Two old farts go to the Gympie Muster

 I'm going to call this post "Two old farts go to the Gympie Muster" if you study this photo closely you will probably be able to work out why.
The farts in question are Walter and Peter.

 Walter is of German origin so you can guess what we had for lunch, mine was minus the sauerkraut.though.











There are other staple foods that are very well represented at the Muster, and of course the states pride and joy 4XXXX beer has pride of place.

The iconic "R M Williams" who started out as a bootmaker and is now a leading boot  and country style clothing supplier.

Well this is where the main action takes place "The Main Stage" there are 7 other smaller venues all close by (easy walking distance even for ME) but here "on the hill" is where the good stuff happens.
The Muster is in its 31st year and is unique in that a group of charity organizations, headed by The Apex Club, organize and run this event each year, I think the total amount raised and shared among these charities is in the 10 million dollar range, so its not just good music but good for the community too.

If you look at the left hand side of the main stage you will see these two trees, they are stamped out of metal sheet and mounted on a corrugated iron wall which is painted yellow, the lighting behind them makes for a spectacular effect at night.

 
And of course no post would be complete without a shot of some of the local wildlife!!!!!

Neil Diamond Concert

Monday was a busy day, I took my good friends back to the airport for their return trip home to Victoria then continued on to Brisbane where I picked up a few things I haven't been able to get in Gympie.
Monday night Warren and I had tickets for the Neil Diamond Concert at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, we had booked these tickets about 2 or 3 months ago and were chomping at the bit to see him in action again, we saw him many years ago and loved his music and style.. would he still be as good though??? we had seen Frank Sinatra on his last tour of Australia and while he could still do full justice to his slower love songs he couldn't belt it out like the Frank of previous tours.
Neil Diamond totally HELD his audience from the moment he stepped onto the stage, it could be said that he played us like a fine old violin for the entire time he was on stage, it could be said too that the excellent sound crew AMP'D up his voice a bit... but there was never the slightest hint of any waver in it.
Neil performs with "his" band and they are a fine group of musicians too, a fact that hadn't registered with me until tonight is that he was born in 1941.... the man is 70 years of age... he looks perhaps half that and he displays incredible stamina and talent as both a writer and performer.
He totally captured his 13500 audience and was applauded roundly for his efforts, the crowd were in the main... mature aged... that sounds so much better than old fogies doesn't it? but by the way some of them carried on they had got lessons in concert behavior from their kids... or maybe Grand kids.



I have included a couple of photos I found on the net and would ask that you compare them with the photos of Allan in the post below... is there a distinct likeness there or is it in my mind???

Fun Trivia Quiz

UPDATE As well as Australia the topics are animals, General knowledge, World trivia, Geography, and Movies, I don't get to choose the questions, only the categories so if the Australian ones stay as sporting specific I will change the category.
Come and try it... remember, winning isn't everything.



I have been playing (and getting badly beaten) Fun Trivia on WT's blogsite for quite a while and although my talents are strictly limited have enjoyed the experience.

Accordingly I bit the bullet and set up a new quiz here at holtieshouse, there is a slight emphasis on Australia but it isn't sufficient to mean that players from other parts of the world need feel intimidated.

Just click on the invitation to play on my sidebar and join in the fun, a word of warning results are based on correct answers AND time taken (this is often my downfall!!)

"Normal" Posting

What else could I use after a day at Australia Zoo

Under the ever present influence of Steve Irwin this cartoon was a natural choice.

Let’s see, what has been happening since I last did a “normal” post?

Well a pleasant week has passed with my daughter in law Carolyn and two grandsons Jordan and Paul aka Fashion-boy and Sport-boy if you are a reader of HoltPress.

I went down to Brisbane the day before they arrived and stopped overnight with Wazza, this was because they were due to fly in on the red-eye at 5.40am, in fact the flight was delayed at Perth for an hour and arrived at Brisbane at 6.40am (I could have really done with that extra hours sleep!!)

The first three days when we got back to Gympie were wet (and it never bloody well rains in Gympie!!) so it was a little like having a pair of caged Tigers roaming the house, they are 15 and 10 years old…. say no more!!!!

