Fishing Australia

Hi everyone on fishingaustralia.tv

A quick update:

I just got back from a week long trip at Cairns where my family and I joined in the "Go Fish for Sick Kids" competition.
 

The event is helping to raise money to build a children's playground on the rooftop at the Cairns Base Hospital and is part of the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation (FNQHF) charity.

Amongst the donations and other good will from the local area, is a fishing competition and tournament day with a difference.  Local charter boat operaters in Cairns have got together and offered their boats at cost price for sponsorship.  Sponsors then book the boats at full price with the difference going to help fund the construction of the playground.  What a great idea!

Unfortunately the wind on the day of the event was too strong so the event has been postponed until a calmer day. I will be heading back up once a new date is set by the organizing committee.

In the meantime we took some pretty brave kids out who have stayed at the hospital and have had rough trot; rougher than most of us can ever imagine. It was great fun and extremely inspirational to fish with such tough little aussies. You will see some of these kids on the Fishing Australia show to be aired on August 22nd. My daughters Caitlin (10) and Emily (7) helped out on the day and no doubt their teachers and girl guide leaders will be proud as punch as to how they handled themselves.

Along the way we took our baby Emily (1) out for her first fishing experience. She was happy to grab the first fish we dangled in front of her-that's my little girl! It was heaps of fun and should make for good viewing; Hailey is the star attraction wherever we travel.

I also hooked up with Shane Third from BCF in Cairns and targeted the amazing milkfish.  These things fight above and beyond what I ever imagined. Be watching this Saturday, August 15th for all the action.

Ex Liverpool soccer legend and now captain of the Townsville-based A-League team, the North Queensland Fury, Robbie Fowler also came out for a fishing trip. Robbie is now based at Fury Headquarters in Townsville and decided to drive up the coast to Cairns and take in some more of the coastline he now calls home.

Robbie's a real character and gave our cameras a few laughs even before we got aboard the boat. It was a rough day, the same day that the tournament was cancelled, but Robbie proved to be as determined to catch a big fish as he is to score goals during a tough game and he put up with getting bounced all around the boat and getting hammered by rain and heavy spray.

When we finally landed a big fish it was part relief part euphoria-a memorable moment that I am looking forward to seeing how is looks on the tube.

Robbie received lots of media attention and his fans were waiting for him, each morning and night outside the Shangri-La where we were staying. He manages to keep a cool head despite the attention.

Robbie brought his lovely family (wife Kerrie and 4 kids) with him for his first trip to Cairns. The whole Fowler clan are really enjoying their new home in Australia.

In the meantime I am back in my office in Canberra catching up on a pile of overdue work.

No doubt there will be some reprieve: Emily has already asked to go crab fishing since she saw Scott McCrae catch some on the Postcards last Saturday. Crabs are quiet at this time of year on the south coast, so I am looking at a few other fishing experiences to keep Emily happy and the rest of the team happy...that's the sort of pressure I like.

Tight Lines

Rob