Straddie

This post was never meant to happen considering I've literally run into all kinds of snags and hiccups trying to get it finished.  So, I'll keep the narrating short so that I can actually move onward and try to catch up on all that's happened since this second weekend of November trip.

We left for Stradbroke Island, a quick one hour trip from Brisbane (30 minutes by land, 30 by ferry) on a bright Friday afternoon for a weekend of fun with the Purnells.  The two families equal 10 people in total, so you can imagine the energy and noise level!

Cory and I hired some top-of-the-line chauffeurs for the trip

Marin & Ruby

The kid crew...hallie is buried somewhere in the mix

The wind effect

kanga crossing on the remote island...too bad we didn't see any roos

When we arrived at the All Seasons Resort at Point Lookout, there wasn't much time left in the day, but we did manage to squeeze in a brief walk to the beach before sunset.

We left early and went to try out the Gorge walk.  It's an incredible walk, high on cliffs overlooking the sparkling shades of azure water. We saw eagles, rays, turtles and dolphins, and the kids had a lot of fun.  Cory on the other hand was a nervous wreck helping to watch that the kids didn't fall off the side of the cliffs into the water.  Needless to say, this is not the most child-friendly bush walk in Australia, but how could you miss this scenery?!

one of the rays we saw

After some ice cream and a brief cool off, we headed back to the resort for some brekkie and pool time.

Later in the day we went back to the beach for some evening snacks, sand playing and a little bit of fishing.

huddle...okay, I have a great idea, let's let the waves chase us...

here comes a wave! run!

it's still chasing us, keep running! oh, and scream!

is it gone yet?

okay it is...back for more!

and even after the rest tired, the girls are back for more

sunset fishin'

a quick shower before turning in for the night in the outdoor shower

We finished off the day with a proper Aussie BBQ and beer, while the kids went catatonic in front of the TV.

On Sunday, Jack and Hamish turned 7 years old, so Clare organized a little birthday party, complete with cake and a lollie hunt.

the birthday boys

Afterwards we headed over to Cylinder Beach to set up shop after checking out of the resort.  It's a fabulous beach, perfect for the kids, with lifeguards, and a sweet little sandbar for them to play in the shallow water.

What a great weekend...Straddie, we'll definitely be back with guests...I highly recommend taking friends and / or family who visit to this gem right off the coast of Brissie.