Australia | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Home Gold Coast 1990

October 10, 2014 by David Herd

Part of my personal online photo albums, as opposed to my FiveStarVagabond travel blog.

Home Gold Coast 1990

Home Gold Coast 1990 was a great thrill for me, I also completely designed the layout & drove the builder crazy by checking the progress every day. The address is 106 Upton St Bundall, QLD Australia 4217.

This post also features many of the terrific people I crossed paths with in 1990. Apologies for the poor quality photos, it was very early day for digital cameras.

Dream home 1990 & a new boat

I was working for Metway Bank & took out a loan to build the house, the interest rate was 12.5%, can you believe it? I also still owned my previous home in Claymore Crescent Sorrento.

Followed by new girl. 🙂

Karen Greenwood was a Kiwi & we spent the next 12 months or so together.

My favourite song from 1990

Madison & my car fleet completed the set. 🙂

My best friend Madison & my Mini Moke came with me in January 1987 when we moved from Newport Beach in Sydney to Surfers Paradise.

At Coolum with Ross Radford & John Sprouster.

These two great guys were my bosses, John was GM at Macdougals Ltd at 58 Clarence St Sydney which was my first selling job in office equipment. Ross owned Sanyo Office Machines & sent me to Adelaide in 1972 then Melbourne in 1974.

Helen Burke at Coolum golf resort

This lovely lady really knew how to have fun., + she had a fabulous pair of Bazookas.

Bryan Dart, Greg Hughes & Wayne Jones

We often played golf as I was a member at Sanctuary Cove, Greg forever the village joker took my putter and had it shortened by 4 inches. Next time we played I couldn’t understand why they seemed to be laughing & giggling each time it was my turn to putt. Being a fairly average golfer I never noticed the difference. 🙂

Amanda Kathy & Christy

Three beautiful Surfers Paradise princesses.

Boating to Sanctuary Cove

Taking Kathy Amanda & Christy to a party in Sanctuary Cove at Peter Hesky’s waterfront villa.

Dave Alen at Melbas

Dave is the son of Paul Alan the owner of Melbas nightclub & restaurant.

NYE at Melbas with gorgeous Simone.

Another great year is almost over.

New Years Eve 1990

Narrelle one of the gorgeous girls working at Melbas and my old friend Harley Bradstreet.

Tony Fasio & Steve Jones, RIP.

Tony was the manager at Melbas & big Steve one of the bouncers, Steve sadly passed away far too young in the late 90s.

Surrounded my lovely ladies on New Years Eve.

Life is hard in Surfers Paradise but someone has to do it. 🙂

Happy group at my home for dinner

Tony & Narrelle & the other names I can’t recall.

Derek Pugh & I in Sydney

Derek & I worked for MacDougalls in the late 60s.

Paul Slaughter with Clode & Ian Rich.

Xmas day in Sydney with my brothers.

Ian, Bryan & Warren, the only one missing as usual was Neale.

The Herd clan at Kihilla Rd Auburn for Xmas.

Most of them now in 2014 have children of their own.

A rose between two thorns.

More like a thorn between two roses. 🙂

Tony Murphy & Graham Hughes

Cold beers at my home in 36 Ckaymore Crescent Sorrento just before moving into my new home.

The end of another exciting year.

Thanks for visiting my Building dream home Gold Coast 1990 photo blog.

After building my dream home 1990 I lived happily there until October 2011 & then moved to Thailand.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Here are some of my most popular posts.

Pattaya live webcam

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Atlantic Bar North Pattaya

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Beautiful Budapest

Australian seafood

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Australian Football Fanatics

October 6, 2014 by David Herd

AFL or Australian Football Fanatics

Australian Football Fanatics

Australian football fanatics is an understatement, ten days ago on Saturday September 27 2014 100,000 people were at the MCG for the grand final. Sadly for me Hawthorn smashed my beloved Sydney Swans. The Swans did win the flag in 2012 & 2005, this post focuses on my trip to Melbourne in 2006 for what we Aussies call an Australian football fanatics weekend escape.

Another incredibly busy year in 2006 for travel including Belem at the mouth of the mighty Amazon , Fortaleza on the north coast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios, Cabo Frio & another great trip to Tuscany & Portofino.

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Melbourne Cricket Ground or the MCG is the home of Australian football. Until the 1970s, more than 120,000 people sometimes crammed into the venue – the record crowd standing at around 130,000 for a Billy Graham evangelistic crusade in 1959, followed by 121,696 for the 1970 VFL Grand Final. Grandstand redevelopments and occupational health and safety legislation have now limited the maximum seating capacity to approximately 95,000 with an additional 5000 standing room capacity, bringing the total capacity to 100,024.

Australian football fantatics David Herd & Ross Kennedy

With my good friend Ross Kennedy at the “G” to watch a game of Australian football.

Going to Telstra Dome for Australian football

Ross Kennedy with Mariana’s nieces & brother Steven Vasiljevic.

