KT McQueen of The Castle...

Award accepted by Karen Taylor, Festival Director and Air New Zealands Event Manager, Keith Robinson

Organisers of the Air New Zealand Golden Oldies World Festivals are delighted that they have won the International Event of the Year at the Scottish Tourism Awards.

The 2008 Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival in Edinburgh was voted International Event of the Year at the Scottish Thistle Awards last night. They include the national awards for celebrating innovation and business excellence in Scottish Tourism.

The 2008 Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival attracted 2700 participants and 120 teams from 18 countries to Edinburgh for the world’s biggest rugby festival. The concept involving fun, friendship and fraternity among fans 35 years and over began in Auckland, New Zealand in 1979 with 34 teams. Over three decades it has grown into a significant global sporting brand with biennial Festivals for rugby, cricket, netball and field hockey around the world, all supported by Air New Zealand since their inception.

The 2008 Festival in Edinburgh produced economic benefit of GBP 6.45m of new income into the Scottish economy.

The Award was a real boost for both the Golden Oldies sporting movement and the outstanding partnership with stakeholders in Edinburgh and Scotland, said Air New Zealand Events Manager, Keith Robinson.

He said it was a real testament to the success of the event given the outstanding stature of events hosted in Scotland.

“We are thrilled with the announcement of the Award,” Mr Robinson said. “The Edinburgh Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival was an outstanding success. It was our 17th World Rugby Festival and the fourth time we have brought it to Europe.

“The Golden Oldies brand offers keen sports followers the opportunity to remain active and healthy in the sport they love, travel with their friends and meet new ones, and gain once-in-a-lifetime experiences all under our mantra of fun, friendship and fraternity. This award is a significant endorsement for Golden Oldies.

“It is also a major endorsement for our partners in this Festival, in particular EventScotland and the City of Edinburgh who must take much of the kudos for both their remarkable level of professionalism and their tremendous enthusiasm and energy to go that extra mile.

Ah bliss, as much as I love all my family and friends we finally have a few days to ourselves. And on Fraser Island. One of the largest sand islands in the world, we hired a 4WD to fang about the island. The intention was to camp for three nights but we were far too tempted by a couple of nights in a resort.

We flew to Brissy, hired a wee car from the airport and drove to Rainbow Beach, then parked up and took our wee hired Diahastu Feroza (sp?). After a tonne of research this seemed to the cheapest and easeiest way. Brumby 4WD hired the car and camping equipment.

You can only drive in low tide, so you have to be careful not to get caught in the waves. We drove as far north as we could and ended up camping the first night at Camp Dundubarra. A beautiful wee site, near the beach, the sound of the crashing waves, and just a few wee essentials to make the most of this beautiful place.

Then, temptation took over and after driving through the inner parts of the island, visiting Lake McKenzie, which is now FAR too touristy we decided to spend two nights at Kingfisher Bay Resort. A little cabin overlooking the sea with plenty of pools, cocktails and lovely restaurants. The final night and a meal at the Seabelle Restaurant was awesome seafood, wine and apparently THE best steak ever!

Final day a whale watching trip off the West side of the Island was awesome and then road trip back to Brisbane for a night.

So relaxed!

If you live in Canberra, you are 2 hours inland. SO like all Canberrans, you find a wee place on the South Coast to escape to on weekends. So since the age of 9, when I moved to Oz, I have been going to Bawley Point. Bawley is 2 hours from Canberra and half way between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla. Coincidentally, my first flatmate when I was 19, and now friend forever, was dating Jonboy when we lived together.

Jonboy's dad Col, bought an awesome property in Bawley in the 1960's for a steal and since he sadly passed away has handed it down to Jonboy and Andrew (Sos). So I have always said that Jonboy has 1,000 acres down the coast but apparently its only 860 acres in some of the most prime real estate on the South Coast. There is currently one house, a couple of dams, rainforest, access to great fishing and the beach and I have spent a LOT of great time there with Jen, Jon and Mike, our puppies Sambucca, Mishka and Asterix as well as the legendary feline Nounies. This will always be a special place to me as I have always had so many good times there.

So it was very special to take Dugald there and show him this beautiful place. We stayed in Col's room and it is seriously the most comfortable bed in the whole world. We woke early for the sunset and spent beautiful sunshiny days on the beach. Everyone loves Bawely Beach or Commerant, the second beach but my favourite is the fourth beach Murrumerang.

Lisa and Shane Martin married on Sunday 29 September 2009 at a beautiful country property in Burra, just outside Canberra (Mum's House).

Well Lisa, that is one of the longest engagements... Must of been about 2005 that you guys got engaged? Planning for the wedding was underway and then along came a great suprise. Beautiful Sian who was born 3 years ago... So that put plans on hold as obviously you didnt want to be a bit fatty in your wedding dress! And by jove you looked sensational - good work on the dress and all the bloody exercise, it really paid off!

So congratulations to you and your lovely husband Shane. Sian and the girls, Kirsty and Alicia looked amazing! I cant believe you are a mother of 3 now, as you also have the girls from Shane's previous marriage AND they look so much like you.

You make a beautiful family, all dark haired and beautiful - like a perfect little family. I wish you the most amount of love and happiness. Thanks for arranging the wedding whilst i was already over for Parnos's wedding, your a wee gem!

Even more unusual was that we had our Dad visiting from Scotland so he could walk you down the aisle. So very strange but nice to have Mum and Dad in the same country and celebrating together with us. Respect to Dad for handling everything so well and for being a good Papa to Sian. Although she might love you and I but not as much as Dugald, Dugald, Dugald...The bloomin favourite after 5 mins - ye wee niece stealer! xxxx

xKT
p.s. High five to Laura and I for Sian's amazingly cute flower girls dress from Paddington Markets on Oxford Street in Sydney - Gi Gi's Fairy Fashion, 0423 169 737 or email: gigisfairy@hotmail.com

A fab week in Canberra to hang out with family, see close friends, swim, eat, drink and be merry. A few lovely homecooked meals and my two favourite restaurants in Canberra - Fekerta's Etheopian in Dickson and Rama's at Pierce Shops (takeaway Rama's at Jonboys as per usual!). Shopping in the ever expanding Canberra Centre for a dress for Lisa's wedding and then dragging poor Dugald round family and friends. Nice to see the lovely Ange, Jen, Jon and Mike - I love you guys!

It seems everyone I know has been breeding! Everyone has wee bubs, but now they are getting to fun ages we can have a laugh and wind them up then give them back totally hyped.

Ok so lets see if I can capture them all: cousin Nic (& Rick) has Ryhs (5 & 1/2), Riley (3), cousin Clare (& Jase) has Toby, Ruby (1&1/2) and one on the way... Mike and Lisa have Nikita (4) and one of the way... Jen and Jon have Jem (5&1/2) and Jet (2). Who have I missed? SIAN of course, my gorgeous wee 3 year old niece! There are loads more but they are the ones we managed to catch up with and win over...!

Apparently we, well I say we but I think perhaps Dugald more so, have won over all the kids and they have now started a Fan club and have even shed a few tears on our departure. Ah we love you wee tackers and I am sad that we will miss some of your growing up so you just have to keep us up to date with photos and letters. Jemielle, your a wee gem so you are - maybe we can write... And Riley you are a classic, I love that you got invited to a friends birthday party and his name was dougal and when you realised it wasnt actually big Dugald you shed a few years, thats so cute!