Category: Australia

Australia Up To Our Fly Out Point

The last time I had been through South Australia – which admittedly was more than 30 years ago – the road only travelled over very flat land, nary a hill was to be seen. Consequently for years after I tended to pooh pooh the idea of ‘The Adelaide Hills’, instead referring to the ‘Adelaide Undulations’. However, the fancy new road that we drove over this time took us through some very hilly country indeed. Steep valleys, high ridges and some stunning big trees. Very nice. Therefore I officially retract all the slinging off that I have previously done, yes, there are hills in Adelaide.

Despite the mad rush that we found ourselves committed to, we revelled in the glories of the stunning Nullabor. The tall crumbling cliffs that stand high above the foaming waves and azure seas of the Great Australian Bight are breathtaking. The strange plants that sprawl over the flat limestone landscape are gorgeous and unique. Botanical wonders that I have never seen before. And the best part is that we weren’t forced to share it with thousands of others like at the Twelve Apostles.

We saw our first WILD Land Mullet (a big stubby and scaly skink). We rescued him off the road. Groups of emus, mobs of roos, plenty of cute little jacky lizards (a small dragon) and a plethora of magpies and crows.

(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)

Then we reached the South West. The big trees and green grass was wonderful after the starkness of the Nullabor. Multiple species of colourful parrots were regularly seen, some of which we were not familiar with. We made a bee-line to Cheyney Beach, a place that I fell in love with all those long decades ago. It was just as beautiful as I remembered it, still relatively undeveloped and full of stunning banksias and other weird plants with alien forms. The grass trees were a silver colour with multiple short stubby flower spikes. Giant granite tors stood high on the hills and the beaches shone a brilliant white and extended for kilometres. Very very pretty, but quite windy and wet with a chill to the breeze.

(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)

Next we drove on to Walpole and the Valley of the Giants, which is a patch of enormous tingle trees in amongst the towering Karri forests. This place is awesome and the karri trees themselves were just peeling their stringy bark off and exposing the smooth flesh beneath, which shone a golden orange in the misty wet conditions. These forests are absolutely wonderful.

Then on to Perth to catch up on old friends. The next step is to fly out to South Africa. Tonight!!!

Further Australian Adventures

 

The trip down the Pacific Hwy was mostly unexceptional except for the signicant chance discovery of a National Motorcycle Museum.

Her Ladyship dropped me at its door in a tiny country town for 30 mins as she went off to browse some interesting little shops down the street. When I wandered in the front door I was almost overwhelmed by the seemingly endless collection of fabulous old bikes of all descriptions. They stretched off into the distance, crammed together in an enormous shed that had its walls draped in vintage motorcycle paraphenalia. Sheer heaven! Then I discovered another huge shed adjoining the first that was literally packed to the rafters with two wheeled gems of all ages. Then I discovered another shed! Oh my goodness gracious me! I managed to find examples of every bike I had ever owned (except my present Ducati), and even two old Hodaka Combat Wombats that my uncle Phil used to race back in the 1960s.

Needless to say, 30 mins was  not enough and Her Ladyship gracefully granted me another hour, after which I stumbled out dazed and euphoric with sensory overload.

 

(click to enlarge)

The torrential rain we drove through was also worth commenting on. Visibility was down to just a few car lengths at times.

Finally we reached the bottom of the East Coast as we rolled into Melbourne. We’d dodged the Snowy Mountains because it was raining so heavily there, but the city was sunny, although the traffic incredible. As we trickled slowly through the main drag Georgie spotted a Sketchers shoe shop. She leaped out as we dribbled along and I did a blockie, dodging one way streets, malls and busy pedestrian crossings. By the time I got back around the block she emerged clutching her prize.

We stayed with an old and dear friend of Georgie’s, Colleen Du Bois and her family, walking their dog on the beach at sunset and chatting into the night.

In the morning we did the Great Ocean Road and marvelled in its beauty and feasted on its roadside blackberries.

 

(click to enlarge)

The Twelve Apostles was gorgeous and impressive in its size and grandure, however sharing it with the thousands (not exaggerating) of other visitors from all around the world was an unexpected surprise. It is very popular indeed.

(click to enlarge)

 

Day 3

(click to enlarge)

Having spent quality time with family in southern Queensland we headed well away from the busy highways and threaded our way through the green hills behind the densely populated and busy Gold Coast and explored the stunningly beautiful Numingbah Valley.
We then crossed over the breath-taking Border Ranges and dropped down into the lush green valleys of northern NSW below. The narrow roads wound through delightful valleys and tiny quiet townships, shady and green in their steeply hidden pockets. This is the famed Rainbow Region of the 70s and 80s where the alternative lifestyles have now transformed into a more mainstream form of lifestyle. Gone are the wild bush hippies of yesteryear, with the notable exception of Nimbin. There the colour and bloodshot eyes still thrive.
We called in on an old mate who has a remote property, but unfortunately he was busily battling bureaucracy in town so we amused ourselves chatting to his lovely old dogs. This was theraputic for us because we had recently lost our own poor old dog.
Following scenic backroads we travelled through lovely countryside, avoiding the busy highways and traffic and eventually stopped in Grafton.
Tomorrow we head up into the magnificent Mann River valley.

A Real Treat Just South of Rocky

We were driving North of Marlborough with Her Ladyship at the wheel and me snoozing when Georgie sang out “Koala!” She dropped a U-ey and went back to where a bloke had his camera pointing up a tree. We leapt out armed with photographic equipment and lo and behold there was one of those grumpy little fellas slowly edging his way up a gum tree. It was first wild koala I’d seen since I was a nipper and the first Georgie had seen in Qld. Quite a treat indeed!                                                                  Photo: Rod           Tricky fiddly stuff: Mim