Up There, Cazaly

Melbourne parliament house

Parliament House in Melbourne, located at Spring Street in East Melbourne at the edge of the Melbourne city centre, has been the seat of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia, since 1855.

East Melbourne near the MCG.

A beautiful park beside he city.

Flinders St Station

Flinders Street is served by Metro’s suburban services, and V/Line regional services to Gippsland. It is the busiest station on Melbourne’s metropolitan network, with some 92.6 million passenger movements recorded in 2011/12.

It was the first railway station in an Australian city and the world’s busiest passenger station in the late 1920s.

The main station building, completed in 1909, is a cultural icon of Melbourne, with its prominent dome, arched entrance, tower and clocks one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The Melburnian idiom “I’ll meet you under the clocks” refers to the row of clocks above the main entrance, which indicate the time-tabled time of departure for trains on each line; another idiom, “I’ll meet you on the steps”, refers to the wide staircase underneath these clocks. Flinders Street Station is responsible for two of Melbourne’s busiest pedestrian crossings, both across Flinders Street, including one of Melbourne’s few pedestrian scrambles.

St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne

St Paul’s Cathedral is built on the site where the first public Christian services in Melbourne were led by Dr Alexander Thomson in 1836. Soon afterwards a small wooden chapel was built elsewhere, and the area became a corn market until 1848, when it was made available for the building of the bluestone St Paul’s Parish Church. Consecrated in 1852, this Church was used until 1885, when it was demolished to make way for the present Cathedral.

Religion in Australia is diverse but the country is predominantly Christian with, in an optional question on the 2011 Census, 61.1% of the Australian population declaring some variety of Christianity. Historically the percentage has been far higher and the religious landscape of Australia is changing and diversifying. Also in 2011, 22.3% of Australians stated “no religion”, and a further 8.55% chose not to answer the question. The remaining population is a diverse group which includes Buddhists (2.5%), Muslims (2.2%), Hindus (1.3%), Jews (0.45%) and Sikhs (0.3%).

Melbourne skyline

Blue sky in Melbourne is a bonus. 🙂

If it was Bangkok it would be a coup.

Not Bangkok just Swanston St Melbourne, the weekend warriors having a parade.

Federation Square

Federation Square in Melbourne, is a mixed-use development covering an area of 3.2 hectares and centred around two major public spaces: open squares and one covered, built on top of a concrete deck above busy railway lines.

Federation Square

Located on the corner Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne.

The Yarra River

The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches. I hope you have noticed that Australian football is not the only attraction in Melbourne. 🙂

Yve 576-578 St Kilda Road

One of the many office buildings on St Kilda Rd.

The Botanical Hotel 169 Domain Rd, South Yarra

This is one of my haunts from the old days living in Melbourne, not the same anymore (what is?) too modern & noisy now.

Melbourne friends

Ross & Mariana Kennedy, two of her brothers & Nicole White.

Ross, Mariana & I leaving Melbourne

After a super weekend of Australian football fanatics we head back home to the Gold Coast.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Click on the photo below for my post on living on the Gold Coast in 2006.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Click on the photo below for when I lived in Melbourne in the 70s.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

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Herd family Sydney 2006

October 3, 2014 by David Herd

Rebecca & Victor tie the knot

Herd family Sydney

David Herd family Sydney in 2006, my niece Rebecca married Victor Mendonca a very nice fellow from the Archipelago of the Azores, nine volcanic islands situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal.

The in-laws & the happy couple.

Terrific family photo.

Great photo of brother Bryan & Lynne.

A very happy day for the parents.

Mr & Mrs Mendonca

Vic & Bec have a fabulous fitness center & gym in North Richmond, it is open 24/7 and you can join for only $13 a week. There are millions of idiots in Australia who spend $13 on one packet of cigarettes that are slowly killing them. I must say Victor is a great addition to the Herd family.

Herd family Sydney

And there certainly was a big Herd, the annual Xmas gathering was at cousin Deb’s lovely home in Balgowlah, I have only ever attended 4 or 5 Xmas gatherings since the days when my parents were alive & entertaining the Herd family at 58 Kihilla Rd Auburn.

Great photo of cousin Deb with her parents Colin & Margaret, Colin is the youngest of Dad’d clan of 4 girls & 3 boys.

All my gorgeous Aunties.

My father’s four sisters from left to right Elsie, Thelma, Dorothy & Norma. This one in 2006 is one of my favourites especially seeing all Dad’s 4 sisters there & in good health.

A flashback to 1929

Elsie, Arthur, Allan & baby Thelma on 27-1-1929, what a beautiful looking young girl Elsie was.

Two uncles & one cousin.

Ray Pilgrim on the left Colin Herd & cousin Greg McMillan.

Lovely photo, Dot is the happiest of all the Herd family.

Jeff Bousefield with ????? The rest of the names are coming soon. 🙂

The Lowe family.

