tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33568046538225507562024-02-19T02:32:29.600-08:00Touring AustraliaAlwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-40032254967210633112010-07-29T21:11:00.000-07:002010-07-29T21:12:46.510-07:00Winter in Darwin - 2010<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">My dream of leaving winter behind and heading north to Darwin to beat the cold this year has certainly worked, even better than I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Australia is presently experiencing the two extremes with cold, wet and miserable weather in the south and extreme heat in the north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This pattern has been the way of it now for the past 6 to 8 weeks.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We have been surprised at the heat in the top-end considering it is the middle of winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>2010 has turned out to be the hottest July in Darwin for over thirty something years and the southern tourist have all been caught by this weather change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even the locals are expressing concern at the heat and are expecting the summer thunder storms to start rolling in any day now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Temperature have been sitting between 25C night time minimum to 37C maximum temperature but many nights it does not get that low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are feeling the extreme heat during the day and I guess the humidity is also playing a major role in this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Men are walking around at 10.00pm of an evening in shorts with no shirt on and cold showers are the order of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several people who spend the winter up here are turning around and heading south again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have never been a beer drinker unless I have been extremely hot but since coming to Darwin it has been buy it by the case and always have them in the fridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Beer is now my daily drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We are having trouble getting the caravan fridge cold enough to keep anything frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We rang the fridge man who told me that everyone is having the same problem especially with caravans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His only advice was to install a fan to cool the back of the fridge and get rid of the build up of heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Coba is really feeling the heat and yesterday we drove around Darwin in the air conditioned car for some relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of a morning I have been going out doing my bird photography and by lunchtime I am back at the caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By then all the birds (Except the swamp birds) have moved under shelter from the heat and they do not come out again until around 5.00pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is really noticeable in the caravan park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The brown honeyeaters are around in the morning and then disappear until late afternoon seeking shelter in the shade and saving energy.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The National Parks of Kakadu and Litchfield are also experiencing these conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The return of the crocodile to the north since they have become protected has stopped swimming in several places where people once swam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These man-eaters have returned with vengeance and are taking over all the waterholes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The beautiful swimming hole at Wangi Falls is just one of the swimming holes closed due to crocodiles.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Our plan was to spend four weeks in Darwin and then slowly return south via Queensland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are now leaving Darwin on Sunday and going to Katherine and on to Kununurra where hopefully it might be a bit cooler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will have to return to Darwin two weeks later to fly home for a week but we will leave the van in Katherine and drive up to catch the plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On our return we will pick up the caravan and head for Townsville to visit family. </span></p>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-87066651934094239542010-07-23T15:42:00.000-07:002010-07-23T16:04:16.953-07:00Corroboree Billabong Wetlands Cruise<div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Corroboree Billabong Wetlands Lunch Cruise would be the best value for money experience you could get in the Northern Territory and probably Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For $55.00 / person you get a three hour boat cruise on the Billabong with a salad and cold meat lunch provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Corroboree Billabong is 104 kilometres (75 minutes) from the centre of Darwin on the Arnhem Highway and is part of the Mary River Wetlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is teaming with birdlife and Crocodiles, both salt and fresh water varieties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The guides are also well experienced in the area and can pick out the wildlife even when camouflaged in with the background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our guide was Ian and he did an exceptionally good job in point out the different species.</span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEoe-qQTBPI/AAAAAAAAAZs/51Vryo_MQdk/s1600/Corrobee+Billabong+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497240357002478834" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEoe-qQTBPI/AAAAAAAAAZs/51Vryo_MQdk/s400/Corrobee+Billabong+1.jpg" /></a> Corroboree Billabong<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEoe-ePZr6I/AAAAAAAAAZk/xEyofIzj6Q4/s1600/Coreroboree+Billabong.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497240353777495970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEoe-ePZr6I/AAAAAAAAAZk/xEyofIzj6Q4/s400/Coreroboree+Billabong.jpg" /></a> Waterlilies on Corroboree Billabong<br /><br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Some of the salt water crocodiles were over four metres long and varied in size around the girth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The fresh water crocks were in the fresh water mangroves where they live to stay safe from their salt water cousins who will kill and eat them without hesitation.</span></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEodlRMGNgI/AAAAAAAAAZc/QUS2ac6oSrM/s1600/Large+Salty.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497238821265618434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEodlRMGNgI/AAAAAAAAAZc/QUS2ac6oSrM/s400/Large+Salty.jpg" /></span></a> Salt water Crocodile sun-baking at Corroboree Billabong<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEodlOppc9I/AAAAAAAAAZU/M669Vj2WpBY/s1600/Maneater+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497238820584256466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEodlOppc9I/AAAAAAAAAZU/M669Vj2WpBY/s400/Maneater+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg" /></a> This large Salt Water Crocodile sunbakes on the bank of the billabong probably after a good meal. It is estimated that this maneater is over four metres long.</div><div align="center"><div align="center"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Bird life was plentiful with White Bellied Sea Eagles, Jabiru, Brolgas, Herons (Four varieties) Ducks, Dotterels, Jacanas and Whistling Kites just to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Photography from the boat was great for the average photographer but was unsuitable for using my large lens because of the boat drift and movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still managed to get some great shots of the Jacanas which were the birds that I really wanted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Sadly I dipped out on the sea eagles due to the boat movement.</span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobVPguZiI/AAAAAAAAAZM/VpG76S0iA-s/s1600/Jabiru.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497236346914104866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobVPguZiI/AAAAAAAAAZM/VpG76S0iA-s/s400/Jabiru.jpg" /></a> Tempting Death. This adult male Jabiru in this depth of water is a potential meal for any hungry crocodile.