Folk Fests and Floods

Looks like I am only updating my blog once a month now. And a lot can happen in a month. I've survived Xmas,

travelled to the Sunshine Coast for a New Year reunion with some of the Papunya mob,

went to Underwater World with them (too wet to do anything outside!)


spent a night with Jan and Charlie and met their new grandson, Thomas, and caught up with Sally who is a beautiful young mother now

travelled back down to a mini folk fest at Woody Head,

evacuated from there due to cyclonic rain and had to go round the Monaltrie way because the Wyrallah Road was flooded near the tip,

woke Nichol up in time to move his car away from the rising floodwaters in Wotherspoon St,

and was surprised to see Winiata, up from Canberra again, wading through the floodwaters.









A few cars were drowned but otherwise it was not a major event in Lismore - more like some excitement for the locals out with a camera and a reason for a family boating trip

I am presently engaged in some fast and furious house (and road) renovations with some very willing wwoofers - next post will be about my forthcoming trip to Tasmania (10 more sleeps!)

Rainforest Reunion

I am now in Lismore studying for the phenomenally boring Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment - but most of the last week was spent camping out on Mt Nardi with old campaigners for the rainforest (and a few young), celebrating the victory for rainforest we won 25 years ago.

Lots of photos, from the old Benny 25 years ago, to Winiata who never seems to age...





















Jingles as the coffee wallah...

The grannies telling stories of the old days to the kids from Tuntable school (just like the creekbed at Town Bore, only greener)

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Gummy, Doug and PJ...


people reminiscing and making plans round the fire ...

me and Luna up in the magnificent strangler fig...

Endings and Beginnings

Here is a photo of the graduation day at Papunya, when four of the Aged Care workers received their hard-won Certificate II in Community Dervices.

It was also my last day and I had to work hard not to cry, people were being so lovely. I am already missing them, despite being glad to see my family and friends back here in Nimbin and Lismore.