This is my entry for my blog friend, Tucker the Great Dane’s Staycation Contest – Tucker lives in a beautiful place called Maine, in the faraway place called America and he realised that although lots of people come specially to his home town for their holidays, he never thinks about it himself – he always goes away! So he thought it would be nice if we could all do ‘daytrips’ to find out more about our own home towns and tell each other about it. The main rule is that you have to go there and back in a day – and it must be somewhere totally new that you and your humans have never been before.
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A couple of weekends ago, my humans took me to a really cool place – it is called Bribie Island and it is a little island in the sea, just a bit higher up the Queensland coast from Brisbane.
My humans had heard that there is a very good dog beach there – where you can walk for miles and miles and it is not crowded and full of other people and doggies, so I can run and play properly. So they decided to take me to check it out.
Bribie Island is special because it is connected to the main part of Australia by a long bridge and so you don’t have to go there by boat – you can just get there in the car machine! It is about 1 & half hour’s drive from Brisbane (if you live north of the river – longer if you live in the south).
The part of the water where the bridge crosses is very beautiful – it is called the Pumicestone Passage Marine Park and there are lots of fisherman and white boats called yachts there. There is also a wonderful view north to the Glasshouse Mountains.
It was quite exciting when we finlly drove off the long, long bridge and onto Bribie Island! We drove first through a little village which my humans said was very “quaint with a seaside resort atmosphere”. There are actually 5 little villages around the island and lots & lots of beaches! (although doggies are only allowed on one of them).
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* Unfortunately, it was very grey and even a bit rainy on the day we went so none of our photos came out very nice. My humans say the photos don’t do justice to how lovely Bribie Island really is – but you know a place is really beautiful when you enjoy it even when it is grey and rainy! 
Here is a picture of Bribie Island from the Travelpod website:
A lot of the island is covered by Bribie Island National Park and it is a great place if you like to watch birds. You can also go biking and walking through the bush – or on the long, empty beaches. Because it is not as popular and well-known as the other parts of Queensland (like the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast), the tourist websites say it is a “hidden gem” and there are a lot less people going there – and my humans really liked that. They said it reminded them much more of NZ where the view is much more natural and wild and unspoilt by man-made things and it wasn’t full of noisy people and car machines.
Of course, we headed straight for the dog beach! This starts at Red Beach on the west side of the island and runs all along the bottom of the island, around to Woody Bay on the east side of the island. It can be a bit hard to find because you have to drive to the end of Welsby Parade, into South Esplanade and then turn into a dirt road leading into the trees, called Renton Lane – this will take you to Spowers St and then follow the signs for “Red Beach”.
We finally came to a little carpark in the forest covered in sand and saw this sign – we knew we had found it!
Come on, slow humans!
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Ooh! There were lots of interesting things on the beach to sniff and explore. Floaty sticks, stinky seaweed, pretty shells…even a strange squashy thing that my humans said was a real ‘natural sponge’ washed up from the sea!
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* By the way, see that beautiful bright pink bandana I’m wearing? That was a present from my blog friends, Max & JD the Schnauzer Brothers – their humans got it for me when they were on holiday to Egypt. You can’t see it in the photos but it even has my name “Honey” embroidered in a strange ancient writing called hieroglyphics – isn’t that cool? Thanks so much again, boys – you’ve made me the most stylish doggie on the beach! 
We kept walking and walking – the beach went on for miles and miles! We met a few other doggies walking with their humans but lots of times, there was nobody else we could see – it was almost like our own private beach! 
There was also a really interesting forest on the other side of the sand from the sea – it was like a forest from the time of the dinosaurs, with huge old trees reaching for the sky – and some that had fallen down and were lying on their sides, all dry and twisty, like giant monsters washed up from the sea and frozen on the sand…
I loved running through them and climbing and exploring them!
The beach kept going on but we decided we’d better start heading back as our lunch was still back in the car machine! Since my humans didn’t know if there would be any dog-friendly cafes on Bribie Island, they had decided to pack a picnic lunch for us to have on the beach together.
