Australia Photos

[Roger]

In February, March and early April, Kay and I toured extensively in New Zealand and Australia. In 9 weeks, we traveled over 40,000 km and went through six different climatic zones. I have relatives in both countries but we spent most of the time on the go, not sitting in their living rooms (or lounges as they call them down under). This was truly the trip of a lifetime for us.

Some people have asked to see some of the 1500 photos I took during our travels. I enjoy sharing my pix and experiences so I have selected 42 New Zealand and 85 Australian photos to post.

Of course many of our experiences were not captured by the camera. Sometimes I didn’t happen to have the camera with me when something noteworthy came up. For example, in Dunedin we were just on our way to the supermarket when thousands of university students of both sexes marched down the street wearing bedsheets (and in some cases only bedsheets). This was part of the initiation activities of freshmen at the local university. Sometimes photos are impossible. For example, we rode a boat deep underground near Te Anau and in the pitch darkness marveled at the thousands of glow worms attached to the walls and roof of the cave. Sometimes my photo just didn’t come out. I tried to take a photo of a cassowary at the Melbourne zoo but the camera stupidly focused on the wire fence and not on the bird. Yet this is the strangest bird I have ever seen and it is said to be the world’s most dangerous. Fortunately for our safety, but unfortunately for my photos, we did not encounter any wild cassowaries in the rainforests of northern Queensland.

Looking at our photos, you may think we did the trip all by ourselves. In fact, more of our trip was done in the company of relatives than without them but for reasons of privacy, I will not post their photos.

In this thread I am posting the photos I took in Australia. See the separate thread for the New Zealand pix.

If any Kiwis or Aussies should read this, please don’t hesitate to let me know if I have a fact wrong. We experienced way too much in too short a time to absorb everything correctly.

Okay let's get going.

Here is a photo of the Australian flag:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3952a800.jpg

Now, you may have noticed that the Australian and New Zealand flags are much alike. Both have the union jack in the top left corner. Both depict the constellation known as the Southern Cross on the right hand side. But the NZ stars are red and white whereas the Australian stars are just white. Also, the Australian flag has more stars. The Aussies say the Kiwis just don't know how to count! :D Actually, when I looked in the night sky down there, I could only see four in the Southern Cross reliably.

Here is something else the camera (or at least my camera) cannot capture. We had two dinners served outside in the middle of the desert after dark. The cloudless night sky in the middle of one of the largest deserts on earth is something no one can ever forget. The stars are unbelievably brilliant. The Milky Way was a huge swath across the sky. The Clouds of Magellan were clearly visible.

[Roger]

The first place we visited was Canberra, the capital city. By pure chance, we happened to pass the Canadian embassy on our first walk around. So of course we just had to go in and sign the visitors' register!

Here is the embassy. It is always nice to find a bit of home in a far off land:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3942a800.jpg

[Roger]

I worked for the Canadian Library of Parliament for 27 years before I retired and Parliament House was the item at the top of my to do list in Canberra. We were lucky to have a personal guide in Canberra who could tailor our visit to suit our interests. She has a lot of influence in Parliament and took us through it. She even wangled a visit to the Library for me.

The Canadian Parliament is housed in a series of Victorian Gothic buildings. By contrast, the US Congress is neo classical in style. Well, the Australian Parliament is very modern. I loved it. I loved the freedom to wander around inside (a privilege long gone in Canada and the US due to tight security). The whole structure was open, bright and inviting. It even includes an outdoor patio for the public!

Here is Parliament House. Yes, that is grass growing on the roof!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3946a800.jpg

[Roger]

A lot of Aussies are not keen on their capital because it is a planned city. I loved it! It is a beautiful grand design and displays real pride. For the same reason I love Washington, DC. To me, Ottawa comes in a poor third.

Here is a shot of the US War memorial taken from the roof of Parliament House:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3949crop600.jpg

[Roger]

Here is the Australian War Memorial seen in the background and the old Parliament Building closer in the foreground. This photo was also taken from the roof of Parliament House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3950a800.jpg

[Roger]

Here is another shot from above, this time from the top of Mount Ainslie. Parliament House is in the background while the War Memorial is closer in the foreground:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3959a600.jpg

[Roger]

Here is a photo inside the House of Representatives. The seats are curved around, a clear break with the British Parliamentary tradition. This makes sense in a multi-party situation.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3978a600.jpg

[Roger]