Here is Robyn & her lovely family, my apologies for not knowing everyone’s name, I’ll track them down soon.

The cat is ignoring me.

Little miss Bousfield seems to be having a spat with the cat. 🙂

Another flashback to 1954

One of our best Herd family photos is Thelma’s wedding in 1954 with all of the clan.

Herds & Bousefields

It’s now 2016 and I’m hoping I can catch up with the family at Xmas this year.

Robyn Greg & Thelma.

It was a really nice Xmas with the family, thanks for visiting my Herd family Sydney photo blog.

Sydney hotels are so expensive now, here is a reasonably priced one in Chinatown, just book through THIS LINK.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

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Friends family Surfers Paradise

September 29, 2014 by David Herd

Breakfast at Main Beach

Friends family Surfers Paradise

Friends family Surfers Paradise starting with my brother Warren his lovely daughter Laura & his friend we call Mumbles. Another incredibly busy year for travel including Belem at the mouth of the mighty Amazon , Fortaleza on the north coast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Buzios, Cabo Frio & another great trip to Tuscany & Portofino.

Two trips to Sydney including a terrific family Xmas & one trip to Melbourne for an AFL weekend. Yes, 2006 was another great year.

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2006.

Lovely Laura

My niece Laura is a terrific singer & dancer trying to break into the big time. She won a scholarship to preform in New York which like myself she has fallen in love with the city.

My beautiful home at 106 Upton St Bundall, 4217

I designed & had my beautiful waterfront home built in 1990, I made a huge mistake in 2004 when I added a 2nd floor, it made it difficult to sell because it was too big for the average family, 500 M2 with seven bedrooms & five bathrooms. Oh well, it’s not the first major mistake in my life and it won’t be the last.

Lunch with Rossco at Omeros Brothers.

Good friend Ross Kennedy & I at Omeros Brothers, one of the best restaurants on the Gold Coast.

Lobster Morney with Rossco at Omeros Bros.

The food here is always excellent.

Dave & Janice Hoskot

Drinks on my jetty with the Hoskots, Janice is an Australian girl & Dave is American, for a number of years he was a back up drummer for Bob Dylan.

A rose between two thorns.

Asuka on the left was a lovely Japanese girl from Osaka who was studying on the Gold Coast and renting a room in my home.

Robin & Les Scheffer, Janice Hoskot & Randy Fuse.

The Scheffer’s & I were good friends for many years, but in 2013 they placed my firmly on their blacklist for various infractions, you will see some others they have also placed on the list in following photos, it’s nice to have company. 🙂

Here is a classic “black list” photo.

That’s Robin at the front & four of the other six people including myself have been banished to her & Les Scheffer’s blacklist for quite a long time, as I said before it is nice to have company. 🙂 This particular day was a happy one, I have a small tradition where for many years on Good Friday I invite friends over for lunch.

Even though I was high on Les’s black list I’m sorry to say he passed away in March 2019, RIP.

Here is our Good Friday feast.

Beautiful Gold Coast fresh seafood & leg ham, salad & freshly baked bread.

Birthday lunch for Noel Smith.

At Carmody’s restaurant at the Southport Sharks club to celebrate Noel Smith’s birthday.

Sadly we have lost Noel Smith. Les Scheffer, Ian Fraser-Smith, John Woods and Ron Collier, RIP.

Xmas lunch at Melbas with the usual suspects

Greg Craig, Mike Nidrie & Noel Smith (RIP) are all regular drinking buddies of mine at Melbas.

Beautiful smile at Melbas

Melbas always hires gorgeous girls.

Xmas lunch, the tradition continues

Xmas lunch at Melbas with Lars Shitterer & Dave Hoskot, I first started drinking at Melbas on January 1st 1982 when some friends & I flew from Sydney after a huge NYE on Sydney Harbour when my boat was peppered with falling sky rockets because I stupidly anchored in the drop zone.

Red wine at Melbas

Sudzi was one of the Melbas managers, in January 2008 we met up in Brazil for Carnival.

Dave Allen at Melbas.

Dave is a terrific fellow & is the son of the owner & founder of Melbas Paul Alan.

Melbas in Cavil Avenue

Follow THIS LINK for lots of memories on Melbas.

Jim Bell & Dave Allen

Jim Bell rented a room in my home for 13 years, that’s what I call a long term tenant.

Breakfast on Chevron Island with Brian Rawnsley.

Brian is a Brisbane guy I met in Thailand, here we are at Tigerlilly on Chevron Island one of my breakfast haunts.

The girls in our footy tipping club.

I ran a AFL tipping competition for 10 years, here we are at the end of year dinner.

And the winner is……..

My great friend Ross Kennedy aka “Shoeless Joe Jackson”.

My brother Ian’s 50th birthday.

Friends family gathered for Ian’s 50th birthday, here is Bryan another brother given one of his famous speeches.

Family breakfast on Chevron Island.

