Our three‑week trip to Australia was certainly the longest of our ” Petula Adventures”, and one we likely would never have undertaken without the added incentive of seeing Petula perform. It wasn’t that Australia didn’t interest us; it was simply that the long flight felt daunting, especially as we got older. But how glad we were that we overcame that hesitation. Australia turned out to be magical for us.

As I mentioned in Part 1, the purpose of the trip was to celebrate my husband’s 70th birthday. On the actual day, we were leaving Port Macquarie and flying to Melbourne for a Petula performance the following evening. Port Macquarie Airport is a small one with few amenities—at least it was in 2014—and because my husband was always a very punctual guy, we arrived early for our flight. There were no direct flights to Melbourne, so we had a stopover in Sydney. Shortly before boarding the first flight, Petula arrived in the waiting area with her entourage. She was wearing large sunglasses and a baseball cap, which we took as a sign that she preferred to travel incognito, so we did not acknowledge her presence. However, once we were back home, my husband delighted in recounting the story that, on his 70th birthday, he got to fly with Petula Clark.

We had only a short stay in Melbourne, so we tried to pack in as much sightseeing as possible. We stayed at a lovely hotel, the Melbourne Westin. Melbourne struck us as a large, modern city. We began our city tour at Federation Square, wandered through the Botanic Gardens, and explored the famed Melbourne Laneways, meandering past shops and restaurants and stopping for a birthday treat at one of the many bakeries and coffee shops. We also managed a visit to Captain Cook’s Cottage in the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens.

But the evening performance at Hamer Hall is the part of our Melbourne stay that remains unforgettable to me. The venue is visually stunning, both outside and inside. Its curved, tiered seating—accommodating more than 2,500 patrons—gives the hall a majestic presence. As the theatre steadily filled on the night of Petula’s performance, the chatter grew animated and the excitement became palpable. An article by Mark Richardson in The Melbourne Review captured this atmosphere, quoting attendees who had travelled long distances or who had been lifelong fans, all eager for the evening to begin. Richardson also noted Petula’s characteristic graciousness:

 Arriving at the microphone in the centre of the stage; Petula’s pink sequined top glistened beneath the lights as she was greeted with a hearty and appreciative round of applause. After her third song. she returned her appreciation to her Melbourne fans explaining her admiration for Australia. “I have a deep love for Australia and although I’m almost at the end of my tour. I couldn’t wait to perform in Melbourne.”

Richardson’s description of his own reaction to seeing Petula perform echoed what we had experienced over and over again on three continents and in eight countries—the reaction was always the same: awe, delight, and the unmistakable sense of having witnessed something extraordinary:

I hadn’t seen Petula perform live, and although I had previously heard many of her songs played on radio and seen concert clips on YouTube. it wasn’t until she took to the piano to perform Gershwin’s. ‘Someone to Watch Over Me/The Man I Love did I stop thinking about her career and was completely swept away. I fell into Petula’s palm from that beautiful moment on.

Richardson’s description of his own reaction to seeing Petula perform echoed what we had experienced over and over again on three continents and in eight countries—the reaction was always the same: awe, delight, and the unmistakable sense of having witnessed something extraordinary… I hadn’t seen Petula perform live, and although I had previously heard many of her songs played on radio and seen concert clips on YouTube. it wasn’t until she took to the piano to perform Gershwin’s. ‘Someone to Watch Over Me/The Man I Love  did I stop thinking about her career and was completely swept away. I fell into Petula’s palm from that beautiful moment on.

After our stay in Melbourne, we were off to Sydney for a longer sojourn. We arrived at the Sydney Marriott before noon after a short flight. As we were checking in, the desk agent noticed our accents and asked if we had ever visited Sydney before. We told him we had not, but that we were looking forward to spending almost a week there. He smiled and said, “Well, I have a very special treat for you then—a room overlooking the Opera House is available right now. Would you be interested?” What a treat indeed. Every morning we opened our drapes to that exquisite sight, certainly part of the reason Sydney felt so special to us.

Petula’s performance at the State Theatre took place on the evening we arrived . The theatre itself was a striking contrast to Hamer Hall—far more historic, a true cinema palace filled with chandeliers and ornate decoration. The elegant entranceway required patrons to go either up or down the stairs depending on their seats; we descended to the Stalls, which felt wonderfully intimate, with the rows set very close to the stage. Petula, of course, never disappoints and by the end of the evening, the audience was on its feet, their standing ovation and sustained applause asking for more.