We found a nice spot just beside a big fallen tree and made ourselves comfortable…I was really thirsting from all my exploring so I spent a long time slurping water…
…Paul had even brought his little magic stick which swallows music from the computer and then when he attaches a special “speaker” mouth to it, it vomits all the music back out again!
Hsin-Yi had found a very cool little speaker mouth which was so small it could fit in your hand. But she wished Paul hadn’t brought his magic music stick because she doesn’t like the music he listens to. Paul likes music from people like Coldplay and Pink… Hsin-Yi only likes music from the 80′s and 90′s or the soundtrack of ‘Dirty Dancing’ – and she thinks all the music on the radio now is rubbish (Paul says this is a sign she is getting old) – anyway, my humans always argue a lot when they put music on!
I don’t like any music really (except the kind which makes Hsin-Yi jump around and dance with me) – I think it is very noisy and it’s so much nicer to listen to the birds singing or the waves whispering or even just nothing at all. I think quietness sounds really nice. But I have noticed that humans don’t like it when it is quiet – they are really very noisy creatures.
Anyway, my humans finally found a NZ singer called Brooke Fraser who they both agreed sounds nice and we finally sat down to lunch on the beach! 
Well, actually – the humans had lunch – I had to do a Down Stay on the blanket next to them and drool politely … er, wait politely until they had finished, to see if I could get any leftovers. So unfair! 
Still, both Hsin-Yi and Paul did save me some of their bread – you know bread is my most favouritist, favouritist treat in the world – better than liver or chicken or sausage – I’ll do ANYTHING for bread!
Oh! But before my humans had even finished their lunch, we had unexpected guests at our picnic! Two cheeky black & white birds suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sat on the fallen tree next to us, watching my humans eat.
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I didn’t trust them at all – I knew their beady little eyes were watching the leftover bread that was supposed to be for ME.
SHOO!
But then – oh, shock horror! – Hsin-Yi started saying how cute they were and then she started feeding them a bit of the leftover bread that was supposed to be for ME!!! 
Oh, how could she? After I had been such a good girl, doing such a good Down Stay for so long and waiting so politely – and those piggy birds weren’t cute at all – they were UGLY! Humph!
Well, my humans did finally give me the rest of the leftover bread but I was still feeling very grumpy with them. In fact, I was feeling so grumpy, I refused to look at the camera machine when we were taking a family photo later – so there!
It had started to rain even more now so my humans decided it was time to go home. We packed up everything to walk back to the car machine. It had been a really lovely day (OK, yes, even with the stupid birds eating my bread!) and we were all very sad that Bribie Island is so far from home. My humans said they would like to take me to that beach every week! But it’s so far away that it’s not really practical, they say. (Oh, why oh why aren’t there nice, beautiful, big, uncrowded places where doggies can go off-leash in Brisbane? It is such an UN-dog-friendly city! )
Anyway, I do hope we get to go back to Bribie Island again some day – I had a fantastic time!
Well, at the beginning of this post was a little movie of my day on Bribie Island…you can see me doing zoomies with Hsin-Yi and rescuing sticks from the sea and yes, the camera even caught Hsin-Yi feeding MY leftover bread to those ugly birds – what do you think – don’t you agree that it was SO unfair?! (by the way, my humans didn’t really allow me to do zoomies after eating – that was actually before our lunch but Hsin-Yi sometimes changes things around when she edits movies because she thinks they look better that way – she says it is called ‘artistic licence’! )
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Why don’t you enter Tucker’s Staycation Contest too? It’s a great excuse to have a fun adventure with your humans and discover someplace new in your home town! Here are the rules from Tucker’s site:
* Deadline September 6, 2010 (the un-official end to Summer in the States)
* The staycation must be a fairly local day trip that hoomans and doggies do together.
* The location can be anything but it needs to be NEW to both the hooman and the doggie.
* You must take pictures and do a blog post to share your great adventure!
* Please email me (tuckergreatdaneATgmail.com) with a link to your adventure post
* 1 entry per household
* I’ll pick the winner randomly from all the entries.Some ideas could be a State / National Park, a Festival, or a Mountain Hike. The winner will receive a package full of Hooman and Doggie Maine Made Touristy Treats.