We survived this wet spell without bloodshed and once they were able to venture outside things picked up a lot.

Yesterday Marcus was due to arrive at 9pm at Brisbane so we got off to an early start (9am is considered early by modern youth) and spent a very enjoyable day at Australia Zoo (of Steve Irwin fame) there was a nostalgic tang to this visit as it was only a week after the anniversary of Steve’s death.

I am pleased to report that Australia Zoo still presents its patrons with a great chance to enjoy time with caring and expert members of a dedicated team who have the dual purpose in life to ensure you enjoy your visit and even more importantly to provide care for the animals housed at the zoo.

After a great day there we dropped Margaret’s repaired computer off to her at nearby Caloundra, she now has to have it configured for a new ISP and hopefully all her troubles will be over.

Marcus arrived only a few minutes late and we set sail for Gympie where we arrived all a bit subdued from the days activities about midnight.

Marcus, Carolyn and the boys have spent most of today together, giving Grandpa a bit of time to catch up on blogging, still behind but not as far behind as I was.


Mae of the Dae

Don't marry a man to reform him - that's what reform schools are for.
Mae West

The Gympie Muster 2007

Update: At Gympie, north of Brisbane,
8000 people camping at the Gympie
Muster event are stranded with roads to
and from the area closed.

More as news becomes available.

Well folks it’s the last weekend of August so it’s Gympie Music Muster time
again,there is a small anomaly this year in that the funds raised are to go to via
Apex to “drought stricken Australians” the anomaly arises because here in
Gympie it has been raining pretty near non-stop for the last three days.

This has been by far the best rainfall we have had in the last ten years, there has
been significant run-off into the storage dams and things are on the improve….
but wait Queensland is a huge State and only a small section has had the rainfall
that Gympie has received, there are still lots of areas that have had little or no
rain.

Just to get a little more focus on our water storage situation, South East
Queensland now has a touch over 17% capacity in the dams overall, sure a few of
the small ones are at 100% but the overall figure is only 17%.

How are the crowds reacting to this rain at the Muster? it’s a bit early to tell
what the attendance figures will be like over the three days, but radio interviews
of people on the site already sound like they are ready to party and the rain is
just another reason to celebrate, it has already been christened the 2007
Gympie Mudster which illustrates perfectly the Aussie sense of humour.


The Main Stage is where all the headline acts get a chance to perform
their 30 or 60 minute set, dependent on their popularity with the crowd

The main stage is set in a natural amphitheatre which is referred to as "The Hill"
there is a wide access track up the centre and off to either side about 1/3 of the
way up the hill there are large projection screens, these screens give the patrons
further back a close up view of the stage area.

The stage itself is split in two halves, while there is an act performing on one side
the other side is being prepared for the next act, sets, musical instruments etc.
and the necessary sound checks.
At the same time the crowd sorts itself into the various groups, the real party
animals who want to sing, dance, and drink the most take the front spot, known as
"The Pit", those who feel a little more sedate but place no value on their hearing
take up the next area, the next group which starts from about where you can get
a fair view of the stage but can also see the side screens (this is my chosen
territory and my hearing seems to return to normal in about three days) the final
sector of the crowd is at the rear of the seated patrons, (where the Bar is
located) these are the folk who are still working on the tankfull that will get them
down to "the Pit" or have retired from the competition due to inability to
proceed.

A pleasant memory from last years Muster, Favourite Daughter and SIL visited
even in this "different" environment it wasn't possible for them to escape the
evils of their mobile phones!!

Loved the play on words here with "The Bitchy Chix" promoting their range.

As the sun sinks slowly in the west the night time part of the show is about
to kick off.




A hard man is good to find.
Mae West

The Gympie Muster.

It's The Gympie Muster time again, next weekend.


The Gympie Muster celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year, it has
grown from humble beginnings back in 1982 to a festival celebrated
by crowds of 25,000 per day, the muster is spread over 3 main days
and is held at the Amamoor State Forest just west of Gympie.