Here is a shot taken inside the War Memorial. The Memorial is in fact a war museum. It is interesting that the emphasis is so different from the Canadian War Museum. The Australians like the Americans seem to glorify many aspects of war - the heroism, the love of country, the idealism, etc. The Canadian museum is much more ambivalent and tends to show the futility and hellish side of war as well. Hmmmm

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3994a800.jpg

[Roger]

The name of every fallen Australian serviceman and servicewoman is listed on the walls:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN3997a800.jpg

[Roger]

There is a terrible drought that has been going on now for many years in many parts of Australia. In both Melbourne and Brisbane for example, they put the plug in when they shower and save the water for putting on the garden. Watering the lawn or washing the car is not allowed. In some places the dams were down to 20% capacity.

Here is what drought does to formerly fertile farms. Farmers are desperate in trying to figure out how to keep their cattle alive or how to grow anything.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4003a800.jpg

[Roger]

At the Melbourne zoo we headed straight for the Australian section.

Here is a wombat:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4023a800.jpg

Here is an echidna:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4027a800.jpg

Here is a butterfly in the butterfly house:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4057a800.jpg

[Roger]

Most kangaroos are very laid back. Here Kay is feeding one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4067a800.jpg

[Roger]

Here is a shot in one direction taken from the top of the Rialto Building in Melbourne. I won't post too many city shots. If you haven't already guessed, we are more interested in the natural world.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4118a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is the flag of the Northern Territory. I had never seen it before so it is a good guess most of you haven't either.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4131a800.jpg

[Roger]

Alice Springs is right in the middle of Australia in the Northern Territory. This area is also known as the Red Centre (due to the colour of the soil). Alice grew in the early days as a relay station for the telegraph line that runs from Adelaide in the south to Darwin at the top end.

Here is a view from the top of Anzac Hill:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4133a800.jpg

[Roger]

The people of Alice are very very proud of their Royal Flying Doctor Service which provides doctors by plane to people scattered over an area the size of western Europe:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4135a800.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4141crop600.jpg

[Roger]

Alice Springs is a misnomer. This bit of water was thought to be a spring when first discovered in the 19th century. In fact, it is just a waterhole that is very slow to dry out. When our son in law was there a couple of years ago, it had no water in it at all:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4145a800.jpg

[Roger]

Just a few feet away I say this kanga with her joey in her pouch:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4149a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is the grave of John Flynn, the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. He is also on one of the Australian money notes but I can't remember which one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4155a800.jpg

[Roger]

This amused me "No swimming". Like all rivers in NT, there is no water in them most of the time:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4157a800.jpg

[Roger]

Simpson's Gap:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4158a800.jpg

[Roger]

There are many kinds of kangaroos and wallabies. There are even kangaroos that live in trees but we didn't see any. This is a rock wallaby. It lives in the steep rock faces of cliffs:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4164a800.jpg

[Roger]

Standley Chasm:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4173a600.jpg

[Roger]

This is the Todd river in Alice Springs. No water in it of course:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4179a800.jpg

[Roger]

Dingos are wild dogs that live in the outback. They did not originate with the white man when he arrived in Australia. They came over by land bridge to Australia eons ago. They do not domesticate well. The dingo in this pic is the exception. The people who ran a camel farm took in this fellah when he was a pup. He was injured and abandoned. They nursed him back to health and he didn't want to leave after that.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4182crop800.jpg

[Roger]

We travelled by bus from Alice Springs to Yulara.

Here is what most of the landscape looks like. It looks like the surface of Mars, don't you think?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4185a800.jpg


Here is a salt lake. No water in it of course:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4188a800.jpg


Here is the road through the desert. You can see why so many drivers fall asleep. There are road signs every so many miles warning you to stay awake.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4190a800.jpg

[Roger]

This was one of our first views of Ayers Rock (aka Uluru). We are looking over the top of part of our hotel. The Rock is 15 km away. So you can see it is BIG!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4194a800.jpg

[Roger]

The weather forecast was pretty much the same every day:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4196crop600.jpg

[Roger]

This is Ayers Rock at sunrise. The colour is real. We see the same phenomenon at the rocks in Sedona, Arizona, but this is much larger of course.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4216a800.jpg

[Roger]

We had an aboriginal guide who spoke to us through an interpreter and told us the many native myths and beliefs. Here he is showing us how to start a fire without matches or a magnifying glass:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4223a800.jpg

[Roger]

Here we are at the Olgas:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4234a800.jpg

[Roger]

