ROADTRIP
Mooloolaba to Tasmania
- 30 April 2026
Salamanca Arts Centre here we come
In August 2025 I was blown away to receive the Hadley’s Art Prize Residency Award. My own studio space at Salamanca Arts Centre for an entire month and accommodation in a serviced apartment at the Old WoolStore Apartment Hotel, ohh and did I mention art supplies from Artery Hobart wow wow wow how exciting.
I agreed the month of May 2026 would be the best, a month with 31 days.. Hadley’s Hotel also offered me the amazing Howard Hadley Gallery space, with its giant windows facing the street, as an exhibition space if I’d like to show my work…..would I like that…..yes please. So the exhibition will open 29 May and run the entire month of June. I have a serious amount of work to do and I’m taking as much as possible with me.
Packing the car was a head scratching exercise – if I was going to have an exhibition and create for an entire month I would need a few supplies. Must remember to leave some room for Michelle who would be sharing the drive.
First Stop Sydney
I departed Mooloolaba just after 4am, first stop Kawana to collect my copilot and travel buddy Michelle. 12 hours on the road saw us arrive into Sydney in time for dinner. Fabulous trip.
Leisurely overnight at Aunty Jans, the one pot wonder for dinner was delicious. Now Aunty Jan lives at a pretty cool retirement resort so I hit the heated pool for a few laps, leisurely walk around the complex and chat to the locals before poached eggs for breaky.
Great morning chat and off we went again. Took in a few of the sights along the way including a very disappointing ‘Dog on the Tucker Box’, not the rolling grass I remembered as a child, unfortunately now surrounded by concrete and dilapidated water feature with no water.
We rolled into the Manor House Albury late afternoon.
Knitting VHS tape every spare minute – if I’m not driving I’m knitting…..
Morning Wander
Early morning walk through Albury Botanical Gardens before breakfast and up to Monument Hill. The colour of the leaves on the trees at the moment is truly amazing, how could you not stop to smell the roses aka throw some leaves around.. Caught up with friends before hitting the road again.
Next stop Beechworth, a small town built around a quaint tourist model, Preserved historic street signage and the old pubs, add a brewery or two and capitalised on the bakery, ice creamery, honey, community garden, op shop and lolly shop to name but a few. The lolly shop had consumed its neighbour and was spreading up the street, a shop fit out that was a treat for the senses in every direction.
Back on the road we took the scenic route through Yae and arrived at our hotel in Geelong after dark. What an adventurous day of sight seeing, friends and autumn leaves.
Geelong - Food & Op shop Heaven
Good morning Geelong waterfront – the weather has been simply amazing, sunny and crisp. Breakfast for two was a treat at the Sodi Cafe, homemade cauliflower toast (a first for me) and eggs, perfect setup for the day. I gave the car a little TLC with a car wash then we hit the street for op-shops and realised we should have left our clothes at home. Soooo many winter bargains you simply don’t see in Queensland.
Spirit - Night Crossing
We waited for a little Japanese restaurant to open for an early dinner, then off to find the ferry terminal for our overnight sail. I was a little nervous as we approached the checkpoint to board – if they wanted to check for contraband we would be hours and maybe never get everything back in.
Up the big ramp onto the ferry we went and into the bellows where we left our car for the night and headed to our cabin. We travelled to Devonport, nestled in our cosy two-berth cabin with a bathroom and porthole. We missed the sunset from the deck, and instead enjoyed the lights of the mainland as they disappeared into the darkness.
Caught off guard by Tasmania’s shorter days we arrived before sunrise, quickly off the boat, Tasmania touring had begun and we watched the sunrise from Mersey Bluff Lighthouse around a lazy 7am overlooking Bass Strait. A 7am sunrise was a surprise for us Queenslanders, as was watching the locals having their leisurely morning ocean dip.
