The 2019 Jacobs Adventure
It’s very rare for our family to make it to the beach, so this year January 2019, we made the effort. Packed up and went for 10 days. A worthy 10 days it was!
Toogoom, my grandparents home, was our place of destination. In aboriginal language, Toogoom means ‘a place of rest'. It is no wonder throughout my childhood, coming to my grandparents retreat, meant a good time. The peace you experience while staying in Toogoom, I have literally found no where else. During my own childhood, we would make a yearly holiday here, so I was very excited to share the charm with my own family.
My childhood memories consisted of spending my holiday pocket money at the corner store and target at Hervey Bay (when they used to have an mind boggling selection), to the sailing we did as a family at Hervey Bay with our red Catamaran. We were not very good fisherman (I’ll leave that to Granddad) but we were awesome sailors! Once my Dad and eldest sister competited in a race while a cyclone was sending influence down the coast and crashing massive waves alone the beach. A few sailing boats capsized and luckily we did not!
The Hervey Bay beach is a wonderful beach, perfectly suited to the young family, as the sand does not drastically dip away. Although was a wee bit of a pain during low tide, where you would have to walk a fair distance to get any depth of water. After our day adventures at Hervey Bay, we would order a cheesy hot dog and crunchie thickshake at Wendy’s, the best treat for a hard day of swimming and sailing.
This January 2019, I am was super keen…………….. to show our two little kids what I felt and experienced during my holidays as a kid. Although many things has changed over time, but our time in Toogoom, did not disappoint.
This holidays, swimming, fishing and lazing around were a high priority.
Our awesome beach, that contains many, many childhood memories.
We swam, collected seashells, fished for the infamous bite that happened, but rarely a fish on the other end of the line. But still time well spent as a family. Much to my own surprise the shells we found we the best I have ever seen along this beach. Normally you would only find the triangle shells in abundance, but this year, we found all shapes and sizes. They were that good, we have a 5L crystal bowl here at home full of them on our dining table. Memories to always look at!
We rounded up soldier crabs, just like the country folk we are, complained about sore feet because of the ripple on the sand bank during low tide. Soft we are, yes I know. Comes from wearing boots on the farm haha.
Worked on our tans, in a safe manner of swimming early mornings and late afternoon. All because mummy hates the greasy feel of sunscreen on her hands. Then we had many trips into Hervey Bay looking for the activities our kids needed so badly. We found, a really great water park and just up the road, a playground. Now I do not exaggerate, this play ground is as high as our grain silos. At least 6-8m and the slides are metal. Lucky was not 'too' hot during the middle of the afternoon. I started to climb the spider web, got half way and froze haha. Climbed the mesh ladder then. Once was enough and my achievement for the holidays. Ben and the kids loved it. Playground on steroids!
Then my sister and her family came for a few days, and wow, what fun all the cousins had! We fetched our own fish bait. My sister’s eldest and myself love picking up those little yabbies. We had lots of fun together. We played scrabble and I kid you not, I got a word that scored 78. The word was ‘booze’. My sisters’s husband later added a ‘D’ and scored more… humphf!
Later in the week, our Aunty came to visit for a day. A very special day, as we rarely get to see her! Then my family went to the local cinema’s and watch the new ‘How to Drain A Dragon’. A lovely family friendly movie with laughter and tears in all the right places.
Other than that, we happily ate our way around the bay, with plenty of dining experiences.
Susan Jacobs, based in Dalby, is a Rural Photographer & Videographer, servicing the Western Downs, Dalby, Tara, Chinchilla, Miles, Wandoan, Meandarra, Jandowae, including Toowoomba, Kingaroy, Roma areas. Capturing Weddings, Family, Events, Personal and Commercial Brand Photography & Videography. Visual content creator | lover of light | and Australian agricultural landscapes.