It’s hard to pinpoint which song—or combination of songs—sparks this reaction to Petula’s performances. I suspect that, beyond her charm and the personal anecdotes, it’s the sheer breadth of her repertoire, especially for those who know her only for the hits of the sixties. Her interpretation of lyrics is singular and heartfelt, and experiencing that song after song, distilled into a single evening, is utterly captivating. On this tour, the inclusion of her newer recordings, such as Cut Copy Me, revealed yet another layer—her ability to master contemporary music with the same authenticity and emotional depth.

Since our next concert was in Adelaide six days later, we had ample time to savour Sydney. Our hotel proved to be the perfect base from which to explore the city. We were within walking distance of so much—the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and the ferries to Manly, Taronga Zoo, and Darling Harbour—and we took full advantage, visiting all of them. We also wandered through the historic Rocks area several times, and even managed a day tour to the lovely Bondi Beach. Perhaps it was because we spent our longest stretch of time there, or perhaps it was the view of the Opera House from our hotel room, or perhaps it was simply Sydney itself—but the city left a particularly memorable impression on us.

Our last stop was Adelaide, in South Australia. Like the region where we lived in Canada, Adelaide is surrounded by wine country. During our visit, we took a day trip through the Barossa Valley and into the Adelaide Hills, with a stop in Hahndorf—an historic German settlement filled with traditional bakeries, restaurants, artisan shops, and galleries.
While in Adelaide, we stayed at the beautiful InterContinental Hotel, which overlooked the Adelaide Oval, an AFL stadium set amid expansive parklands and separated from the hotel by the Torrens River. The view was remarkably picturesque. One evening, the Adelaide team was playing, and we had the chance to watch enthusiastic “footie” fans pouring into the stadium.
We also visited the Adelaide Zoo—the only place on our trip where we actually got to see a koala.

The Adelaide concert was held at Her Majesty’s Theatre, a lovely venue reminiscent of many London West End theatres. It seated about a thousand people, and it appeared to be full that evening. The concert seemed to fly by, with Petula once again delivering a wonderful evening of entertainment. Even though this was our sixth concert on the trip, there was a bittersweetness to it, knowing it would be our last. Petula was continuing on to another performance in Perth, but after a few days in Adelaide, we would be beginning our journey home.

On this Australia tour there were no scheduled Meet and Greet occasions, but as we left Her Majesty’s Theatre we noticed a small group gathering by the stage door, so we wandered over. My husband joined the group of fans, and before long Petula appeared—gracious as ever—chatting warmly, posing for photos, and signing memorabilia.

I stood a little apart, when Grant Sturiale, Petula’s musical director, stood beside me to wait while she finished her signings. We struck up a conversation, and he picked up on my non‑Australian accent, asking where I was from. That opened the door to a lovely exchange about our various Petula adventures. My husband eventually joined us, and asked Mr. Sturiale to sign our Lost in You CD, which Petula had just autographed moments earlier. Eventually the gentleman who seemed to be her tour director appeared and gently ushered Petula and Mr. Sturiale away. And so my final image of our Australian concerts is of Petula and her small entourage walking quietly down the street—no security detail, no flashing lights-but, nonetheless a true legend , in the truest sense of the word.

As we began our long journey home, we were fully aware that we had just experienced what the cliché calls “a trip of a lifetime.” Fortunately, there were still more concerts and “Petula Adventures” ahead. Between 2014 and 2019, we logged many more miles and enjoyed many memorable performances, right up to our final ” Petula Adventure” in London in 2019, when we saw her onstage in Mary Poppins.

I have recently finished reading Petula’s autobiography, Is That You, Petula?—a book I highly recommend. It beautifully highlights the remarkable life she has lived. In it, Petula mentions that she would love to perform at least once more. I hope that wish comes true, and I pray that continued health and circumstance allow me the privilege of being in her audience once again.

But, I have learned how unpredictable life can be. In March of 2024 my husband and I read Petula’s facebook announcement of the passing of her husband, Claude Wolff,  and we discussed  how sad that must be for her. Little did we know that exactly one month later my husband would pass away too, after a very brief illness. 

In processing that sad loss, I am learning to be grateful for all of the joy that life bestowed on us. This Blog has been part of that process –focusing on two of the elements that brought so much joy to us , especially in our retirement years–travel and Petula Clark’s music! And so, as I bring this Blog  to a close, I do so with a full heart—thankful for the music, the miles, and the love that made the journeys so  unforgettable.