We got back last Thursday from a trip to Brisbane and Heron Island.  It was great to catch up with family, friends, and former work colleagues.  We also got to meet the newest addition to the O’Connell family, Oscar, born to John’s nephew Ben and his partner Millie, earlier this year.

We’d booked the package to Heron while we were still in Brisbane thinking we might get to go before we moved to NZ, but it didn’t work that way, so it was a good reason to come back and soak up some Queensland warmth after a cold and blustery Wellington spring.

Heron Island is at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, a two hour catermaran trip from Gladstone.  We had five days of great weather, and while the resort has seen better days, the vibe is relaxed and there are various nature themed activites.  So we snorkelled – off the beach and further out in the reef from a dive boat, watched the huge amount of bird life, went looking for and found turtles, and generally chilled.  And it was an enforced digital detox – the wifi on offer is expensive and not good.  Five days without the US election!

Photography opportunities on Heron were great, so, of course, so pictures will follow!