Holy Trinity Race Day

It was a beautiful day for horse racing!  This was the annual school fund raiser for our school.  The first prize was a new car, which my teaching colleague's, 17 year old, son won!  So cool to see it go to someone who needs a car!  I was able to wear, my first ever, fascinator in my hair.  There were many hats and hair pieces to see and beautiful outfits.  Many of our seniors students came dressed up as well.  I did a little betting on the races, but didn't win a thing!  It was an excellent day to drink champaign.  

Brisbane

Cath, my colleague from school, picked me up from the airport and invited me to stay two nights with her family who live in Brisbane.  We went downtown and took a tour up the clock tower at the city hall.  We visited two different museums and squeezed in some shopping.  Beautiful city!

 We hiked up to a lookout over Brisbane

 Moreton Bay is located just off the coast of Brisbane.  Many ships were sunk there to create a reef for snorkelling.

This is the City Hall and clock tower that we went up

View from the clock tower 

  This is the view of the church from above. 

 The clock hands at the top of the tower.  

 Gold cricket busker!

 City Hall

 Cathedral of St Stephen 

 Mary MacKillop - Australia's only saint.  She founded the Sisters of St Joseph

 Public art made from kitchen strainers ... go figure!  

 Casino 

 Cool walking bridge over the Brisbane river system 

Magnetic Island and Townsville

I spent a week with Kevin, Paige and their three children from Olds who were also on exchange this year.  We went to the Airlie beach together and they also took me over the Magnetic island for the day.  It was a day which included a ferry ride, a hike and swimming on the beach.  We saw koala bears in the trees on our way up the the lookouts.

 Townsville

 Paige and I on the ferry

 View from the lookout 

 Mom and baby koala bear

 Challoner Family 

 Paige and I hiked up  Castle Mountain before dropping me off at the airport to Brisbane

Great Barrier Reef

I booked a plane ride over the Great Barrier Reef for some snorkelling and a visit to Whitehaven beach.  I was not disappointed by the amazing view from the sky.  Unfortunately the clouds blew in taking away the sunlight that would make the reef shine underwater.  I did, however, enjoy the champaign on the beach!

 Heart island 

 Glass bottom and snorkelling boat

 Whitehaven beach

 Beach delivery