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8 Episodes 2004 - 2004
Episode 1
Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and is situated on Australia's East Coast between Brisbane and Townsville. Curtis and Ben arrive at Cairns Airport. they meet a Brazakka, a local who offers them a lift. Little do they know that Brazakka's form of transport is a helicopter. In the chopper Bender and Curtis fly over the lush farmlands of the Atherton Tablelands, deep volcanic lakes and lush rainforests. Brazakka offers to take them fishing in a secret spot. Little do they know that the only access is by helicopter and through a twisting, swerving ancient volcanic ravine. At the fishing spot, Bender and Curtis have a bet. Whoever loses has to do all the washing up, naked! Bender catches the fish, Ben wins. Curtis pays the price. Brazakka also takes Ben and Curtis to a Banana Plantation and distillery and across vast sugar plantations to the historic Gordonvale Sugar Mill that grinds up cane to produce raw sugar. They also drop in on Mitchell who has a small herd of Buffalo for making Mozzarella and then onto the organic Mungali Dairy. Close by is a tea plantation where Ben and Curtis learn the art of blending teas. The growers show Ben and Curtis how to swill the tea noisily round their mouths like vignerons tasting wine. Ben also talks perfect scones with the local CWA scone champion.
Episode 2
We open underwater on the magnificent Ningaloo Reef, Bender and Curtis swim with giant Manta Rays, colourful reef fish and giant snapper. Ben and Curtis get a lift with Burke Maslin, outback station owner, pilot and guide. They cross the Tropic of Capricorn, drive to Quobba Station on the coast, visit a salt mine, surf at a beautiful secluded beach, visit the local blow-holes, travel outback to the Maslin family's Mardathuna Station where Burke teaches Ben to fly, they round up cattle and rangeland goats on motorbikes, visit vegetable market gardeners in Carnarvon, go aboard a Prawn Trawler and end up at the Annual Rodeo where Ben acts as a clown and Curtis enters the Barrel Race on a borrowed horse.
Episode 3
Ben and Curtis are standing at the river crossing that divides Arnham Land from World Heritage Listed Kakadu and they are wondering how they're going to get across. Crocs cruise nearby. A Toyota 'troopie' comes splashing through and they have to jump to avoid getting wet. "This is how they meet Traditional Owner Natasha Nadji. Tash introduces them to the poems of her grandfather Bill Naidji, then to her father Jonathon Nadji, the Senior Traditional Owner, who then takes them fishing for Barramundi on the family's Billabong where they not only catch a feed, under the watchful eyes of the resident crocodiles, but Tash also takes the boys on a tour of the river with her boyfriend Derek. Jonathon explains the significance of ancient rock paintings at Ubirr and Trash takes them to her special dreaming place, Mushroom Rock. Then they meet the family and go hunting Magpie Geese for dinner. Ben and Curtis are not very good shots so the locals show them how it's done.
Episode 4
Fremantle is the main port on the West Coast of Australia. It also has a bustling fishing boat harbour. Just 20km due west is Rottnest island, holiday paradise. But the reason we visit is that, while working as a kitchen hand in the summer holidays prior to going to study to be a teacher, Ben decides that a career that allows him to surf all day and work at night sounds like paradise and changes his mind about his future. Outside Fremantle railway station they meet their lift, local boy and former Chicago Bulls basketballer Luke Longley. Luke's vehicle is nearby, his boat; built especially for a 7-foot tall owner. At the Fremantle Maritime museum Luke introduces his uncle, John Longley, who sailed on the winning America's Cup Yacht, Australia 2. Inside the museum we also see the influence of Italian and Greek migrants, then we meet their descendents, first generation Australians, like Jim Mendolia. Jim fishes for Sardines and takes the boys with him. We see as they encircle the fish like herding cattle or sheep. Back at Jim's Mother's home Rosa shows us how to make her traditional sardines with pasta. Luke takes them out to Rotto on his boat to visit the Rotto tearooms where his career began. They also go to Strickland Bay to surf. After a surf they snorkel with Luke for lobsters - the underwater world here has a myriad of tropical fish. It's dawn and time to go fishing for octopus. Luke transfers the boys onto Ross Camelleri's boat. Ross sails to where his pots lie waiting and Ben and Curtis pull and remove the octopi. Suckers. They finally end up at Little Creatures - a boutique brewery and café on the edge of the Fishing Boat Harbour. Here they learn that making beer is like cooking; with a recipe, quality ingredients, method, craft and art.
