After a successful fishing/R+R weekend in Noosa, the team was joined by a special honorary member – Ian’s mum – on a journey northwards to the port city of Gladstone, which is the hopping off point to Heron Island and its research station. The day started with Ian returning the team’s rental car, checking out of the hotel, then catching a taxi (in Aussie: Maxi Taxi) to the tiny hamlet of Cooroy. After a brief wait, the team boarded Queensland Rail’s Tilt Train for the 4 hr trip north. The train itself is a bit of an engineering marvel: it ’tilts’ around corners which enables it to travel faster than most trains, and inside it set up like an airplane. The train wound through some interesting countryside before pulling into Gladstone.

Views along the way: Left is the Fitzroy River, middle Elliot telling a local all about marine viruses and sea stars, and on the right, view down the train carriage looking back towards Kalia.

The team heads to Heron tomorrow afternoon – where we will be out of touch probably for 4 days. Look forward to sharing this upon our return!