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobUzlQJJI/AAAAAAAAAZE/mAk7JuggxQk/s1600/Jacana+Chick+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497236339416900754" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobUzlQJJI/AAAAAAAAAZE/mAk7JuggxQk/s400/Jacana+Chick+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg" /></a>A Comb Crested Jacana chick searches for insects on the lilly pads at Corroboree Billabong.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobUXnDxZI/AAAAAAAAAY8/Ki85Q0nl2Wc/s1600/Jacana+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497236331908285842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEobUXnDxZI/AAAAAAAAAY8/Ki85Q0nl2Wc/s400/Jacana+-+Corroboree+Billabong.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> A Comb Crested Jacana also called the Jesus Bird because at a distance it appears to be walking on the water. In fact it is walking on lilly pads or other plant life on, or just below the surface of the water. Its feet are larger than its body to allow it to do this.<br /></span><div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">If you are coming north to Darwin or Kakadu do not miss this cruise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One hour cruises are also available for $30.00 throughout the day but the lunch cruise is the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You will pay twice the price for a cruise at Yellow Waters in Kakadu and see the same things.</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-19519694747634206222010-07-20T05:27:00.000-07:002010-07-20T05:44:01.372-07:00The Bird with its own Shawl<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I wonder how many people know that the practice of wearing a shawl around the neck to keep warm was done thousands of years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bird that started using it is the Straw-necked Ibis.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Young Straw-necked Ibis have no feathers around their neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Instead they have a black leathery skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As they mature they get cold around this bare neck so they have developed the practice of growing their own Shawl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t believe me well look at the photos below.</span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWWiOsRueI/AAAAAAAAAY0/vzxktF62YBQ/s1600/Straw-necked+Ibis+-+Darwin+Botanic+Gardens.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495964435079084514" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWWiOsRueI/AAAAAAAAAY0/vzxktF62YBQ/s400/Straw-necked+Ibis+-+Darwin+Botanic+Gardens.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>The Straw-necked Ibis with its shawl or is it a necktie.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWWhpsN16I/AAAAAAAAAYs/V1RAX1ijDUs/s1600/Straw+Necked+Ibis+-+Darwin+Botanic+Gardens.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495964425146718114" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWWhpsN16I/AAAAAAAAAYs/V1RAX1ijDUs/s400/Straw+Necked+Ibis+-+Darwin+Botanic+Gardens.jpg" /></a>Notice how the shawl hangs from the back of the neck.<br /><br />How many times have you seen a Straw-necked Ibis and never knew that it wore a shawl.</p>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-12708742195160751382010-07-20T04:33:00.000-07:002010-07-20T04:44:17.884-07:00Owls of the Darwin Botanic Gardens<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWLR-kkWII/AAAAAAAAAYk/zMo4n36ExkE/s1600/5822+Portrait+of+an+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 371px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495952061245970562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWLR-kkWII/AAAAAAAAAYk/zMo4n36ExkE/s400/5822+Portrait+of+an+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens.jpg" /></a> Portrait of an Owl.<br /><div align="center"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Darwin Botanic Gardens are known for their Owls especially for the Rufous Owl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This Owl lives on Possums and Gliders as its main food source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The other owls in the gardens are Barking Owls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My trip to the gardens was most successfully being able to photograph one Rufous Owl and two Barking Owls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Arriving at the gardens I came across Andy and Trisha Pavone from Hervey Bay who were obviously bird watches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They turned out to be members of the Hervey Bay bird club back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were also searching for owls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We swapped phone numbers and agreed to ring if we found one.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I made the first strike finding the Barking Owls and contacted them and all of us enjoyed the find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An hour later I received a phone call and they had located the Rufous Owl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Working as two teams really paid off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWKI2FgLmI/AAAAAAAAAYc/x_co37gBeEE/s1600/Rufous+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens+by+Alwyn+Simple.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 396px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495950804837740130" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWKI2FgLmI/AAAAAAAAAYc/x_co37gBeEE/s400/Rufous+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens+by+Alwyn+Simple.jpg" /></a> Rufoud Owl.</div><div align="center">(Reminds me of one of my old school teachers.)<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWKIeDXIfI/AAAAAAAAAYU/3aiiOCmxoTQ/s1600/Barking+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens+by+Alwyn+Simple.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495950798386307570" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEWKIeDXIfI/AAAAAAAAAYU/3aiiOCmxoTQ/s400/Barking+Owl+-+Darwin+Botanical+Gardens+by+Alwyn+Simple.jpg" /></a> Barking Owl</div><div align="center">(Just about to ask me what I am doing down there)<br /><br /></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-86756433211798905112010-07-20T03:32:00.000-07:002010-07-20T03:55:21.245-07:00Kakadu<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">From Pine Creek we left the Stuart Highway and headed towards Jabiru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The last time we were here was in 1988 and this was a dirt road in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were to find that all the roads to the major attractions are bitumen sealed these days, a bit different to twenty-two years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our destination was Malabanjbandju Campsite, which showed on the map as a caravan camping site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was also a site recommended by a fellow traveller we had met in Pine Creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Kakadu now has a $25.00 entry permit fee that lasts for 14 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Trouble is it is still $25.00 for one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On top of this you still have to pay camping fees and for any trips that you do in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In Pine Creek we were given entry tickets that were still current for three more days by people who were finished with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These entry tickets are not transferable so we should not have been using them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had no problems in using these tickets but Coba on the other hand had a real problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was at the stage where I was ready to buy new ticket for us just to make her happy and put her in a better frame of mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She made me pay for not purchasing our own tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At school she was known as Saint Coba because she would never do anything wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Fifty years later she’s has not changed and I guess I haven’t either. