Last Sunday, 11 September, I drove 5 hours back down to Mackay as it was Mum's actual 80th Birthday on the 12 September, so I thought that even though we had all gathered last month for the "big party", it would be great to celebrate the actual day with Mum.This first photo is of one of Mum and Dad's lavender bush flowers. The smell was gorgeous and I had never realised what the flower actually looked like until I took this photo. Macro certainly opens your eyes to spectacular details.
This is Mum on the day of her 80th birthday. Beautiful flowers, aren't they?
On the way to Mackay I detoured through an old mining town near Charters Towers, called Ravenswood. Ravenswood was where gold was first discovered just before here(Charters Towers) and gold is still being mined there. I discovered this old Miners' home and these ladies having a lovely Sunday chat outside this interesting building which I thought was the museum, but this was actually where the lady in the comfy chair lived.
The gate to this church is alway open-to everyone! It is actually the Catholic church and services are held once every two months, I think.
This is my beautiful grand-niece, Adelaide.
Would you believe this is the view that my sister has from the front of her house? They live 40 minutes out of Mackay on a sugar cane farm and their house overlooks the Pioneer River and these rapids. 
We went driving to a couple of beaches just south of Mackay. This is Halliday Bay.
Mum and me!!! Dad took this photo. I did crop it , though!!!
For their 80th birthdays, I had these caps made for Mum and Dad. Dad's hat has a fishing photo and says, "It took me 80 years to look this good". Mum's photo is of her posing for me at the beach and says, "80 and Fabulous". Just a bit of fun and they were good sports to wear them.