Note this sign. It was over 40C in the shade and probably over 45C in the sun. We actually turned back on one walk as we felt we were getting dangerously hot. In spite of the sign, the guided walks are set up months in advance and paid for. So most go on in spite of the heat:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4235a800.jpg

[Roger]

Here are the Olgas at sunset. Again this really is the colour:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4248a800.jpg

[Roger]

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great natural wonders of the world. Here is a couple of shots of it (underwater of course)

I did enhance the colour in this case. By the way, when you see coral reefs on TV they always use special lights which are much brighter than the sun so you can see the colours. I couldn't do that so I worked a little Photoshop magic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4277a800.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4286a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is in northern Queensland on one arm of the Daintree River. We were looking for crocodiles and any other creatures we could find.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4314a800.jpg

[Roger]

We spotted one croc. The guides see the same ones every day. They call this one Scooter:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4317a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is a tree snake:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4319a800.jpg

[Roger]

Some people have to be told not to go near crocodiles. Our guide knew of one tourist who could not resist approaching a croc to get a good shot. Fine. He got his shot. But as soon as he turned his back to go back, the croc attacked. They managed to get the croc off him but he will spend the rest of his life without legs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4321a800.jpg

[Roger]

The main crop in northern Queensland is sugar cane. But I have seen so much cane before, I didn't bother to take any pictures. But I had not seen this growing before. Do you know what it is?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4322a800.jpg

Well, it is tea.

[Roger]

There is danger everywhere. You really don't want to encounter stingers in the ocean. Some will kill you in minutes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4331a800.jpg

[Troll]

Cool pics Roger.

[Roger]

Cassowaries are the third largest bird in the world and the most dangerous. They stand 4 to 5 feet at the head and have huge three toed feet (just like the dinosaurs). At the end of each toe is a sharp claw. Cassowaries can be irritable. They can disembowel you in a second with those claws. We did not see this fellow but I wasn't sorry about that:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4332crop800.jpg

[Roger]

We took a couple of days to relax on a resort on Dunk Island. This isn't too hard to take, eh?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4371a800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4370a800.jpg

[Roger]

We did climb Mount Kootaloo while on Dunk. There were a lot of butterflies there. Here is one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4382crop800.jpg

[Roger]

We saw bush turkeys all over in Queensland. Here is one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4411a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is a native group in Cairns:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4431crop800.jpg

[Roger]

There is a little zoo at Kuranda. Here is a koala:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4443a600.jpg


Kay swore she was not going to go back home until she had held a koala. Well, now we could go home:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4451a600.jpg

[Roger]

We rode up to and down from Kuranda by the skyrail, the longest cable ride in the world (7.5 km):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4459a800.jpg

[Roger]

These are bats known as flying foxes. They hang in the trees by the hundreds during the day in Cairns. At dusk they fill the skies. Unlike our bats they are very noisy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4463a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is Brisbane in southern Queensland:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4468a800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4573a800.jpg

[Roger]

We saw a lot of ibis too:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4496a800.jpg

[Roger]

The Gold Coast is an hour south of Brisbane. Here is Surfers Paradise:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4502a800.jpg

Here are surfers at Burleigh Heads:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4520crop800.jpg

[Roger]

We saw this billboard advertisement all over Queensland:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4507crop800.jpg


Ha ha ha ha ha

[Roger]

We think these are rainbow lorikeets seen in my cousin's back yard:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4547a800.jpg

[Roger]

Okay. Guess what this is:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4580a800.jpg

Here is his brother:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4582a800.jpg

[Roger]

These are emus seen at an emu farm:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4583a800.jpg

[Roger]

We spent a day at Jondaryan Woolshed where we watched a sheep being shorn. The shearer just turns the sheep upside down and it immediately becomes passive:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4597a600.jpg


Here is the sheep all shorn but she did not enjoy the experience!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4602a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is known as a road train. In the old days there were four or more being pulled and they travelled at no more than 18 miles per hour. Today they have to be shorter and they travel much faster. In more southern states they can pull no more than two:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4605a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is a goanna which we found in the wild on North Stradbroke Island. It was at least a metre long. My cousin said it was not dangerous if we did not go near it. We did not go near it!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4614a800.jpg

[Roger]

Here is a shot of Blue Lake Beach on North Stradbroke Island:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4615a800.jpg

Here is a surfer there:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4617crop800.jpg

[Roger]

Blue Mountains outside of Sydney.