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">We made our campsite by 11.00 am and set up the caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After lunch we explored Jabiru and then travelled to Ubirr Rock art site and the Border Store on the East Alligator River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This Aboriginal Art Gallery has been greatly changed since our last visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is now all set tracks and barriers to keep people away from the rock paintings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Back at the caravan I went for a walk with the camera and managed to photograph a Jabiru and some Cotton Pigmy Geese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The humidity was high and this made conditions unpleasant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We tried to sit outside the caravan but the mosquitoes carried us away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So it was back into the van and open everything possible that had screens on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That night I was pleasantly surprised to hear the ghost like call of the Bush Curlew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I cannot recall hearing it since my childhood days in Mackay when we lived in Archibald Street and these birds were a nightly visitor or probably better described as a local resident.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">By next morning conditions had improved and I found myself under a sheet and thin blanket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We made an early start that morning leaving the van and heading for Nourlangie Rock Art Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To me this is the best Aboriginal art gallery in Kakadu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The large shelter cave is also worth the visit if you are in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV_dCu5tFI/AAAAAAAAAYM/g16oTjsJBWg/s1600/Rock+Art.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495939057202082898" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV_dCu5tFI/AAAAAAAAAYM/g16oTjsJBWg/s400/Rock+Art.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>Aborignal Rock Art - Nourlangie Rock</p><p align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Leaving Nourlangie Rock we set off for Jim Jim Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is still one of the remaining dirt roads in Kakadu and it is approximately sixty fivekilimetres from the main road to the falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The last nine kilometres is a two wheel track with creek crossings and mud patches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has been made worse by the NT Parks Service installing either large speed humps or diversion humps across the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These are continuous for the full nine kilometres of four wheel drive dirt track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Passing other vehicles on this track is also an experience as it is often a tight squeeze to get one of the vehicles off the track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We finally arrived at Jim Jim Falls to find the carpark resembling a major shopping centre car park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was so bad we were not able to get a park in the main parking area and had to return to an overflow parking area a bit down the track.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">The signage at the start of the track to the falls said it was a one kilometre walk along the creek to the falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It also recommended allowing two hours for the return trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Coba opted to stay at the car but after getting this close I was going the rest of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The walking track to the falls was more rugged than I thought it would be with a lot of bolder hopping along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jim Jim turned out to be two very small streams of water going over the falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Having achieved my objective and taken some photos, I set off back to the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The creek itself was very beautiful and a crocodile trap and warning signs were sufficient deterrent to stop people swimming here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I arrived back at the start of the track in just under the hour.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV9PDTX4_I/AAAAAAAAAX8/2GxWGr46SIA/s1600/Jim+Jim+Creek.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495936617813631986" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV9PDTX4_I/AAAAAAAAAX8/2GxWGr46SIA/s400/Jim+Jim+Creek.jpg" /></a> Jim Jim Creek below the falls.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV9OYl-DMI/AAAAAAAAAX0/ytisjuN0jo8/s1600/Jim+Jim+Falls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495936606348905666" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV9OYl-DMI/AAAAAAAAAX0/ytisjuN0jo8/s400/Jim+Jim+Falls.jpg" /></a> Jim Jim Falls - Kakadu<br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">From there it was on to Yellow Waters where it was time to photograph some of the local birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The glossy Ibis were used to people and allowed me to get real close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Mask Lapwings were different to the ones I had seen elsewhere and lacked the black shawl markings that normally come down from the back of the neck in front of the wings to the breast area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also photographed my first Pied Herron here as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV8ddOQqBI/AAAAAAAAAXs/8lapVEdOQHQ/s1600/Mask+Lapwing+-+(Nominate+Race)+Yellow+Waters+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495935765778049042" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV8ddOQqBI/AAAAAAAAAXs/8lapVEdOQHQ/s400/Mask+Lapwing+-+(Nominate+Race)+Yellow+Waters+NT.jpg" /></a> Northern Mask Lapwing - Yellow Waters<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV8cyIHh7I/AAAAAAAAAXk/kluOCSSFyl8/s1600/Pacific+Heron+(White+Necked+Heron)+-+Yellow+Waters+-+Kakadu.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495935754209560498" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV8cyIHh7I/AAAAAAAAAXk/kluOCSSFyl8/s400/Pacific+Heron+(White+Necked+Heron)+-+Yellow+Waters+-+Kakadu.jpg" /></a> Pied Hern - Yellow Waters<br /><div align="center"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Back at the caravan we enjoyed the late afternoon breeze until the nightly raid by the local mosquitoes swarmed in like fighter jets from the swam area behind the van.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At this point it was time to retreat and allow them to their environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At night we could hear them buzzing on the screen of the open windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This went on all night and thankfully the screens held the enemy was kept at bay.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Next morning we hooked up the van and headed for Darwin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stopped along the way at the Mamulala Wetlands bird hide around 25 kilometres west of the township of Jabiru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I managed to get a couple of good shots of masked finches here along with ordinary shots of Long Tail, Crimson and Double Bar Finches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stopped for lunch at Bark Hut and then continued on to the caravan park at Berry Springs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV77GEdEHI/AAAAAAAAAXc/1FtefzUD9B0/s1600/Masked+Finch+-+Darwin+Area.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 276px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495935175447351410" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TEV77GEdEHI/AAAAAAAAAXc/1FtefzUD9B0/s400/Masked+Finch+-+Darwin+Area.jpg" /></a> Masked Finch - Mamulala Wetlands<br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-54909549698500915532010-07-06T14:54:00.000-07:002010-07-06T15:03:49.601-07:00Pine Creek<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Pine creek is the home of the Hooded Parrot so a two day stopover here was on the agenda just to find this parrot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has a very small range and is one of the rare birds of Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Local help was not much good in pinpointing the area the birds frequented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I did however get given a location by a fellow bird photographer while I was in Mataranka which yielded success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These parrots seem to travel in small flocks of two to six birds but when they feed the flock increases to around 50 birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I counted 44 birds in the flock that I managed to come upon feeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is probably like a family group going to a restaurant in human terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also noticed a lack in the number of mature male birds in the flocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I found a group of around twenty birds on the second morning and there were no mature males in this group at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I later spoke to a local he agreed that there appeared to be one mature mail parrot for every ten parrots in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The majority of the parrots in the area were female or Juvenile birds.