The cynics in our beautiful State reckon that WA stands for Wait Awhile. That progress travels at snails’ pace in the west.
Well, it might take a little longer to activate progressive projects, but we’re obviously ahead of the curve when it comes to dealing with COVID-19 – although, like so many others, I’d appreciate it if the Premier could see his way clear to open the borders.
When in lockdown and using up a little annual leave I had in reserve, it seemed the perfect opportunity to paint through the inside of the house. Apparently I wasn’t alone in making a bee-line for the local Bunnings store and paint supplies in Perth were a precious resource.
It was an arduous task shifting furniture, emptying cupboards, painting the room and then moving everything back again. I don’t mind if I have to wait for another pandemic to do it again.
Apparently the idea of using that period in quarantine productively took a little time to hit the Gold Coast. Perched, quite literally, outside my fourth floor window today were a couple of blokes, rollers and brushes in hand, sprucing up the Royal Pines Resort, ready for the inevitable wave of tourists when the Queensland borders re-open.
Without doubt, these guys had a tougher painting assignment than yours truly. As labour-intensive as it might have been to remove the crystal glasses, china plates and silver knick-knacks that have sat undisturbed for 15 years – and will now remain in their resting place for another decade or more – sitting in a harness on a ledge, 30 metres off the ground cannot be fun on any level.
This lovely resort, like most businesses that rely on tourism, was idle until the AFL initiated the idea of locating a hub here and housing the two WA clubs at the Royal Pines Resort. But they have started getting her ready for her core purpose.
Late in the afternoon, around the time the sun began its daily retreat behind the tree tops, came welcome news from the AFL that some restrictions had been lifted.
Players and staff can now have a hit of golf, tennis, go surfing or fishing – with another player, staff member or someone from the same family. Just in time for the players’ day off.
There might be worse places to be holed up, but when there are such stringent rules forbidding usual activities, it doesn’t make a lot of difference. We might as well be in Timbuktu, with all due respect to the locals in that African locality.
Now though, I’m off to see resort management. Those blokes in the high-vis polos and white hard hats need to get off that ledge and jump on a tractor or chainsaw. I need them to mow the rough, chop down a few trees and make the holes bigger.
It’s time to reveal one of the best slices in the game of golf to the Gold Coast locals. Finally, we can hit that picture-perfect course for which this place is famous.
