謎の9億円豪邸

12月31日（水）快晴

日本の不動産売買で間取りが重要ですが、豪州では全く問題外。プライバシーとセキュリティー上の考慮から平面図は公開しないのが普通。謎の豪邸の石垣に沿って400mの砂浜。トリニティー・ビーチでもウミガメの産卵が見られるらしい。先日7：30pmに懐中電灯を持って探索するも収穫ゼロ。管理人のトニーは「10：00pm過ぎじゃないと見られないよ」とのこと。日没後外出しない僕には無理な相談。

緑の館

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The mysterious $9M mansion
Wed. December 31 : rain after fine

The room layout is quite important when buying and selling houses in Japan but it is not at all in Australia. In order to keep privacy and security the room layout is not given out usually. There is a 400m long sand beach along the stone wall of the mansion. You might be able to see turtle egg laying at Trinity Beach as well. The other day at 7:30pm I walked the beach in vain. Tony, the caretaker of our apartment said “You can’t see it before 10:00pm.” It is impossible for me, because I never go out after sunset.

a mansion in green

トリニティー・ビーチ北端の怪しい家

12月30日（火）快晴

毎朝散歩するトリニティー・ビーチの海岸通りは全長400m。しかし砂浜は更に400m北に延びています。海岸通りの北のはずれには「私有地につき立ち入り禁止」の看板があり頑丈な鉄の扉。2万坪の海辺の土地は石垣と椰子の木で防備され外部から見通し不能。この家が最近9億円で売買されたとの新聞報道。更に北の国際的保養地のポート・ダグラスは別格ですが、これがケアンズ1の豪邸らしい。

豪州１の豪邸は80億円

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Mysterious mansion located at north end of Trinity Beach
Tue. December 30 : fine

The esplanade of Trinity Beach where I walk along every morning is totally 400m long. The sand beach goes farther to north another 400m. There is a sign a solid iron gate, saying “Private property. No trespassing.” at the north end of the esplanade. Anyone can look through the 7ha beach front property from outside as it is protected by the stone wall and the pine trees. According to the newspaper recently it was sold with $9M. It seems to be the most expensive mansion in Cairns with the exception of Port Douglas, the worldwide famous resort spot.

the most expensive mansion in Australia is $80M

♪オサガメの卵を両手に載せて

12月29日（月）快晴

日本にも観光目的のウミガメ産卵地は何箇所かあります。豪州の砂浜の全長は日本の数千倍ありますが殆どアクセス不能。ケアンズ周辺にもウミガメは多数産卵にやって来ます。しかしQLD州でウミガメ観察が観光化されているのはバンダバーグとヘロン島の2箇所だけ。ウミガメは既に産卵した場所を次のメス亀が掘り返すので、見物客は安全な場所に卵を埋め直します。ケアンズに戻る途中で、国道を横断するリクガメを目撃。

無責任な姉妹都市

沈没・海洋王国

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Put turtle eggs on my hands
Mon. December 29 : fine

There are several turtle egg laying spots where tourists can access easily in Japan. The total length of Australian sand beach is several thousands times of that of Japanese and most of the beaches are impossible to access. Turtles land on lots of beaches to lay eggs near Cairns. Among them, only Bundaburg and Heron Island have been developed as the tourism spots. Female turtles dig the same spot where other turtles have already laid, so the audience moves eggs to some safe spots to bury again. On the way back to Cairns we saw a tortoise that was crossing high way.

irresiponsible sister city

sunk marine kingdom

NO MANGOES

12月28日（日）晴時々雨

東南アジアではドリアンは果物の王様。シンガポールではドリアンはホテルや電車内に持ち込み禁止。ボーエン近郊ではマンゴーが沢山栽培されています。食堂の女性用トイレに「ノー・マンゴーズ」の表示。トイレ内にマンゴー持ち込み禁止？しかし男性用トイレには「マンゴーズ」の表示。ということは「男性はこちらへ」。女性用トイレの表示は「男性の進入禁止」の洒落のようです。

NO DURIAN

巨大ドリアン

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NO MANGOES
Sun. December : fine occasionally rain

The durian is the king of fruits in East South Asia. Bringing durians into the hotels or onto the trains is prohibited in Singapore. Many mangos are cultivated in the suburbs of Bowen. There was a sign showing NO MANGOES in front of the female toilet. Is bringing mangoes into the toilet prohibited? There’s a sign of MANGOES in front of the male toilet. It is a pun meaning “man goes into this toilet” and “no man goes into this toilet”.