Two of my Brothers Bryan & Warren, Bryan’s wife Lynn & daughter-in-law Maisie.

This is Elliot, another little Herd.

Maisie’s cute little kid.

Les & Robin Scheffer marry at Saks restaurant.

A great venue for a wedding on the Broadwater at Marina Mirage.

Wedding guests at Saks.

Niggle Stopsgiving standing next to me is now firmly on the Les Scheffer‘s black list, his lady of 10 years beautiful Randy Fuse on the far right and he sadly are still doing battle. The name Geoff Pilkington’s wife eludes me & ?????

Sadly Les Passed away in May 2020, RIP.

I met these two lovely Japanese girls at Broadbeach.

Their names were Nemo & Nami, naturally I took them home to my house for lunch. 🙂

Vannessa & I at Tamborine Mountain.

It was not the fact she was excited to see me, it was very cold in the mountains. 🙂

Melbourne Cup day drinks at Melbas

David Robertson & Phil Thomson at Melbas on Melbourne Cup day watching all the gorgeous fillies getting flyblown. 🙂

Harley Bradstreet, one of my oldest friends.

Harley was preparing to leave Brisbane after a another disastrous business experience. When describing Harley, Larry Wilson a mutual friend once said “anyone can have a bad decade”. Which fitted Harley to a tee, over the many years I have known him this nice harmless fellow seemed to stumble from one disaster to another. On my boat on our eventful NYE in 1981 when rockets were falling from the sky, who was the first guy to get hit by one? Harley Bradstreet of course. 🙂 Thanks for visiting my friends family & others from 2006, check out the slideshow.

For a great hotel rate on the Gold Coast just book through THIS LINK.

Thanks for visiting my Friends family Surfers Paradise photo blog.

Here are some more posts on my wild wicked ways.

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Gold Coast Australia

September 27, 2014 by David Herd

Gold Coast Australia

Gold Coast Australia was my home for 25 years from 1986 to 2011. Here are photos & comments on some of my wonderful memories.

This post focuses on 2008 which was another frenetic year of travel. Starting with 6 weeks in Brazil over Xmas & Carnival, with a fabulous week in New York on my way home. My Brazil trip included Rio de janeiro, Curitiba, Paraty, Belneario Camboriu & Florianopolis.

Three trips to Thailand in April, September & November, then throw in Bali, Singapore & Kuala Lumpur, so as you can see I hardly had time to unpack my suitcase. I nearly forgot a hectic couple of weeks in Sydney as well.

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2008.

Qantas 1st class NYC to L.A.

I just had to include this photo flying 1st class thanks to my cousin Deb who is a Qantas flight attendant.

The old & the new opposite each other.

During my 25 years living here the changes were extraordinary, not all for the best I might add. The first 15 years were wonderful, however after that in my eyes, the overall atmosphere of the Gold Coast started to lose its shine, it no longer had the friendly village feel to it. I guess in my final 10 years there it just got too big and modern.

My home at 106 Upton St Bundall, 4217

In 1990 I designed & built a beautiful home on the waterfront with my own sandy beach & jetty for my boat, life was good. I sold the house in 2011 for over a million dollars, but this was $250k less than I was offered twice in 2007, the big drop in price was due to the Global Financial crisis, c’est la vie.

Gold Coast Australia, drinks at Melbas

Melbas bar & nightclub in Surfers Paradise Australia was my main drinking spot for most of my 25 years on the coast. Here are some of the fellows I would sometimes drink with.

Melbas always had sexy waitresses

One of the main reasons I made this my local watering hole.

Ian Rich was a friend for 45 years.

In 2008 Ian was living in a fabulous sub penthouse in Surfers Paradise Australia, the next few photos taken from his apartment are wonderful examples of Australia’s Gold Coast.

Ian’s beautiful apartment

A great view but very windy on the balcony.

Looking south at Surfers Paradise Australia

Absolutely breathtaking.

Looking north towards the seaway

Magnificent coastline in Surfers Paradise Australia Gold Coast.

Good Friday lunch at Chevron Island fish & chip shop.

One of my favourite eating spots in Surfers Paradise, great food at cheap prices & Frank the owner is an Australian football fanatic similar to myself. The couple on the left Les Scheffer & his wife Robyn & I used to be good friends, however in July 2013 they placed me firmly on their black list where I still reside today. 🙂

I’m sad to say Les passed away in March 2020 after a long battle with Cancer, RIP.

The boys in the fish & chip shop

A good bunch of guys.

Bjorn, Alisha, Brad, my nephew Michael & Matty.

Michael was in charge of cocktails as he was a barman at the Sheraton in Sydney as well as some other top venues.

Brad, Elisha & Matty.

I have a couple of internet hotspots in Surfers Paradise which earn me a few bucks, Brad owns the IT business which looks after them. Elisha is his lovely wife & Matty one of his technicians.

Here is Kayoko my friend from Tokyo.

Lots of cocktails were consumed at my home this night, there were a few sore heads in the morning.

