OFF TO THE SUNSHINE COAST - CALOUNDRA - PART 1 (UN REUNION) (19 OCTOBER - 24 OCTOBER 2019)

Our sojourn in Maryborough proved to be not only a convenient stop-over point in our push south from Kurrimine Beach to Caloundra, but one which was both fascinating and instructive (well, as far as Queensland's developmental history goes....and as you all know by now I'm a sucker for a spot of history!).

But now it was time for some fun and games. 

Caloundra, our favourite Sunshine Coast town, was to be the venue for the next of the bi-annual UNOPAA (United Nations and Overseas Police Association of Australia) reunions to which Liz and I have been going for the past twelve years or so (together that is....I've been showing up at them since the mid 80's).. 

As the title of the organization to which I have belonged for many years suggests, it is one which, broadly speaking, initially embraced any member of an Australian Police Force who has served abroad with the UN. More latterly our arms are figuratively open to those who have served with any other internationally recognized peace keeping or policing mission, such as, for example, the mission to support the reinstatement of law and order in the Solomon Islands some time ago.

Numerically our members are predominately those who have served in either Cyprus or East Timor, but many other smaller missions are represented in our membership, as the array of various medals worn on the more formal occasions indicate. It's an interesting bunch of folk.

Caloundra was the venue for a similar event ten years previously, when the Mobile Marshies were not quite so mobile, but we did make this town the destination for the first long road trip in our little Coromal van. We had a ball at that extremely well organized reunion and soon came to recognize Caloundra as one of the best places in which we had stayed, an impression which was reinforced on a latter visit. 

We have been looking forward to this event ever since it was been announced, and were keen to see just how the Caloundra we remembered may have changed. We had been told that it had grown out of sight over the past decade......that was something we were not too keen to hear, but soon all would be revealed.

At this point I must beg your collective patience for what will, I am sure, be a missive of some self indulgence. This one is for our personal 'Book of Memories' as much as anything.

As we turned left off  the Bruce Highway and traversed the ten kilometres or so east to the coast, it soon became evident that we had not been misinformed. The entire vista to the north was one of massive housing developments and major works in progress, and the traffic on the feeder roads was daunting in its density. We drove on just hoping that the central part of town and the Golden Beach areas we knew so well had not changed as much as the outlying areas clearly had.

The Caloundra 'Oaks Resort' had been selected as the reunion 'HQ'. Convenience prompted us to book into the newly renovated and expanded (and damned expensive) Big 4 Caloundra Holiday Park.




Any time the name of a park includes the word 'holiday' we know we are in trouble....bouncy castles, play grounds, crowded swimming pools and herds of shrieking children....all of which come at a cost in more ways than mere money!! 




With its very flash BBQ area and nearby huge pool














a large kiddies' playground on the expansive lawns which abut the calm waters and low tide sand flats of the Pumistone Passage, this is the type of park in which we would never normally stay, but it was a mere five minute walk from The Oaks. For this coming week, convenience won out.

As it was we were not the only attendees who made this their choice of accommodation for the event. Our immediate neighbour was a chap with whom I had served in Cyprus, and there were several others of us dotted throughout the park. All were more than chuffed to see our UN Flag fluttering high above our van.

Whilst the formal programme did not begin until the Monday evening, the indefatigable couple who organized this event (as they had the last), Julie and John Walker (we were to catch up with them on many occasions later) had arranged a Sunday evening trip to nearby Palmwoods, a small town high in the hills of the Sunny Coast hinterland.

Here sits Ricks Garage, for many years the town vehicle repair shop. 

How things have changed. As the relevant website trumpets, now Ricks is a venue for "milkshakes & super-sized burgers in an upbeat space with old-school decor & a large beer garden". And so it is (thanks to 'flickr' for this shot).



About 80 of us piled into buses and descended (actually that should read 'ascended') on Ricks en mass, keen to enjoy our first 'catch up' with many we had not seen since Hobart two years ago. This venue prides itself on fast service, but it did occur to me that a horde like ours would severely challenge the kitchen staff (who had been kept on specially for our visit I might add....but with these numbers about to dig deeply into their holiday wallets and purses, why would you not?).

The quirky downstairs bar was not to be our gathering place for this event. Whilst we did queue and order here, 












we were politely shepherded to the upstairs level where we spread out 

across the tables reserved for our group. 








Liz and I shared ours with one of our SA colleagues and his lady and two very good friends from Perth. True to Ricks boast, the huge burgers arrived at warp speed. The excellent wine and beer selection was far from exorbitantly priced. Needless to say by the time we were herded back onto the buses, we were well and truly in reunion mode (and none of us had gone any where near the premium whiskey bar!).

What a grand start this had been. 






The following evening saw us all gathered in the tropical gardens of The Oaks for the welcoming dinner. The programme was now underway in earnest,

one in which the next major organized event was a boat cruise up and down the canals of nearby Moolooaba.

None of the photos we took come anywhere close to demonstrating the extraordinary complex of canals and housing density which are now a firmly fixed part of Mooloolaba life, so I've included this shot from 'Google Earth' to set the scene. This is a very busy part of suburban Australia. The sleepy coastal holiday towns of the Sunshine Coast of yesteryear are now consigned to history forever.

We were about to ply the waters of the main channel which can be seen just below the highlight dot. 'Whale One' lay ready at the end of one of the marina fingers to shortly move to the landing dock and welcome us aboard.