NO DURIAN

giant durian

6：15amの海カンガルー

12月27日（土）曇時々雨

ヒルズボロー岬でもウミガメの産卵が見られると聞き、ここにも1泊。夜のビーチを懐中電灯片手に2時間歩き回りましたが空振り。宿のガイドブックに「6：15amから6：30amにビーチでカンガルーが見られます」とのこと。毎朝定刻？一体何をしに来るのでしょう？興味は尽きません。6：10amにビーチに行ってもカンガルーの姿はなし。ところが6：15amに宿のおばさんが登場しビーチに餌を撒き、6：30amに帰って行きました。

岩山カンガルー

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Sea kangaroo at 6:15am
Sat. December 27 : cloudy occasionally rain

Hearing it’s possible to see turtle egg laying at Cape Hillsborough, we stayed another night there. Holding torches we walked on the beach in vain for 2 hours at midnight. The guidebook of our motel said “You can see Kangaroos on the beach from 6:15am-6:30am” Every morning, on time? What are they coming for? It’s so mysterious. We went to the beach at 6:10am, but there are no kangaroos. Meanwhile, a lady from the motel arrived on the beach to feed kangaroos at 6:15am and left there at 6:30am.

rock warabee

何となくクリスマス

12月26日（金）快晴

ずっと昔にクリスチャンは止めたのでクリスマスには少し抵抗があります。だから七面鳥よりシーフードが好ましい、などと気負ってもいません。豪州で刺身を食べられるのは地域限定。ウミガメを見物に来たらやはりシーフードかな？ご当地では海産物はお高くはない。カニ、エビ、バグ（ウチワエビ）、牡蠣など食べきれないほど購入しても＄50（3,000円）。

バグ

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Christmas unceremoniously
Fri. December 26 : fine

I don’t feel comfortable to cerebrate Christmas as I abandoned Christianity long time ago. It’s not that I defensively prefer seafood to turkey. You can eat raw fish only within some limited areas in Australia. I should choose seafood as long as I have come to see turtles. Seafood is not so expensive here. A plenty amount of seafood such as crabs, prawns, bags, and oysters costed $50.

bag

アオウミガメ

12月25日（木）快晴

レディー・マスグレーブ島でダイビング。地球温暖化の影響でここでも珊瑚の白化現象は著明。陸上で眺めると楽観視できるけど、海面下では絶望的。20年前の海底風景とはかなりの差。海中生物もめっきり減ったように感じます。大型の魚が姿を消して小型の魚が頑張って生きています。２時間潜り続けてやっとアオウミガメと遭遇。

豪州西海岸のウミガメ

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Green turtle
Thu. December 25 : fine

We went to Lady Musgrave Island for diving. The coral bleaching being caused by global warming is significant here as well. Seeing it on land you can be optimistic but it looks desperate if you dive. The undersea view is quite different from that of 20 years ago. I recognized the number of fish and sea plants has been reduced significantly. Big fish are gone and small fish are surviving eagerly. I dropped in a green turtle after 2-hour diving.

turtles on Australian west coast

レディー・マスグレーブ島

12月24日（水）快晴

雌のウミガメは産卵地付近に3週間前後留まり、約5日毎に200個前後の産卵をするらしい。雌亀1頭が1000個の卵を産んでも生き残るのは1匹だけ。パプア・ニューギニアから全長3000km、グレート・バリア・リーフ（GBR）の最南端は1770沖のレディー・マスグレーブ無人島。環礁に囲まれたこの島の礁湖にはクリスマスには2000頭の雌ガメが結集する。島は野鳥の産卵地でもあるのです。

シスター・シティー・日和佐

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Lady Musgrave Island
Wed. December 24 : fine

It is said that female turtles stay near the laying spot for 3 weeks and lay around 200 eggs totally every 5 days. Out of 1,000 eggs that one female lays only 1 kid can survive. The total length of Great Barrier Reef is 3,000km from northernmost Papua New Guinea to southernmost Lady Musgrave Island, offshore desert island of 1770. In Christmas season 2,000 turtles gather in the atoll of this island. It is a spawning region of sea birds as well.

