Island Paradise!

Welcome to Paradise!  If you ever get the chance you must come to the Hamilton and Hayman Islands in the Whitsundays, Australia ..... there is accommodation and packages for everyone and the most important  thing of all is you will have a holiday you will never forget.  I took this photo from our balcony and yes the ocean is that blue, the sand that white and you can find your own space!

My gorgeous Dominic looking very handsome ... we hired a  boat and did a sunset cruise and it was spectacular.  If you have a group of friends it is the perfect way to see the surrounds of Hamilton Island or cruise across to Whitehaven Beach ... one of the most beautiful beaches in the world .....

Franny raising the Aussie flag at sea!

would you like to come down?

This is our place .... where we can kick off proceedings with a little brunch and head to the Whitsundays or Gold Coast if you prefer!

These are gorgeous scallops you can partake of on the Gold Coast at the Sea Temple resort ....

seriously for your next holiday .... Queensland is the place ...... poolside at Sea Temple ..... the prawns are a must!

Maybe the perfect outfit for brunch .....

great friends make for great holidays!  Cheers Vicki and Stephanie!

Stay tuned for the next instalment as I want you all to come to Australia ... you can have your own beach ..... prawns, wine and swimming all to yourself!  There are only 20 million of us in this country so there is a lot to share ..... come on down!

xxxxxxx 

Tropical Paradise!

I took this photo on our first day at Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef and the seagull was so obliging and almost saying "Hey Lady .... get on with it .... I've got some serious relaxation to do"!!!!!

We are truly blessed here in Queensland, Australia that we can actually still go and find a beach that no one else is on .... you can be the only people on a beach and it is the most amazing feeling!

The grand Pandanus trees sway slowly in the summer breeze above a powdery white sand .....

Georgiana in her pink "Hayman" togs ..... so Aussie!

sunset on Hayman ....

Dominic looking very cool and "chillaxed" ....

the much lauded "Chanel Cruise" collection which is absolutely stunning and would have looked perfect poolside at Hayman .....

I am definitely signing up for the boater hat .... I actually owned and wore one to Alexander's Christening ......

good-bye to Hayman

Alexander surfing at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast .... our next destination....

Georgiana on her first surfing lesson .... she looked like a pro!

Happy Holidays and all our best wishes 2012!

love The Russells

"Island Get-Away"

                                                       Anyone for a snorkel?

Georgiana ready to jump off the boat ......

Over the New Year period we were lucky enough to spend some time holidaying on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef.  I thought you might like to see some of the beautiful beaches of our homeland.  This was just before the terrible floods hit central and south-east Queensland.  Queenslanders are fighting back after the shocking floods and all of Australia is united in the effort ...

This beach is called "Chalky's Beach" and we snorkeled off here ..... footprints in the sand ....there were no other people here except for us ..... we sailed here and then anchored ..... it was a very hot day and the skies are usually bluer than this but we have been having  a very wet monsoonal summer which led to the disasterous floods ....

                                     
                                       Sailing away.....

This is the palm fringed beach in front of our apartment on Hamilton Island ..... it was so beautiful and so tranquil ....

Andrew and I on Hamilton Island .... we were so fortunate to be able to have a beautiful family holiday .... 

Georgiana relaxing on the sand..... she had been doing cartwheels up the beach .....

Our flag in the marine red background instead of the usual blue ..... stars of the southern cross .....

Alexander and his cousin, Christopher, getting ready to hit the water........

          The shadow of a turtle in the middle of the photo .....

                                 
                                   Palm-fringed paradise .....

I would love it if you could one day join us for island cocktails .... come on down  ..... we can watch the sun set over the mariner ....... and be grateful for such a beautiful world ....

The Pool House! Aussie Coastal Backyards!

Just a quick post for "Coastal" .... I haven't posted for such a long time but I still love the concept of this blog. These images are from the photo shoot for my website which I thought would be perfect for Coastal as it encompasses all the beautiful elements of an Australian backyard pool with bar-b-que facilities and enjoying the great outdoors. I hope you enjoy .......

Coastal First Post!

This is my first post for my "Coastal" blogsite! I am not quite sure why I am starting another blog except to say that I am a girl with a great deal of passion for the sea and the coast. I have always been a water baby having grown up wind-surfing, water-skiing and swimming as the quintessential Aussie kid. Sand, sea and surf is an intoxicating combination and one which I now find as I get older that I cannot do without. I need to feel the sand beneath my feet whilst making footprints in the sand.... I need to walk aimlessly collecting shells and squinting into a brilliant blue sky..... I need to swim in the cool water and really feel at one with the beach and the ocean.
This beach is called "Long Beach" and it is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. It rivals Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays and the most beautiful thing is there is never anyone on it! This beach is on Great Keppel Island which is just off our coastline in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland. We take my brothers boat out here and anchor, go ashore with prawns, champagne, umbrellas and just make camp like we are the only people in the world!
Enjoy and if you are ever in my part of the world.... the land down under come and visit and I will show you this treasure!