Aside from grabbing a grape-flavoured snow cone, I didn’t worry too much about the food or drink at tonight’s markets at Mindil Beach.
During the dry season, thousands of people head to the beach in Darwin for the Thursday (and Sunday) Mindil Beach Night Markets, where they grab some food, listen to some live music, enjoy conversation, and watch the sunset.
In fact, many people literally applaud when the sun sets into the ocean.
People in Western Australia take it for granted and gather similarly at places like Cottesloe Beach. But since most Australians live on/near the East Coast, it’s quite a remarkable thing to witness. Hence the applause.
Though the smell of the paela was tempting, the length of the queue wasn’t, and there were far too many people for my liking at the market anyway. So I headed straight to the shortest queue, grabbed my drink, and headed to the beach.
The main reason I was so keen to attend tonight was that I knew there was a low tide.
Watching the sun set into the ocean is wonderful at the best of times, but when it’s low tide, the mud flats are revealed.
While most people stay perched (with their takeaway food) on the higher, drier parts of the beach, I love nothing more than getting right out near the ocean, to enjoy the more isolated view, and to enjoy those mudflats. And to move slowly, back towards the beach, as the tide comes in.
Even though I have lost track of the number of times I’ve visited the markets (since the first time I visited Darwin in 1998) but the sunsets never disappoint, especially those at low tide. Highly recommended if you’re ever visiting Darwin. A wonderful experience.
I spent a lot of the day answering questions from friends, family and colleagues. You know how it is, though. You’re trying to do your job (Friday always has lots of deadlines I need to meet), and there’s a pop up message which you answer quickly, ignore, or promise yourself to get back to later in the day.
The questions, today, weren’t especially complex. They often didn’t involve a simple “hi, hello” greeting. No context was needed. They just simply asked, “so, what do you think?”
They all wanted to know what I thought of the new ABBA songs, released less than 24-hours ago “I don’t think I know yet. I think I need time to think, to write down my thoughts and feelings first”, I’ve told most of them.
And that’s mostly why I’m writing this blog post, to make some sense of it all.
I’ve actually appeared three times on different ABC Radio stations in the last 24-hours, since I’m considered a bit of an “ABBA Expert” amongst my colleagues. They’ve all asked similar questions. “What do you think of the songs. What do you think of the holograms they’re using, rather than their 70-something selves who are in the video clips and will appear in the stage show”, that kind of thing.
ABBA, now aged in their 70s, dressed up in outfits used to create the holograms in the video clip and in the forthcoming live showsAnd here are the holograms (or whatever they are). When I spoke on ABC Radio with Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, I told them someone had posted “They look like Star Trek meets Tomb Raider”. Wendy laughed so hard!!
Probably the hardest question I was asked was by Angela Catterns from ABC North Coast. Ange is a legendary Australian radio announcer, best known from her days at Triple J and ABC Radio Sydney. I first came to know her from her days as a reporter on the TV show, Simon Townsend’s Wonder World which I watched as a child, growing up here in Lismore. In an earlier life, Ange worked at the local commercial radio station here in Lismore, 2LM.
She’s semi-retired and living back here now, doing the Saturday Breakfast Show. We recorded an interview today which she’ll put on the radio tomorrow (Saturday).
Before we started recording, she told me a close friend of hers, a well known Australian composer, had said to her “their production is always perfect”. “Yes, it is”, I agreed, “but there’s always an imperfection too. A slight issue of pronunciation. A slightly quirky orchestral sound”, I added. “That’s what I really like. The imperfection, the honesty of it all”, I told her. This is far more evident the more deeply you go into their back catalogue, and further into their career.
Ange’s simple question, “why do you like ABBA?” required some deep thought, asking me to consider why so much of my life has revolved around this pop group. They’ve been at the centre of friendships I’ve made, the career decisions I’ve taken, the travel I’ve undertaken, as well as other artistic and cultural pursuits in my life.
On many occasions on this blog, and throughout my life, I’ve mentioned the film, “Muriel’s Wedding”. The film features Toni Collette as Muriel, the outsider who grew up in Porpoise Spit, looking for something “more” in her life. There’s a bit of Muriel in all of us, in some ways, even if you didn’t necessarily grow up like I did, in a NSW North Coast town which dreams of moving away and finding a more interesting life.
At one point in the movie, Muriel confides to her friend…
When I lived in Porpoise Spit, I used to sit in my room for hours and listen to ABBA songs. But since I’ve met you and moved to Sydney, I haven’t listened to one Abba song. That’s because my life is as good as an Abba song. It’s as good as Dancing Queen.
As a kid growing up in my own version of Porpoise Spit, ABBA represented something very exotic for me.
