I had arranged to visit the Procters (Philip is the President of the Highway Wanderers) so we moved on to Carters Ridge.
Their property is tucked away in a very pretty part of the Mary River valley just west of the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Gympie.
The place is absolutely beautiful. The architect designed house is set on top of a hill and it is laid out around a high-ceilinged central space with three wings, one at 45 degrees. It has decks on all sides, one overlooking the swimming pool and an other looking out over the orchard in front of the house.
Philip and Helene are still putting the place in order as it was a little neglected when they bought it from the original owners, an elderly English couple with a professional interest in Botany.
The garden has been set out with a great deal of care and harmonises well with the surrounding bushland.
There are masses of birds, I have identified 24 species so far. The Lorikeets come in each evening to feed on the Grevillias and the Whipbird and Catbird calls punctuate the rural peace.
On Wednesday, we visited Pat Corkill, the painter, who worked at Avon with Jean. She seems to be recovering from her Ross River fever now. Her exhibition last April in Noosa was a success and she sold several paintings as a result.