March 10 — Cleveland

We looked around Cleveland and checked on the internet at the library for email.

March 11 — Lone Pine Sanctuary

Donna and I ran to the train and then to Miramar boat. It was a nice trip up the Brisbane river. We passed a lot of fruit bats and heard a commentary about the 1974 flood. Our boat was taking us to Lone Pine Sanctuary. We spend the day seeing all the different animals of Australia. We fed kangaroos, held a koala in our arms, saw 2 emus chasing each other, and heard dingos howling. One of the strangest animals was the Tawny frogmouth.

March 12 — Brisbane

Drove into the city and visited with some college friends from QUT.

March 13 — Cleveland

Worked at Alan's shop.

March 14 — Maryborough

Alan, Donna and I drove to Maryborough and visited with Alan's mother, Mable Bretzke.

March 15 — Bundaberg

We visited with relatives in Maryborough and then drove to Bundaberg for a rodeo. We visited a rum distillery and cooper shop in Bundaberg and met our relatives at the rodeo. There were bull riding contests. One guy was taken away in an ambulance after getting stepped on by a horse. It was very sunny and windy that day. Our cousin, Mark, did really well and got a 1st place award. That evening we stopped at a country kitchen for dinner. We celebrated my birthday with a nice meal and wine.

March 16 — Noosa Heads

That morning, we had tea with Beris and visited with her son's Elton and Clinton. We packed up for out trip back to Brisbane and stopped at the cemetary on the way out of town and saw Roy Bretzke's grave, Alan's father. During the trip back we stopped at Noosa Heads for lunch and saw some surfers. We went for a walk on the beach. When we got back to Alan's place we had dinner and then took Donna to the bus station for her trip to Sydney.

March 17-20

Did some errands around Cleveland. Went to a car auction in New Farm. I was looking for a car to drive around north Queensland. Went to the Brisbane natural history museum. There was a solar power car on display.

March 21-25 — North Stradbroke Island

We rushed to get to the vehicular ferry on time at 10am. The weather was beautiful. Alan, Faye and I went to Flinders Beach to set up camp after we dropped off Trebor, a friend, at his caravan. It was a challenge setting up in the wind. We made a big pasta dinner and I slept on the beach. The next morning we went to get Gavin and Donna from the ferry terminal.