I mentioned that exoticness to Angela in the radio interview, adding that the music we connect with as children and teenagers stays with us throughout our lives. “I listen to a lot of other music too”, I told her, “But I keep coming back to ABBA. Their music was how I learned about life, through the emotional roller coaster of the lyrics of their deeply personal songs. On another level, there’s the connection between ABBA’s music and the many very happy (and sad) times in my life.
A number of friends (ABBA fans) have posted comments about how they literally cried when they heard/saw the new songs. I wasn’t that emotional myself, but there was still a deep connection.
As I watched the video for “I Still Have Faith In You”, I listened closely to Frida’s voice (she has always been my favourite), and the harmonies with Agnetha. Aged 76, Frida’s voice sounds a little older, a little more fragile, with a stronger accent than which is evident in her earlier recordings. Personally, I love that.
“You know how when you’re a teenager you can sometimes listen to the same song over and over again? Well, I’ve been doing that”, I told Angela.
“Don’t Shut Me Out” (with lead vocals by Agnetha) is a song you can listen to over and over again. It’s a smooth pop song, but every time you listen you hear something new. An instrument, a vocal, there’s lots to discover”.
So, the short answer to the question is, “I like the new songs very much, but I haven’t completely discovered everything there is to know about them yet”. Undoubtedly, there will be lots more to discover as I continue to sit in my room in Lismore listening to ABBA songs. I’m sure there’ll be a follow up blog post.
A few years ago I remember reading how women were so much better at multi-tasking than men. I’m never one for those men/women surveys, as they so often generalise when there’s often little gender difference. But today, I’ve come to realise it’s possibly true, and I’ve learned this the hard way.
Mid-morning I was chatting on the phone with a colleague, and at the same time was checking Twitter, and logging in to Linkedin. I’ve never been a huge fan of Linkedin, as I’ve usually associated it with people wanting me to give them jobs without any apparent experience in the media, and with young women from exotic locations looking for other kinds of experience. A few months ago, though I was convinced it was worth re-visiting, as you can often recruit with greater subtlety than you might otherwise find from taking a job ad out in the newspaper.
In the midst of multi-tasking, I realised very quickly that rather than “de-select” 803 people in my contact book who were “potential contacts”, I actually invited them all to be my contacts. Suddenly, I realised I was guilty of the same contact spamming that made me leave Linkedin in the first place!
Within a couple of hours, 50 people had accepted my invitation. By mid-afternoon, it was over 100. During a fairly serious meeting with a colleague, we both got the giggles, as another connection came through every 60-90 seconds, with alerts on my phone and on my browser.
Blip. “Who’s that?”, she asked me. “Oh, I worked with them in a regional station years ago”.
Blip. “Who’s that?”, she asked me. “Oh, someone I went to school with”.
Blip. “Who’s that?”, she asked “Actually, it’s a one-night stand from about 2005”.
Blip. “And who’s that?”, she asked. “Someone who led a food tour I went on a few years ago,”, told her.
In the hours since, my phone has continued to blip, alerting me to someone else from my past wanting to re-connect or just accepting my invitation. Often they’re people, like the food tour guy, who I’ve only ever sent an email to once.
And now, several hours later, I feel like I’m starting to “game” this, wondering how many of the 803 will accept my invitation. So far, the answer is “well over 100”.
In many ways I feel like a real idiot. I’ve always been quite “careful” around my social media interactions. With Facebook, I have a false identity, and will only connect with friends overseas. With Twitter, I recently changed my handle and went private, as I’ve dealt with a slightly crazy person from my professional past. On Instagram, I only follow Swedish pop stars. On Google+, I carefully use circles. But, as Mumford & Sons once sang in Little Lion Man…
I really fucked it up this time. Didn’t I, my dear?
When Bundaberg comes to mind, two iconic drinks immediately spring forth: Bundaberg Rum and Bundaberg Ginger Beer. While rum isn’t my cup of tea, I do savor a bottle of the famously named ginger beer every week.
Spending New Year’s Eve in Bundaberg was a delightful twist of fate. My nephew had been holidaying with family in Bundaberg, necessitating a six-hour round trip from Lismore to retrieve him.
“This definitely feels like Queensland,” one of our group mused over dinner last night. The heat, coupled with Queensland’s distinctive savannah landscape, creates an ambiance quite unlike anything back home in Northern NSW. Even the vehicles seem different up here, with a far greater prevalence of 4WDs. Despite dozing off for a fair portion of the journey, it was a refreshing change of pace.
Naturally, a visit to the factories producing these world-famous beverages is almost a rite of passage when in Bundaberg. However, when I sought travel advice from a Bundaberg local, he suggested the smaller Kalki Moon Distillery, named after the Bundaberg suburb, Kalkie.
During the hour-long guided tour, the distillery’s owner and founder shared that he had honed his craft as a Master Distiller at the much larger “bear,” the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, for over a decade. Since venturing out on his own, he has cultivated a boutique label producing vodka, gin, and rum. The distillery, he proudly informed us, has experienced remarkable growth since its inception in 2017.
