Australia's second-largest state encompasses some 667,000sq miles and is also the second most popular tourist destination due to it's tropical climate. As mentioned, Brisbane is the state capital with city skyscrapers and the southern coastline is a haven for surfers and the beach culture. Further north is the Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders of the world but inland cattle stations and copper mines generate Queensland's wealth.
Today the Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world, covering 1250 miles from Budaberg to the tip of Cape York. Between the outer edges of the reef and mainland, there are more than 2000 islands and almost 3000 separate reefs of different types. More than 2000 species of fish and innumerable species of hard and soft coral are found in the waters off the Reef. The diversity of life forms is extraordinary such as sea urchins, crustaceans, sponges, invertebrates, 12 species of sea grasses and 500 types of algae! Truly a spectacular view and experience to see. If you haven't already seen it and experienced it put it on the old bucket list. I know my parents had the very best time at Hayman Island Resort several years back-one of the 20 islands that cater to tourists. I have to hand it to Pa Po, he and Yia Yia rented a car in Australia and spent 6 weeks driving and touring the country....all by driving on the "wrong" side of the road....of course Mitzie commented on the several dents and dings the car had when they turned it in to the rental agency.
What a marvelous country to explore by sea. Bubba wants to make another trip to see that Ayers Rock stuck out there in the middle of nowhere and that far away West Coast. Uh oh....one of Bubba's Road Trips??? But honey, every man's got to see the Outback-the heart of Australia. Can you see Boca out there in that dry dry desert on a camel and pitching a tent under a lone tree? The Opal Mining did get my attention. The world's oldest continent, inhabited for more than 60,000 years by Aborigines, settled by the British in 1788 transformed from a colonial outpost to a thriving nation today. What about those Aborigines?
Far from being one homogeneous race, at the time of European settlement in the 18th century, the estimated 750,000 Aborigines in Australia had at least 300 different languages and a wide variety of lifestyles, depending upon where they lived. The dreamtime (or Dreaming) is the English term for the Aboriginal system of laws and beliefs. Its basis is a rich mythology about the earth's creation. "Creation ancestors" such as giant serpents are believe to have risen up from the earths core and roamed the world, creating valleys, rivers and mountains....in addition creating man. The belief in the Dreamtime is, in essence a religious ideology for all Aborigines, whatever their tribe and forms the basis of Aboriginal life. Every Aborigine is believed to have two souls-one mortal and one immortal,linked with their ancestral spirit. Each family clan is descended from the same ancestral being.
TODAY'S ABORIGINAL ISSUES
Although few Aborigines now maintain a traditional nomadic lifestyle, the ceremonies, creation stories and art that make up their culture remain strong. I learned from my friend George Kline to appreciate Aboriginal Art- reflecting daily Aboriginal life as well as religious beliefs. The right to own land has long been an issue for present day Aborigines- they believe thy are responsible for caring for the land entrusted to them at birth. The Land Rights Act of 1976 has done much to improve these rights. The Act established Aboriginal Land Councils which negotiate between the government and Aborigines to claim land for its traditional owners. White law exits along with Black law which allows for justice against Aboriginal offenders to be meted out according to tribal law. Much of this history sounds very similar to our own Native Americans.
WINE TASTING WITH DA GUYS
The wines of Australia have been produced here since the European settlement in 1788. We had the opportunity to do a wine tasting of grapes from the Barossa Valley. Since the 1990's Australia has earned an excellent reputation for high quality wines and there are many to select from and taste. Larry and John try to teach and persuade Bubba that there are other selections besides Mogan David. These two pals are quite the wine connoisseurs so Bubba's knees start to shake when he hears about the pricing of some of their vino's. 
Jim Nantz is one cool dude. We enjoyed his lectures and his ever so charming personality. He and Bubba had a few laughs about some Secret Service fun.Of course Boca was the only one in the room who didn't know who he was-oops.
