Our first beach days - bring on the sunshine!!!

Dicky Beach, Sunshine Coast, QLD

Saturday 14th May - Tuesday 17th May

After leaving the Gold Coast we headed towards the Sunshine Coast, tempted by the predicted good weather. We drove up in the rain, set up the van in the rain and took a peek at the beach in between the rain! We were all feeling a bit downhearted by the miserable weather so we shouted ourselves dinner (fish and chips for Jackson and Thai for the rest of us) and a bottle of wine then went to bed praying to the sun gods!

Our prayers were answered as we awoke on Sunday to sunshine streaming into the van! HOORAY. After a morning run (Daniel) and a long walk along the beach (Jackson, Emilia and I) we got our bathers on and headed up to a section of the beach where the waves weren't too treacherous. The stormy weather and upcoming full moon was causing a very full on swell and large tides. We spent a lovely afternoon jumping the waves (and trying hard not to be knocked down) and swimming/fishing in the inlet. What a difference a day of sunshine made to all of our moods.

It was a gorgeous evening, made even better as we were able to watch the full moon rising over the ocean from the caravan park (which was right on the beach).

On Monday we enjoyed another day of sunshine (2 days of sun in a row - that is the first time this has happened in Queensland!). We went for a morning walk and swim- the beach out the front of the caravan park was calm- and we enjoyed floating over the waves. It was a lovely way to start the day. 

The super tide from the evening before had brought in alot of debris and we spent awhile collecting some of the rubbish and marvelling at the array of things we found. We collected at least 40 pairs of sunglasses, numerous dog toys, a heap of flippers and googles, a few caps and thongs plus the usual rubbish!

The kids spent the rest of the morning fishing in the nearby inlet then we all headed to another beach and inlet. This one was flowing super fast towards the ocean and we all had fun being swept along by the current (then running back and floating down again).

The stormy weather came back and by the next morning it was extremely humid and very overcast. We explored a few other beaches around the Caloundra area before heading inland to stay with Daniel's cousin, Deana.

We really enjoyed our time at Dicky Beach. It is a laidback little beach town and the weather had been on our side (about time!).

There aren't many photos as I was busy making the most of the sunshine!!

Jackson enjoyed his own fish and chip dinner (old school beach town prices too - only $6 for all of this!)

Catching shrimp and little fish at one of the inlets.

Exploring the rockpools at King's Beach in Caloundra.

Making new memories with old Melbourne mates

Gold Coast (specifically Bonogin- which sound suspiciously like bogan) with our good mates, Bretty and Ally Burrows, as well as a day trip to Brisbane to see some more good friends, Sarah and Ben.

Tuesday 3rd May - Saturday 14th May

We were lucky enough to be invited to stay with Bretty and Ally, our old mates from Melbourne who'd moved up to the Gold Coast Hinterlands 7 years ago. We'd been planning on coming up to see them in April 2020 (but the dreaded COVID ruined our plans) so it was great to finally get to their place and spend time with them and their fun loving kids, Ryder, Zanthe and Billie, and their huge Great Dane, Duke. As well as spending a good deal of time catching up on the last 7 years and enjoying a few quiet drinks we:

- enjoyed watching an immediate friendship strike up between Jackson and Ryder (the boys spent every available minute at the house fishing at the creek that runs past the back of their property or terrorising the poor fish in the fountain in the backyard!)

- were treated to a Mexican inspired feast by Ally, then a seafood feast for Mother's Day (complete with homebaked cake and brownie from Bretty Crocker) 

- watched Ryder play footy and win best on field (well technically Emilia and I sat in the car as it was raining too much for us)

- had a great night out at Miami Markeeta (an indoor food hall with an array of food stalls and live music). It was such a great atmosphere and we had a really fun night out.

- spent a day at the picturesque Tallebudgera Creek, swimming, snorkelling, fishing and admiring the view (Daniel actually caught a mud crab, much to the delight of the boys) 

- had coffee while watching the kids search through the millions of shells at the Burleigh Heads Rock Pools

- visited the Southport area and wandered along (and fished) off the pier (whilst watching and listening to the rollercoasters at Sea World)

- did the rainforest walks at Burleigh Heads National Park

- had dinner out at a local pub

- celebrated Zanthe's 6th birthday with a birthday breakfast pancake feast on the morning we left

We felt so welcome and it was a treat to have our own room (and own bathroom). We thoroughly enjoyed seeing Bretty, Ally and the kids and are very grateful to them for their hospitality. We had a fabulous time on the Gold Coast and came away with lots of happy memories (and a few extra kilos!).

Billie and Zanthe loved having an older 'sister'.

Jackson enjoyed watching Ryder play footy and win 'best on ground'.

At Miami Marketta

Tallebudgera Creek

The boys all tried their luck fishing but Daniel was the only one who caught anything (and that was a mud crab with his hands)

Emilia joined in the fishing too

Emilia found two identical shells with small holes in them at Burleigh Heads Rock Pools (they are now hanging off her sleepers as her new shell earrings)

Fishing (again) of Southport pier

Bretty Crocker did some baking for the mums for Mother's Day!!