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOnBqxVpGI/AAAAAAAAAXU/Ms1e3rHsXL8/s1600/0421_4499+Hooded+Parrot+-+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 363px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490916017797702754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOnBqxVpGI/AAAAAAAAAXU/Ms1e3rHsXL8/s400/0421_4499+Hooded+Parrot+-+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>Hooded Parrot</p><p align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >I also managed to photograph the Northern Rosella, The bar Breasted Honeyeater<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and the Red Browed Pardalote while I was here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOm5MGUgII/AAAAAAAAAXM/nTzJ01vIqZM/s1600/0412_4702+Nothern+Rosella+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 331px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490915872125255810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOm5MGUgII/AAAAAAAAAXM/nTzJ01vIqZM/s400/0412_4702+Nothern+Rosella+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOm4qcl8_I/AAAAAAAAAXE/R3nz69SnUGw/s1600/0527_4797+Red+Browed+Pardalote+_+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg">Nothern Rosella<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490915863091868658" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOm4qcl8_I/AAAAAAAAAXE/R3nz69SnUGw/s400/0527_4797+Red+Browed+Pardalote+_+Pine+Creek+NT.jpg" /></a> Red Browed Pardalote<br /></p><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >Except for the birds, Pine creek does not have much to offer the tourist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is still an operating gold mine in the area and a mining museum and a Railway museum<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>which displays the old steam train used in the film, “We of the Never Never”<o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmm-E6jRI/AAAAAAAAAW8/6ux3z3h0uqg/s1600/train.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490915559123619090" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmm-E6jRI/AAAAAAAAAW8/6ux3z3h0uqg/s400/train.jpg" /></a> We of the Never Never train<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >Umbrawarra Gorge, south west of the settlement is worth a visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This gorge retains several waterholes in the dry season but at present it is still running due to recent rains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is also a Mecca for wildlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bright orange gravellier trees were right through the gorge and providing a food source for the honeyeaters in the area. <o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmdNYp5JI/AAAAAAAAAW0/EfH7hVeJZ5g/s1600/gorge.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490915391434253458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmdNYp5JI/AAAAAAAAAW0/EfH7hVeJZ5g/s400/gorge.jpg" /></a> Umbrawarra Gorge<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmcq0u-bI/AAAAAAAAAWs/JzVI0hQ1UaM/s1600/Gorge+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490915382156786098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOmcq0u-bI/AAAAAAAAAWs/JzVI0hQ1UaM/s400/Gorge+1.jpg" /></a> Umbrawarra Gorge</div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-82564533129106042382010-07-06T14:28:00.000-07:002010-07-06T14:39:31.995-07:00Edith Falls 2nd & 3rd July 2010<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Turning off the main highway into Edith Falls we were greeted by a sign saying that the campgrounds were full and to ring and confirm a booking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Next G phone would not work in this area so unless people had a satellite phone nothing else would work either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The heavy load on the campgrounds was due to school holidays in the NT and some other states.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">We continued on and as we approached Edith Falls, the air was filled with smoke where National Parks had been burning off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On arrival we were able to get a site for our van.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We booked in for one night but soon decided on staying another night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Edith Falls is a great place and the campgrounds is run by National Parks and costs $9.00 / person / night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has flush toilets, hot showers, drinking water and good campsites but no power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unlike Katherine Gorge, all areas are accessible provided that people are prepared to walk and one does not have to pay for boat trips to see the attractions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It consists of three waterfalls with good swimming pools at the base of each waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Edith River is also a great walk especially above the top falls to Springwater waterhole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">The 1.2 kilometre track to the top falls is a good climb and is rather rugged and rocky in some parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The 1.6 kilometre track to the top falls on the opposite side of the creek is even more rugged and care needs to be taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Jatbula Trail finishes at Edith Falls and I took the opportunity to re-walk a section of it the first day we were here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The second day I did the circuit walk to the top pools and had a swim at the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am amazed at how well my knees have performed on these rugged tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No problems at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To think that twelve months ago I would not have been able to walk them without severe pain that would have last for several days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgkjdLjWI/AAAAAAAAAWE/FR6JcBz3w7U/s1600/Edith+River+below+the+Waterfalls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490908920548134242" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgkjdLjWI/AAAAAAAAAWE/FR6JcBz3w7U/s400/Edith+River+below+the+Waterfalls.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>TheEdith River below the Waterfalls<br /></p><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgkKOUWTI/AAAAAAAAAV8/1ZJ5-rYeNGw/s1600/Edith+River+below+the+Waterfalls+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490908913774909746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgkKOUWTI/AAAAAAAAAV8/1ZJ5-rYeNGw/s400/Edith+River+below+the+Waterfalls+NT.jpg" /></a> The Edith River below the Waterfalls<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgj3e0TII/AAAAAAAAAV0/_Ac-hracFw8/s1600/Looking+down+from+above+the+middle+Falls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490908908743838850" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgj3e0TII/AAAAAAAAAV0/_Ac-hracFw8/s400/Looking+down+from+above+the+middle+Falls.jpg" /></a> Looking down on the middle pool from above the second waterfall<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgjUdXxJI/AAAAAAAAAVs/jSmw19Zj2EI/s1600/The+upper+falls+at+Edith+Falls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490908899342533778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgjUdXxJI/AAAAAAAAAVs/jSmw19Zj2EI/s400/The+upper+falls+at+Edith+Falls.jpg" /></a> The top waterfall and pool.