Description
Modern 4 bedrooom brick home with all mod. cons. (one room used as study/sewing room) fully insulated, has both enclosed fire place (we have very cold wintry nights) and a reverse cycle split system air conditioner , so all seasons are catered for!
Feed the multitude of beuatifully plumed colourful native parrots and other birds, from tiny finches to large native pigeons each morning, (wild bird seed supplied!) then watch the dispaly each morning from the easy chairs on the back patio, which is enclosed for comfort by clear cafe-curtain type blinds while you eat breakfast, and then feed the mooching semi-tame possums slices of apple in the evening.
Located in S.E Queensland, Blackbutt is a pretty rural mountain village, close to wineries and galleries, and only 150km (90 miles) easy drive from Brisbane and the beautiful coastal strips to the north and south of the capital. There is adequate local shopping in the town, (grocer, fruit and vegetable stall, super wood fired bakery, hardware, gallery, variety shops, hairdressers, beautitiamand massuese, doctor, chemist,coffee shop, 2 take away food shops library, post office, etc) and major shopping available within 60km in either direction. There is fabulously kept 9 hole ACR rated golf club that welcomes visitors and has the cheapest green fees around!
A small modern auto car, with pretty much unlimited east coast use, comes with the exchange, so you can explore locally or venture up to the tropical north (1400km) or downto the big smoke of Sydney (1000km) if you feel adventurous. And unleaded petrol is about half the cost here as in the UK (we were there July this year and were appropriately shocked! :-) )
Neighborhood
Rural hamlet, quiet, good for relaxing and just kicking back and exploring the pretty South Burnett region, but easy distance to the cities of Caboolture, Toowoomba, Brisbane for more excitement. See http://tourism.southburnett.com.au/
Enjoy the fresh air and low humidity of this clear sky area away from the coastal hustle and bustle. A popular "tree change" retirement town, but with a mixture of all ages. Was once a timber town, now the ecomomy revolves around orchards, wineries, arts and crafts and as a base for re-aforestation work, and also provides some housing and schools for workers and families of the regional power station some 60km to the north.
About Us
We are a Retired Professional maried couple in their late 60s. I (Judith) was a Registered Nurse/ Director of Nursing("Matron" )for 40 years, and Don is a retired career Army Officer (Artillery, for 21 years) with a second later career in University Human Resource Management.
We have 3 adult children, 2 of them married, and have 4 beautiful Grand-daughters.
We are still mentally and, usually, physically active, interested in travel, history, music, food, wine, good company, reading, and Don loves his golf! We are active members of Probus. (an offshoot of Rotary International for retirees)
We have travelled around Australia twice, so have a mine of personal and practical experience and information on places Australian if you wish to delve into our memories.
We only speak English, but do it exceptionally well!
Destination
we wish to tour the UK, to see in some depth places we skimmed or missed on an earlier Trafalgar tour. We especially want to spend time in the midlands, the south east, London, all of Wales (family history there!) and in Scotland, particularly the Highlands and Edinburgh. We would prefer to see the country in Autumn, well away from the peak tourist seasons, so we have a better chance to gain entry to the many historical attractions. We also relish colder weather! An exchange at this time of year would also give visitors here fromthe Uk the very best of our weather..warm to hot, but not humid and stifling! We are open to exchanging with 2 or more sets of guests, in differing locations, if shorter periods are desired and can be interlocked to fit in with proposed our longer 6-8 week tour.
Use of a reliable car would be a necessary part of the exchange, but any sort of good clean accommodation, from one bedroom upwards, is fine. Perhaps even a RV/mobilehome could be considered.