For more information, you can check out Tucker’s Staycation Contest page.
what a lovely beach, Honeydog! Those big sticks were amazing!! I think I would have a ton of fun tryin to carry those around.
So sorry about your bread…the least they could have done was feed it to the birds when you weren’t looking! I don’t blame you at all for not smiling for the camera during your family photo.
wags, wiggles & slobbers
Murphydog
What a beautiful place to run and zoom! You are a very lucky doggie!
My humans really enjoy reading what your humans write about your adventures. Please continue to blog. Maybe my humans will get some ideas of where to take us!
Zoomies and licks,
Minnie and Mack
That looks like even more fun than the Kansas Ocean! Thanks for taking us along!
Play bows,
Zim
What a fun staycation! There aren’t any dog beaches in Seattle… there are a couple dog parks next to the water but they are such small spaces it gets crowded quickly, especially during the hot summer days so it isn’t really fun. Beaches in Seattle are off limits to dogs, even on leash!
Darwin LOVES bread too, she would have been just as upset as you if we gave our bread to a bird and not to her!
I loved the big slobber bubble you made in the video! hehehe
That looks like so much fun Honey! I wish Missouri had beaches! I don’t get to go to alot of new places because I live in the suburbs in a small city. (My city is a suburb of a big city.) Anyway, thanks for telling us all about your new adventure!
Before we forget to say it, we LOVED the music -- very nice.
What a beautiful day you all had at that beach. It is always very interesting to see what life at the beach is like in different parts of the world.
Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
What a fun day with your humans!
Sorry, I have to agree with Hsin-Yi that the birds are pretty. My dogs would be just as upset as you though, if I’d have given the birds bread that was meant for them.
I like music from the 80′s and 90′s but I also like music from today too. Some of it.
That is the most awesome dog beach ever!! So glad you got to go there and spend the day!
Hi there Honey,
Sorry we haven’t visited in ages…. it looks like you had a wonderful day, the beach looks so nice with lots of space for you to run and play.
We love your new bandana from JD & Max, it is very cool!
Thaks for sharing your video and photo’s, it does look a really great place to visit. We hope you get to go again soon.
Have a great week!
Oh Honey -- sharing YOUR bread with birds? That’s uncalled for. You waited so patiently.
Bribie Island looks like a very beautiful place that is absolutely perfect for zoomies.
Thanks for entering the contest!
woof -- Tucker
Oh Honey girl i just know that you and Elle Woods were meant to be BEST FRIENDS. Last night she ate an ENTIRE LOAF OF BREAD off of the counter. I know better than to leave it on the counter… and she knows better than to snatch it, but I guess we were both having a bad day.
I forgot to put it away before I left for the gym and she waited until I left and snuck the bread off into her little corner where she goes to do naughty things.
She sure did sleep well last night though, due to her VERY FULL belly!!!
It’s so fun to watch you do zoomies, Honey! It make me want to do zommies!
Oh my dawg! you lucky DAWG you! that’s a sweeet beach!
and yes, Juno will do ANYTHING for bread. I think she’d even commit treasin against her own siberian breed just for a nibble of that stuff. Loki likes it too, but he’s not cracker for it like Juno. I guess some of us are white-carb junkies huh?
Oh wow, Honey, those are pretty amazing sticks you have on the beach. You can imagine what a place like that would do to me!! You sure picked a beautiful spot, except for the sign. Anyway, don’t be upset about the bread. It’s got lots of calories so it’s better if the birds get fat than you!
xo
Chef
I totally understand how you feel about that bread, Honey. My favourite morning of the week is Sunday when the family has a slow morning. Mum cooks me my own piece of toast with butter -- delicious!! Looks like another great beach day out for you.
Kisses, Sparta
I really don’t get what’s so great about bread. My treat of choice is Polish sausage! (Shh…don’t tell my human’s parents.)
You’re so lucky you have a short coat. When I go to the beach I don’t just get sand on me, I become sand.
What a fun day!