Margarita time.

I’ll let Jimmy describe this fabulous cocktail.

Watch this video on YouTube

Gold Coast Australia Michael & Bjorn

The happy couple are living in Berlin which is Bjorn’s home town. 2016 Update; sadly earlier this year Bjorn lost his long battle with cancer, he will always be remembered as a wonderful friend, RIP.

Surfers Paradise meter maids

These lovely girls in the gold bikinis put coins in the expired parking meters, plus they look terrific.

Surfers Paradise Meter Maids

Are these babes cute or what?

Other side please

They look great from any angle.

Men At Work - Down Under (Official HD Video)

At Trevor’s apartment Broadbeach

Trevor Loresch is very much a self made man, lives in a beautiful Pattaya waterfront apartment along with this luxury holiday getaway in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

Birthday drinks with Ross Kennedy & Phil Thomson

Two of my best friends on the Gold Coast. Last year Phil & his lovely Japanese wife showed me how to get around the great city of Tokyo which has become one of my favorite cities. In 1996 Rossco & I jumped in my Porsche & did one of my all time great road trips to the Hunter Valley, Sydney, Falls Creek & Melbourne.

Birthday lunch at Melbas

You know you are getting older when you look at some group photos and a couple of guys you have known for decades are not with us anymore. Ron Collier on the left in the black & Noel with the glasses on the right, RIP.

Good friends Wayne Jones & Bryan Dart.

I have known these guys for over 20 years.

Happy birthday DH.

A great day with a lot of good friends.

This would be a perfect birthday present. 🙂

Promise I’ll give her back in the morning. 🙂

St Kilda play North Melbourne at Carrara.

Rossco & I jump into the wine & food at the St Kilda’s dinner at Carrara stadium.

Drinks at Melbas for our AFL tipping Competition.

I ran a AFL tipping competition for nearly 10 years, here are some of the happy crew enjoying our mid year drinks at Melbas.

My great mate Phil Thomson.

We are at Southport Sharks for our end of year AFL tipping competition.

Dennis Perry, a rose between 2 thorns

Running the tipping competition was a lot of fun, when I moved to Thailand in 2011 Dennis & his crew took it over.

Gold Coast Australia New Years Eve 2008

After a frantic year I spent a very quiet NYE with friends reflecting on another super year of travel & living in Gold Coast Australia. Thanks for visiting my Surfers Paradise Australia photo blog.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Perhaps you would like to see my terrific year in 2007?

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Gold Coast in 2014

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Australian Outback in 2003

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out these great photo blogs.

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Sydney Harbour magnificent city

September 25, 2014 by David Herd

Beautiful day on Sydney Harbour.

Sydney Harbour magnificent city

Sydney Harbour magnificent city with the best harbour in the world. We spell it harbour & Americans spell it harbour, wonderful if you have a good boat.

City of Sydney

Such a breathtaking skyline from the harbour.

Mr Stingy

I have know Richard for over 30 years & I’m pleased to say I gave him his nickname when we were in Thailand in 2004. He is quite a character & loves to brag about how much money he is worth, which is considerable. He lives in a beautiful home in one of Sydney’s premier harbour front suburbs, Point Piper. Richard had the unfortunate habit of drinking & eating twice as much as his friends then splitting the bill equally.

When travelling with his buddy Ken Shelly in Thailand he would show off & buy countless drinks for the girls in the bar then expect poor Ken to share equally when the bill came. Sitting on the beach at Koh Samui one day a Thai lady was reading his palm, she looked him in the eye & said “Oh I see you have a lot of money, but sadly you are very stingy”. Well that was perfect I thought so from that day one I Christened him “Mr Stingy”.

Ken & I on Stingy’s boat

Stingy’s long suffering friend Ken Shelly & I enjoying a few cold beers at Darling Harbour.

Stingy’s boat

A terrific boat for exploring Sydney Harbour, lots of room and very stable if seas are rough.

Centrepoint tower from Darling Harbour

In my book Sydney certainly ranks in the top 10 cities in the world.

Western Sydney skyline

That’s Centre-point tower dominating the skyline.

Sydney Harbour magnificent city

A great view of Sydney Harbour magnificent city, if you don’t have the luxury of a boat just catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly for an amazing view of this great city.

Sydney Opera House

Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the facility formally opened on 20 October 1973 after a gestation beginning with Utzon’s 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition. The NSW Government, led by Premier Joseph Cahill, authorised work to begin in 1958, with Utzon directing construction. The government’s decision to build Utzon’s design is often overshadowed by circumstances that followed, including cost and scheduling overruns as well as the architect’s ultimate resignation.

View from the front

Though its name suggests a single venue, the project comprises multiple performance venues which together are among the busiest performing arts centres in the world — hosting over 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people.

Point Piper apartments

What a perfect place foe an apartment.

Royal Motor Yacht Club Point Piper.

You can just see a corner of Stingy’s home on the left of the club.

