This beautiful tree is Colville's Glory Colvillea racemosa. It has similar foliage to jacarandas and poinciana, and it is simply divine. I spotted this one with another close by in the corner of the local bus depot.
I had to go a little further afield for my other tropical beauty: 'overseas', in fact. I should also mention that I seem to be a little jinxed on my outings to the coast lately. Despite our incredibly dry November and December, it rained on my visit to Ballina at Christmas and, ironically, to the so-called 'Sunshine' Coast the following fortnight. Ditto for my first visit to Macleay Island.
Macleay Island is located in Moreton Bay and is accessed via ferry from Redland Bay, about a 40 minute drive from the centre of Brisbane. The ferry takes about 15 minutes and calls in at some of the other picturesque bay islands en route.
I was a little early to meet up with friends for a picnic, so I had a brief reconnoitre and found this Rangoon Creeper Quisqualis indica clambering over a frangipani that was growing roadside.
This lovely creeper has hanging clusters of scented flowers that open white and age to pink and red with all the colours appearing at the same time like a Brunfelsia (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow). I have read that there is also a double variety, but I haven't been lucky enough to see that other than in photos.
