ROAMING THROUGH THE REDLANDS BUS TRIP
On Friday 21 February, there were 47 of us that headed off on our monthly bus trip ‘Roaming through the Redlands’. This was a full coach which is a great number for our trips. We headed off just on 9AM and picked up our tour guide Tarnya at Capalaba, she is a manger at Cross Country Tours and has lived in the Redlands area for a very long time. She was a Uniting Church minister in the area previously to her roll at Cross Country Tours.
From Capalaba we headed of up through Birkdale on our way to Wellington Point for morning tea. There was a lovely breeze blowing off the water and nice view out to all the Islands including King Island which you can walk to at low tide. Wellington Point was home to about 1500 American Soldiers during the Second World War.
After morning tea and hearing about the local farmers who first settled in the area we then travelled down through Ormiston and some very stately homes including Historic Ormiston House. The House was built in the 1860s by Capt. Louis Hope who was known as the Father of the Australian Sugar Industry and is currently owned by Discalced Carmelite Order.
We drove down past Raby Bay for a quick visit to Cleveland Point and checked out the old lighthouse and some restaurants and pubs. Also had a look at Toondah Harbour where the vehicle ferries leave for North Stradbroke Island and saw the church where Tarnya was based. We then made our way to Victoria Point and saw where you can catch the ferry to Coochiemudlo Island before making our way to Redland Bay Golf Club. Here we enjoyed a lovely 2 course lunch looking out over the golf course which was nice and green.
Back on the coach and we drew the raffle prizes before heading off to check out more of the area. We drove past the Bay Islands Ferry terminal where you can get on a ferry and go to Macleay Island and a number of other islands. Then drove up through Mount Cotton and a quick drive around Sirromet Wines. Did you know that Sirromet Wines is owned by Terry Morris and Sirromet is his name backwards Temorris.
Dropped our tour guide off at Capalaba and then headed home arriving just after 4PM. Great day had by all. This was Cross Country Tours first time doing this trip and we were the guinea pigs and the feedback was that it was a great trip, very informative.
