with Karen Garrett and Annie Duffy
SHARKFEST Its that time of year again when the male grey nurse pups congregate around Flat Rock off Point Lookout. The Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre are holding their annual Sharkfest, designed to highlight these amazing sharks on 17 to 19 August 2018. Grey Nurse sharks prefer habitats like sandy-bottomed gutters or rocky reefs, making the marine environment around Flat Rock perfect for these placid creatures.
While the large number of young sharks at this time of year is certainly the highlight of these dives, the additional benefit of going during winter is that you are almost guaranteed to see your fair share of Humpback Whales as you travel to and from the dive spot. Thousands of these gentle giants make their way up and down the east coast from late May to early November in search of warmer waters to breed and give birth. The official Truman Whale Count taken off the headland of Point Lookout, currently stands at --- so far this season.
Other sea creatures that may make an appearance during the dive include leopard and wobbegong sharks, bull rays, octopi and a variety of corals and fish. There is no better way to discover this underwater wonderland, than with the experienced team at Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre. Give them a call on 07 3409 8888 to secure your spot for Sharkfest or arrange additional or alternative dive trips.
GOLF PRO AM On August 15 the first Sealink Straddie Legends Golf Pro Am will take place at the North Stradbroke Island Golf Club with 52 professionals nominated from around the world, including players from the US, England, New Zealand and the top seven players from Australia. Men and women with an AGU handicap are welcome to register for the event with groups consisting of two amateur and two professional players.
Given the high calibre of players registered for the Legends comp, it is sure to be an unmissable event for spectators as well. Come along and watch from the deck as the players tee off from the clubhouse. The bar will be open throughout the day with light finger food available. For more information, give Andrew a call on 07 3409 9999
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2018 Ambrose Championships The recent 2018 Ambrose Championships at the Stradbroke Island Golf Club was well supported, with a fantastic turnout for this year’s competition. As always, the competition showed off some high-quality talent, sportsmanship and of course, the island’s sense of humour. Did we say sense of humour? Off every tee, up every fairway, on every green and, of course, at the 19th hole, the wisecracks came thick and fast. Well done to everyone involved. Playing a game of golf at the club is the best possible way to enjoy our brilliant winter Straddie days!
OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT The first of three outdoor movie nights took place at Amity Point on Saturday 30 June. Despite the cooler weather, we had a good turn out from the local community who snuggled down amongst blankets and doonas to enjoy the screening of Finding Dory. The event was organised to raise funds for the Dunwich State School P&C Association and the night was a great success. Thank you to all the wonderful local businesses that sponsored the evening.
As ambassadors for the Tangalooma Ecomarines program, students from Dunwich SS took the opportunity to educate the audience about the current state of our oceans and how pollution is adversely affecting our marine life. A short film called A Plastic Ocean was screened prior to the movie, highlighting the issues and showing practical ways we can all help to clean up our oceans and reduce our impact.
We are looking forward to the next movie scheduled to take place on the Straddie Sharks Football oval on Friday 28 September. We’ll keep you posted with more details closer to the date.
GOOD FOOD – GREAT VALUE Chef Kev at the Amity Point Community Club will be offering 2 for 1 Steak Night every Tuesday until August 14. Buy one 300gm rib fillet served with chips, sauce and salad bar for $30 and get the second steak meal absolutely free. The courtesy bus is available for Flinders and Amity residents – call 3409 7110 to make your booking.
The Amity Community Club also cater for bus/large groups and offer full bar facilities, wheel chair access, children’s playground, mini golf, pool tables, Tab/Keno and of course, the Ship Galley Restaurant. With so much to offer, why not organise a day at the club with your social group today.
CONGRATULATIONS DELVENE! It was wonderful to see the State Government recognise Delvene Cockatoo-Collins for her efforts in designing the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medals. The Minister for the Games, Kate Jones, made a special presentation to Delvene a couple of weeks ago in a lovely ceremony that involved most of her family. The presentation included a full set of Games medals set in a beautiful presentation board. The whole episode was a huge achievement for Delvene, her life, and our island, which was all told via the beautiful medal designs. See the feature story about the presentation in this edition!
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Amity Point is the perfect location to base your holiday from. Visitors of all ages enjoy the slow-paced, stress-free vibe of our little town. A place where time seems to stand still – where we can immerse ourselves in nature and reconnect with ourselves and with our loved ones. The quiet streets combined with the flat terrain make it perfect for biking and walking around town. The local swimming enclosure is located in the calm waters of Moreton Bay and the public jetty is the best vantage spot for sighting our resident dolphins, or to fish from day or night. Cabarita Park at dusk is the place to be. Enjoy a drink while watching the fading light glisten and dance across the ocean and be romanced by the amazing colour show overhead as the sun sets over the mainland. It really is a sight to behold. At Straddie Sales & Rentals we are running our winter accommodation specials right through August, so jump on our website and check out the Hot Deals section, or, give our friendly team a call on 07 3409 7126 to organise your next Straddie escape.
Until next time, wishing you love, laughter and happiness. Annie & Karen
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