Hiwasa, sister city

上陸艇ダックで砂洲を探検

12月23日（火）快晴

今や青息吐息のGMが第2次大戦時に開発した水陸両用車。現在はロンドン、ボストン、リバプール、ゴールドコースト、ケアンズなどで観光用に利用されています。今年釧路でも導入したなんて三番煎じ。1770の全長3kmの砂洲では沢山の海鳥とイルカが見られましたが、肝心のウミガメは足跡だけで姿は見えず。

ボストンのダックボート

ケアンズのダックボート

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Exploring sand bar by landing vehicle, Duck
Tue. December 23 : fine

GM, the company currently dying, developed these amphibian vehicles in the Second World War era. They are now used for sightseeing tours in London, Liverpool, Gold Coast, and Cairns. Isn’t it quite late that Kushiro city introduced them this year? We saw a lot of sea birds and dolphins but turtles except their foot prints on the 3km long sand bar in town of 1770.

duck boat in Boston

duck boat in Cairns

1770年の町

12月22日（月）快晴

1770年キャプテン・クックはシドニー近郊のボタニー湾に上陸し、豪州の英国領を宣言。北上して水と薪を補給した地を「1770」と命名。更に北上してケアンズ北の苦難岬で座礁し、クックタウンでエンデバー号の補修をします。この町にも立派な砂洲があり、海鳥とウミガメの宝庫らしい。航海家たちにはどちらも貴重な食料だったのでしょう。

クックタウン

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Town of 1770
Mon. December 22 : fine

In 1770 Captain Cook landed on Botany Bay near Sydney and declared English occupation of Australia. After that he cruised for north and named next landing point as 1770 where he landed to get water and wood. Cruising up farther to north he stood his ship Endeavor at Cape Tribulation, north of Cairns and repaired it at Cook Town. Town of 1770 has splendid sand bar as well and it is the treasury of sea birds and turtles. Both of them must have been precious food for explorers.

Cook Town

砂上の楼閣

12月21日（日）快晴

ゴールドコーストの常宿は85階建てのQ1の隣の20階建てのウオーター・マーク。Q1は南半球で1番高層の居住用ビルディングだそうで、320mの展望階があります。展望階からゴールドコーストの中心街のサーファーズ・パラダイスを俯瞰できます。この高層ビル街は砂洲の上にあり西も東も海、まさに砂上の楼閣です。ウミガメは姿を消しましたが、未だに見事な泣き砂です。ここはケアンズから1700kmのQLD州の南外れ。明日からまた来た道を北上します。

金浜の定宿

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House of cards
Sun. December 21 : fine

Our favorite accommodation in Gold Coast is 20-storied Water Mark Hotel located next to 85 storied Q1. It is said that Q1 is the highest residential building in southern hemisphere, which has a 320m high lookout. It overlooks Surfer’s Paradise, the down town of Gold Coast. This street of skyscrapers is built on the sand bar surrounded by sea its both sides of east and west, so it is just like the houses of cards. Turtles have already disappeared from the beach but the sand is still fantastic singing sand. This place locates the southern end of QLD, 1700km far from Cairns. We are going back to north by tomorrow.

our favarite accommodation here

ラム酒造付属の製糖工場

12月20日（土）快晴

収穫されたサトウキビは鮮度が命。トロッコで製糖工場に運ばれ、その日のうちに絞られます。QLD州北部のサトウキビ地帯には多くの製糖工場があります。バンダバーグでは製糖工場に隣接してラム酒蒸留工場があり1人1000円の入場料を払うと見学できます。2杯の無料の試飲と30％の割引購入の特典つき。450km南下しゴールドコーストで、金曜島で働いていた勝又君と再会。金曜島もウミガメが上陸しますが夜間交通困難で見学は無理のようです。