<br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">The Temperature here at present is rather warm for Mid Winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Saturday night (3/7/2010) at 9.00pm the temp was 32C and Saturday morning at 5.00 am it was 21C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That evening was cooler at 28C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had the caravan fully open to catch any breeze but we need the screens for the mosquitoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">There is a reported area 15 kilometres back along the road where Gouldian Finches are supposed to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I went there at 6.30 am on Saturday morning for a couple of hours and found nothing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>The campgrounds are full of Great Bowerbirds with some Red-wing parrots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have found the bird life to be very poor around here. Tomorrow we head north again with a stop at Pine Creek to look for the Hooded Parrot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgKvPIEZI/AAAAAAAAAVk/qiPE74OfRTY/s1600/0759_4162+Great+Bowerbird+-+Edith+Falls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 372px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490908477033812370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TDOgKvPIEZI/AAAAAAAAAVk/qiPE74OfRTY/s400/0759_4162+Great+Bowerbird+-+Edith+Falls.jpg" /></a> The Bowerbird in its Bower at Edith Falls<br /><div></div></div><br /></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-84806076228190948752010-07-02T05:38:00.000-07:002010-07-02T05:59:31.858-07:00Mataranka and Katherine<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Our arrival in Mataranka was timely as our provisions had run right down and we were badly in need of new supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our first stop was the local store and the prices reflected the isolation of the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">We had decided on staying in a caravan park and we definitely needed one the first night as were both longing for a nice shower, bathing in a bucket of water in the caravan is only good for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We selected the Homestead at Mataranka Springs and booked in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My first action was to soak it up in the thermal Rainbow Pool and although it was slightly warm, it was not hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Although the pool was a definite plus the caravan park turned out to be a bad choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were four bus loads of high school students camping there for two days and the caravan park was full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The students soon found that the laundry was a great meeting place and the laundry was right opposite our van.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The septic system could not handle the load and raw sewerage was running down the roads in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stayed two days and then moved into another park in Mataranka for a night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The highlight of Mataranka for me was finding and photographing the rare and endangered Red Goshawk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The second caravan Park Manager told me where it was nesting and I managed to find both the birds and the nest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489291561738787634" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3hl4X9WzI/AAAAAAAAAU0/c9FgFrlcils/s400/Red+Goshawk+-+Curtain+Springs+-+Mataranka.jpg" /> <p align="center">The Rare and Endangered Red Goshawk </p><p align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >The other thing Mataranka is known for is its Thermal Pools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are two main pools, Rainbow Pool at Mataranka Homestead and the spring and pool at Bitter Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are several others in the area but these are the two main tourist pools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At Bitter springs, people float down the narrow creek in a slow drift with the flow of water from the spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The creek is deep and I could not touch the bottom although there are some logs to stand on at times.<o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ghD9y1rI/AAAAAAAAAUs/b_PeDyIrlcY/s1600/Bitter+springs,+Floating+down+the+creek.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489290379439298226" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ghD9y1rI/AAAAAAAAAUs/b_PeDyIrlcY/s400/Bitter+springs,+Floating+down+the+creek.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>Drifting down the creek at Bitter Springs <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ggnfNAEI/AAAAAAAAAUk/NU46sC20_OM/s1600/The+swimming+hole+at+Bitter+Springs.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489290371794796610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ggnfNAEI/AAAAAAAAAUk/NU46sC20_OM/s400/The+swimming+hole+at+Bitter+Springs.jpg" /></a> The Pool at Bitter Springs<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsolEH3f_6pil3dzS07uKMgU2LjvwDho_PSvWHsxXkyKbySnjucXNi4TinZQiUg4TqlIhmN6KbaDvUqGhPwDhwqJZ4RWbB1OoWFEqfoCtXRLOEIhVpUfZBxodxdytwfYooW4E_h1p7vQ/s1600/Rainbow+Pool+-+Mataranka+hotsprings+Early+Morning.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489290368922313730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsolEH3f_6pil3dzS07uKMgU2LjvwDho_PSvWHsxXkyKbySnjucXNi4TinZQiUg4TqlIhmN6KbaDvUqGhPwDhwqJZ4RWbB1OoWFEqfoCtXRLOEIhVpUfZBxodxdytwfYooW4E_h1p7vQ/s400/Rainbow+Pool+-+Mataranka+hotsprings+Early+Morning.jpg" /></a> Rainbow Pool at Mataranka Springs<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4ahk7TZJwU_dF38frT_NAU7RpaJXtIEMsZ0ihTI-xbWNTdrUOjrFZ9kB6nvcprRqX6bj0dsD0HGP1Mo-s4jLDmD-vSs0XwNeKnqEa0d902iOWgdwT76hCG-N69Zfa_jBkJ2eXQ8ORok/s1600/Rainbow+Pool+-+Mataranka+hotsprings.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489290354465908306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4ahk7TZJwU_dF38frT_NAU7RpaJXtIEMsZ0ihTI-xbWNTdrUOjrFZ9kB6nvcprRqX6bj0dsD0HGP1Mo-s4jLDmD-vSs0XwNeKnqEa0d902iOWgdwT76hCG-N69Zfa_jBkJ2eXQ8ORok/s400/Rainbow+Pool+-+Mataranka+hotsprings.jpg" /></a> Rainbow Pool at Mataranka Springs<br /><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >It was 105 kilometres from Mataranka to Katherine and this took us around one and a half hours with a stop for coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Katherine is the home of the famous Katherine Gorge which is a money making machine for the NT Government from the tourist industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have done the gorge trip several times before and walked the track along the top of the gorge and also the five day Jatbula Trail, a 58 kilometre walk from Katherine Gorge to Edith Falls along the escarpment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is a great ,easy and beautiful walk with campsite at waterfalls or pools each night and plenty of time for swimming after you arrive.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >So for us, Katherine was a place for more supplies, gas, fuel, a new phone and some bird photography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We went to the gorge and I managed to get some great photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These are also on my Flickr Site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3edxyDl9I/AAAAAAAAAUM/TYwbJzfVYcE/s1600/0031_3829+Radjah+Shelduck+-+Katherine+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489288123995363282" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3edxyDl9I/AAAAAAAAAUM/TYwbJzfVYcE/s400/0031_3829+Radjah+Shelduck+-+Katherine+NT.jpg" /></a> Radjah Shelduck - Katherine<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3edVRgTkI/AAAAAAAAAUE/XbMNSk1ZHvg/s1600/0616_3907+White+Throated+Honeyeater+-+Kathrine+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489288116342640194" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3edVRgTkI/AAAAAAAAAUE/XbMNSk1ZHvg/s400/0616_3907+White+Throated+Honeyeater+-+Kathrine+NT.jpg" /></a>White Throated Honeyeater - Katherine<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ec-y-05I/AAAAAAAAAT8/HNGXJFNnWaQ/s1600/0620_3924+Brown+Honeyeater+-+Katherine+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 319px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489288110309036946" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ec-y-05I/AAAAAAAAAT8/HNGXJFNnWaQ/s400/0620_3924+Brown+Honeyeater+-+Katherine+NT.jpg" /></a>Brown Honeyeater - Katherine<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ecoSlrOI/AAAAAAAAAT0/ZVwnM9CA86o/s1600/0703_3912+Leaden+Flycatcher+-+Katherine+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 372px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489288104267590882" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TC3ecoSlrOI/AAAAAAAAAT0/ZVwnM9CA86o/s400/0703_3912+Leaden+Flycatcher+-+Katherine+NT.jpg" /></a> Leaden Flycatcher - Katherine<br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:'Arial','sans-serif';" >Tomorrow, (Saturday 3 /7/2010), we head to Edith Falls, a short drive to another beautiful area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><br /></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-82825787345818960012010-06-28T19:41:00.000-07:002010-06-28T19:59:15.654-07:00Daily Waters - A Place of