The Food-Wine-Pets-Travel+ Podcast

Back in Feb. 2011 a Category 5 cyclone called Yasi all but demolished the beautiful town of Cardwell in far north QLD - gateway to Hinchinbrook Island.It's taken many years to get back to almost resembling its former self but there's still more to be done. We'll have a closer look soon at some of the issues this small community faces - meantime, we had a great couple of nights at the Cardwell Caravan Park and chatted with owner Colin Oke to find out why he loves the place so much! :-)

While the weather this year has been, cold then wet then hot again... whether you're travelling or not, heat is a big factor in the health of our pets - in this case dogs! And we were reminded off that recently sitting in the shade under a tree having coffee with friends the other day when Kaye realised she had copped a nasty sunburn! Lesson learned – the hard way – That protective shade of the tree moved!! it’s also a timely reminder for us and other pet owners to plan how to provide adequate shelter, water and cooling mats or jackets to protect our pets from heat stress or the even worse condition Heat Stroke.To help us and help you - we called on a friend who’s treated many pets for heat stress to give us her best advice on what to do if you suspect your best friend is heat affected - Dr Karyn Wesselingh from the Animal Referral Hospital in Baulkham Hills Sydney

Ok... you've decided to get up and go see Australia with or without the kids... but the 'most important' child can't be ignored right? The family dog. So many people are travelling with pets these days - dogs in particular - but the services like vets & groomers we're used to at home are not always easily available on the road. What to do? - Especially if you have a longer haired dog like us - like Chica.... a Toy Poodle.Now there are plenty of other longer haired breeds that need regular grooming like Dachies etc but so too do short haired breeds like Staffies or Whippets etc... We asked long time friend and professional dog groomer Todd Clark from Morriset Dog Grooming how can travellers find a groomer they can 'trust'?

You like music?? We might just let this next story introduce itself… 😊

Why would anyone want to leave Australia to visit some exotic island somewhere! Ever heard of Sarina Beach in QLD?... Well it's our very own 'tropical paradise' just 35mins south of Mackay. We spoke with the co-owner of the Sarina Beach Motel Meaghan Thompson to find out what's so special about the place and why she has 'stuck around'....Find out more about this tropical paradise: https://sarinabeachmotel.com.au/

During our zig zag tour of Far North QLD on our way to Cairns we stopped off in the small coastal town of Cardwell for a few days. Great beaches and strong community given they were all but wiped off the map by Cyclone Yasi in 2011. Anyway we couldn't resist trying out a pie or two at the famous 'Jesse's Pies' - This amazing beachside pop-up kitchen has been in operation for over 40 years with brother’s Rob and Greg Jesse launching their bright yellow van more than 30 years ago when their father retired from the local bakery. And while the boys are passionate about making & selling pies to travellers everywhere, they really do wish for a bigger and better future for the small town of Cardwell

Do you know how much your car, caravan, boat, trailer or even your horse floats weighs?And did you know that if you are 'spot-checked' by police while on the road and are found to be overweight you will be fined?Worse than that... If you have an accident - whether your fault or not - and are found to be overweight, your insurance will probably be void!Brian caught up with Jason Fothergill - one of the two brains behind the Weight Safe Mobile Weighing Service in QLD (the other being Brendan Fitzgerald) to find out a bit about their service and what it offers to not just caravaners, but all motorists & yes, even some truckies!!

With winter not far away – we’re noticing many more people are worried about how they’ll cope when they’re stuck at home with a fridge full of food and Uber deliveries only a phone call away.Kaye managed to momentarily put Caitlyn our resident APD… that’s short for Accredited Practising Dietition, Caitlyn Henderson from Healthy Lifestyles Australia in Toowomba Qld - on the spot recently with this question….

With plenty of families AND grey & blonde 'nomads' hitting the road these days there's been a marked increase in the number of caravans, campervans & motorhomes being stolen. Chains, tow-ball locks and wheels clamps might deter a few low-lifes but what about a GPS?... If your much loved (& very expensive) investment goes missing you'll know about it right away plus you;ll be able to notify the police exactly where it is in real time...We asked Tech expert Calum Sugden from OZ Smart Things to explain some of the benefits of using a GPS tracker.Learn more: www.ozsmartthings.com.au

There's caravan parks... and then there's the Secura Lifestyle Magnetic Gateway Townsville QLD in the suburb of Cluden! - We spent a couple of nights here on our way north and really enjoyed the 'community spirit' of the park especially @ 5pm 'drinkies'. We also managed to chat with the new managers of the park and had a lot of fun chatting with some of the 'residents'.

After a recent discussion on ABC Radio Pilbara about the huge number of caravans on the road and truckies being concerned about the safety of travellers as well as themselves, breakfast radio host Kelly Gudgeon interviewed Ken Wilson from the Truck Friendly program to find out more about what the program is doing about road safety generally and what it's aims and objectives are.Audio (c)ABC Radio Pilbara Aug 2021

As a kid did you ever want to just 'run away' and join the circus? - Well that's pretty much what Gai Weaber-Buchal did. But this was no ordinary circus. This was the famous 'Ashton's Circus' ! We met Gai in Hervey Bay QLD on one of her stopovers while she's travelling Australia by herself in a mobile home, Gai is not only funny, she has a unique way of telling her story we know you'll enjoy.

You’ve probably gathered by now we love people telling us their stories and while we were staying in Cairns FNQ, KB just happened to bump into a mum and her two kids soaking up the atmosphere beside the turtle sanctuary at the Cool Waters caravan park where we were staying at the time…Michelle is a natural story-teller -- but be prepared to learn there’s a scary side to in the paradise which is Cairns – don’t say you haven’t been warned!