The true enthusiasts start to gather at Amamoor up to a month
before the Muster which is held on the last weekend in August
each year.

This weekend was chosen as it was statistically the driest period in
August, having said that there have been a few wet Musters, this
has not been enough to dampen (pardon the pun) the spirits of the
crowds who have still turned out in their thousands.

Sitting on “The Hill” at 10 pm under a million stars, in the brisk
night air, enjoying the music offers the chance to sample life’s
very best on offer.

This year there is a special bonus, my favourite daughter and her
husband will be here to share it, that’s the sort of bonus I really
enjoy.

Amamoor provides a perfect setting with a natural amphitheatre
located at the edge of a lightly wooded area ideal for the
“tent city” which will spring up as if by magic each year at Muster
time.

This “City” comes complete with all services including a Police
station, Ambulance service food and drink venues, souvenir
shops, and the all important 13 live music venues.

The cream of Australia’s country music talent are invited to attend
the Muster, and without exception grasp the opportunity to perform
before the largest and most appreciative crowds in Australia.

There is a main stage area located in front of “The Hill” where
entertainment is non-stop thanks to the dual stages set side by
side, while one act performs the next is set up behind the curtains
on the second stage, change over occurs after a decent time lapse
for the applause to die down.

The entire entertainment area is fenced of from the camping area,
you pay your entry fee, ($75.00 for a 15 hour day) and are then
free to wander between the 13 music/dance venues for the day,
pretty darned good value to see the best artists in the country.

The whole concept was the brain child of a group of country music
enthusiasts on board a bus to visit “Tamworth Country Music
Festival” in 1981, The Apex Club of Gympie took on the organization
of the event, and still run it to this day.

Many and varied charities and rural events have benefited from the
Muster, to the tune of $10 million over the years, making it an event
that can be supported with the knowledge that you are not only
hearing and seeing the best on offer but your dollars are being used
to help the rural community.

All on site workers are volunteers, so the money raised is
available to the selected charities, we Dips Our Lids to Apex and
their wonderful volunteers.

Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter.

Steve in full flight, you have to admire the mans exuberance and joy for life.

Friend Heather and her son Liam.
We had a great day there.




“Crikey,” I used to feel quite embarrassed by Steve’s over
exuberant behavior, people from the rest of the world will
think we are all like him.






Little did I know then, that the world would probably be a better place if, in
fact, we were all a bit like Steve, sure, minus some of the Crikey factor might
help.

Before I had ever visited Australia Zoo, which is only 50 miles from
where I live and just off the Bruce Highway that I travel quite regularly, I
saw a program on TV that started me thinking that Steve was a dedicated
and successful man. worthy of some research.

Now having visited Australia Zoo a couple of times, and found out a bit of what
makes Steve tick, I must admit I have become something of a fan of the man,
he certainly has an infectious nature.

The Australia Zoo just oozes Steve's personality, pictured here with his wife Terri and daughter Bindi.

Both his parents were dedicated to wildlife conservation, so it is understandable that he grew up with a passion for, and no fear of, all the creatures he now embraces so enthusiastically.

Terri also has a background in animal care, she helped her parents establish Cougar Country in her home State of Oregon.

With the pool of caring for animals that these two families have, there is little doubt that Bindi and Bob, Steve and Terri’s two children, will follow in the same footprints.

There is a far wider reaching goal in the Irwin’s sights however than simply running a very successful wildlife park, they are actively engaged in the acquisition of large tracts of land that can be converted back to the wilderness state that is suitable habitat for endangered species of wildlife.

Steve is seldom seen dressed in anything other than his shorts and shirt,” work clothes,” when asked about his wardrobe in a TV interview he said that he did own some “Dress Kakis” but seldom wore them.

As I said at the start, I now consider Steve Irwin to be an Australian that we can all be proud of, and he has certainly proven that he has the business skills to run a very successful multi-million dollar enterprise.

They employ a large staff, each and every one of whom is obviously hand picked, they come across with the same enthusiasm that is so obvious in Steve.

He has also made a wonderful choice for a wife in Terri,
"we dips our lids to them."