North West Coast – 2023

After cancelling for three years in a raw (@#$& COVID!) we finally leave early June for our round trip to Broome and back! Stay tuned for updates.

Far North Queensland

Another cruise, this time on the Coral Princess departing Brisbane and sailing north. Stops included Airley Beach and Cairns with Port Douglas being cancelled due to bad weather..

Jakarta

We visit our daughter and her partner who are 9 months into a 2-3 year assignment with her German parent company at a plant in Jakarta Indonesia.

Mansfield

Nothing like a week in Mansfield. Driving into the high country and visiting Craig’s Hut and Mt Buller (in summer) were a highlight. The Martin family hails from Mansfield.

Southern Australia Cruise

We take a 7 day cruise from Melbourne on the GOLDEN PRINCESS calling in at Hobart, Port Lincoln and Adelaide. Our stop at Kangaroo Island was cancelled due to bushfires!

2020 New Years Eve Antarctica Flight

We leave 5:30pm Tuesday 31/12/19 for a 13 hour flight to Antarctica. Organised by Antarctica Flights using a Qantas 747 jumbo jet. This was a unique opportunity for the family to do something different for NYE, see some wonderful landscapes and probably take our last flight in the workhorse of the skies, a 747 jumbo jet.

Leaving Melbourne we head south west, drop below the Antarctic Circle and in the land of the midnight sun enjoying views of the Casey Base, an Australian supply ship and a Russian ice breaker. We spent nearly 4 hours cruising at low altitude over the ice before returning to Melbourne. We would have been amongst the first and definitely one of the few to see NYE in for 2020 at such a southern latitude.

 

 

 

 

Isle of Pines – New Caledonia

Another tender transfer to the beautiful Isle of Pines!

It’s easy to see why Isle of Pines is commonly referred to as the jewel of the pacific. Its beauty is simply breathtaking.

Captain James Cook was the first European to discover Isle of Pines in 1774 on his second voyage to New Zealand. He gave the island its name after seeing the tall native pines for which it is famous. Cook never set foot on the island, but noted it was inhabited because he saw smoke. The 1840’s saw the arrival of missionaries – Protestant then Catholic, as well as traders looking for precious sandalwood. In 1872 the island became a penal colony for 3000 French convicts. Today, nearly 140 years later, the island is less populated than previously and remains extremely protected by the tribal system.

Tour details: Join your local guide to explore island’s most notable sites and discover rich heritage of Isle of Pines and its people. As we tour around the island, your guide will share a legend of Queen Hortense, the inspiration for kanak people. You will be taken through an elaborate storyline as we visit Vao Village and Grand Chief’s council, or stop at a lookout point to see Brush Island and the sea stack called “Queen Hortense’s clogs”, or visit St.Maurice Bay where christian monument stands side by side with mystical kanak totems. For the final magic of the story, discover hidden in the forest sacred Oumagne grotto, a giant limestone cave adorned with gigantic stalactites and stalagmites which served as a refuge to the young queen Hortense during a difficult time of tribal conflicts.

Mystery Island – Vanuatu

Time for relaxing on the beach, John did the drift snorkel!

This incredibly beautiful conglomeration of pure white sand, palm trees and coral reefs provides the perfect place to relax and unwind.

Mystery Island is a tiny, uninhabited islet in Vanuatu’s Tafea Province, officially charted under the indigenous name Inyeug. Other than an airstrip, built by United States Military personnel to serve the nearby island of Aneityum, Mystery Island only has a few huts for overnighters, modern amenities for cruise passengers and some trails that bisect the island.

