By John Price
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The AWWF, Queensland
Barefoot Water Ski Club and Barefoot Central teamed up to run a
barefoot ‘Come and Try’ weekend at Tinaroo Dam, situated in an
area called the Tableland district near Cairns. The Tableland
has a lot of history and is now an agricultural and tourism
mecca of north Queensland.
Day 1
The city of Cairns is situated 2000km from the Gold Coast in
Queensland and 800km from Clint Veivers' home at Mackay. Clint
was born and raised in the Tablelands so he was all keen to be a
part of this weekend. So I flew to Mackay on the Wednesday
afternoon arriving around 4pm. Clint and his family (Sharon,
Bronson and Jacqueline) picked me up from Mackay airport and we
hit the road. We had arranged to stay the night and Clint’s
sister’s place in Ayr about a 3 hour
drive away. On the way we drove past lots of sugar cane farms on
the coastal plains with the Great Dividing Range running along
side in the background. Some of the famous towns we passed
include Bowen and Airlie Beach. We arrived at Ayr around 7pm.
Clint’s sister Rhonda served up a Chinese dish for dinner after
which a few quiet beers and rum were consumed over conversation.
Day 2
Wake up around 6.30am. Clint’s son Bronson had picked up a
chest infection so the night’s sleep was short. A quick
breakfast with coffee and we were on the road again for a 5 to 6
hour drive to Cairns. Thanks to Rhonda and Brad for their
hospitality.
We were on the road
about 60km out of Townsville when Clint said “I think this is
where the Doc skis?” The Doc is no other than Warren Work
(Australian Senior Team member). We get a hold of his mobile
contact and give him a call. He is over the moon that we’ve
rung. We catch up with Warren in Townsville for a chat. It was
great to see him. Morning tea followed and we were off again.
North of Townsville the surroundings are a mix of cattle
property and cane farms. We head through the town of Inghan and
the next stop is the boutique town of Cardwell/Port
Hinchinbrook. A small upmarket holiday village with canals,
large houses, big boats and the World Heritage listed,
Hinchinbrook Island in close proximity.
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Next stop lunch and
what better place than Mission Beach. What a beautiful place.
The beaches are lined with palm trees, Dunk island only two
kilometres offshore, resorts, caravan parks, beach front homes,
one of the prettiest beach I’ve been to in Australia. We all had
fish burgers and chips for lunch before a walk along the beach
to let the kids burn some energy after being in the car for half
the day. As we drove out of Mission Beach south there was a for
sale sign on a well presented beach shack home on a 750 square
meter block. The only thing between the shack and beach was a
local road. We called the real estate and the price tag was $970
000. As the day is running out we head for Cairns passing
through Innisfail and Bartley Frere National Park, which has the
highest mountain in Queensland. We cruise through the outskirts
of Cairns and we make our way to Kuranda where Clint’s parents
have a property. Karanda is on the tablelands and on the way we
stop at a lookout where you can see all over the Cairns district
and out to Green Island (on the Barrier Reef). Very picturesque!
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We arrive at Clint’s
old stomping ground at a 50 acre property tucked in Veivers
Valley right on dusk. We were greeted by the Veivers with a
country welcome and family dinner. The kids were very excited to
see grandma and grandpa Veivers. For me it was early to bed
after a short nap on the couch - being a passenger is hard work.
Day 3
I was up with the birds and Clint’s dad, no sign of Clint for
another hour or so. The weather was surprisingly cool and windy.
Once the Veivers tribe awoke, ate and dressed Bronson was more
ill than the day before. It was decided he needed to be taken to
the doctor. So Clint and I parted company. Sharon took Bronson
to the doctor. Clint and I headed off to see the sights and
finished the day at Tinaroo Dam. Sharon was to join us on the
Saturday at the dam. Clint and I headed off around 9.30am to
Mareeba then to Tinaroo the town. I see my first glimpse of the
dam, it looks awesome. There were lots of houses around the edge
of the dam. We then visited the Cairns District Powerboat and
Ski Club grounds and we noticed one of the streets is called
Barefoot Blvd (how awesome).
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The dam has many
arms to provide protection from the weather. We follow around
the dam edge as far as we can go, which then brings us to Crator
Lakes. Three lakes 600 metres in diameter, crystal clear, deep
blue in colour and lined by rainforest – spectacular. From there
it was to Malanda Lookout, one of the highest points in the
Tablelands, you could see for miles. As far down the Innisfail
to the south, Atherton to the west and Tinaroo to the north - a
must to see, if you are in the area.
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On the way down to
Atherton from the lookout we come across a huge area of crop
that stood 1metre high, the light green leaves at the top and
dark on the bottom. I had never seen this crop before Clint told
me it was tea. So we called in to the Nerada Tea visitors
centre. The walls were filled with historic pictures which told
the story of the area, rich in tea growing crops. You could buy
at least 20 different types of tea, as you would when wine
tasting (being a coffee drinker – I was amazed).
