Today's walk was a re-visit to an old favourite - the Box Forest Circuit in the Lamington National Park. In fact, this was the first walk my bush walking buddies took me on as a new retiree in 2014. [Click on the link to the side (February 2014) for details of this circuit if you are interested in tackling it.] Today was much drier than that day (thankfully) and much easier (now that I am fitter). We covered 14 kilometres down and up narrow trails through towering box trees and cool green vegetation, had lunch by a cool river and avoided any problems wildlife such as snakes, ticks and leeches. All in all, a very good day.
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Brisbane never ceases to surprise me. No matter how many times you visit there are always new places to explore. No matter how many times you revisit a familiar place there are new details to discover or changes to invite a re-exploration. Last Sunday we began our wanderings through the Gardens Point QUT campus where we came face to face with life size dinosaurs roaming through prehistoric scenes on the walls of the Cube. Dino Zoo was created by the Cube team in conjunction with renowned paleontologist Dr Scott Hocknull from the Queensland Museum. The recreation of the realistic reptiles and their environment, all backed by the latest research, includes digital activities, an archaeological dig simulator, and an interactive Earth timeline. It is just as easy to wile away time watching the dinosaurs moving about as it was to watch the Virtual Reef, the Cube's previous display. The Cube is one of the world's largest digital interactive learning and display spaces and consists of 48 multi-touch screens soaring across two storeys. It is housed in QUT's Science and Engineering Centre and is open free to the public. Other interactive screens include the Physics Playroom (objects are characterised by real-world properties, such as mass and friction, and the state of the room as a whole is governed by the laws of physics such as gravity and wind velocity) and the Data Wall (visitors can search through layers of Brisbane city, from local public transport routes to public art). Just a few paces away from the very modern and mesmerising Cube is an equally enthralling building that celebrates our city's history. Old Government House, completed in 1862, is a beautiful sandstone building that housed 11 Governors, then the University of Queensland and later, the National Trust of Queensland. The house is now freely open to the public as a museum from Sunday to Friday. Upstairs, the William Robinson Gallery displays many of Robinson's works. Robinson is an eminent Australian artist who has won the Archibald Prize for portraiture twice, but may be better known for his powerful landscape paintings. Couples were celebrating Valentine's Day with romantic picnics in lovely shady spots and markets stalls were set up near the rotunda. The Riverside Markets have now moved here on Sundays and, though not very big at the moment, hopefully they will grow. Lunch was hearty, the beer cold, and the view fantastic. Brisbane is a city that keeps on giving.
We had noted that this year's Sand Safari was underway on the Gold Coast, so we figured a sea and sand inspired art walk was a grand choice for this Wednesday's walk. While we had a great time, we were far too early to see the major works. Some smaller sculptures were on display in shopping areas along the Sand Trail from Tweed Heads to Loganholme, but the big stuff to grace Surfers Paradise Esplanade is still to come. Sand was being packed in readiness for the sand sculpting championships to be held over the following weekend. This year's theme is Dreamworks Heroes. If you want to see the artists in action, make a visit to Surfers this weekend and next, but for viewing completed art works I would recommend the final week in February. Follow this link to see a full program. We enjoyed the seaside walk, the fresh air, the sunshine and the smattering of sand art, as well as some permanent "Animals with Attitude" art that adorns the coast. The koalas are colourful and fun. We also enjoyed a pop-up photographic exhibition showcasing local talented photographers' works. We walked a relaxed 14 kilometres in all from Main Beach to Nobby Beach, returning via the Gold Coast G-link tram. Fresh air and art - what a perfect combination to nurture body and soul.
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