Stingy’s $6 million home

Richard designed & built his lovely home, he is an experienced builder who made most of his fortune by building most of the Red Rooster outlets in Australia.

The incredible view from Stingy’s home

A sensational view of Rose Bay.

Luna Park at Milsons Point north of the harbour

The park was constructed at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during 1935, and ran for nine-month seasons until 1972, when it was opened year-round. Luna Park was closed in mid-1979, immediately following the Ghost Train fire, which killed six children and one adult. Most of the park was demolished, and a new amusement park was constructed; this originally operated under the name of Harbourside Amusement Park before resuming the Luna Park name. The park was closed again in 1988 as an independent engineering inspection determined that several rides needed urgent repair. The owners failed to repair and reopen the park before a New South Wales government deadline, and ownership was passed to a new body. Reopening in 1995, Luna Park closed again after thirteen months because of the Big Dipper roller coaster noise pollution complaints from residents on the clifftop above the park caused the ride’s operating hours to be heavily restricted, and the drop in attendance made the park unprofitable. After another redevelopment, Luna Park reopened in 2004 and has continued operating since.

Richard, Ken Shelly & Peter Hobbs.

Here we are at Bar Reggio in Crown St Darlinghurst, a very popular Italian restaurant.

My new second hand Lexus.

I have Stingy to thank for finding my beautiful Lexus, I have owned many luxury vehicles including Jaguars, Mercedes & Porsche’s but $ for $ this is the best car I have ever driven. Japanese technology at its best.

Watching Australian Football

Watching my team the Sydney Swans at the SCG in Peter Hesky’s private box.

Old friend Rob Symonds & son visit from Hobart.

Rob and I first met in Adelaide in 1972.

Anne Lacey & Ruth Vincent with our host Peter Hesky

Sydney City has a special place in my heart, I was born & grew up in the western suburbs. There is no doubt the harbour is the best in the world & each time I fly in my excitement & anticipation is electric.

Thanks for visiting my Sydney Harbour magnificent city photo blog.

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

More Sydney photos from 2009 in the slideshow as well as some from the Gold Coast.

Check out these great photo blogs.

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Babes boats Bangkok trips 2001

September 10, 2014 by David Herd

Babes boats Bangkok trips 2001, the frenetic travel continued. Two trips to Thailand & one world trip including Spain, Venezuela, Cuba & Los Angeles. This is not part of my travel blog it’s just a photographic record of the people who crossed my path in 2001.

Rita & Vanessa on the Broadwater.

Babes boats Bangkok & living on the Gold Coast which ensured you spent many days on the beautiful Broadwater. Rita was from Shanghai & Vanessa was a Gold Coast local.

Most other boats were bigger than mine.

Like most places in the world, someone always has a bigger boat. 🙂 This particular one is owned by Billionaire Bob Ell.

Skye Edwards from Launceston

Skye was a beautiful girl from Launceston who was visiting the Gold Coast, I was lucky enough to take her out a couple of times.

Ross Kennedy & Jim Bell.

Jim Bell rented a room in my home for 17 years, that’s what I call a long time tenant. 🙂 Rossco is a good friend and a long suffering St Kilda fan.

Keiko visits from Japan.

I met Keiko on the internet so when she came to the Gold Coast for a business conference naturally I took her boating on the Broadwater. There is something special about babes boats sunshine & living like a king on the Gold Coast.

Keiko & her workmates

A chopper ride over the Gold Coast.

Dinner at Main Beach with Keiko & her workmates

Main Beach was a Gold Coast hotspot, now in 2016 it has faded somewhat.

A weekend in Sydney at Pothole’s place.

It’s 2018 & Pothole & I live in the same building in Pattaya Thailand.

Swedish backpackers at the Oaks Hotel

I met a couple of Swedish backpackers at the airport and bought them back to Pothole’s home, we ended up at the Oaks hotel in Neutral Bay.

Lars, Rick & Derry.

Rick the guy in the middle has been a friend since the 70s, he was a Sydney solicitor who for as long as I have known him has pretended to be some sort of secret agent, I like to call him 003 & 1/4, not half the man James Bond was. 🙂 He played the role quite well including fitting out his Porsche with a police radio, umbrella guns in easy reach and a switch to release an oil slick to foil any bad guys who were pursuing him. The thing that amazes me is how such an intelligent guy can live out such a fantasy. His most recent episode was finding a obscure European title, he now calls himself “Count” and has hyphenated his name. Words fail me, then again whatever floats your boat. 🙂

Vanessa Teo

Vanessa worked in the U.S. for many years before returning to Australia, I think her mother was English & her father was Chinese & was a high court judge in Port Moresby.

Ponzi scheme

Loading cargo onto the only flight a failed company called Cargo Jet managed to get into the air. My involvement was a very expensive exercise as I’ll briefly explain. Graham Cash was a Gold Coast accountant I had known for 14 years & regarded as a friend. He put together a air cargo company which failed miserably, he also conducted a clever Ponzi scheme which cost me around $100,000 in capital over a period of 4 years. It’s not as bad as it seems as I did receive around $85,000 in interest during that time, many others lost far more than I did from this mongrel of a con artist.

