Saturday, 21 October 2017

PICNIC AT THE DAY ON THE GREEN, SIRROMET WINES. QUEENSLAND




Do you want good food, fine wine and great music in magnificent locations, and some great artists? Well we have enjoyed many great outings to A Day On The Green. The very first A Day On The Green was held on Australia Day, January 26 2001 at Morning Star Estate, Mt Eliza, Victoria with Australian artists Renee Geyer, James Morrison and Stephen Cummings. Concert goers can bring their own food, meet the artists at the signing desk and purchase products from the hugely popular merchandise range; as well as many other activities and events throughout the day.



The incline on the green at Sirromet Winery in Mount Cotton means that there are no really bad vantage spots, but for the premium experience I highly recommend getting front admission tickets. It not difficult at any point to be three, four people back from the stage, with room to spare. But we always prefer the general admission.


A Day On The Green have stumbled onto what feels like a close-to-perfect recipe with their one day winery-hosted festivals. With only one stage and limited, but great number of bands and you can plonk yourself down on your own camp chair and enjoy an afternoon and evening of fabulous music without having to frantically consult conflicting schedules, argue with mates or schlep through mud to stand 100 metres away from a band that looks like ants.

 A Day On The Green experience encourages people to get away for the weekend, and as such, regional areas experience a huge injection of tourism funds into accommodation, restaurants, shops and facilities, providing a huge boost to local communities.




International artists who have performed for A Day On The Green include Alicia Keyes, Billy Idol, Blondie, Boz Scaggs, Bryan Adams, Cheap Trick, Chris Isaak, Crosby, Crowded House, Cyndi Lauper, Daryl Hall & John Oates, DEVO, Diana Krall, Don Henley, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Fleetwood Mac, Garbage, George Benson, George Thorogood, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Jamie Cullum, Jewel, Joan Armatrading, Joe Cocker, John Fogerty, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Jordin Sparks, Leonard Cohen, Lionel Richie, Lucinda Williams, Madeleine Peyroux, Mariah Carey, Marlon Williams, Meatloaf, Melody Gardot, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart, Rodriguez, Ronan Keating, Roxette, Roxy Music, Sade, Sheryl Crowe, Simple Minds, Simply Red, Sting, Steely Dan, Steve Winwood, Stills & Nash, The B52’s, The Beach Boys, The Motown Show, The Pretenders, The Proclaimers, Tom Jones, Train and Violent Femmes.






Australian artists who have performed for A Day On The Green include 1927, Adalita, Alex Lahey, Archie Roach, Baby Animals, Ben Hazelwood, Bernard Fanning, Boom Crash Opera, British India, Choirboys, Clairy Browne, Clare Bowditch, Cold Chisel, Dami Im, Dan Sultan, Daryl Braithwaite, David Campbell, Diesel, Dragon, Eurogliders, Gang Gajang, Glenn Shorrock, Guy Sebastian, Hoodoo Gurus, Hunters & Collectors, Husky, Ian Moss, Icehouse, INXS, James Reyne, Jebediah, Jimmy Barnes, John Butler Trio, John Farnham, John Paul Young, Jon Stevens, Kasey Chambers, Kate Ceberano, Katie Noonan, Kira Puru, Lanie Lane, Lisa Mitchell, Little Red, Lowrider, Machinations, Mahalia Barnes, Marcia Hines, Mark Gable of Choirboys, Mark Seymour, Mark Wilkinson, Megan Washington, Melody Pool, Mental As Anything, Mi-Sex, Michael Paynter, Missy Higgins, Models, Montaigne, Moving Pictures, Ngarie, Nick Barker, Noiseworks, Oh Mercy, Paul Kelly, Pete Murray, Pseudo Echo, Renee Geyer, Richard Clapton, Richard Clapton, Rose Tattoo, Ross Wilson, Russell Morris, Sarah Blasko, Sean Kelly, Sheppard, Something for Kate, Spiderbait, 'Swanee', Steve Kilbey, Stonefield, Tash Sultana, Tate Sheridan, Tex Perkins, The Angels, The Badloves, The Black Sorrows, The Clouds, The Dead Daisies, The Living End, The Meanies, The Preatures, The Temper Trap, The Waifs, The Whitlams, The Wolfgramm Sisters, Thirsty Merc, Tim Finn, Tim Rogers, Tina Arena, Troy Cassar-Daley, Vanessa Amorosi, Vika & Linda Bull, Wa Wa Nee, Washington, Wendy Matthews, Xavier Rudd and You Am I.



