Wow, that sounds wonderful Steve!!
Quite a few of us in Townsville Astronomy Group will be heading up north for the 2012 eclipse .... a few hours up the road
May be able to meet up with a few of yous IISpacers ..... should be great, though the weather is always going to be a big worry. Cairns general area gets a lot of rain
have to have a few alternate plans perhaps.... a couple of hours south of Cairns if weather looking dodgy.