Brisbane 2006, so far

Hi All,

Well I know it has been ages since I last updated my blog. Actually I was informed that it was October last year! I have a few photos below, but I have been pretty slack on the photography front also.

Anyway, I have been extremely busy with work. If any of you have Google Earth, please email me so I can send you my placemarks. These placemarks are all the places I have visited for work since the start of 2005.

For those of you who don't have Google Earth, here is a list of the places I have visited for work this year:

• Oakly, QLD
• Townsville, QLD
• Millmerran, QLD
• Biloela, QLD
• Hervey Bay, QLD
• Oxenford, QLD
• Broken Hill, NSW
• Gibson Island, QLD
• Nerang, QLD
• Narangba, QLD
• North Stradbroke Island, QLD
• Tully, QLD
• Mt Marrow, QLD
• Southport, QLD
• Changi, Singapore
• Mt Muro, Central Kalimantan, Borneo Island, Indonesia
• Cape Flattery, QLD
• Mt Isa, QLD
• Sebuku Island, South East Kalimantan, Borneo Island, Indonesia
• Gladstone, QLD
• Tanjung Pinang & Kijang, Bintan Island, Indonesia
• Pajingo, Charters Towers, QLD

So I have been jet setting around a lot. It actually gets really tiring. But I don't mind so much, now I have negotiated a new salary package, that sees me rewarded for doing more work.

Well I suppose you want to know what else I've been up to other than work? I have been attending Rovers with Lawnton RC when I am in Brisbane. This has been quite good, but they don't go comping often enough.

Tanya and I went for a day trip through the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It was very beautiful. We went for a bit of a walk down to Kondalilla Falls in Kondalilla NP, as well. I actually have some photos below of the falls.

I took a week's annual leave in July and Tanya and I went camping in the Bunya Mountains NP, QLD and at Bjelke-Petersen Dam, QLD. We visited a couple of wineries (one in Kingaroy and one in Murgon). We also visited a cheese and oil factory, and the cheese was very tasty. Camping out was great as neither of us had done it in some time. We both would have liked some more time off though.

We have had a few visitors at The Groves this year; Tanya's sister, Angela; my cousin, Tom; Tanya's mum, Cora; our friend, Jodie; Tanya's grandparents, Oma & Opa; and my parents, Wendy & Don. So we really haven't had much of a chance to get back to Adelaide to visit you all. However, we will be back on the last weekend of October for my boot ceremony from Rovers as would have turned 26 by that time. We will also be back for the second weekend in November for my brother's engagement party. So I hope I can catch up with some of you for bevvies then. If not Tanya and I will be back over the Christmas break for about 10 days.

When my parents visited, Don and I went away to a property out in Western Queensland near the township of St George. It was a hunting expedition for wild pigs. Don bought up his .243 rifle. However, to our dismay we did not see any pigs in the 3 and a bit days we were away. We still enjoyed ourselves away from it all, and no mobile phone reception either! Whilst we were away Tanya took my mum to the North Pine Country Markets, shopping at DFO near the airport and canoeing in South Pine River. The day after we got back I took Mum and Don to Australia Zoo, home of the Crocodile Hunter. It was actually really good. They have a very well set out zoo, that is extremely clean. The day after we went Maleny and Montville. Mum and Don bought a Cuckoo Clock at Montville, we then ventured back to Maleny to get a nice ice cream. This however was a bad idea as I managed to reverse my car over a kerb into some tables and chairs of the coffee shop that we parked in front of :-(

Tanya has done very well at uni this past semester, even though she was stressed out about getting her results. If she continues studying hard she may have a GPA (Grade Point Average) good enough to apply for Honours. This will also help her decide what field of Science she is most interested in (currently wildlife ecology seems to be in favour). But Tanya may tell you different ;-)

Below are some of the very few photos I have taken this year.

Cheers for now,

Damian