Well, we're back.

 

All of us.

 

In Melbourne.

 

Stew and I left Melbourne in an-only-recently-roadworthy vehicle, which we drove to Goulburn - Australia's first inland town and home of the somewhat alarming giant sheep.

 

There were many things of interest in Goulburn, including, in its recent history, a woman known to all as "the Queen of the South", who was photographed in one history book looking absent and loopy and wearing a sash and carrying a staff. These days, she would be just another homeless person talking crazy. Back then, she was known affectionately as the Queen of the South because she decided one day that she was the queen, instructed everybody accordingly, and went around the countryside, dressed in regal attire, collecting donations for her "palace", a broken-down old home made of planks of wood and dust, which was a favourite haunt for teenage boys, whose taunts were apparently met by the Queen's decree that they be executed post haste. The Queen of the South looks dangerous in all of her photos and, in one of them, stands furious and defiant out the front of the palace, with a gun in her hand. Once, apparently, the Duke of Windsor came to Goulburn and the Queen of the South went to meet him. A most sober and sincere conversation took place and best wishes were solemnly exchanged to each of the other's extended family.

I decided my favourite thing about Goulburn was the Queen of the South.

 

Then we went to Sydney, where we stayed with a Fairy God Mother whose magic extended to roast dinner, riotous giggles, and a house among the tree tops.

 

We had several meetings in Sydney and a most interesting time was had by all, including a meal with Standing There alumni Vic (production manager and runner of the universe from For We Are Young And Free) and Emily (artist extraordinaire from People Watching).

 

Speaking of friends of Standing There, our good friend Lawrence Leung (who was hilarious in our short film to the point where I had to go away into a room and compose myself before shooting the scene) has been on telly recently on Wednesday nights at 9.30pm. His show is fantastic, see his website here. Wherever we've been lately - Melbourne, Sydney, Goulburn, Canberra - we've made an effort to see it and been richly rewarded. Yay for him.

 

More on this soon, hopefully with some visual aids, although sadly no photographs of the Queen of the South. Shame.