"Follow your dreams!..." That's exactly what Dave Kirk reckons is the 'secret' to a happy life - and that's just what he's done too.We met Dave & his lovely wife Marie at the Cool Waters Caravan Park in Cairns FNQ. Kaye was out walking one afternoon and heard someone playing guitar - pretty well as it happens!... Given her curiosity and love of music she went and checked it out and the rest of the story is in this podcast with Dave.From 'hitting the road' at the tender age of 14 to writing and recording several CD's Dave has an awesome story to tell.You can check out his CD's here: https://davekirk.com.au/

Are you one of the many families, couples and singles currently enjoying a more mobile lifestyle? Congratulations – we love it it too – and like you we’re constantly learning – for example do you have a carbon monoxide alarm? We do – but didn’t realise how this invisible, odourless gas can have a delayed impact on a person causing them to crash after falling asleep while driving.The brave couple who survived the ordeal wanted their tale told in the hopes others would avoid making the same mistake.

*** HEY YOU!... WHY DONCHA JUST GO FISHIN' EH? ***Hmm... Go fishin'. Sounds like a fun idea right?... but could it hold a secret hidden message for the recipient?Graeme & Sue Morris have been on & off the road for the best part of 4 years now and have been updating us with some of their travels including the recent Shitbox Rally! But our question in this short podcast was "how do you get on living so close together on a daily basis for so long and remain 'a loving couple?' - Sue Morris reveals their secret!.Plus a few quick tips on downsizing!

Travel Writer Susan Elliott recently went on what she describes as "the most amazing journey at night you'll remember forever!" - plus she reckons the coldest thing you will experience is the glass of champagne in your hand while heading south towards Antarctica and the Aurora Australis 'Southern Lights'.

*** ON THE ROAD - A TRUCKIES PERSPECTIVE ***There's always plenty of 'chat' about truckies and caravaners sharing the road - or not! - but have you ever wondered what it looks like from a truckies perspective?We had the opportunity to see the view from an actual 'big rig' as well as have a chat with an experienced truckie Peter Waugh who explained some of the things truck drivers have to deal with on a daily basis.PLUS: - UHF Radios - do you have one... and do you actually use it?

There are big changes coming to the Fraser Coast’s hugely popular caravan parks – thanks to ‘people power’. In late 2020 the Hervey Bay Council asked locals to take part in an online survey to provide feedback on which of a number of proposed changes should get the green light and there was an unexpectedly large response giving councillors a very clear insight into what people view as priorities.To find out more we caught up withJade Wellings - Councillor Division 5, Fraser CoastPREFER TO READ: Full transcript here...http://bit.ly/CaravanParkUpdate

In this week's show...00'00" - Welcome with Brian & Kaye01'53 - Bored? Try ‘Adventure Bike’ Riding! - Mike McKenzieDo you own a 4WD?... not everyone does, and while they’re fun sometimes having a big SUV doesn’t mean you can explore some of the more remote and ruggedly gorgeous regional areas of Australia where the tracks are barely wide enough for a motor bike. Some great safety info in thi chat a former TV colleague of Kaye's, Mike McKenzie, better known as 'Macca', who’s a fabulous cinematographer and these days a passionate Adventure Bike rider.11'08" - Is 'Natural Pet Care' OK For Pets? - Dr Barbara FougereGot a pet?... great!... so do you know what a ‘Holistic Veterinarian’ does and why they’re different from regular vets? In a nutshell, holistic or integrative vets are like their human GP counterparts who use additional or complementary therapies to treat the cause of the patient’s condition rather than simply dealing with the symptoms. Sounds mysterious – but only until you find out holistic practitioners have more tools in their tool bag, the best of western medical science and a whole bunch of complementary practices and medicines.21'38" - Hotseat Practice Session - The QuestionQ: What was Vegemite invented from?A – Out of date PromiteB – Dried prunesC - Leftover yeast used to make beerD – Bakers yeast used to make bread? The answer later in this show!22'18" - Lee Kernaghan - Truck Friendly Promo!Well known country music legend Lee Kernaghan is a supporter of the Truck Friendly Program - this short 30" promo is simply to thank Ken & Jenny Wilson from Truck Friendly and Lee for all their support of what we do.23'13" - What Does A Dietitian Actually Do? - Caitlyn HendersonAre you confused when it comes to planning meals? Waaay back humans were grateful to eat whatever they could catch or grow… then post-war when there was more food and food choices available eating started getting tricky. One person who can help us navigate the modern-day food maze is our resident accredited dietician and nutritionist Caitlyn Henderson from Healthy Lifestyles Australia – who was more than happy to explain what she and her fellow dieticians actually do.30'36" - Mouse In The House (Caravan) Update - Brian & KayeRecently we mentioned we accidentally allowed some little mice into the caravan. Well- it seems we’re not the only ones with mouse problems at the moment – and we're not even talking about the poor people in regional NSW suffering a mouse plague in the hundreds of thousands!!Nope – fellow traveller/lifestyle/storytellers Vantastic Aus have been doing a bit of farm-stay work – and got an interesting surprise while checking a bale of freshly shorn wool. Have a listen... :-)36'05" - Hotseat Practice Session - The Answer!Q: What was Vegemite invented from?A – Out of date PromiteB – Dried prunesC - Leftover yeast used to make beerD – Bakers yeast used to make bread? The answer in this show! :-)