was about 1.5 hours ride to Tangalooma and then we had 45 minutes snorkeling around the shipwrecks just off the beach. There are 15 shipwrecks, all deliberately sunk by the Queensland Government between 1963 and the 1980s to create a safe anchorage for recreational boats. Over time, the coral has formed around them, attracting diverse marine life and heaps of colourful reef fish, so it is a popular spot for snorkeling and diving. It was awesome. We had a seafood lunch on the boat and an afternoon on the beach before heading back to Brisbane.

Sandra’s daughter Zoe arrived in Brisbane a couple of days later and on Wednesday 5^th February they both came to our house for a Surf and Turf BBQ dinner with Moreton Bay bugs. Zoe and Jessie had best friends in primary school but hadn’t seen each other for 14 years. They got on like a house on fire and it was great to see them reconnecting. The next night we met Sandra and Zoe again at Howard Smith Wharves in the city for cocktails at Mr Percival’s followed by a delicious Greek dinner at Greca. It was so great to see them both and especially to catch up on all the Hale and Bowdon news and gossip.  

We went for a belated Christmas lunch with Lisa and Andrew on 9^th February as everyone had been sick at Christmas and our usual festive gathering had been cancelled. Everyone was looking fully recovered and we had a good family day.

The next weekend I went on a Boy’s Ski Trip to Japan. There were six of us going altogether, four on the same flight on Friday. The flight left on Valentine’s Day; luckily, I had someone else to blame as I hadn’t booked the flights. We flew into Osaka, but the flight was delayed and we didn’t get to our hotel until about 11pm and hadn’t had dinner. Luckily there was a noodle place just downstairs. We made it to bed just after midnight. We were all in a dorm style room, but I was so tired, I didn’t wake up at all despite the inevitable snoring.  Next morning we had to get up at 6:30am to get back to the airport for our flight to Chitose Airport. The flight was again delayed (thanks Jetstar) and we only had time for a quick bite in the airport before we jumped on a bus for the 1.5hr trip to the ski field at Niseko, arriving around 4pm. I hadn’t realised what an epic journey it would be to get there. Fortunately, we were staying in a nice modern 4-bedroom (8 bed) house right in the centre of town.

Our group of six had very mixed skiing abilities. Two were complete beginners (never skied before), two were competent (I was one) and two were expert (aka insane for people our age). We helped the beginners get their skis on and to the meeting place for their first lesson and set off. We had six full days skiing and made it round all three valleys over the course of the week. Due to our different ability levels, we mostly skied in pairs and met up for lunch. On the last day we took the beginners almost to the top of the mountain and skied down together on red runs. They were pretty nervous. They didn’t really trust the “expert” skiers to look after them but trusted me. Sure enough, the experts decided to go down a black run to meet us at the bottom. One of the beginners fell and lost a ski about 50m above me. I had to take off my skis and trudge back up the hill to help him get his skis on again as the slope was too steep for him.

Niseko was nice but was full of Aussies. Even the locals had Australian accents! We had some great meals out over the week. There were also lots of food trucks in little squares with seats and open fires to keep warm. They were cute, but it was too cold to sit outside for long. After dinner we went back to our house most nights and played cards (and drank whiskey). We left on the Saturday morning and did the whole trip in reverse. We arrived home on Sunday morning after an overnight flight from Tokyo. It was a great week’s skiing, but I would think twice about going again to Niseko due to the long journey.   

The day after I got back I went to work but started to feel unwell by lunchtime and had to go home. I spent the next two weeks only working half days with a high fever and hacking cough. I must have picked up some germs on the last flight home. I isolated myself downstairs in Matthew’s room, so Katie and Jess wouldn’t catch it from me (they didn’t).

At the end of February, it was time for another Winosaurs evening. For something different, rather than talking about the wine we had bought, we had to talk about something of historical interest in the suburb. Lots of people had researched their own houses and told us when they had originally been built, who had owned and lived in them and so on. It was pretty interesting. We talked about Francis Lookout which is in the next suburb and has early settlers’ graves from the 1800s. Jessica had volunteered for our local council woman a few years ago and helped to research and construct a signboard at the site talking about its history, so we had a ready-made information talk. It was a good evening and very interesting. One of our neighbours is planning to put the information together into a little book. I was still a little worn out from my flu, so I went home promptly at the end of the formalities while Katie kicked on a little.

MARCH 2025 We had a sad day on 1 March as Jessica moved out. She moved into a four-bedroom house in Milton with three girlfriends. I helped disassemble and reassemble her bed, while she and Katie moved everything else and gave her new room a good clean. Her room is a good size and looked lovely when she got it all set up. It was very quiet at home without her and felt strange to now be “empty nesters”. She wasn’t gone for too long though, as she came back the next day (Sunday) for Family Dinner. Pippa was devastated too, and every night for weeks she waited downstairs for Jessie to come home. We had to drag her up to bed every night, poor little dog. Eventually she got used to it and rejoined us upstairs. She still gets wildly excited every time Jessie calls in for a visit.

The next week Brisbane was threatened by Cyclone Alfred. People started panicking waaay too early and started closing things down from Tuesday when the cyclone wasn’t expected until Thursday evening. Just as the entire city had shut down, the cyclone promptly slowed down and hung around off the coast for three more days. Our office was closed from Wednesday, but the Cyclone didn’t end up getting to us until Sunday morning. During this time, it got far less intense. There were some quite strong winds on the coast and fallen trees and 500,000 people lost power but (luckily for us) there was hardly any impact at our house. We did have a lot of rain over the week – 685mm according to our rain gauge. Meanwhile in Milton, Jessie’s house lost power for three days, so it was an interesting start to her life with her new housemates.

I had a work trip to Mulwala on 12^th to 13^th March for a project we have there. It is on the New South Wales / Victorian border and a very beautiful part of the country. It was very dry and hot but still very scenic. That weekend, Katie went to see a Collectivo concert with a group of her Pilates girlfriends. Collectivo is a classical music group run by my sister Lisa’s sister-in-law Tanya Frazer. Katie said it was very good and met Tanya and the other musicians in the foyer afterwards. The husbands met in West End after the concert, and we all had dinner at Italian Street Kitchen which was nice.

On 16^th March Katie and I had a date night and went to Sirromet Winey for A Day on the Green to see Roxette. The were supported by Jon Stevens and Boom Crash Opera. Jon Stevens was fantastic and alternated between INXS and Noiseworks songs for the whole set. He is so great. I had never seen Boom Crash Opera before, but they are also one of my favourite bands. Roxette was fantastic. The lead singer, Marie Fredriksson, died of a brain tumour in 2019, but had been replaced by another Swedish pop star Lena Philipsson and sounded almost identical. The band was so good. I still have an earworm of Roxette songs two months later.

The next weekend we went to Peregian Beach for the weekend. I took the Friday off and picked Katie up from work early afternoon and we made it to the pub for dinner by 6pm. We stayed at our friend Kylie’s house. I have been helping her do structural alterations to the house. Unfortunately, the renovations were in full swing, so we had a bedroom but no running water. It was a little like posh camping. The dogs came with us too and we spent Saturday morning on the dog beach. The weather was perfect, and they had a great time on the beach. It is funny that now Matt and Jessie have left home we’ve started taking the dogs out instead and doing nice things for them rather than the kids. Pippa just loves racing up and down the beach, seeing all the other dogs and dashing into the surf.

That’s about all for now.

Cheers from Derek, Katie, Molly & Pippa