Travel

A Famous Evening Walk – Coolangatta

Forestwood

On the border of the Australian East Coast states of New South Wales and Queensland, at the end of the tourist drenched Gold Coast, there’s a small version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, only with famous Australians.

You can find this unique attraction if you are walking, as I did, along thethe beautiful beaches of Coolangatta, following the path up around the hill of Duranbah, the Mecca for Surfers, worldwide, ending the evening at the Twin Towns Services Club, where the Walk of Fame is located.

All kinds of famous Australians were represented. Pianists, Musicians, Sports Stars, Entrepeneurs, and even a Horse – see the hoof prints? I guess they have to make room for ‘Winx’ now. Has anyone outside of Australia, heard of Winx? Let me know if you have. It is an incredible story.

As a child I remembered seeing Ken Rosewall play in a tennis match. What a legend! Not even Roger Federer has matched his record. Eight Grand slam titles!

Not only musicians were included but sports stars too.
Entering New South Wales

Background to the Tweed Coast

Twin Towns refers to the two towns of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta on Queensland glitzy Gold Coast, one hour’s drive from Brisbane. Tweed Heads is on the southern or New South Wales state side and Coolangatta is on the Northern state side, governed by Queensland.

It is often a source of contention for residents, because Tweed Heads follows Daylight Saving Time in Summer and Queensland doesn’t. Oops if you live there. You have to shuffle back and forward across the border changing your watch and phones back and forward in time if you cross the road. At least you can be a time traveller if you want!

One Queensland foot and a New South Welsh foot.

The location of these towns side by side also means that they actually straddle the border marker. You an literally have one foot in one state and one foot in the other!

The Walk ends opposite the entrance to the Services club, where you can enjoy a delicious meal.

In its heyday, the Twin Towns Services club used to be one of the few casinos outside of America. Now there are many. Many concert acts and events are held here. Meals, dancing and entertainment as well as the poker machines that made this place famous, are always available.

I remember seeing the Monkees perform here. I suppose that ages me, doesn’t it?

Linking to Jo’s Monday Walks

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Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

60 thoughts on “A Famous Evening Walk – Coolangatta”

  4. What a lovely walk Amanda, and I was amused to read about the daylight saving time differences across the town. I’ve visited Australia several times but not yet made it to Coolangatta. News of the famous Aussie horse I don’t believe has reached northern England yet but glad to see his hoof marks have been included there. Perhaps you could enlighten me about his notoriety. Best wishes, Marion

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    1. The horse featured here was a champion but nothing like the horse Winx. 33 consecutive wins is some kind of racing record it seems. It is hard not to get emotional for the poor horse. I think it has been retired now.

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    2. Also Marion: Here is a blurb about Winx: “In the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, she was the second-ranked filly or mare in 2015, improving in 2016 to become both the world’s top-ranked filly or mare and the world’s top-ranked turf horse. She retained this ranking in 2017 and in 2018 was co-ranked as the best horse in the world. In 2017 she was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, only the third horse to earn this honour while still in training. Over her career, she earned more than 26 million Australian dollars.[6]”

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  6. Now I’m a believer, i couldn’t leave her if I tried… 🙂 🙂 Not especially a fan but there was a time when they were always on the air. I don’t know many of those Australian stars, Amanda. Rosewall, of course. Sounds a strange place to live. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. But, ” when you saw her face dodo do do, ” – yes catchy tune. I remember the TV show on every afternoon as I was growing up. I am glad you remember Rosewall. He was a star and looked uncannily like my father!
      Do you mean ‘strange’ because of the time difference, Jo?

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  7. I was going to leave a comment on your fabric shop page, couldn’t, so I’m here.
    I’m keeping your fabric in mind. You’re amazing. I am thinking about making a backpack, but the time and energy is causing to wait on it. Right now, I’m mostly finishing my novel.
    It must take a lot of time to design the fabric and have it produced.
    At one time, I wanted to learn Rosemaling, but when I realized the time it was going to take, I decided not to.
    There were too many others things I wanted to do, like writing novels. ;0)
    Take care, Phyllis

