Brisbane you are awesome, and I’m grateful

 

Brisbane by night is absolutely stunning!

BY RIVER OR ROAD: I’ve been in Brisbane three months and I still wake up excited every day! I remain obsessed with the river and can’t believe it when I meet locals who have never ridden on a City Cat or ferry. Last Friday night I took the City Cat from West End to Southbank, and the experience was simply beautiful (see pic above). Then at the end of the night I played tourist with a tourist (see Francois below) who was our tuk tuk driver from the city back to Southbank. Sharon and I laughed all the way…

 

Grab a tuk tuk and be sure to tip. It's hard work!

 I am grateful for these beautiful women! We're at QPAC!

 BLAK: Bangarra’s latest work BLAK is possibly one of my favourites to date! With 75 minutes divided into three separate performances – SCAR, YEARNING, KEEPERS – the company manages to dance out issues of self-identity within the modern urban life, the various life experiences we may have over time and learning to know who you are, and finally, a visual celebration of culture, knowledge and our Elders who carry it on. After every Bangarra performance I want to get into my training gear and stretch, limber up. Alas I will stick to telling stories through writing and remain grateful for the works that Stephen and David Page and the team keep bringing to us. I’m grateful I was able to share the experience of BLAK at the QLD Performing Arts Centre with my deadly tiddas above, Louisa, Jasmyn and Sharon.

 

Instagramers become instant supporters of the ILF!

ILF Book Swap: Yesterday I attended the inaugural Megan Mortan,  The School  #book_chat book swap event supporting the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Held at Toby Scott’s studio  in Clayfield, the evening brought together a group of awesome Instagramers from around the country, who each generously brought along their favourite book to swap with another, while donating to the ILF. Orchestrated by Megan Morton (wearing dazzling glittery sandals), and supported by her publisher Julie Gibbs (Penguin) and Suzy Wilson, deadly owner of Riverbend Books and founder of the ILF, the night was full of laugher, literature and a human pineapple! Check out Megan and Mr Pineapple below!

 

Megan Mortan and the giant pineapple!

READING FOR RECONCILIATION 

This morning I joined the Reading for Reconciliation book group at the State Library of Qld. This is a book club with a difference, and is now celebrating their 9^th year of getting together to discuss stories by and about Indigenous Australia. The group has no political purpose or religious affiliations and the avid readers come from a variety of backgrounds and ages. Their common purpose is to explain their knowledge and understanding of current Indigenous issues in Australia by reading and discussing woks (primarily) though not exclusively by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, in an informal, friendly setting. This month the group read Am I Black Enough For You?  I’m grateful for the opportunity to yarn with the group, and that they choose to engage with our work as writers with something to add to the national discussion about issues affecting us.

 

Reading for Reconciliation - great book club to join!

KANGAROO POINT: I’m always grateful for breakfast at The Cliffs at Kangaroo Point overlooking the mighty Brisbane River and the city. I love the nearby installation art as well, and below is the stainless steel sculpture by Wolfgang Buttress. Titled Venus Rising, it’s 23m tall (that’s why the whole thing is not in the picture) and the spiral formation you see when you look upward from inside is meant to refer to the principles of geometry and symbolism about transition, growth and evolution. Or so said the plaque. I like is as a landmark that you can be seen from miles away.

  

Venus Rising at Kangaroo Point!