Next stop was a dairy which manufactured its own chocolates and
cheese. We went for the chocolate and bought heaps. (The bag I
took home for Gizie disappeared in no time.) Last stop before
Atherton was an amazing Figtree which grew in the rainforest
from the mere beginnings of a bird dropping hundreds of years
ago. A tourist walkway is now built around this huge tree and
there are several others now in the area.
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We are now in Atherton to stock up with essentials before we
head to the dam to set up for the week end - essentials which
meant beer and rum. We head to Tinaroo
Dam wall, read up on the history of the dam and head to Fong-on
Bay to set up camp and wait for our contact man, Tom Beecheno.
We survey the dam and find kangaroos, birds, snakes and a wild
pig. We enter the camping area and find a camp fire burning
without a sole in sight. This will do us! We start to unpack the
Toyota which is loaded to the roof and beyond. Within minutes
Tom arrives with this daughter and the boat in tow.
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Fog on Bay |
Dry land
Practice |
Tom has been the
motivator behind making this weekend happen. We first met Tom at
the 2006 Australian Championships in Sydney, which he visited
with a friend just to have a look. Tom has a young daughter of
10 years, Rochelle, who has really taken to the sport. After a
quick catch up chat, we set up the tents and park ourselves
around the fire. The sun had disappeared and the temperature
drops 10 degrees, its tracky pants and jumper weather. Nothing
is better than sitting by an open fire with the Milky Way in the
sky, a drink in one hand, steak sandwich in the other hand and
listening to the footy on the radio. We watch the fire burn down
to only ashes before we retire to bed.
Day 4
Once again up at daylight, but not the first one up this time.
Tom was already up and people booked in to ski that day had
started to arrive. We had planned to start skiing at 6.30am. The
fire was still burning and just as well as the water was a tad
chilly. First things first and that’s a billy on the fire for a
cuppa to start the day. Tom has launched his Successcraft
inboard, called Still Cruisin, set up with high pole and
Barefoot International boom. We hear the roar of another boat
coming into the bay and hope that it is Steve Marino with our
second boat for the day. It is Steve, with his 2008 Malibu LXI.
Steve and I haven’t seen each other
since he attended a barefoot clinic in Townsville in 1994,
at which I coached on invitation for the Ivory family. Steve was
here today with his son Nick, 8 years old and daughter Alysa, 10
years old. All the skiers for the day had arrived – total of
nine. AWWF paperwork completed and fees paid its time to start
with land drills. We have a mixed bag of skiers in age and
ability, from 8 to 42 years. Clint took the skiers who had skied
before and I took the three young ones with Steve and Cameron (a
local guy). I would like to take Tom and Steve for the use of
their boats for the day, also thanks to Tom and John Arcidiacono
for driving all day – they did a great job.
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Alysa - 10
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Front Toe
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The weather was not kind to us, it was windy and cold so we
searched for sheltered water in another bay, which we managed
and returned at 11am for lunch. Everyone had skied two sets with
some great results, improving in leaps and bounds. Clint and I
focused on getting the basics right, with a three point stand up
and a perfect stance. Ryan Paul and Trent Watson achieved a
backward deepie on the 5 foot line.
Steve showed his kids he could still mix it with the younger
ones. The three babies in the group Nick, Alysa and Rochelle
improved their basic footing position.
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Clint
Vievers |
Paul Back
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After lunch it was
back onto the water for everyone to have their third set of the
day. Our day on the water finished around 3.30pm. A great day –
met a great bunch of people. Time to pull the boats out just as
Sharon arrived with a friend and the kids so we had a bigger
crew for the Saturday night. Once again the fire was roaring,
good company and conversation, early to bed.
Day 5
Once again awake at daylight with a new crew, boat and driver,
with six new skiers for the day. None of these skiers had
barefooted before. I am coaching on my own today while Clint,
Sharon and the kids visit family, a five hour drive away. Simon
Greenwood puts his Successcraft inboard in the water, called
Scream, complete with high pole and boom.
Just as we had on Saturday with all AWWF formalities completed
it was time to do the land drills then hit the water. Today’s
age group ranged from 15 to 42 years. The group was split into
girls and boys, with the boys first. It was another great day
with them all barefooting on the boom and the three girls doing
deepies with the 5 foot line on shoe skis. Matthew and Tom Duff
did deepies on the 5 foot line. Once again all skiers had three
sets for the day. It was a most rewarding day as a coach to see
people exceed their expectations. As I had to be at the airport
in Cairns by 5pm the day finished with lunch at 1pm. Thanks to
Simon for the use of his boat and his great driving.
I hitched a ride
with Simon to his picturesque farm on the base of Pyramid
Mountain from where Tom picked me up to take me to the airport.
Special thanks to the Cairns District Powerboat and Ski Club,
Clint and Sharon Vievers, Tom Beecheno, Steve Marino and Simon
Greenwood.
The weekend was a great success for all. I had a great time and
hope that the AWWF and Queensland Barefoot Water Ski Club can
make this an annual event. If any other club would like to host
a similar event of their own please contact John Price at
0418615461.
John & Gizie
