Halloween in Australia

Halloween is just starting to catch on here in Australia. They still focus more on the scary side of things but have started bringing in pumpkins to carve in the last two years.

I made witch hat cookies, one of the pros to staying home with the kids is that I have time to look up cute ideas and then make them!! Izzy was a purple fairy and Miles was a construction worker.

Here are the kids we went trick or treating with. The Kitchins four boys and the Annos son and daughter as well as the Betts two boys.

Trick or treating is about the same except only every 5th house or so participates. A neighbour on our road actually sent out a short note a week ahead of time saying she was bringing 8 kids around to trick or treat so people were prepared with candy!!

Clint had to help Izzy out after about 4 blocks of walking!

Ned and Izzy love spending time with each other. We didn't even have to ask them to hold hands, they did it on their own for the last block!
I'm sure you noticed the lack of warm clothes, I think it was about 20 degrees and since it was spring it was still light out at 7 pm. Probably the only time Izzy will ever be able to wear a sleeveless costume.

Tasmania

On October 1sst we flew to Hobart, Tasmania and met Clint's parents for a ten day driving trip around the island. On day one we drove an hour and a half to Port Arthur to see the old jail. Along the way we stopped at a few nice spots!

It was a beautiful day for a walk around the huge settlement. The jail was close to the ocean and surrounded by lots of incredible gardens and old buildings.

Miles and Grandpa in between buildings.

Izzy and Grandma checking out the flowers.

Walking through the gardens on the way back to the car.

We spent our second day exploring Hobart. This is a view of the bridge into downtown Hobart.

The Botanic Gardens are always worth a visit, and they are free!

It was time to head east to Bicheno on the third day. We stopped in Freycinet National Park to do a hike into Wineglass Bay which is supposed to be one of the top 10 beaches in the world. In the parking lot we saw a wallaby with a baby joey in it's pocket, so cute! Unfortunately, after hiking 2 hours over a mountain with two preschoolers our camera decided to break so I bought postcards of the beach since we couldn't take any of our own! That night the hotel we stayed at had free penguin tours so we got to see the fairy penguins in all their waddling glory as they came in from the sea at night, very special!!

Two nights in Launceston were next. We visited Cataract Gorge, the Platypus House and Seahorse World. Platypuses are really neat but no pictures turned out so you'll have to travel here yourself to see one!!

Cradle Mountain was our next stop. The landscape was very different here, not beautiful but interesting. We saw wild wombats and pademelons (related to kangaroos).

We saw the Tasmanian Devils get fed. They do make a scary sound when fighting over fresh kangaroo meat. There were some babies as well which looked very small and sweet.

A boat cruise in Strahan including a stop on a rainforest island and another stop at a convict island finished off our trip.

Coober Pedy- The Underground Town

Since first arriving here Clint has wanted to go 5 hours north to a town called Coober Pedy. The last two days of term three saw that dream come true!His Assistant Principal, Snake, took him up for a school visit and a couple of holes of golf.

This is a bedroom in an underground house. You can see the lines left by the tool used to dig it out!

This is the golf course. Check out the drive, the approach shot and finally the putt!

Clint golfed with the Catholic priest who took him back to the local church which is also underground.