Most signals that the country had lost its most beloved figure were subtle: restaurants were emptier than usual, some advertising billboards had been turned off, and fewer street stalls had opened.
Situated at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, 28km from Cape Flattery, this pristine wilderness is interrupted only by the all-inclusive five-star Lizard Island Resort, an extraordinary outpost of high civilisation which, for around £800 per couple per night, offers a lodge bar, hilltop restaurant, subtle luxury villa, beach club and even a pillow menu for the discerning sleeper.
At other restaurants, subtle variations on the lobster roll abound.
GRAYZ The changes at Gray Kunz's restaurant are subtle in the dining rooms, more extensive in the kitchen, and large on the menu, which is now à la carte.
Sipping slowly is a welcome meditation at the end of a somewhat frenzied meal, and provides a chance to drink in the restaurant's subtle décor, marked by sleek blond and black wood, simple ceramic tableware, and a display of Yunnan jewelry that looks like it could be on loan from the Met.
Eventually, though, you begin to notice subtle differences among the restaurants.
While most restaurants are subtle in how they gather their information, some are aggressive.
These days the restaurant focuses on subtle reinventions of Southern staples.
Consumers are unlikely to connect thousands of subtles shift in their local restaurant fare to the ban, as they surely would of glazed donut holes suddenly vanished from the shelves of the city.
The flavors here, though, may be a bit more subtle than in many other restaurants, and the dessert tray, which includes a chance to sample a half-dozen sugary delicacies at one price, is also a standout.
