3...2...1...BLAST OFF. The "Amazing Race" is GO!

We have woken to an absolutely stunning spring morning here in Heavenly Beverley. Just as well. A momentous event is taking place today, organised by the brilliant, imaginative and efficient staff at our Community Resource Centre.

Keeping kids amused during the school holidays is always a bit of the challenge. Especially if the weather has been a bit dodgy. How to prise them away from their electronic entertainment and out into the real world. I suppose we have Pokemon Go to thank for chiselling some children out into the Great Outdoors, but there are only so many hours they can stare at a small screen before their eyes go square.

How's this for an idea. An old fashioned treasure hunt based on the hit television series "The Amazing Race". Teams running around town to venues they may never have entered, receiving "roadblocks", challenges and then a clue for the next location. All on foot. A stroke of genius by our CRC for an awesome school holiday activity.

The only possible downer is the need for parental supervision for the teams of the younger participants. So far, this outcome is not evident. Groups have started streaming past the Gallery and everybody, including all the adults, have huge smiles all over their faces. So far, so good.

Fast forward a couple of hours and I think we have seen the last of the contestants. We have had wave after wave of excited parties coming into the Gallery, tearing open their "detour" envelopes, following the instructions and finding the five carefully chosen required items. Once their mission has been accomplished, they have been signed off, received a star, a handful of jellybeans and the next tantalising clue.

The parental supervision appreciated the jelly beans as much, if not more than their charges. As the East End Gallery was venue 12, blood sugar levels had dropped by the time the groups staggered in the doors. The kids loved the freebie jellybeans, but most of the adults just were in dire need of a boost and were exceedingly grateful.

 An "Amazing Race" it has been. I have a sneaking suspicion this may become an annual event. Congratulations to everyone who made this event possible. Roll on the next one.

And for those who couldn't attend "The Amazing Race", here are a few highlights -

Some of the Teams!

and the Challenges -

Find the blue peg (Shane Moad's "Happy Bower Bird")

How many bends in the spider's legs (Michael Sofoulis' "Magda the Redback)"

Bicycles anyone ...(Christine Davis' "Parlour Seat")

and one more. (Michael Sofoulis' "Bicycle Express")

What is the creature in the black and white photo (Colleen Sleer's "Little Frog" not her boys!)

How many beach paintings on the walls...1...2... (Mandy Evans' "Vasse Series")

3...4...( Shirley Gillis' "Footprints Left Behind Today" and Gracie Courtney's "Breaking Waves")

5...6... (Shirley Gillis' "Overlooking the Sand Track" and "Track Through the Sand Dunes")

and last but not least Len Zuks' "Antipodean Reward")!