For the next three hours we initially cruised up and back along the main channel, where the tightly moored vessels of the local commercial prawn fishing fleet,










and the protective rock wall, with Mooloolaba high rise in the background, slipped by our bows 















until we reached our 'go about' point at the channel mouth where our backdrop was now the distant peak of one of the spectacular Glasshouse Mountains. 












Our skipper then took us into some of the many canals off the main channel where the abutting land is crammed with homes, some magnificent older mansions

others obviously of a much later build.

Waterfront apartments loomed over the massed masts of yachts of all shapes and sizes

and the tourist marina and docks area was a constant hive of activity.












Unlike so many of these types of cruise, where the delights of the advertised luncheon menu are not matched by either quality or quantity, the ever busy crew of 'Whale One' provided us with a seemingly endless supply of hot and cold food, much of it coming directly from the large rear deck BBQ where a couple of the lads beavered away throughout out trip. The cheerful bar staff were equally busy.....more than one of us did not see too much of the scenery on the return bus trip back to Caloundra! 

Interspersed throughout the various formal events there was plenty of free time to enjoy contingent gatherings and informal meals with other groups of old friends. This is when those of us from the Southern States were again reminded of the boon provided by the free courtesy buses to the local service clubs. The huge nearby Caloundra RSL got a particular workout!

Towards the latter end of the programme events, the fun and frolic gave way to the more serious aspect of our gathering.

  

The hilly area of Caloundra's Kings Beach was the venue for the formal march and church service. Fortunately the route we were soon to slog was not nearly as steep as this section of the same road....but what views there are on offer here in this part of town!



There are some decided advantages in having an event organizer who retired as a very senior ranking Commissioned Officer. Our street march was a grand affair.

A motor cycle police escort led the way




















followed by the formal Colour Party, a group of serving Queensland Police members, most of whom have a military background.....and believe me it showed....their drill was absolutely first class,
















as was that of the members of the Queensland Police Pipes and Drums which followed.













With the police chopper clattering overhead, and the warm tropical morning air filled with the skirl of the pipes and the beat of the drums,













even us old stagers were inspired to muster up the energy to march in reasonably good order
















even when it came to the ascent up the rather challenging incline towards the end of our short street gallop, a slope to which I had not been looking forward for good reason. If you peer closely at this photo, you will note that there is a bloke on the left of the rear rank pushing a wheel chair.....yep, yours truly!










One of my great SA friends is not in the best of health. Geoff has been a real stalwart of our association over many years as its Secretary/Treasurer and it was my great privilege and pleasure to enable him to share the march with us, but that last hill was certainly steeper than it looked! 


Once we had all regained our collective breaths (well, me in particular), Our Lady of the Rosary Church began to fill in readiness for the formal service, one which was conducted with impressive pomp and ceremony.

 





With the pews at capacity we all stood as the Colour Party, led by the UN flag bearer, slow marched across the gleaming wooden floor 









and took up station at the front of the church before each flag pole was arrayed in special holders on each side of the pulpit.













Following a warm welcome from the parish priest, prayers and a hymn or two, the Queensland Police Chaplin delivered a very thoughtful and moving main address 












followed by a brief response from our Association President.

















A lovely touch came in the form of the involvement of a group of Caloundra schoolchildren before a final hymn, prayers, and the benediction brought the service to it conclusion.

With the formal withdrawal of the Colour Party 
















it was time to repair outdoors yet again, this time to be feted by the women of the Caloundra CWA. All manner of pastries, sandwiches, cakes and other goodies just kept coming and coming and coming.










What a spectacular spread this was, as only the women of this remarkable group can manage to do with deceptive ease, not only here, but at functions all over the Australia.









And of course, apart from all the chat, this was the time for a few keepsake group photos (a few usual suspects here!). 









With the formal dinner on this evening's horizon, the clever ones spent a very quiet afternoon before we all gathered again at The Oaks for transport to the Caloundra Power Boat Club on the edge of the Pumistone Passage at nearby Golden Beach.

As the low clouds in the distance were flushed pink by the setting sun and a balmy breeze drifted in across the water rustling softly through the surrounding palms, we all gathered on the upper deck of this large and well run club for pre-dinner drinks,







where yet again there was the opportunity to record for posterity the fact that even those of us who fall into the category of 'Trailer Trash' can, when the occasion demands, dive deeply into the recesses of our clothes lockers and lift our dress standards to rise to meet it.







It was no surprise to discover that the organizing committee here in Caloundra had gone to no end of trouble to see to it that the tables were dressed in spectacular manner, including, on this occasion, hand crafted miniature UN Blue Berets atop gilded wooden posts at each place setting. The hours spent in making these must have been incredible.









The first class wine list was a fitting accompaniment to the excellence of the kitchen, the service was faultless and those who took to the podium in front of the flag bedecked stage for the obligatory speeches were entertaining and, for the most part, thoughtfully brief.









The evening concluded with a most deserved vote of thanks to the tireless Walkers and their band of equally willing helpers.









As they had done ten years ago, Julie and John and their merry band of assistants had gone that extra mile to ensure that this reunion would remain one to hold a favoured place in our individual and collective memories for years to come. 

This had been a truly wonderful five days, and as all said their fond farewells, packed and departed, we did the same, but we did not travel far, about three kilometres in all, to the caravan park at Golden Beach.

Our Caloundra visit 2019 had much further to run.