Happy new year for 2017 and it’s great to be back on deck for another big year.
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I took full advantage of the Christmas break to drive to Brisbane to catch up with friends and family and also enjoy my first ever experience of the Woodford Folk Festival (which I loved, especially an energetic take-no-prisoners Bosnian ska band called the Dubioza Kollectiv).
Then I drove up to Ball Bay north of Mackay at Cape Hillsborough to see in the new year with another group of friends.
I don’t think I’ve heard of Cape Hillsborough before 2016 but in the last 12 months it’s my third visit there and it is a little slice of heaven on earth.
Among all the beautiful scenery and great walks, you can even see kangaroos on the beach so it doesn’t get more Australian than that.
All good things must come to an end so on Tuesday I had a huge 1200km drive from there back to Mount Isa via Charters Towers.
Despite its length, the journey was relatively easy going until I bumped into heavy rain between Cloncurry and Mount Isa.
Talk about a welcome home, there was water over the road (another 10 minutes or so and I would have been in “flooded, forget it” territory) and later despite slowing right down – though clearly not slow enough – I skidded all over the road, somehow managing to keep the car under control and thankful there was nothing coming in the opposite direction.
It was with great relief I finally got home after 13 tiring hours on the road.
Queensland, as I’m discovering, is a big place, but it is nice to call the North West home.
Yes, it’s bloody hot at this time of year – and that’s what air-con is for – but it remains an astonishing beautiful place at any time.
If you’ve read my front page story, you’ll know I’m optimistic about the year ahead and I make no apologies for that.
That’s not just wishful thinking or a random new year resolution but a genuine belief that that tide is turning in the north west’s favour.
I hope that whatever happens, the year 2017 brings you health and happiness, and please, please, take care when driving on those roads. DB