Sniffing “pure alcohol” at the Kalki Moon Distillery at Bundaberg
His talk resonated deeply with the 30 or so people on the tour. He shared fascinating details about sourcing ingredients, the intricacies of distillation, and the creative process behind his diverse range of products – insights I was largely unaware of. It was evident that he poured his heart and soul into this “family and friends” project.
Barrels at the Kalki Moon Distillery at BundabergBottles at the Kalki Moon Distillery at Bundaberg
At a mere $15 (inclusive of two generous spirit tastings), the tour proved to be an exceptional and affordable way to while away a Saturday afternoon. Among the many highlights, the concept of blending locally-crafted gin with locally-produced ginger beer for a “Gin Gin Mule” truly struck a chord. “It’s not named after the nearby town of Gin Gin”, he clarified with a smile. Mental note for the future – this concoction is a winner.
Tastings at the Kalki Moon Distillery at Bundaberg
Sadly, we’re heading back to Lismore this morning, so a visit to the soft drink factory won’t be possible. But all in all, it’s been a fascinating 24 hours or so here in Bundy.
If you have seen the iconic Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, you know the moment. Bernadette, played with razor-sharp elegance by Terence Stamp, finally hits her breaking point and famously exclaims, “No more f***ing ABBA!”
It’s a hilarious, quintessential scene—the absurdity of three drag queens lip-syncing to Swedish pop royalty in the middle of the Outback.
But the true significance of that line? It was never about hating the music. It was about the exhaustion of the road, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the sheer irony of finding yourself performing “Mamma Mia” when you’d rather be doing literally anything else. It is a line delivered with love, even if it’s wrapped in a layer of glittery frustration.
I bring this up because, as many of you know, I have been a committed ABBA fan since long before it was “fashionable”—if it was ever truly fashionable to begin with! That devotion hasn’t waned over the years. https://thelimbshift.com/tag/abba/
However, looking at my current Facebook feed, I think I’m beginning to understand Bernadette’s sentiment. Sydney is currently absolutely buzzing with ABBA-related events, and frankly, there are so many happening over the next few months that I don’t think I can make them all!
To help keep track of everything, I’ve put together a list. Did I miss anything? Let me know!
August 2026
8 Aug: Mamma Mia Bottomless Brunch – Cardea, Barangaroo.
8 Aug: Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA – St Stephen’s Uniting Church.
8 Aug: Abbalanche – Canterbury Leagues Club.
9 Aug: Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA – St Stephen’s Uniting Church.
14 Aug: Club ABBA (50th Anniversary) – Palms on Oxford.
On most nights before I go to bed, I look at my calendar for the following day. Often I’ll add a few items to the “to do” list, and maybe tenatively organise a brief meeting or two to finalise or start something.
I’m not one for blocking out hour-long meetings and discussions. My view is that if you do your homework, and have a clear agenda, most meetings can be brief, and are sometimes just a formality. Nonetheless, I usually have one or two meetings – usually half an hour, sometimes an hour – scheduled in for most days.
I didn’t do that preparation last night, as I went to bed within minutes of arriving home from the pub.
So you can imagine my surprise as I checked my calendar on the way to work this morning when I discovered I had absolutely no meetings booked in at all. There were a few items on the “to do” list, but no actual meetings.
In contrast to the last few months which have been extraordinarily busy, it was nice to have a clean run. I managed to knock off everything on the “to do” list for today, and even managed to get ahead.
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Beautiful shot of the sunset James. 👍👍
Good to read that you are enjoying it up there.
Hard to take a bad picture here. Interestingly, a long-term friend (who I’ve known since university in the 1980s) is moving back to Darwin in October. It’s going to be quite a contrast.
The niaeve me in 2005 said to our public bus driver, I think I’ll know when we arrive at Mindel Markets but can you make sure please that we get off at the correct stop. He replied, don’t worry. You will know. Sure enough. Everyone left the bus at that stop.
The sunset was great, as was the hi energy techno didgeridoo music.
Hehehehee. Though I haven’t caught a bus yet, I still have a public transport card from my last visit. Will be interesting to see if there is still money on the card.
Beautiful shot of the sunset James. 👍👍
Good to read that you are enjoying it up there.
Hard to take a bad picture here. Interestingly, a long-term friend (who I’ve known since university in the 1980s) is moving back to Darwin in October. It’s going to be quite a contrast.
The niaeve me in 2005 said to our public bus driver, I think I’ll know when we arrive at Mindel Markets but can you make sure please that we get off at the correct stop. He replied, don’t worry. You will know. Sure enough. Everyone left the bus at that stop.
The sunset was great, as was the hi energy techno didgeridoo music.
Hehehehee. Though I haven’t caught a bus yet, I still have a public transport card from my last visit. Will be interesting to see if there is still money on the card.