By The Beach #4

And now for something completely different...

Well, not completely, but certainly a change from the endless blue vistas & bright sunshine of the previous three installaments. Rainy weather forced us to rethink our itinerary & become veritable tourists in our own state, joining in with the school holiday throng to visit Currumbin Wildife Sanctuary for the first time in twenty-five years! 

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Dress: Camp Hill Antiques vintage linen, wool embroidery

Cardigan: Metalicus knit

Ankle Boots: Renee Loves Frances leather, silver zippers

Bag: Homestore Ashgrove cane, vinyl

Bangle: Gift, vintage carved soapstone

Ring: Thousand Island Dressing shell

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Posing with Blinky Bill (the first of many) wearing another beautiful bohemian ensemble - a gorgeous black linen Mexican midi dress covered in white wool floral embroidery that I picked up from a stall at Camp Hill Antique Centre, white knitted longline cardigan from Metalicus to ward off the chill in the air without adding unncessary bulk, tan leather ankle boots with silver zippers from Renee Loves Frances that are progressively "beat up" & "worn out" enough to evoke all those wild-west-inspired-hippie fantasies & a white cane circular crossbody bag from Homestore Ashgrove to carry all the essentials while keeping my hands free to immerse myself in all the interactive activities on offer. Jewellery was kept simple for the same reason - a single vintage carved soapstone bangle that my younger brother gifted me for my birthday last year & a chunky shell "cocktail" ring from Thousand Island Dressing in Paddington.

Scroll down to see how the rest of the day unfolded...

For those who are unfamiliar, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a heritage listed zoological garden that is home to native mammals, reptiles, birdlife & amphibians as well as several exotic species from other countries around the world including lemurs, capybaras & red pandas. Built in 1947 by Dr Alex Griffiths, a beekeeper & flower grower who created a small-scale lorikeet feeding display that quickly garnered the attention of both tourists & locals. By 1964 when the famous model railway was created, the number of diverse animals being cared for by the sanctuary had grown exponentially. The park was gifted to the National Trust in 1976 to be run as a not-for-profit social enterprise, enabling the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital to be built in 1989 which now treats over 10,000 sick & injured animals each year. 

Koala Cuddling Experience

"I'm Blinky Bill, my whole life's a thrill

I do exactly what I want, I'm Blinky Bill"

Constricted

Inside Blinky Bill's Treehouse...

Free Flight Aviary

Narrow Gauge Railway

Pelicans

Kangaroo Feeding

Feeling like an extra in Steven Speilberg's Jurassic World as I enter the Lost Valley...

Iguana

Tree Kangaroo

Red Panda

Capybaras

Lemurs

Chinese Pheasant

Chinese Ducks

Crocodile

Enclosed Aviary

Echidna

They put up signs now...

(Long story)

Koalas

Riding the Narrow Gauge Railway...

Finishing with a spot of Aussie-themed lunch: 

Salt & Pepper Calimari with Quinoa Salad followed by Hot Chips with Bush Tomato Sauce

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Entry to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary also gives the purchaser free entry into the Surf World Surfing & Beach Culture Museum next door, which we perused before we left. If you love surfing & surf culture or have an affinity for the beach, this is a must-see destination; a hidden gem with a ukelele display that really puts a smile on your face. 

By The Beach #3

Ready for more sun, surf & sand? I knew you would be...

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Kaftan: Vintage linen, embroidery (from Camp Hill Antiques)

Kimono: Isabella Collections via Esteems Boutique embroidered lace, pearl beads

Sandals: Wittner leather

Bag: Renee Loves Frances painted cane, leather

Bracelets: Emmala by Emma wooden beads, silver charms, tassels

Hat: Before Sunset woven

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Another day, another seaside walking trail; this time up to Point Danger via Rainbow Bay & Froggy's Beach, then down the hill to Duranbah, through to The Tweed & back to Coolangatta for a seafood lunch at the divine George's Paragon. For the trek, I'm wearing a vintage cream linen Mexican kaftan embroidered with little red & brown birds from Camp Hill Antique Centre, cream embroidered lace midi-length kimono with tiny pearl bead embellishment by Isabella Collections, found at Esteems Boutique in The Strand at Coolangatta, tan leather gladiator sandals from Wittner & a circular painted-pink cane shoulder bag with tan leather strap from Renee Loves Frances to hold all the essentials. As usual, jewellery was minimal - a pair of wooden beaded bracelets with silver charms & twine tassels from Emmala by Emma all that was required to complete the look. Moreover, I'm wearing a woven sunhat with wide brim from Before Sunset, picked up from a little market stall at the EKKA a few years ago, ideal for keeping the harsh Queensland (& New South Wales) sun off my face.

Looking out for whales...

New-Age Enviro House

Making tracks to Duranbah...

Grilled Barramundi, Roast Potatoes & Broccolini

Washing it all down with a refreshing Lemon, Lime & Bitters...

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Jumpsuit: Worthier via Karma Cottage poly-blend

T-shirt: Seed Heritage cotton

Sandals: Wittner leather with silver buckle

Bracelet: Tibetan silver

Bangle: Gift, vintage carved soapstone

Ring: Thousand Island Dressing shell

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Still smiling despite stormy skies wearing a black poly-blend jumpsuit by Worthier from a little boutique called Karma Cottage & grey marle cotton t-shirt from Seed Heritage. Word to the wise: jumpsuits are going to be BIG BUSINESS this summer, so if you want to keep up with the trends in a way that suits you, there are plenty of different styles & shapes on offer in a variety of fabrics. This particular jumpsuit has a more sleek & sophisticated vibe but later on in this series, I'll be busting out some more casual options.

But I digress.

In keeping with the edgier look of the black & grey, I donned a pair of black matte leather heeled sandals with silver buckles from Wittner (much needed height without the discomfort, pretty much Wittner's mission statement as far as I'm concerned) & went without a handbag, instead utilising the POCKETS that I was delighted to discover in the jumpsuits voluminous side panels. The lack of patterns meant that I layered up the accessories - a chunky Tibetan silver bracelet that I picked up from a little boutique in Maleny, vintage carved soapstone bangle in a shade of greeny-beige that my younger brother gifted me for my birthday last year & a large-scale shell "cocktail" ring from Thousand Island Dressing in Paddington to complete the look while giving a less-than-subtle nod to the location.

Rainbow gazing through 17th storey windows...