Character<div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Daily Waters is four kilometres off the Stuart Highway and is worth the detour to see this one pub, one servo, no shop settlement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Daily Waters pub is a place of Character along with Frank the Chook Man who is the nightly entertainer there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is a caravan park and cabins here and the pub is an entertainment centre of an evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZLNvNsdPC9_t_frauXs1EXkLJzuKl4zfnYi_6t5m4O4EV9k0KlFQyB_Q_2_dDNtBQWmYcrGSOfijTr-tV06y7rfZ7su2MwJ8TTaSLTdEGeZgSL3kBpNZKFyoCWfdkmxzdIZ0ur_hKYQ/s1600/The+Bar+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488023251260542658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZLNvNsdPC9_t_frauXs1EXkLJzuKl4zfnYi_6t5m4O4EV9k0KlFQyB_Q_2_dDNtBQWmYcrGSOfijTr-tV06y7rfZ7su2MwJ8TTaSLTdEGeZgSL3kBpNZKFyoCWfdkmxzdIZ0ur_hKYQ/s400/The+Bar+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The Bar and reception centre of the International Daily Waters Pub<br /></span><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp82CxK96atS7hXbgVT084RqV7BpXMg6Xc3ymh_KwlUytgn-RhcuNBQ0OMC2eRSVxKjkctYOdmqswlU-LGEcDLUYtRObtBDKQczqP_1WvtO0KjSZ8cjkH-s5bNJclhBSNN7NLmsNlwa0/s1600/The+stage+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488023240328712578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp82CxK96atS7hXbgVT084RqV7BpXMg6Xc3ymh_KwlUytgn-RhcuNBQ0OMC2eRSVxKjkctYOdmqswlU-LGEcDLUYtRObtBDKQczqP_1WvtO0KjSZ8cjkH-s5bNJclhBSNN7NLmsNlwa0/s400/The+stage+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The stage at the Daily Waters Pub</span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOjI3jze1g4e7VAtrshkHiZuD2bsJGNsXIfM14_MPrGnFKWMtenyPbcgZ9_jPq2aMZGX6t8NchHALGpKXEKBLswjqkVy0vMUu6ket_E9HvRlWE7iwAU5_MI8JiLGLlMDoObSVrRb5PAE/s1600/The+kitchen+and+counter+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488023229783518562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOjI3jze1g4e7VAtrshkHiZuD2bsJGNsXIfM14_MPrGnFKWMtenyPbcgZ9_jPq2aMZGX6t8NchHALGpKXEKBLswjqkVy0vMUu6ket_E9HvRlWE7iwAU5_MI8JiLGLlMDoObSVrRb5PAE/s400/The+kitchen+and+counter+at+the+Daily+Waters+Pub.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The Kitchen Servery at the Daily Waters Pub</span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn48hgYUObxIMpAlyuNNWvhp37Ly7bszGd2Gw8HF6CETKbsVT5Z-F8u7HhWxtlH6E7AWmyhJRWh-twaGNuLrXPW6WChdKAUxhxL09efGY3lFq2GK5K8faNfr-ueJRQmqcb0kKojU-WYI/s1600/The+service+Station+-+Daily+Waters.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 209px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488023223607929970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn48hgYUObxIMpAlyuNNWvhp37Ly7bszGd2Gw8HF6CETKbsVT5Z-F8u7HhWxtlH6E7AWmyhJRWh-twaGNuLrXPW6WChdKAUxhxL09efGY3lFq2GK5K8faNfr-ueJRQmqcb0kKojU-WYI/s400/The+service+Station+-+Daily+Waters.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The Service Station at Daily Waters</span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GKgTeVw-eSfxtFX7PFEOo_MB_jsnpEwMz_x-AY52ruqXhFYHYBnQe4z0DNy7eXHCqPbybwmi96BcmBj0dTYPacf9N9nI4JOBXRKF7M-_4YhTSG73JuIc11q29K3Psbn7zIxgupiTzgQ/s1600/_DSC3473+Frank+The+Chookman%27s+Caravan.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488023215690595042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GKgTeVw-eSfxtFX7PFEOo_MB_jsnpEwMz_x-AY52ruqXhFYHYBnQe4z0DNy7eXHCqPbybwmi96BcmBj0dTYPacf9N9nI4JOBXRKF7M-_4YhTSG73JuIc11q29K3Psbn7zIxgupiTzgQ/s400/_DSC3473+Frank+The+Chookman%27s+Caravan.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Frank the Chookman's Caravan</span></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-91778580476603446802010-06-28T15:33:00.000-07:002010-06-28T16:01:23.556-07:00Devil's Marbles to Longreach Waterhole<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkoSd2jFsI/AAAAAAAAATE/hyiAZ8NLiH0/s1600/Wildlife+on+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487961918643836610" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkoSd2jFsI/AAAAAAAAATE/hyiAZ8NLiH0/s400/Wildlife+on+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Birdlife on Longreach Waterhole</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It was a late start leaving the campsite at the Devil’s Marbles having taken photos and walked around the marbles again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From there it was into Tennant Creak, a place that I cannot say much about except to avoid if possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did however fuel up here and bought lunch for a change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Settling for a short day, we drove to a roadside rest area known as Attack Creek which is 70 Kilometres north of Tennant Creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were now in the tropics and winter seemed far away even though it was only June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While we were at this campsite, we packed our bed Dooners into plastic bags and stored them under the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The feather down coat also went into storage; no we will not need them again this winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The days are now in the low 30 degrees and the nights very pleasant.</span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Friday was to be another short day doing less than 200 kilometres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well we found a small piece of Paradise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We followed the Stuart highway to Elliott, another town not worth mentioning but the gateway to Longreach Waterhole, 10 kilometres west of the township on a dirt road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are no signs to show you it is there just a dirt track and a Private Property Keep Out sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We heard about it in Tennant Creek but the locals in Elliott like to keep the place for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Longreach Waterhole is a natural watercourse approximately 150 metres wide that leads into the 240 square kilometre Lake Woods and the waterhole forms part of this lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lake Woods is a major breeding habitat for many inland birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As we pulled up there were water birds everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They included Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters, Straw neck and Glossy Black Ibis, Caspian and Gull-billed Terns, Whistling and Black kites, Brolgas, Jabiru, Large and Intermediate Herons, Finches, White winged Thrillers, Rufus Whistlers, Jacky Winter and the list goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was difficult to make time to set up the caravan, I just wanted to go but Coba had other ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Just after we stopped a pair of Brolgas was dancing on the bank opposite the caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then an army of around 500+ pelicans and 2000 little black Cormorants came down the waterhole hearting the fish in front of them and fishing at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They were packed together so tight I do not know how they got their head in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This happens several times a day. </span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85FgaOBKBdSBeZwmYaCs7vf_8iDix1kAhtnFq_H8JXc7b4EDDebAxHWeyqeoJzU50OG7qt9Kjza-__vjNfhsYt0JTpkaYPLvWIyEZtf2FgALuBtfrTDse6UH33__3RGQjTs3DUVeIXGg/s1600/Birdlife+on+Longreach+Waterhole.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487961049434275634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85FgaOBKBdSBeZwmYaCs7vf_8iDix1kAhtnFq_H8JXc7b4EDDebAxHWeyqeoJzU50OG7qt9Kjza-__vjNfhsYt0JTpkaYPLvWIyEZtf2FgALuBtfrTDse6UH33__3RGQjTs3DUVeIXGg/s400/Birdlife+on+Longreach+Waterhole.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Birdlife on Longreach Waterhole </span><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The birdlife on the waterhole was an example of the biggest and strongest beats up the smallest and lives easy on the small guy’s hard work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Terns would dive into the water and catch fish and the kites would attack them to make them drop their catch and then swoop down and take it up from the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The little black cormorants need to surface to swallow their fish that they catch and the nearest pelican would attack it for the fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I saw a pelican grab a Little Black Cormorant in its bill and hold it under water until it let the fish go and then the pelican took the fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was nature at its best.