Tour details: You may not have heard of tiny Mystery Island, but this snorkelling experience will help you uncover all its beautiful mysteries. This uninhabited, picture-perfect island has an amazing underwater world just waiting to be explored. Swim past spectacular coral and keep your eyes peeled for bright, tropical marine life. A short boat ride will take you to a Marine Protected Area located just off Mystery Island, it’s the perfect location offering the rare opportunity to snorkel through an undisturbed coral reef ecosystem. Your guide will distribute snorkel gear and offer safety instructions. All that’s left is to dive in and start snorkelling as you drift snorkel back to the shore. A professional snorkel guide will be in the water with you at all times and will point out the amazing coral formations and marine life. Inquisitive tropical fish and other sea creatures come out to say hello, and if you’re lucky, friendly sea turtles might even make a special appearance. Refreshed and invigorated from your time in the water, return to the white-sand beach to relax and enjoy the rest of your day in paradise. 

 

Port Vila – Vanuatu

Unfortunately a little wet, but we took the island tour anyway and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Port Vila has seen more history and change than many towns ten or even a hundred times its size. when it comes to culture, tradition and history, this is a city with an incredible depth of each.

Port Vila is the trading centre and capital of Vanuatu. It’s perfectly located around a beautiful harbour on the south-western coast of the island of Efate. Here you’ll find a mix of cultures – Melanesian (Indigenous Ni-Vanuatu), French, English, Chinese and many others.

Tour Details: When it comes to culture, tradition and scenery, Port Vila has it in spades. This tour will give you a taste of what’s on offer in this fascinating destination. Discover Port Villa’s scenic waterfront by coach as you head along the Lini Highway towards the harbourside town area. Take in the distinctive architecture dating back to the colonial era as well as other noteworthy sites established by the Republic of Vanuatu as you drive past landmarks including the New Parliament House, local markets, bustling shopping area and the former French Quarter. Have your camera ready to snap photos of Independence Square and the amazing tropical scenery and picturesque harbour views from the Irririki Island viewpoint. Learn about the culture and local way of life with a visit to a Ni-Vanuatu village community. Fresh seasonal fruit and a drink will be served at Mama’s Market and there will also be an opportunity to shop for local craft and souvenir items.

 

Lifou – New Caledonia

We take a tender transfer to the Island of Lifou.

Lifou is the largest island in the archipelago of coral atolls known as the Loyalty Islands. Long stretches of white sand beach, small coves, limestone caves, grottos and imposing cliffs give the island one of the most dramatic landscapes in the pacific.

Melanesian seafarers were the first people to discover and settle the Loyalty Islands. Whether French navigator D’Entrecasteaux or La Perouse was the first European to arrive is unknown – there’s some dispute as to whom. The name Loyalty Islands was bestowed on the group of islands by European merchants towards the end of the 18th century, apparently to acknowledge the cooperation of the indigenous people. Whaling and timber were the main industries during the 19th Century. Today, the main industry is copra, the dried meat of coconuts, from which oil is extracted. Increasingly, tourism is becoming an important mainstay of the local economy.

Tour Details: Take a scenic drive across the charming island of Lifou, past hibiscus and poinsettia hedges and traditional village houses and visit Luecila Beach – it’s like a castaway island, where the sand is shaded by coconut trees and lapped by a blue lagoon. Not a concrete resort, condo or car insight. Your cheerful, local guide will provide informative commentary as you wind your way through Easo Village with breath-taking views of Santal Bay. Keep an eye out for Notre Dame de Lourdes, a historic chapel with a regal iron statue of Our Lady of Lourdes looking out from its rooftop. Drive through the seaside settlement of Xepenehe, with hand-carved totems and a charming white bridge arching between jagged rocks. Here and in the next village of Koumo, marvel at traditional Melanesian homes and their bright flower gardens which thrive thanks to the tropical climate. In Wé, the administrative seat of the island, watch for a traditional meeting hut with its thatched roof and curving, beehive-like walls, along with a local protestant church, small restaurants, snack bars and the open-air market that operates just a few mornings a week. Next is a stop at Luecila Beach, a picture-perfect, unspoiled paradise complete with brilliant blue water and smooth white-sand bordered by soaring palms and tropical foliage. Here you’ll have about 90 minutes to explore, relaxation here you come! Enjoy a refreshing coconut drink, kick back and soak up the sun, have a swim in the crystal-clear water or browse market stalls featuring locally made crafts, souvenirs and artwork.