Before cake, we feasted on fresh mud crab- very spoilt

The view toward Surfer's Paradise from Burleigh Heads National Park (as you can see it was another stormy day!)

Burleigh Heads NP - gorgeous rainforest walk

Duke, their Great Dane, fell in love with Daniel (and the feelings were reciprocated).

Emilia and Billie

The pancake feast for Zanthe's birthday

Saying goodbye (it was 7am so don't mind the puffy eyes, none of us had even had a coffee yet!).

On Friday we went up to Brisbane to catch up with Sarah, Ben, Xavier and Aiden (they'd moved to Brisbane in January). It was another day of wet and wild weather but we still managed to have a great day at Howard Smiths Wharves. We had lunch at Felons Brewery, followed by gelati then we wandered along the Brisbane River (watching all the flood debris floating down) before it began bucketing down and we all had to run for our cars (which were parked a good 15 minute walk away!). It was lovely catching up and getting a taste of their new life in Brisbane.

Getting the adrenaline pumping on some crazy coasters

Movie World, Wet and Wild and Sea World (two visits to each theme park between Wednesday 4th May and Saturday 14th May).

Well we certainly made the most of our 14 day, 3 parks pass, with a full day and a half at each of the theme parks. The first days at Movie World, Sea World and Wet and Wild were warm and sunny and we did everything possible (staying until they announced the park was closing and we had to leave!).

The second day we visited each park the weather was not so nice! At Movie World it was pouring but they still had all the rides running - although we were dripping wet it was a great day as there were NO queues on any of the rides. We literally finished a ride, then got to get straight back on. The rain added an extra element to the scary rollercoaster though - the water made it hard to keep a grip on the handles and the rain drops felt like needles when you were going so fast. We were all laughing at how crazy we were (and how wet we were). It was certainly a unique day that we won't forget in a hurry.

Wet and Wild was even funnier - we stayed a few days longer on the Gold Coast as it was meant to be sunny on Saturday. We awoke Saturday to grey skies and incessant rain. But that did not deter the crazy Katz. We donned our bathers and did 2 hours in the pouring rain making the most of the water slides (where again there were no queues). Thankfully they have hot showers there as we were all turning blue by the time we decided to leave.

The weather wasn't as bad the 2nd time we visited Sea World, but it was still cold and windy and it wasn't quite as appealing getting soaked on the Storm Coaster roller coaster when there wasn't any sun to dry you out! We ended up riding with our raincoats on, which made for some funny photos.

All in all we really enjoyed our time at the theme parks. We discovered that Emilia prefers the more subdued rollercoasters (medium thrill, where you feel safe to not hold on) whilst Jackson loved the maximum thrill (hold on for dear life and scream so hard you get a sore throat) rides. 

It was the perfect time to do the theme parks as the kids were tall enough, and old enough, for every ride bar two.

By the end of our epic theme park days we were all exhausted (and Daniel and I had sore necks and backs) but we'd had such a great time.

Movie World - Day 1

The stunt show was very impressive. We also watched it the 2nd time we came back, the drivers did an incredible job in the pouring rain and it certainly added another layer of excitement to the show.

The first ride we did at Movie World - we were not prepared and didn't realise it was a max thrill ride - poor Emilia did not like it at all!!

The Road Runner Rollercoaster was more Emilia's style, and she went on it over and over again building up the confidence to ride with her hands in the air.

Movie World Day 2 - it was pouring!

We rode the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster so many times as there were no queues, and each time we made a plan for a funny photo. This was our favourite.

It was raining so heavily when we did this ride, we were the only ones on it.

The Green Lantern is a rollercoaster that goes upside down - it was made all the more extreme by the rain (and I felt a bit extra anxious when I saw the 'Out of Order' sign on one of the seats!).

Wet and Wild- Day 1

Look at that sunshine!!

Wet and Wild- Day 2 (there were only a few other people crazy enough to go to Wet and Wild on a day like this!).

The camera was covered in rain drops!

Sea World

On this ride the people around the outside had to try to wet those in the boat (and try not to get too wet themselves). Every water cannon was taken up by dads giving it their all, trying to soak those in the boats. It was hilarious to watch and it got very competitive (Daniel loved it!).

The dolphin show was spectacular and we ended up watching it another 2 times.

We spent quite a lot of time in the underground aquarium viewing room (to admire the sea life and get out of the rain!).

The Storm Coaster had a very fast drop (check out my screaming face!).

Trying to stay semi dry on the Storm Coaster (a rollercoaster that ends with you plummeting into the water. Heaps of fun but you get drenched!).

Our pass also gave us entry to Paradise Country. We only spent a few hours there but were lucky enough to see a 5 month old baby koala (the first baby koala we'd all ever seen). It wasn't easy to get a photo, but the small round section on the koala on the right is the baby.