Episode 5
Mornington Peninsula is an hours drive east of Melbourne. It is bound on three sides by water and in addition to being the weekender destination for Melbournites, is also an agricultural and viticultural mecca. Ben and Curtis find themselves at Herronswood, an historic property that propagates ancient herbs and vegetables that have previously been thought to have become extinct. Taste-filled tomatoes, purple carrots, golden cauliflower and so on. The seeds are then sold worldwide. Here they meet the café chef, Gerard, who offers to take them surfing. Unbeknown to them, he means kite surfing!, which they have a go at and really fly. The area is so beautiful that Ben decides that he and Curtis should create a special picnic for Ben's fiancé Dee and daughter Ruby. They start by visiting a cherry orchard then decide then, after meeting John Mitchell at his Montalto vineyard, they decide to go Barracouta fishing Off Leo Point in traditional gaff-rigged Couta Boats. In the 1850's many Couta Boats plied these waters, but these boats needed to be part fishing vessel and part racing boat as the first boat back to town got the best prices. Nowadays, these boats are experiencing a resurgence and fleets sail in races most weekends. On their travels, Curtis notices a lavender farm and when he enquires, finds that they have culinary lavender which he picks for use later on plus a quick stop at the Red Hill Cheesery.
Episode 6
Albany is the southern-most city in Western Australia. Facing the Great Southern Ocean, its history and heritage is one of Whaling, but this ceased many years ago. Today it is a fishing port with ships that undertake 9000km round trips to near the Antarctic, and inland vast and lush plains produce wheat, grains, sheep and cattle and quality cool-climate wines. We also discover some of the history of Albany and how it almost came to be a French colony. Many place names today still bear French names. They visit a farmer, Charlie Hicks who explains about Rambouillet lamb, a French breed that is delicious to eat. They also visit Oranje Tractor winery. Here chickens and Peahens eat the bugs in the vineyard. At the winery they also grow many exotic fruits and vegetables like chocolate capsicum, tangerines and strawberry guavas - all delicious straight off the vine. They meet a local, Jo who, with her kids, eagerly tell the boys about the local surf. They end up at Salmon Holes and the surf is perfect. At the surfing spot they also meet the 'Granny Grommets', over 55 ladies who love a surf! Nearby they check out the Wind Farm that provides 70% of Albany's electricity. Ben and Curtis also dive on the dive wreck, HMAS Perth, which is teeming with fish. From here we go driving in the Porongorup Ranges nearby where we come across a working 16th Century Dutch windmill. Pleun, ex Dutch engineer, builder and owner, show Ben and Curtis helping to make flour, by wind-power. He then shows them his own special recipe for home made bread.
Episode 7
The Eyre Peninsula is West of Adelaide and begins at Whyalla, then south to Port Lincoln and West to Ceduna on the Nullarbor Plain. On the peninsula a lot of wheat and barley are grown and exported to all points of the globe. But the main harvest is south; in the great Southern Ocean that has generated extraordinary wealth for poor migrants migrated here and brought their fishing skills with them. Here we get a lift with a long distance truck-driver. He has been transporting wheat that means the boys get to stop off at a wheat silo and climb a wheat mountain. They then stop in at the pristine and picturesque Coffin Bay where they meet Lester who farms oysters, millions of them every year. Lester, seeing their surfboards, asks Ben and Curtis if they'd like to surf, Coffin Bay style? He then introduces the boys to a local who takes them sand boarding on the dunes near Coffin Bay. They then meet abalone diver Johnny who takes them diving for fresh wild abalone that are worth big, big dollars in Japan and China. Next they meet successful immigrant, Hagan, who has a large Tuna and Kingfish farming operation. Hagan explains how they round up the tuna hundreds of kilometres out at sea and then bring the catches back to the farms alive and swimming in giant floating cages to be fattened up for export. At sea level they also visit the kingfish spawning pens - see the kingfish being harvested, learn how the flesh is protected, and remains unstressed for the inscrutable Japanese market.
Episode 8
Ben and Curtis both stare blearily into the early morn as the fishing boat they are on travels past the Sydney Opera House, under the Harbour Bridge then on to Sydney's famous Fish Markets where the auction floor is abuzz with bids. To find some special ingredients for the wedding feast, Bender and Curtis head off into the heart Sydney's best kept secret, the Blue Mountains where they visit the Tizzana Vineyard and Olive Orchard which looks like a little bit of Italy transplanted, they also visit Bernard at Tomah Farm. Bernard has free-range chickens that wander all day long in the Walnut orchard and which are protected by a herd of Llamas that have a natural protection instinct. So much work, now it's time for a surf at the world famous Bondi Beach. In between Ben prepares for the wedding; buying the ring, trying on a suit, choosing a special gift for his bride. Ben and Dee get married at Strickland House with the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.