豪州唯一のラム酒

金曜島

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Annex sugar factory to rum distillery
Sat. December 20 : fine

Most important thing about harvested sugar canes is their freshness. They are conveyed to the sugar factory to be squeezed on the same day. There are a lot of sugar factories in sugar cane producing areas in QLD. The sugar factory in Bundaberg has an annex rum distillery and you can inspect it with $14 entrance fee. It includes 2 glasses of tasting and 30% discount of take away. We went down to south 450km to get to Gold Coast and met again with Mr. Katsumata who used to work on Friday Island. Turtles land on Friday Island, too, but the transportation at night is too inconvenient there to see egg-laying.

only rum distillery in Australia

Friday Island

オサガメの産卵

12月19日（金）快晴

更に国道を700km南下してラム酒で有名なバンダバーグへ。モーテルで休む間もなく8：00ｐｍ海岸へ。ウミガメ保護センターでガイド料1人800円払って砂浜へ。全長1.5mのオサガメの産卵を2時間見学。小亀の孵化は可愛いけど、産卵や出産の見学は気が重い。ピンポン球のような卵にも触ったけど、ヌルヌルして気持ちが悪かった。

ラム酒の乱

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Laying eggs of leatherback turtle
Fri. December 19 : fine
We went down farther to south and got to Bundaberg where is famous for rum. Not taking rest at the motel we left for the seashore at 8:00pm. Paying $12 each for the guide at Turtle Reservation Centre we went to the beach. We observed egg-laying of leather turtle that has length of 1.5m for 2 hours. I like to see hatching of baby turtles but not laying. I touched some eggs like ping-pong balls, and it was not pleasant but slimy to touch them.

revolt of rum

ボーエンの馬蹄湾

12月18日（木）快晴

世界にウミガメは7種。うち6種が豪州QLD州で産卵します。ウミガメは産卵の際涙を流すとか。12月下旬はウミガメの産卵時期と知りながら、ぬくぬくとホーム・クリスマスなぞ女の恥！ユミ隊長の号令一過、ウミガメ探検隊2名は車で海沿いの国道を550km南下しボーエンへ。馬蹄湾は近年ヌーディストが大勢いますがウミガメは来ないと聞き、映画「オーストラリア」のロケ現場めぐり。こんなミーハーな乗りでこの先の学術調査は大丈夫だろうか？

ヌードビーチ

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Horseshoe Bay in Bowen
Thu. December 18 : fine

There are 7 kinds of turtles in the world, and 6 of them lay eggs in QLD. It is said that they tears when they lay eggs. It is a shame as a woman to stay home for Christmas in spite of knowing that December is turtles’ egg-laying season. By orders of captain Yumi, 2 member of exploration party headed Bowen, 550km far to south along the seaside highway. As we found out that there are lots of nudists but turtles at Horseshoe Bay, we visited some location sites of the film “Australia”. Will our academic research in the future be OK with such the light hearted attitude?

nude beach

マンゴは1個60円

12月17日（水）晴時々雨

テーブルランドをドライブ中、家族労働の小規模なマンゴ農家を訪問。20畝に各50木で果樹数は1000本。作業車両が進入稼動しやすいように畝と畝の間隔は3m。樹高3mの矮化栽培のため樹木1本当たりの収穫は200個、1個＄1（60円）で出荷すれば1本当たり＄200（12,000円）。しかし果樹数1000本だと＄200,000（1200万円）。この農家は300頭の肉牛も飼っていて年収は＄400,000（2400万円）です。

柱状マンゴ

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Shipping price of mango is $1
Wed. December 17 : fine occasionally rain

I visited a small mango family farm while driving through Tableland. There are 20 lists with 50 trees each so the total number of the trees is 1000. The width between both lists is 3m so it gives enough space for operation vehicles to work properly. In its Microgenesis cultivation each tree is as high as 3m and it yields 200fruits. If you sell-in $1 each, one tree makes $200. It means 1,000 trees make $200,000 in total. They also have 300 oxen in this farm and their annual income is $400,000.

pillar-shaped mango