My lovely mother Iris Herd.

Sadly passes away in 2007, will never be forgotten.

Thanks for visiting my Babes boats Bangkok photo blog.

Here are some more posts on my wild wicked ways.

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

August 25, 2014 by David Herd

Bill Austin & Joan Baptiste

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay was the first place I took my English friends Joan & Bill after driving down the Pacific Highway from the Gold Coast QLD in 2010. In my eyes this represents the front door to the city.

Bill is the brother of my friend Alan Austin who is a guest of Her Majesty, Bill & I met when I first visited Alan in 2007. Joan was an Olympic runner who competed in the 200 meters at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Bill was a Para Military man who served time in Ireland & many other countries.

Sunset at Circular Quay

The Diamond Princess moored at Circular Quay.

The Diamond Princess

Diamond Princess is a cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. She began operation in March 2004 and primarily cruises in Alaska during the summer and Asia in the winter along with Australia cruises.

Sydney Opera House

Though its name suggests a single venue, the project comprises multiple performance venues which together are among the busiest performing arts center’s in the world — hosting over 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people.

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

From a restaurant opposite.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Even more famous than Circular Quay and Bondi is the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

1. Construction started: July 28, 1923

1. Opened: March 19, 1932

1. Total length: 1,149 m

Height: 134 m

Naturally Bill had to climb it. 🙂

Being an ex Para Military man who has made over 500 parachute jumps Bill naturally had to climb to the top of the bridge, and what an amazing view he had from there.

Circular Quay Sydney

Known as the gateway to Sydney.

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

This is one of my favourite shots.

Hydrofoil and Ferry

The old & the new. 🙂

The view from the Quay apartments

Can you imagine the price of a condo here?

Jet boat

Are you ready for a spin?

OK, lets go….

Fast & furious.

Cruise ship heading for Circular Quay

This is more my style. 🙂

Circular Quay

There are many good restaurants surrounding Circular Quay, to me it is one of the most interesting areas of this great city. If I had to choose between Circular Quay and Bondi I would choose Circular Quay every time.

Two restaurants, Doyles and the Quay.

As you can imagine both these restaurants are very expensive.

Peter Hesky’s 60th January 3rd 2007.

We celebrated my friends 60th at the Quay restaurant in 2007.

The Rocks

The Rocks is an historic part of Sydney adjacent to Circular Quay, this is an old warehouse which is now a restaurant.

Historic buildings

The small building is Cadmans cottage the oldest surviving residential building in Sydney, having been built in 1816 for the use of the governmental coxswains and their crews.

The Sailors Home opened its doors in February 1865. Naval personnel lodged there until 1891 when the Royal Naval House, with accommodation for 300, opened in nearby Grosvenor Street. The sailors used to consume opium and alcohol, because in the nineteenth century, opium is legally consumed. Passers-by could smell opium when near the Sailor’s home. In 2002, Sailors Home was changed to The Australian Mariners’ Welfare Society.

Maritime Services Building

The Museum of Contemporary Art was established to fulfill the museum aspect of the visionary bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power (1881-1943), who left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney to inform and educate Australians in the contemporary visual arts. The traditional owners of the land on which the MCA building is situated are the Eora people of the Gadigal nation. This site also marks the landing place of the First Fleet in Port Jackson in 1788. In 1802 Sydney’s first hospital and wharf were built nearby, with commissariat stores built by Colonel Foveaux in 1812. In the 1930s the commissariat stores and taxation building were demolished to make way for a new Maritime Services Board (MSB) building (the previous MSB offices were displaced by the Cahill Express Way and Circular Quay railway development). Government architect W.H. Withers began work on the building plans in 1939. Work resumed in 1944 under government architect W D H Baxter after a postponement of four years from 1940 due to Australia’s involvement in World War II. Builders were appointed in 1946 but difficulties in securing labour and material due to post war shortages delayed construction. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and in 1952 the MSB building opened. With the relocation of the MSB to larger premises in 1989 the building was gifted by the NSW State Government to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Funded by the University of Sydney and the Power Bequest, restoration and refurbishment of the building commenced in 1990 under the direction of Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorpe/John Holland Interiors and in November 1991 the Museum of Contemporary Art officially opened.

Sydney Skyline

The best harbour in the world.

Manly Ferry

About a 40 minute trip from Circular Quay to manly, one of the world’s great boat rides.

Ferry arriving at Manly

So much to see on Sydney harbour.

North Sydney with Luna Park in the foreground.

A city within a city.

Kirribilli House

Kirribilli House is the official residence of the Australian Prime Minister in Sydney, New South Wales. The house is located at the far eastern end of Kirribilli Avenue in the harbour-side suburb of Kirribilli straight opposite Circular Quay.