 





One of the Australian acts was Jimmy Barnes. Jimmy Barnes is the heart and the soul of Australian rock & roll. After 40 years on stages of all kinds, Jimmy is an icon – his nickname “Barnesy” conjures up thoughts of rock music at an ear-splitting volume, and of soul standards given a unique reading. Jimmy has been through it all, and lived to tell the tale and that has earned him a place in Australia’s heart and heartland. Along the way he has sold more records in Australia than any other domestic rock & roll artist. Jimmy’s live shows are legendary for their intensity.






Daryl Braithwaite became one of Australia's most successful pop singers, both as a solo act and with the band Sherbet. More than two decades on from the partnership that produced the multi-platinum albums Edge (1988) and Rise (1990) Daryl is a regular and one of the favorites. 





Noiseworks was formed in Sydney with the lineup of Steve Balbi on bass guitar and backing vocals; Stuart Fraser on guitar and backing vocals; Kevin Nicol on drums; Justin Stanley on keyboards, harmonica and backing vocals; and Jon Stevens on lead vocals. After quickly establishing a solid following on Sydney's pub rock circuit, Noiseworks was signed by CBS. Their first single, "No Lies", reached the Top 40 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. "Take Me Back" was more successful, making No. 7, and became one of the band's best known songs.






Sunday, 1 October 2017

RUBYVALE & SAPPHIRE GEMFIELDS, CENTRAL QUEENSLAND. AUSTRALIA




Encompassing around 900 square kilometres of irresistible gem fossicking opportunities, while in Emerald we couldn’t miss the Central highland gem fields. This was quite an experience. We left Lake Maraboon for a short drive to the mining towns of Rubyvale and Sapphire, and embarked on a guided tour of an underground mine.





Kim Caught gem fever as see discovered the famous jewels of the Central Highlands, and explored the famous gem shops, galleries, jewellers and locally created cottage industries that are the lifeblood of the Sapphire Gemfields.
We first stopped for a big brekkie at the Rubyvale CafĂ© and browse the adjacent Gem Gallery where Peter Brown, pioneering miner turned gem cutter and jeweller, showed us his collection of rainbow sapphires.
If you’re Kim and get seduced by all the bling you can buy a readymade piece or choose a loose sapphire and commission a special piece of jewellery.




Given the sheer vastness of Australia, it isn’t surprising to learn that the country comprises many natural resources and numerous gold rushes from as early as 1851 onwards. This has contributed to a maintained interest in fossicking activity, which still lives on to this day, especially in the Gemfields townships of Anakie, Rubyvale, Sapphire and The Willows which annually host GemFest, a celebration of jewels.





Many Australians and tourists alike still enjoy the rather unique activity of panning for jewels and who can blame them? It yields an unmatched experience which is rather different from retail ventures in the big cities or lazing on New South Wales beaches, revealing more about themes of culture while for those lucky enough; they’ll be able to take away a shiny souvenir.
The pioneering spirit is alive and well in the Sapphire Gemfields around Emerald. Treasure seekers have been coming here since the seventies, searching for precious stones. It’s a magnet for free spirits and adventure seekers who want to experience the real Australian outback and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.





It’s hot, dusty work fossicking for sapphires, you have been warned! But it could be worth it. After all, you’ll hit pay dirt if you find a big old sapphire in your sieve. Stranger things have happened in the gemfields around Emerald and all the locals have a story or two to tell about sapphires they’ve unearthed.




We escaped the heat and went gem crazy with a Mine Tour at Miners Heritage. If you can’t take the heat, this is a great option because no matter how hot it is outside, it’s always cool underground.
Miners Heritage is Australia’s largest underground walk-in sapphire mine tour so you can experience what it’s like to be a miner. The short tour is fun for all the family and the sapphires sparkling in the walls will get you fired up for more fossicking later.






There’s an underground museum where you can read about some of the sapphires that have been found over the years, and after the tour, you can buy a bucket of ‘wash’ (the leftover dirt from commercial mines) and fossick for your own gem.

While we were visiting the area a grey nomad picked an eight-carat yellow sapphire out of a $8 bag of wash. You never know what you’ll find!