It’s Thursday afternoon. Another blisteringly hot day in Lismore. I’ve neither eaten nor drunk water for several days now. There is no moisture left in my body to produce sweat. I am near death. I am sure I will surely die. OK, so maybe that’s a little melodramatic, but it’s still bloody hot in Lismore. The only place providing adequate respite is Lismore Shopping Square. Gotta love that aircon!
Actually, I did get out a bit earlier this week. On Tuesday, Sue, Paul, Kerry and I spent the day travelling around the North Coast on a food and beverage fest. We started off at the Brunswick Heads Hotel. In the last twenty years or so, Brunswick Heads hasn’t really changed that much. While it’s nearby sister-village of Byron Bay has taken off as an international destination, Brunswick Heads remains a quiet family-oriented holiday destination. That said, property values are pretty high.
The Bruno is a good pub with a great beer garden. We had above-average standard pub fair underneath a wonderful shaded tree, although the service was a little slow. I ran into a colleague, Fiona at the pub, and we had a nice little chat before heading off for afternoon tea at a nearby cafe.
While sitting outside the local newsagent we noticed a throng of drunken young men wandering past. With shades of Cronulla, two of them had “AUS” (short for Australian) written on their stomachs. When we realised there was no evidence of violence, we decided they were all too young, drunk and silly for words and didn’t think too much about it. Though we did notice there were no police in sight!
With hunger pains returning, we though the Bangalow Pub would be a good mid-point for all of us to have dinner. Gathering a couple of beers, we headed into the comfortable booths in the backbar to peruse the dinner menu, which, frankly held little appeal. While the menu offered all manner of “jus” and “confit” we were probably thinking more along the lines of “Honey King Prawns”, and so passed up the delights of Bangalow, choosing instead the Mandarin Palace in Lismore.
For people of a certain age, the Mandarin Palace was often their first adult dining experience. With its offer of “Australian & Chinese Meals”, the Mandarin Palace recognises you shouldn’t confuse customers with the choice of cutlery or chopsticks. The menu, the decor, nothing had changed since the last time I went there on Boxing Day three or four years ago. Indeed, the waitress serving us was the same waitress who’d severed us twenty years ago.
But aside from that great adventure, it’s just life at home with the family, although I might wander out tonight to the aforementioned pub, The Winsome. It’s quite good fun, actually, as we have a new child in the family, Sammuel, who is crawling around the house at a rate of knots, is attempting to stand up, and loves nothing more than splashing about (and I mean splashing about) in his little swimming pool.
I’ll be back in Sydney on Saturday night and will post my “Year In Review” then. I’m not sure if it will be anything profound. I’m not sure if it will really live up to the title “Year In Review”. But I’ve been doing it for the last four years on this website, which I guess is far preferential than printing it off and mailing it to all my friends.
14 responses to “Brunswick Heads Revisited”
I am and have had trouble finding someone or somewhere where I can replace my old cassette tapes of ‘Brunswick Heads Revisited’ and ‘Regrets I’ve had a few the diaries of Lady Glynnes’
I would appreciate if you are able to point me in the right direction or even email the audio files
regards mark traucnieks
can’t help you with finding a copy but if anyone has emailed you with a response as to where you can get one, i’d greatly appreciate knowing where. it’s one of the funniest things i’ve ever heard and i miss my copy. many thanks – karen
I have a copy of BHR on cassette. Don’t know if you’re still needing it six months later, but let me know if you are and I’ll send you a copy.
Steph
Hi Steph, I’ve passed your comment on to Karen. James
Hi James
Could you forward my details to Steph as I’d LOVE a copy too if possible. Have been lamenting the loss of mine for years.
hi steph – thanks for the reply re. a copy of BHR but lucky, lucky me came up wth a copy from a friend a while back.. still strange and totally irreverent, still makes me love the australian sense of humour. many thanks – karen
James, with your permission, I would like to post my email address here for anyone else who comes desperately seeking Brunswick Heads Revisited. Perhaps one day the ABC will re-release it (it’s nearly 30 years since it was broadcast!) but until then, I am happy to share.
Contact me: stephmcd@fastmail.fm
I just love how this post has absolutely nothing to do with the much loved radio serial, aside from the name :)
how odd. I too am looking to replace my copy of brunswick heads revisited. asked the abc bookshop a few years ago if they had any coppies they checked but could not find any.
see James you have really started something :)
Hi Lyn. As I mentioned above, I can send you a copy on CD if you like. I’ve copied it from my ancient cassette and cleaned up the audio. Nowhere near as good as a commercial release, but until one is available, you’re welcome to mine. No strings, no cost – I just like to think I can do something useful and help out a few desperate BHR fans! Contact me: stephmcd@fastmail.fm
I don’t knbow if you are still looking for Brunswick Heads Revisited, but I’ve put it here:
http://zmkc.blogspot.com/2010/05/brideshead-through-australian-eyes.html
Good onya ZMKC – you beat me to it! Last week I uploaded my MP3s of Brunswick Heads Revisted (BHR) and the sequel, Regrets I’ve Had A Few (RIHAF) but haven’t been able to post the links here until now. Download links below:
BHR cassette cover (jpg)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t58ZTgwYW
BHR Side 1 (14.9mb)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t5bNTg4OD
BHR Side 2 (17.5mb)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t5eYjMyNz
RIHAF cassette cover (jpg)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t5MNWViNT
RIHAF Side 1 (29.3mb)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t5fOWExNj
RIHAF Side 2 (26.2mb)
http://www.zumodrive.com/share/5t5hYTNmOT
Any problems, email me here at the fastmail address I’ve left above somewhere. And thanks again James for letting us abuse your blog!
I just love how this post about Brunswick Heads has turned this blog into a filesharing site :)
THANK YOU! I think I just sent steph an email, if so disregard. I was too keen to get my hands on a copy.
Now off to build my besser block BBQ for Etruscan Gargoyle Shadow presentations….