Close encounters in Cairns

The big event in Cairns in July was the 55th wedding anniversary of Les and Norma Maunder.

What a fantastic milestone!

Les, an eminence grise among Cairns’ retired business community is Carol’s first cousin, son of her late Auntie Doreen and Arthur Maunder.

Above right: at the Balaclava Hotel, from left: Les and Norma Maunder, Ron Doolan, Carol and sister Kay Bertini and Kay's husband Paul.

Right, Les explaining how he survived 55 years of marriage.

We were most fortunate to be able to join Les and the unflappable and ever-young Norma when they celebrated at the Balaclava Hotel joined by their five adult children and several other cousins.

From left: Andrew and Monique Maunder, Suellen Maunder, Helen Joy and Michael Maunder, Michael's son Harrison, Gordon and
Lyn Pecotich, and David
Maunder.

It was a real buzz to reconnect with people we hadn’t seen for years, most of whom in one way or another are related to the original Dossettos who came to the region in 1870.

And to top it off, Carol’s sister Kay and her husband Paul Bertini came up from Brisbane to join in the fun and adventure.

Family stalwarts

After speeches which stressed Les’ and Norma’s role as family stalwarts Les got up to say that two words summed up the secret to success in marriage: ‘Yes, dear.”

But he didn’t say who should say them – maybe both parties.

Anyhow, it was great to join in and meet the cousins again.

Gordonvale gold

We parked our van at the home of Carol’s cousin Pam Goldsworthy in the pretty township of Gordonvale.

Pam’s husband Peter is a retired crane owner-driver and number six among 13 children.

The boulders in Babinda.

He and Pam took us on a tour of some of the beautiful rainforest settings as well as to where his family had a cane farm in Babinda. Not surprisingly the Goldsworthys had a road named after them (see picture).



Peter and Pam, and the road that points to Goldsworthy.

I must mention that thanks to Peter I was able to have a burnt-out clutch repaired at short notice and for the right price.



















Josephine Falls, near where the trail commences up Mt Bartle Frere, at 1,622 metres the tallest mountain in Queensland.





In Cairns itself we were surprised at the amount of development, not only in the city and esplanade precinct, but also in the suburbs. Don't get me wrong -- Cairns is a beautiful city set against the tropical Kuranda range -- but the traffic is becoming conspicuously heavy, especially at peak-hour.

Cairns Marina.









On the Cairns Esplanade.









Gathering of the Doolan clan

One person into development, particularly building fit-outs is the GM of CCW cabinet works Daryl Doolan, son of Carol’s cousin Lorraine and her husband Ron who are semi-retired on the Atherton Tableland breeding stud cattle.

Daryl kindly invited us to his home in Cairns for morning tea to meet his delightful family and those of his sisters Margaret and Suzanne.

Above, from left: Kerrie and Daryl Doolan, Margaret and Sebastian 'Sibby' Torrisi, and Suzanne and Jason Fowler.

It was terrific to catch up with them, particularly the children, as charming and effervescent a group as you could hope to meet.

Typically, Carol homed in on Margaret and Sibby's’s new baby Vince, born a month earlier.


Carol with Margaret and Sibby's one month old son Vince.













Ron and Lorraine Doolan's grandchildren, from left, back row: Joshua Fowler, Sinead Doolan, Lucia Torrisi, Hannah and Samantha Doolan. Front row: Nadia Torrisi, Jessica Fowler, Jacinta Torrisi and Abby Fowler.











Poseuse: Kay Bertini, Pam Goldsworthy, Norma Maunder, Lorraine Doolan and Carol.









Morton moment

Before signing off on this web log I have to mention that I had the good fortune to see our dear friends Ken and Jill Morton briefly before they left Cairns for Sydney after holidaying in Port Douglas. Ken promised that we'd go sailing on his 32ft. Cavalier when we're back in Sydney.

With Ken and Jill Morton at Cairns airport.

Onward and upward -- our next trip is to Cooktown and then back to Cairns for more family events – watch this space.