</span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkmyTT0FkI/AAAAAAAAAS0/Lr03Q_3KChU/s1600/Caspian+Tern+with+fish+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487960266546353730" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkmyTT0FkI/AAAAAAAAAS0/Lr03Q_3KChU/s400/Caspian+Tern+with+fish+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Caspian Tern with a fish </span><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkmxy2Jq3I/AAAAAAAAASs/9sWr_huA1u8/s1600/Little+Black+Cormorant+with+Fish+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487960257832004466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkmxy2Jq3I/AAAAAAAAASs/9sWr_huA1u8/s400/Little+Black+Cormorant+with+Fish+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Little Black Cormorant with a fish</span><br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Next morning I was up at daylight and out with the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a shot a second and I did not know where to point the camera next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is unbelievable that there could be so many fish in this waterway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At times there would be a dozen cormorants in camera range all trying to swallow full live fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At the same time there were so many birds in the air I wanted to get flight shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This place was a bird photographers dream.</span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklpghdgpI/AAAAAAAAASk/gIKMCGEqcZI/s1600/Black+Necked+Stork+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487959015962804882" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklpghdgpI/AAAAAAAAASk/gIKMCGEqcZI/s400/Black+Necked+Stork+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> A Jabiru or Black Necked Stork skims the water at Longreach Waterhole<br /></span><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklpHU7k-I/AAAAAAAAASc/OBh5dc7x5u0/s1600/Pelicans+in+Flight+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487959009199363042" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklpHU7k-I/AAAAAAAAASc/OBh5dc7x5u0/s400/Pelicans+in+Flight+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Pelicans in Flight - Longreach Waterhole</span><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklogv2Y3I/AAAAAAAAASU/zJpz8WNzKhs/s1600/Whistling+Kite+-+Longreach+Waterhole.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487958998843286386" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCklogv2Y3I/AAAAAAAAASU/zJpz8WNzKhs/s400/Whistling+Kite+-+Longreach+Waterhole.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> A Black Kite on the lookout for Terns with fish.</span><br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">By 10.00 am I had to walk away and try for some bush birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Red-browed Pardalotes were calling in the trees but finding them was another challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was one calling from a tree just outside the van and I had Coba and myself searching for it and we still have not found it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I headed bush and after two hours I saw my first Red Browed Pardalote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An hour later and I had managed to get some shots of these small elusive birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After lunch we went for a drive following the winding waterway and looking for more birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the evening we had some of our caravan neighbours over for a show of bird photos taken along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While we were doing this I noticed that there was an eclipse taking place so we followed the moon though part of this process.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Sunday was a repeat of the first two days although several pelicans left the waterhole soaring up until they were out of sight before heading off, probably to Lake Eyre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had our third great sunset again this evening and it was necessary to capture the moment for the memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Monday morning it was on the road again, next stop – Mataranka.</span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkj0pYT1BI/AAAAAAAAASM/Ts551noSkdI/s1600/Sunset+Day+3+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487957008295646226" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCkj0pYT1BI/AAAAAAAAASM/Ts551noSkdI/s400/Sunset+Day+3+-+Longreach+Waterhole+NT.jpg" /></a> Sunset at Longreach Waterhole near Elliott in the NT </div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-90970371076805650292010-06-23T19:02:00.000-07:002010-06-23T19:32:21.213-07:00Alice Springs North to Devil's Marbles<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Tuesday 22<sup>nd</sup> June 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After a lazy start we fuelled up and hit the road around 10.30AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Leaving Alice Springs we detoured into the Old Telegraph Station on the northern edge of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This place is worth a visit but I do not know about the $8.00 admission fee to get into the station itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The old telegraph station is on the banks of the Todd River where there is a waterhole that was thought to be a spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has since been found that there is a depression in the granite rock shelf that traps and holds water from the wet for a longer period than the rest of the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was believed to be a spring and was named Alice Spring by Surveyor William Mills after Mrs Alice Todd.</span><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-50JIHx4ByvHxInJi8J6WXQkRUdb4PCzG8zHy5CH-JZOW6MSJVDUXvTKU50WJUGmxISuBSZZFBAVTfiuurQ6MZFwpB92ArSipL5gf-_nrh1GRlX6vNvqHC_RHFjX31XdyfZ_oDefnmM/s1600/Alice+Spring+in+the+Todd+River.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486160357448634722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-50JIHx4ByvHxInJi8J6WXQkRUdb4PCzG8zHy5CH-JZOW6MSJVDUXvTKU50WJUGmxISuBSZZFBAVTfiuurQ6MZFwpB92ArSipL5gf-_nrh1GRlX6vNvqHC_RHFjX31XdyfZ_oDefnmM/s400/Alice+Spring+in+the+Todd+River.jpg" /></a>The original waterhole at the Old Telegraph Station - Alice Springs<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Old Telegraph station is also the track head for the Larapinta Trail for people starting from the Alice Springs end of the track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For us it was the end of the track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just over from the track head a mother and Joey Wallaroo were sunbaking on a rock but decided to move while we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wallaroos are more common in this area than Kangaroos.</span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCLBe2vSIjI/AAAAAAAAAR0/v5JmWfC3mwQ/s1600/Mother+and+Joey+Wallaroos+Near+Alice+Springs.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486160031924757042" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCLBe2vSIjI/AAAAAAAAAR0/v5JmWfC3mwQ/s400/Mother+and+Joey+Wallaroos+Near+Alice+Springs.jpg" /></a>Wallaroo's at the Old telegraph Station near the start of the Larapinta Track<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Not long after leaving Alice Springs we crossed the tropic of Capricorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were now officially in the Tropics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our next stop was a station property called Aileron which has a service station, store, motel and caravan park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It also has an Aboriginal shop where they sell artefacts and paintings done by the Anmatjere People of the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As we approached the settlement, we observed a giant statue of an Aboriginal man with a spear standing on the top of a hill behind the settlement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We found out that this statue is 17 metres high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At the Craft shop there was another sculpture of an Aboriginal Woman and child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The woman would have been around 8 metres high and the child around three metres high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They had been all done by the same artist and were very good sculptures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Inside the craft centre aboriginal people were painting in their own art style.