To say goodbye to the Cassowary Coast we have revisited early photographs and taken new ones in the same pictured spot.
One iconic spot in our local area is the Golden Gumboot pictured above. It’s such a touristy thing to do, having a photo at all the big objects around Australia.
No wonder we didn’t bother to take one of these every year.
I took some more of the family in the cane, based on some early family portraits here, but will post those later as we still have so much to do.
It’s interesting what people say as we are moving things like:
‘You won’t like the city after living here’
‘Will you be driving around [to me]?’
‘You will be missed’
‘You will be remembered’
‘Goodluck’
‘Thanks for how you have been in this community’ [lots of messages to David as a teacher]
‘We will come see you’
‘We probably won’t come see you but you are welcome to see us if you come back’
‘Thanks for your friendship’
‘You won’t be able to stay there, you will come back here’
‘We know this move will be good for you in the long run, and we hope in the short term too’
‘Looking forward to meeting you [from the new area]’
‘It will be a big change but you will adapt [from the new area.]’
‘We’ll see you in the cricket competitions for teams travelling north [Sandon’s coach!]
I think back to the things people said before we moved North, and have a feeling a place
city or country, is what you make of it, and the people in it and the special memory places and spaces that come into being.
The people who are going to remain friends, stay friends wherever you move, and you connect again, whilst others
are there for a part of the journey and that is okay too.
It is comforting visiting friends who will have some of their children living a few suburbs away from where we are moving.
Seems there is a Tully contingent in Brisbane. However, I also think warmly of my Tasmanian childhood and friends.
Time to explore, time to dream, time to search for new opportunities and new stories. Perhaps though also a time to dream of the good things of the past.
Gumboootspearlz 
Wishing you well on your move, I am enjoying the excitement of your writing. Ann
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Thanks Ann. We are excited much though we will miss things, challenges always seem to leave room for growth.
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Keep blogging. 🙂
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Change is always thrilling as is remembering the good times and good people we meet in life. Good luck in Brissie, June – different horizons, different possibilities, different challenges. You’ll be able to drop in to the Queensland Writer’s Centre more often, too!
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Thanks Michael, luck is so interesting as I have been reading Steve Waugh’s latest book, The Meaning of Luck, an apt book to be reading on our move. Yes, looking forward to connecting with the Brisbane and Gold Coast writers I have been talking to online in writing sprints as well.
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June and family, I think you will love Brissie due to its rich cultural mix and the abundance of places to explore, restaurants, theatre and music of all kinds, and the faces you’ll meet. But you will dislike the traffic – it is legendarily unpleasant. Hope you’re housed near a train station.
The kids will get so much out of living there and it’s more central to family. I think you will miss the proximity you had to nature in Cassowary Coast, and the easing-going lifestyle….but that will be something to cherish and revisit. Hope I’m right in saying that there tend to be fewer cyclones in the southeast but, as you’ve gathered, some awesome thunderstorms – the rain your will find boring…..
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Yes, all sounds exciting, the traffic will be interesting, but perhaps we will make use of the public transport as well 😉
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I grew up in a country town and now I live in the city, I live in a suburb, and after spending many years here, getting involved in the community, the thing I have learned, is that it really isn’t that different, the only difference really is that not everyone knows your business. Sounds like you have a great frame of mind moving, you will love it.
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Thanks Leanne, enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the move. Yes, so true everyone knows everyone’s business in the country, that made me giggle when you said that.
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Hi June,
I’ve been following your journey. wishing you all the best for Brisbane. hope we can meet up sometime… Karen T:)
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