The Oaks Hotel Neutral Bay.

I know it’s a few kms from Sydney Circular Quay, however it’s my favourite Australian pub, I have been drinking here for over 30 years, I can’t begin to imagine how much money I have spent there. 🙂

Well in this post we covered a few more subjects than Sydney Circular Quay and Bondi beach, I hope you enjoyed it as much as did.

To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

David Herd Thailand

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Port Macquarie coastal village

August 5, 2014 by David Herd

Port Macquarie coastal village originally was a penal colony, these days many people retire in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast (4 hours north of Sydney), because of the temperate climate, good fishing & boating and nice beaches. I think it is the pick of the NSW coastal towns.

At the end of this post you will see how one of my distant relatives Helen Gillies arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother 🙂

Port Macquarie is famous for fresh seafood

Beautiful fresh prawns & delicious oysters, in fact my favourite lunch in Port is prawns & avocado on freshly baked bread with a dozen oysters natural to begin.

Port Macquarie coastal village

As good as it gets. 🙂

The Hastings River

Hastings River is also the name of a small, developing wine region. The main clusters of vineyards are located in Port Macquarie and Wauchope.

The region was first planted with vines in the 1860s but recent history of the area has been pioneered by the Cassegrain family with Verdelho

Hastings River’s cellar door facilities, music events, regional restaurants, coastal attractions and great climate are serving to build interest in the local wine industry.

Beachhouse Pub formally Royal Hotel est 1840

Great place to relax and enjoy a few cold beers on a hot day. 🙂

Vintage cars in Port Macquarie

Everybody loves these old cars.

Love the colour

Certainly not the original colour.

Luxury camper van

On the way to Port Macquarie we saw this luxury vehicle in Coffs Harbour.

My brother Warren lives in Port Macquarie

Warren has lived & worked in Port Macquarie for over 20 years, he & his wife Kerry raised four great children who are now having children of their own. The Herd family has grown incredibly over the last 50 years, I have put a lot of the family history in a post called Following the Herd. My uncle Allan Herd also lived in Port Macquarie for many years, he passed away at the age of 95 in July 2012, his story as a soldier in WW2 is the most dramatic event in our family history, it’s a tale worth reading.

My lovely niece Laura & Jordan Millar.

Laura grew up in Port Macquarie, she is a talented singer/song writer. Here she is with her boyfriend Jordan Millar at The Fig in Port Macquarie.

Family & friends

Three brothers, Warren, Ian, David with Kerry and Chris enjoy dinner in Port Macquarie.

The Wall of China restaurant

Very good Chinese food at this popular restaurant.

Classic council sign

Here is a classic council sign in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast. A friend of mine who works for Trowbridge council in Wiltshire in the U.K. arranged for a couple of these to be erected in Trowbridge, after a couple of months and numerous complaints from the public they took them down.

And I thought the Pommies had a sense of humour.

Helen Gillies

Helen arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother, she was 4′ 11″ tall. 🙂

Records found in the Old Courthouse in October 1998

Jordan Miller & Laura Bell Herd at the Fig.

Thanks for visiting my Port Macquarie coastal village photo blog.

Istanbul Budapest London

Mostar Dubrobnik Split

Saigon Zagreb Vung tau

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

August 4, 2014 by David Herd

Town Hall Sydney

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst may not be as well known as other Sydney icons, however it’s the area where I like to stay when I visit Sydney. In fact this is not in any of those districts mentioned in the title, it is right in the city centre, Chinatown is 3 blocks further down George St.

Relax among the skyscrapers around Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

Walking from Town Hall to Chinatown nestled among the tall buildings are many places where people can relax & eat lunch.

China Republic World Square Sydney

Upmarket Chinese restaurant in the World Square.

View from the Laughing Buddha bar.

I would sit in this bar at happy hour and watch the passing parade before wandering down to Chinatown for dinner.

The Laughing Buddha.

Friendly little bar next to Chinatown on the corner of Liverpool & George St Sydney.

Corner Campbell & George St Sydney.

Capital Square Hotel is in this building and is very good value, rooms are quite good and there is a Starbucks downstairs where you can access free wifi. The hotel charges an outrageous amount for their wifi.

Pensione hotel in George St.

Pensione is another good value hotel with free wifi and a good bar on the ground floor. Rooms are rather small but the location is terrific, you walk out the back door and you are in Chinatown.

Railway Square in Sydney.

George St beside Central Station.

ANZAC War Memorial in Hyde Park

The ANZAC War Memorial, completed in 1934, is the main commemorative military monument of Sydney, Australia. It was designed by C. Bruce Dellit, with the exterior adorned with monumental figural reliefs and sculptures by Rayner Hoff.

Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park

The memorial is located at the southern extremity of Hyde Park on the eastern edge of Sydney’s central business district, and it is the focus of commemoration ceremonies on Anzac Day, Armistice Day and other important occasions.