Bundaberg Botanical Gardens -posted Thurs. 2nd March

'In 1881, approximately 46 ha, surrounding lagoons at North Bundaberg, was gazetted as a Camping Reserve. Later, areas were resumed for a Railway reserve and a School reserve. The remaining land was gazetted as a Botanical Gardens Reserve. Today, 27.4 ha have been planted with a mixture of exotic and native shrubs and trees as well a variety of rainforest trees and flora. Plants and trees and lagoons attract at least 114 bird species. Incorporated in the setting are childrens' playgrounds; picnic tables; shelter sheds; electric BBQ's; toilet facilities; boardwalks over lagoons with viewing decks.'

See info on Bundaberg Botanical Gardens

I walked to the Botanic Gardens yesterday evening (Wednesday). It was rather further and so took longer to walk than I had been led to believe by the woman at Bundaberg City Tourist Information the other day. It was worth the walk. Lonely Planet describes them as 'splendid'. When I mentioned that I was going to go there the other day, Sara (young Israeli woman on diving course) dismissed them with a shrug of her shoulders and a twitch of her nose as 'just a swamp'. She said she was 'so disappointed' to see them after seeing the gardens at Melbourne (where she and Karin have lived for a while). Well, she's right, there is no comparison! Bundaberg's botanic gardens are wild and wet: no formal walkways and avenues of elms here! They are beautiful. I didn't get a chance to look at the rainforest walk, but I went to the Japanese Garden (twice). There are several lakes - green, swampy and pungent. There are ibis and wading birds everywhere and signs saying not to disturb the egrets in the nesting season, or to intervene in nature's natural selection process. Eucalypts grow out of the middle of the lakes, with ibis nesting in the branches. In several places the lake has spilled over onto the path. Beautiful - lushly, greenly beautiful in the soft, warm rain. The only sounds were of roosting birds, water and the breeze in the branches of the eucalypts.

I walked around for as long as I could yesterday evening. The rain had slowed to a drizzle by then and I had my umbrella. I only left at 6.30 ish because it was beginning to get dark. It gets dark very quickly here and I had a way to walk back to the city centre. I felt blissfully happy. I realised that whenever I've travelled anywhere before, my happiness at being in and discovering new places has always been tinged with sadness at having to go back to a life that I didn't - largely - enjoy. That has changed. I know it will be hard to go back, but I do want to go back. I have a lot to go back for and a future to create! Whatever future I do create will include travel.

The walk back to the city took me through streets of houses on stilts - the style over here. One had a spreading tree outside - the width of the house itself - with dark green fond-like leaves and red flowers - a jacaranda?

I liked the gardens so much that I resolved to drive over there this morning. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that by this time I had decided to stay in Bundaberg (instead of moving to Agnes Water/Town of 1770 for a day or two) and to hire a car.