Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Ending December with a Bang!

Well the school year finishes tomorrow and 2014 has ended rather well for us. Grace graduated from year 6 last week, bring on high school next year! She had a dance on graduation night, so we all got dressed up for that. Then the morning after that was the final whole school assembly for 2014 and Milly scooped up the Citizenship Award for her class as well as an award for music. She did extremely well, we are very proud of both of the girls for a fantastic year.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Flashdance!


 
End of year dance concert time! Matilda has persisted with her Jazz Ballet classes this year, she loves going. All her hard work paid off with being awarded "Most Improved Jazz Dancer" at the presentations held at the end of the End Of Year Concert this weekend. Well done Milly!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Our trip down the Gibb to Mitchell Falls.

 
During the July School holidays we took off to the Mitchell Plateau for a week with some friends. Here we are at the turn off for our first night, at a place called Drysdale Station
 
 
Thanks for holding open the gate Daz!
 
 
This is one of many river crossings on the way up on Day Two.
 

 
We got to discover some artwork on the way. The artwork in the top photo is called a Wandjina.
 

 
And here we are on Day Three, finally made it to the Mitchell Falls! This is a waterfall called Little Merton Falls, on the walk down to the Mitchell Falls. It's about a two hour walk in.
 

 
We discovered more artwork on the walk to the Falls.
 
 
Of course there is always time for a swim and a clapping game on the way!
 
 
A bit further on this was Big Merton Falls.
 
 
This was around the corner of the Mitchell Falls, sort of the top bit all flat before it got narrow and turns into the waterfall. You had to walk across this bit to get to the viewing points for the Falls. This was the only part safe enough to swim. on the left of this photo on the horizon, there was a flat area of rock there where the helicopters landed and took off, we took a helicopter ride back to camp. Two hours to walk up, 15 scenic minutes to fly back down. No photos from the air as I was took all these shots on the ipad.
 
 
Yahhh, we made it to the top!
 


 
The postcard shot capturing all four of the waterfalls that make up Mitchell  Falls.

 
Then on Day Four we went to another waterfall called Surveyors Pool. Milly was very colour coordinated as always!
 
 
The water was flowing further to the left of this photo, we started to swim there but soon discovered little black leaches attached to our legs, so we got out quickly!
 
 
So Daz tried to have a nap....
 

 
On Day Five we started the journey back to Kununurra. More amazing artwork discovered on the way.
 

 
And here we are on the morning of our last day, car all packed and ready to head back to a hot shower, real flushing toilets and a clean bed! An awesome trip to a very special part of Australia.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

August Achievements



 
August was a busy month. After 18 months of work at Guides, Grace received her BP Award. She had to travel to Perth to receive it. As luck turned out I got to go too with her and the two other girls from Kununurra who also received their BP Awards. A proud moment indeed as I received my BP Award 29 years ago in the same ball room at Government House. The whole family turned up for the afternoon.
 
 
Congratulations Grace!
 
 
meanwhile back In Kununurra Daz and Milly had the annual KDHS Sports Carnival and Milly scored a third in the long jump, a second in her 100 metres sprint and a first in the relay. Well done Milly!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Another Fishing Weekend.


We went fishing at the Keep River last weekend, camped overnight. Spot the dead cow in the mud on the bank? Spot how many crocodiles lurking near by??

 
No boat ramps in this part of the world. Once the boat is off the trailer, this is how
you get it in the water. I couldn't watch.

 
Yes, I know we are mad to get in a small dingy and fish in the same river as that. I did have butterflies for the first hour or so till I caught this! Nice looking barra.
 
 
And Daz caught this one.



This was the view from our campsite as twilight approached. A lovely weekend.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

A Weekend on a Houseboat!


When Mum and Dad were up in May, Mum went in the Diamond Dig. Within five minutes she dug up a weekend for 7 on a local luxury houseboat! Out of all the prizes that were on offer (including pink diamonds, this is the one I really wanted to win!) So everybody was very excited when we took it out one weekend in June.


It was very easy to drive, you didn't even have to have your hands on the wheel!


Our boat became the tender of  the houseboat! We towed it up rather than drive it, save on fuel that way.


We putted up the river for about four hours, putted very slowly and moored here. This was the view from the front...


And this was the view from the back. Dad is watching the sunrise here. Shortly after this photo we lifted the cover off the BBQ and cooked breakfast on the top deck.


On Sunday morning after breakfast we untied the little boat and drove back to the boat ramp to Celebrity Tree Park where we meet with our Girl Guide Unit and helped the Governor General who was visiting town plant a tree at the park. It was such an amazing experience for the girls. After the tree planting we popped back in the boat and drove back to the houseboat, it was a great weekend.


Thanks Nan for digging up such a great prize for us to all share!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Darwin with the Dockers

 
When Daz heard that his beloved Fremantle Dockers would be playing an AFL match in Darwin, well there wasn't any question that we weren't going to attend!
 
 
We left school on Friday and drove to Katherine, spent a night there, had breakfast at Macca's with Jules and Pete who were going in the other direction and then drove up to Darwin.


As you can see we had awesome seats!
 
 
Milly pointing out another goal kicked by Freo! 

 
Quarter time huddle. Our team is that way, thanks Milly!
 

And then we drove home on Tuesday. Here is Daz having a quiet coffee break at the Victoria River Roadhouse, contemplating his teams chances for the Grand Final this year.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

2014 Lake Argyle Swim

 
The Lake Argyle Swim was in May. After taking 2013 off, the boys were back for this year as keen as ever. Here we have swimmers, paddler and boat skipper all ready to go. Daz is feeling confident as he is wearing his "I survived the Lake Argyle Swim" BEFORE surviving it!

 
Walking down the boat ramp.
 

Nearly at the finish line boys!
 

Here they are crossing the line from our view from the top of the boat ramp. We were in radio contact with our boat this year, so after I took these shots, Mario our skipper told me to come down to the ramp and he came in and picked me up so I was on the boat when the boat crossed the line.


They swim up to the orange boat to have a champers and get their official time noted (3 hours and something) and then we went in to pick them up.


Here they all are after finishing. Posing for the school's buff man calendar!


Don paddled for a lady he meet at the caravan park. Her paddler had unexpectedly pulled out the night before, he was there willing with his own kayak so it all worked out well!


Father and son after the race, both wearing their shirts. See you next year!