Love, Oscar and the gang
O Honey we are so glad that you managed to find a lovely big spcious beach that you could have a really good run around and explore!
We loved the video! I(Jasper) look just like you when I’m trying to get sticks from the sand! It’s so funny how same breeds can sometimes display very similar mannerisums(we thinks thats the right word).
You be happy to know that we are going to be joining the North Shore dog training club. We have been talked into giving obeidence a go :p hehe
Licks and lots of slobber,
Lexi and Jasper the Danes
Oooo! Honey! Your sooooo lucky! I wuv to ride in the car but I don’t get to very often. My hoomin really wants to take me to the beach but because of the oil spill in The Gulf she was worried that the water near us is bad for me.
Ohh Honey it warms my heart to see you playing and running around with such obvious joy! You are blessed!
What a wonderful place!!! We wish that you could go there more often too!
We would have tried to pounce on those birds! They sure had some nerve begging for YOUR foods!!!!!
Honey, what a great day you had at the beach! We loved your photos!
take care
Clive and Murray
Oh, Honey! I’m sorry I have been around in furevers! I’ve missed you!
Gosh, it looks like that was a Most Wonderful staycation for sure. We did a staycation last year and it was really, really fun! My mom and dad even gots to go to this place that rescues wolves! (But they don’t lets doggies in. Isn’t that the craziest?)
Oh, and yes…I do thinks Hsin-Yi was very cruel not to saves ALL the bread for you. Poor Honey.
Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie
PeeS. We would luvs for you to come to the bachelorette pawty!!! You can come however you want -- sitting, standing, dancing, dressed up, or even NEKKID! It’s up to you. Just sends me or Puddles your picture by next Monday. (The invitation is on my sidebar thingie and has my email addy on it.)
Hi Honey,
What a lovely daytrip you and your hoomans had at that beach. It sure looked like you enjoyed yourself.
AARF Kasha the Dainty Great Dane
What a lovely post! And a great idea for a contest.
This post reminds me of the wonderful places you used to blog about in NZ.
I had the sound turned off, so I missed the music. I’ll have to come back and do this again when I can listen and enjoy.
Thanks for sharing about Tucker’s party.
This would also be a geat post to link up to a new furry friends paty linky thing I found this morning. The details are on my blog.
http://dogsmom.wordpress.com
You find the best dog friendly places to visit.
It seems you had a great day out despite the weather. That’s goooood!! I haven’t been to any new places recently. Oh, yes, I have been to a couple of new places, doggy bakeries!
Oh Honey….you running on the beach and playing with your stick made my heart smile.
What a lovely day you shared with Hsin-Yi and Paul on the beach…I especially liked when you lay down on the blanket with your stick and Paul was trying to get you to the other blanket. I can’t believe those birds either….I would have refused to look at the camera too! 
Your humans do such a fantastic job with the videos…makes mine think they should do more videos. 
Kisses,
Nala
We just went back and watched the video. We couldn’t help but chuckle at you digging in the sand while Paul was putting the blankets down~~~~you were having so much fun!!!
Meowm likes the music too!
What a lovely day. It looks like a beautiful place.
What a lovely trip, Honey! That doggie beach looks so cool, with all those smells and interesting things to explore. You look so beautiful in your pink bandanna.
Hello Honey!! What a beautiful walky! We can see a lovely beach, lots of interesting stuff to sniff……. your time with your humans is priceless!!! We admire your bandana!!
Momo & Pinot
Honey,
You are absolutely adorable and absolutely impressive and inspirational! You dance, you get tissues and you do all kinds of tricks. We just visited your training section and we are so motivated to train our mini schnauzuer Betsy.
Thanks for stopping by our site and for your kind words! All the best and enjoy NZ!!!!!
Oh Honey, those naughty birds forcing Hsin-Yi to give them some of your bread! I love your sulky look for the camera. I agree, I wish there were more dog-friendly -- or any animal-friendly actually -- places in and around Brisbane. At least you managed to find a lovely one.
Arn`t they just adorable, I have a 6 year Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Mabel and she still has the energy of a puppy !