Scenes of an Organic Farm
By Craig Boehman, Australian correspondent
We enjoyed an overnight birthday celebration at an organic farm a few miles outside Lismore, New South Wales. When the morning had come, I managed to get a few shots of the of the densely-spread landscape. All fruit trees, shrubs, and produce patches had their own spaces which blended naturally together as if by some happy accident. Eggs are collected daily from the free-range chooks. And with a side of gluten-free toast, they were quite good sunny-side up.
Copyright © 2009 Moody Publishing Co., LLC
When You Winsome, You Lose Some
By Craig Boehman, Australian correspondent
You lose sleep, mostly. And maybe a few twenties on drinks. The Winsome Hotel is the venue where you can catch local Lismore bands like the Re-mains (pictured here) when they’re in town. It’s the who’s who on the music scene where you’ll meet the bands, the buskers, the ex-band mates with vendettas, and the fans that fill the seats and dance floor when the music 
kicks-in and the liquor sales spike like a rainbow over a world-wide recession. And on such a Saturday Night as this, you might ask yourself – what recession? Nobody at the Winsome tonight looks recessed. No, they’ve left the deserts of their global-economic-downturns for a while to enjoy an oasis of entertainment which always exists even in the worst of times. You might even say there are those of us who live ‘the worst of times’ most days of our busy little lives—a hell-of-a-lot more noble than the bankers who are begging on the steps of our nations’ capitols for handouts so they won’t lose their corporate jets. Well, what can you do? You win 
some and you lose some (but doesn’t it feel like mostly losing some?) So why not get your boogie shoes on and don’t go gentle into that good Saturday Night at the Winsome! (And this author will promise not to make use of such lame play-on words in the future!)
Copyright © 2009 Moody Publishing Co., LLC
Dragon Fruit
By Craig Boehman, Australian correspondent
The dragon fruit is from a cactus found throughout the semi-tropics. The one pictured here was likely harvested up in Northern Australia. At about nine bucks-a-pound, it isn’t going to ring any bargain bells. But you can’t beat free, which is what we got it for at the local Woolworths – it wasn’t listed on their self-check machine and the frustrated checker finally just gave it to us without further comment.
The proper way to eat a dragon fruit is to cut it into equal halves lengthwise. Next grab a spoon and dig in like you would a sorbet. There is no runny juice, no real mess to deal with. It has a rather neutral flavor – bland isn’t quite right—with a texture resembling that of a kiwi. The seeds are small and harmless, and lacking a “big taste” they add a little character to an otherwise low-key affair. To spice it up a bit, serve with red wine and don’t pull any punches:
It’s no wonder dragons are no longer here to breathe fire all over the place. Fanatical sword-wielding knights made it clear that a diet of peasants and maidens was a bad thing, and lacking an opposable thumb to enjoy a fine glass of red, the dragons perished a sad lot of sober vegetarians. All that was left to quench their smoking palettes was the very uninspiring nip of the undeniably humble dragon fruit.Whian Whian Falls
By Craig Boehman, Australian correspondent
Whian Whian—pronounced like my favorite drink—“wine wine” is a set of waterfalls and primitive trails in the thick of the subtropics. Located about 20 minutes north out of Lismore, New South Wales, it’s a short drive through winding hills, macadamia and banana plantations. This is a place only the locals can show you. It’s set on private land with an open invite from 
the gracious owner. In the past, it was a hippie-slash-nudist hangout where only the truly organic were inclined to go. But now it seems more of a family spot, or at least a summer pilgrimage for the younger crowds looking to jump off some 30-foot cliffs into the cold mountain-fresh water, or to relax with the tranquil backdrop of the falls. This is the Australia without the crocodile and shark attacks. It could almost be anywhere in Washington State, like around the corner from Snoqualmie Falls—up the street from the rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula. Whian Whian isn’t anything like the Australia we see on TV. It’s the
quintessential watering hole for the restless bands of Homo sapiens looking to escape the heat and have a little fun.
Now if I was your tour guide, I’d be obliged to throw in the most tired but worldly-wise line in the tourist industry: Get there early to avoid the crowds. When we pulled in well before noon there was but one lone sunbather at the bigger set of falls. A short walk further on down the trail and you end up at a pool—and a triad of waterfalls small enough to enjoy a soak without being bashed about. Even when the expected Sunday mass arrived, they stayed at the bigger falls where the spectacle of 
jumpers is entertainment enough while taking in some sun and a swim. You practically have the run of the place if you’re willing to portage another few minutes downstream. Or if you want to blindly follow someone off a cliff,Whian Whian is perfect for that, too.
Copyright © 2009 Moody Publishing Co., LLC
The Macadamia Castle
By Craig Boehman, Australian correspondent
Located just a few miles outside of the less-than-impressive coastal town of Ballina, New South Wales, The Macadamia Castle is a pleasant tourist trap for explorers at large. With a Paul Bunyan-esque statue of a medieval knight alongside the road clueing you in that something unusual is waiting, it’s hard to deny the urge to stop in and see what it’s all about.
There’s the usual cafe (which serves excellent black coffee), mini golf, gift shop, and “nut bar” where one can purchase various flavored macadamia nuts—try the sour cream and chive.
But the biggest draw is the animals, and for a few bucks you can visit the Castle’s park and see some of the local fauna first-hand. Yes, there are a few grey kangaroos, as well as their marsupial
cousins, the wallabies. There are birds, goats, and rabbits. 
The most impressive on display has got to be the venomous snakes. If like me you haven’t had the fortunate (or unfortunate) chance to encounter one of these creatures in the wild, here’s your chance to see a few of the more slithery denizens of Eastern Australia. Prominent among them, the Eastern Brown Snake. You can tell just by walking by its cage that this snake does not like you. It reacts to most movements in a way that suggests that it’s a good thing there’s some thick glass between you and it. I’ve been told these snakes are known for standing straight up like a broomstick when surveying paddocks for prey or for danger. And they may give chase due to their aggressive nature. (As a side note, a future article may be forthcoming about the brown snake if I can find someone willing to take me out to where they’re found. Curiously, no takers so far!)
Consider The Macadamia Castle a drive-by photo opportunity at the very least. Like so many other places off the beaten path, it’s a small wonder that adds to your Australian travel experience. It’s a place that will slip deeper into cobwebs of memory once you see some of the other attractions. But if Marco Polo wasn’t lying when he said, “I have not told half of what I saw,” then the tale of The Macadamia Castle will be part of the other half you had in mind.
Copyright © 2009 Moody Publishing Co., LLC
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