Working in Australia: Welcome to Camp "Monteray"

The red dirt road leading to Monteray

After working 3 shit jobs in Australia (that never paid me what I was entitled), I finally found one that didn't completely rip me off. After going one month without a job in Australia (ouch! to my bank account) I found out about this particular job which was inland from Brisbane, Queensland and approximately 40 km outside of a tiny town called Chinchilla. The work? I would be grading onions for one month- not my ideal job, or the way I pictured working in Australia but hey- cash is king.

I set out on the first Greyhound bus to little Chinchilla, and the next day I was getting picked up by an Irish backpacker who would drive me 40 km into the middle of nowhere until we arrived at the base camp where I would live for the next 30 days. I found about 15 other backpackers living at the base camp nick-named Monteray. Some friends, couples and single travelers were living together in caravans and dongars (which are basically caravans without wheels.)

Inside the kitchen/lounge

The dongars

The communal kitchen

There was also a shared kitchen in a separate building, as well as a separate dongar with bathrooms and free laundry facilities inside- bonus. The camp was really basic, but was relatively clean and provided the necessities unlike some of the other farms I lived on in Australia, so you can see how I appreciated it. A few perks were a tv, pool table and fire pit. Needless to say, the other backpackers and myself made the best of it, worked hard through December and January, but had a great holiday season too. It was an amazing experience because I made friends from France, Hong Kong, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, South Korea, Ireland and many other countries! I shared a dongar (air-conditioned, thankfully!) with a sweet South Korean girl nicknamed Dori and couldnt have asked for a better roomie. It was awesome to be surrounded by so many other people my age, doing what I was doing and with similar interests.
Pictures to come! 

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Passing Time With Backpackers & Rebel Pigeons

Australian sunsets are gorgeous

Thulimbah can get pretty boring, but as Ive heard an Aussie say:

 Only boring people get bored.

For me, when I'm not working it's just the simple things that make life delicious! Have a hot tea in the garden, do some yoga in the yard, snap some photos, whatever. To just enjoy nature the way it was intended, away from the noise of cities and chaos.

Still, sometimes I get restless out here! Even though I do feel great coming back to the country after a shopping day in the nearest town, Stanthorpe. (blah) The wildlife just out of the town is incredible, especially the variety of birds. Im not used to seeing wild cockatoos and rebel pigeons so I could sit outside just watching and listening to them forever. I love the colored parrots-except when they wake me up at 3 am..true say!

I have renamed the Crested Dove, The Rebel Pigeon

I've been in Thulimbah for almost two months now, but surprisingly the time has just flown by. I have been working for 6/ 8 weeks so maybe that's why, but there have been some good times here.

Out of restlessness my creative streak has been coming through, and Ive taken up photography and Ive been baking like mad!  Herb Bread, Foccacia, Banana bread, raisin scones, mango pie, shortbread cookies, chocolate macaroons, you name it! My new housemate Paul from England has even pitched in money for baking supplies so he can get in on it.

 Tonight is his 32nd birthday so me and the other housemates are having a celebration dinner for him that he doesn't know about yet. Tatsu and Yuki, our Japanese housemates are going to make Vegetable Tempura and I am going to make coconut cake topped with fresh strawberries from a local farm. Perhaps have a few drinks of Canadian Club too?

My own Pizza, Chocolate Macaroons, Veg Shephard's Pie, Scones & Red Veg Curry!

Rebel Pigeon Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org