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    1. Oh Wow! Thank you, Phyllis. The fabric design comes mostly from my painted projects, and I still have much to learn about fabric design. I do also use graphics to form designs. Thanks so much for taking a look at my shop on spoonflower, and Redbubble. I love it and think it is great that you were interested in Rosemaling, Phyllis. You are correct that it does take a while to become adept at doing those large scrolls that feature in Telemark, but there are other styles that can be done is a simpler form and quickly learnt. To begin with, the only stroke that must be mastered is the comma strokes. If you practice painting a comma stroke about 200 times, on scrap paper, the muscle memory suddenly becomes second nature. So give yourself a few hours of practice first.
      Of course, this is something that you might do when you are a famous author and filling in time between novels! I have posted some simple printable designs that are fun to colour in with watercolour paint or pencils. That is a fun and stress less way to get used to the shapes. If you want to have a look, there is a page of links here: https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/norwegian-rosemaling-and-design/

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      3. Pegasus Colony was published in June 2014. The first time around was such a learning curve, I almost quit. But I’m no quitter and now have three books published with a fourth on the way. ;0)

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      5. It helps if you really want to. Like you and your designs. I just can’t seem to get around to learning it, but I have no trouble writing. Everyone is the same. It just depends on where your heart is.

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  8. Yes, Winx – but you forgot Black Caviar. 🙂
    Brian Cadd indeed: but that opens up a very big area …
    Ash Barty next !!! – and I do hope there’s one for the marvellous Pat Rafter.

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    1. I think I remember seeing Pat Rafter, but I don’t have a photo of that one. And so funny you mention, Black Caviar, as I wrote down her name before I wrote Winx, but then changed it as I wasn’t sure she would be as well known, and her record was surpassed by Winx, wasn’t it?

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  9. They were both wonderful, astonishing mares; and each has a record for something-or-other. You wouldn’t honestly expect me to remember, would you …?!

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  10. Sounds like an interesting city, Amanda! And Winx – which I had never heard of before – sounds like an unbelievable horse – 33 consecutive wins! Amazing! 🙂
    And lucky owners, too 😉

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    1. Ha! You noticed! I deliberately didn’t edit them out, Manja! Just to see if anyone noticed. And you didn’t disappoint me! I can’t belive you know Billy Thorpe. I didn’t think he was internationally popular. And he was even a bit before my time. Now the Monkees. Some songs were when I was young, very young, but the shows were on TV during my formative years, so I am very familiar with all of them. I remember also seeing their very OTT psychedelic movie, Head as a teen in the cinemas, and it would have been around the early 80’s. Winx – well it is an amazing success story for a race horse, – completely unbeaten in last 33 races and it usually wins by a good distance. I am not into racing at all, but this story of Winx has to capture anyone’s attention. Here is a blurb: “In the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, she was the second-ranked filly or mare in 2015, improving in 2016 to become both the world’s top-ranked filly or mare and the world’s top-ranked turf horse. She retained this ranking in 2017 and in 2018 was co-ranked as the best horse in the world. In 2017 she was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, only the third horse to earn this honour while still in training. Over her career, she earned more than 26 million Australian dollars.[6]”

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      1. Thanks for more insight. I might have confused him with Ian Thorpe. 😀 And why should you edit out your beautiful feet? I’m glad you left them in and that I commented. 🙂 And that psychedelic movie sounds interesting. 😉

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    1. Hey that is fun! Small world. Of all the places to know. Packing fish sounds like really hard work; was it cod? And were you back packing in Iceland?

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  13. I looked up Witex. Thirty-three wins. WOW. I can’t even imagine.
    As far as dating yourself . . . Never did see the Monkies. I might have if they had come to town.
    I did see Paul Reviver and the Radiers. Were they famous enough for you to know who they were?
    They never had their own TV show.

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  14. Tidying up my emails, and realised I had overlooked this post. A good thing I did, as I not only had a lovely walk with you, but also had a great trip down musical memory lane with you and some of your followers. Next you’ll be taking me on a train ride – perhaps the last train to Clarksville…

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    1. So glad it revived memories for you, Chris. I The Clarksville song is really one of the best Monkees songs, I think. I do like it a lot, one of those songs that you never get sick of hearing.

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      2. They are really happy tunes. A stark contrast to the depressive songs with a repetitive percussive clash for a melody that my children sometimes listen to. Oh gosh. That makes me sound old, doesn’t it?

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      3. I can imagine Last train to Clarksville being belted out in an old people’s home. Can’t imagine some of the things people listen to today will ever find a place in any old people’s homes in the future.

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  16. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Cosmopolitan Horta | restlessjo

    1. Thank you Rambling Wombat. Welcome to Something to Ponder About. The residents do complain a lot about the time difference when Daylight savings (summer) time comes. It is also very confusing for tourists. There has been so much talk about the coastal areas changing to the daylight saving time, but I think the State won’t allow it. Do you have daylight summer time in your area?

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