Here is Kay living on the edge:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4708a800.jpg


This formation is known as the Three Sisters:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4715a800.jpg


The blue haze from which the mountains get their name is not humidity. It results from moisture given off by the eucalypt trees:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4719a800.jpg

[Roger]

Now we are in Sydney. Kay says everyone should see Sydney Harbour before they die. I have to agree. It is very pretty.

Here is one of those photos of us planted in front of something to prove we were there. In this case, it is the Opera House:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4644a800.jpg

Sydney Harbour Bridge:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4662a800.jpg


This is one of Sydney's suburbs on the water:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4665a800.jpg


Aboriginal street performers:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4675a800.jpg


The Opera House seen from our cruise. This is surely one of the architectural marvels of the world (at least from the outside)!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4680a800.jpg


Some tourists spend a lot of money to be able to climb the Bridge:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4696a800.jpg


This is the Opera House with the CBD behind it. CBD is a phrase they use to indicate Central Business District. In Canada we keep it simple and just call it the downtown.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4695a800.jpg

[Roger]

This is Sydney at night. Sorry about the blurring. I did not have a tripod:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4778a800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4775crop800.jpg

This is the end of the photos. We loved Australia and can't wait to go back and see the parts that we missed (Western Australia, Adelaide, Darwin, Tasmania)

[aFinn]

This was one of our first views of Ayers Rock (aka Uluru). We are looking over the top of part of our hotel. The Rock is 15 km away. So you can see it is BIG!What's the tent-like structure in there?

We took a couple of days to relax on a resort on Dunk Island. This isn't too hard to take, eh?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4371a800.jpgAaaaah, not bad at all :p


There is a little zoo at Kuranda. Here is a koala:
Kay swore she was not going to go back home until she had held a koala. Aaaawww. Is that an adult koala or a baby?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4580a800.jpgOstrich?


Here is a shot of Blue Lake Beach on North Stradbroke Island:Simply breathtaking scenery

Blue Mountains outside of Sydney.

Here is Kay living on the edge:Ouch, my fear of heights is getting the better of me :eek:

[Roger]

That tent like structure is part of the hotel. It provides shade over much of the semi outdoor areas. Believe me, the sun is brutal there.

That is a baby koala. Holding an adult is not a good idea. I don't think they take well to being held and they have long sharp claws. Even the babies cannot be held more than a certain number of times per day as it harms them psychologically. These babies were all taken in injured or abandoned (at least that is what we were told). Queensland is the only state that still allows you to hold a koala.

No, no, no! That bird is an emu. It is a cousin of the ostrich. But ostriches are in Africa.

[SevenUp!]

This formation is known as the Three Sisters:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4715a800.jpg

I have three sisters....they don't look anything like that. :p

Ayers Rock and the Olgas are absolutely gorgeous!!

We took a couple of days to relax on a resort on Dunk Island. This isn't too hard to take, eh?

Yeah, I could live there real easy!! :]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4371a800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4370a800.jpg

Absolutely gorgeous!!

There is a little zoo at Kuranda. Here is a koala:

Kay swore she was not going to go back home until she had held a koala. Well, now we could go home:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4451a600.jpg

Awww....he's so cuuuuutttteeee!!! :love:

Kay says everyone should see Sydney Harbour before they die. I have to agree. It is very pretty.

I think so too....that is certainly my plan. Until then I have you're awesome pictures and stories to enjoy!! :]

This is Sydney at night. Sorry about the blurring. I did not have a tripod:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4778a800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Ardern/Australia/DSCN4775crop800.jpg

This is the end of the photos. We loved Australia and can't wait to go back and see the parts that we missed (Western Australia, Adelaide, Darwin, Tasmania)

I can see why loved it....it's absolutely gorgeous!! Thank-you ever so much for posting all this for us Roger!! Stunning!! :D

[Troll]

More awesome pics.

[UllaCountryGal]

This was so great. Thanks for the pictures, they are beautiful... I have always wanted to go to Australia, maybe I will go one day

[randine]

Another bunch of awesome pictures. Thanks a lot for sharing!!

[Blue_Firefly]

Thanks for sharing your experience and photos with us! Those pictures are amazing and I'm totally jealous! :D

[ShaniaFreak2007]

Australia is Awesome ive lived here all my life but its too big too visit all of it i've been to Queensland, Sydney, victoria (where melbourne is located) and Darwin (which is located in the Northern Territory & where i'm moving too this september) ill be sure 2 take some photos of darwin for you guys when i get there :)