</span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486158573238710642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDhzIFacykpmfACo4D53Uiaw4jVvye_NvaUNj0zbi7poIC6ggr36Gc_HVEnaX5xTFhUMVYe3o3ddAPtF2PxECP8g48jqQutVTCw5uFyN6rW4ZTIvYXx9fZERhZ0pZJaTJ8cSg10tFg1E/s400/Anmatjere+Woman+%26+Child+Statue+-+Aileron+-+NT.jpg" /> Statue of Aboriginal Woman and Chila at Aileron<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsorgToK1SrtjCWBGA6v_FwAi7RKX_8QE0veoyjUrhGD8cAdGUwnpU-vfM_VOmwxZhsPJO_IIASdjy7D0Orz1hKm03HhD0XOzyLCXxkbEFW-iZBvbccMhci-pT8Ry4MoVmj8rQsY3Rur0/s1600/17+metre+high+Anmatjere+Man+stands+on+hill+at+Aileron+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486158562254601362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsorgToK1SrtjCWBGA6v_FwAi7RKX_8QE0veoyjUrhGD8cAdGUwnpU-vfM_VOmwxZhsPJO_IIASdjy7D0Orz1hKm03HhD0XOzyLCXxkbEFW-iZBvbccMhci-pT8Ry4MoVmj8rQsY3Rur0/s400/17+metre+high+Anmatjere+Man+stands+on+hill+at+Aileron+NT.jpg" /></a> 17 metre high statue of anmatjere Man at Aileron<br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Leaving Aileron we came across a plague of Grass hoppers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Several Brown Falcons were in the trees along this stretch of road as grass hoppers are part of their staple diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Also Black and Whistling Kites were plentiful floating on the air currents above the road waiting for the cars to disturb the grasshoppers.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Around 4.00pm we stopped travelling for the day and set up our bush camp around 40 kilometres south of Barrow Creek on a track into a windmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Because of the water from the windmill, birds were plentiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Occasionally the wind would come up and the windmill would come to life with a groaning and squeaking sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>There were several interesting things in this area including giant ants that made their nest in the ground and decorated the edge of the nest entrance with dried needle leaves from one of the trees growing in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Large Powder Puff Fungi were also breaking through the ground crust and were plentiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This had probably been caused by recent rains.</span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK_fQzPxeI/AAAAAAAAARc/Ks6GRYj1qYs/s1600/Giant+Ant%27s+Nest+decorated+with+Needle+leaves+-+Barrow+Creek+Campsite.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486157839897445858" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK_fQzPxeI/AAAAAAAAARc/Ks6GRYj1qYs/s400/Giant+Ant%27s+Nest+decorated+with+Needle+leaves+-+Barrow+Creek+Campsite.jpg" /></a> Giant ants nest hole decorated by falen Needle leaves</div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Wednesday Morning we set <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>off again with a short day planned and a drive of around 150 kilometres to The Devil’s Marbles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I stopped to photograph some old vehicles from the past along the way at Wycliff Wells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK-suPpuQI/AAAAAAAAARU/cQ1NTmWRZC8/s1600/Relic+of+the+past.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486156971627886850" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK-suPpuQI/AAAAAAAAARU/cQ1NTmWRZC8/s400/Relic+of+the+past.jpg" /></a> Relic of the past - Wycliff Wells (One for you Bob)</div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We arrived at the Devil’s Marbles for lunch and set up our caravan in the camping area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Camping fees in the NT Parks and reserves is very reasonable at $3.30 / person / night or if they have hot showers they are $6.60 / person / night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The afternoon was spent exploring the area and finding the best spot to take my sunset photos from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were now back in the tropics and were happy that the warm weather was with us once again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9mVYUx5I/AAAAAAAAARM/kmOHgfwLFtk/s1600/Devil%27s+Marbles+at+Sunset+-+Panaroma.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486155762362533778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9mVYUx5I/AAAAAAAAARM/kmOHgfwLFtk/s400/Devil%27s+Marbles+at+Sunset+-+Panaroma.jpg" /></a> Devil's Marbles sunset shot<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9lyi0jNI/AAAAAAAAARE/V3Zw_IqmLm0/s1600/Devil%27s+Marbles+-+Panaroma+(2).jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486155753011317970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9lyi0jNI/AAAAAAAAARE/V3Zw_IqmLm0/s400/Devil%27s+Marbles+-+Panaroma+(2).jpg" /></a> Devil's Marbles - Daytime shot<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9ltqzqZI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/gYiBv3alU58/s1600/Devil%27s+Marbles+-+Panaroma.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486155751702636946" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9ltqzqZI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/gYiBv3alU58/s400/Devil%27s+Marbles+-+Panaroma.jpg" /></a>Devil's Marbles late afternoon shot<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9CfWLKNI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/jJTeN1qxS6Q/s1600/1807+First+Light+before+Sunrise+-+Devil%27s+Marbles.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486155146562578642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TCK9CfWLKNI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/jJTeN1qxS6Q/s400/1807+First+Light+before+Sunrise+-+Devil%27s+Marbles.jpg" /></a> First light at the Devil's Marbles before sunrise. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-91204766743443912010-06-21T15:21:00.000-07:002010-06-21T16:11:02.966-07:00Return to Alice and Trephina Gorge<div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Our flight from Sydney to Alice Springs on Saturday had a bonus in it when we flew over Lake Eyre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The weather was clear and we were given great views of the giant saltpan that had filled with water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The thing that surprised me was the number of islands in the lake. Our flight path took us over the area between Lake Eyre and Lake Eyre South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think that the pilot bought the aircraft down to a lower altitude to give us the views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For once I never had a camera with me so I missed out on the photo opportunity.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">On our arrival in Alice Springs we retrieved our vehicle from the long term car park and went into Alice to replenish our supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We then collected our caravan and headed for Trephina Gorge in the East MacDonnell Ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we arrived, the camping area was full so we set up in the overflow camping area which we had all to ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After setting up I went for a walk to try and find some birds to photograph. I managed to get some near our camp site one of which was a different Hooded Robin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The common bird in the area was the White Plumed Honeyeater.</span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_sagDm6hI/AAAAAAAAAQs/LZs01hCidU4/s1600/0654_1279+Hooded+Robin+-+Trephina+Gorge+.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485362811186375186" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_sagDm6hI/AAAAAAAAAQs/LZs01hCidU4/s400/0654_1279+Hooded+Robin+-+Trephina+Gorge+.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The Hooded Robin at Trephina Gorge</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">That night was extremely cold so it was an early night into the bed to warm up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Next morning I was up before the sun and I headed down the road towards Trephina Bluff and into the creek to get photographs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It amazed me the colour change in this Bluff as the light changes through the early morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I then headed back to the caravan before walking into the gorge to check things out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On my return I managed to talk Coba into doing the ridgeline walk around the top of the gorge and then returning through the gorge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was surprised at the difficulty of this walk mainly due to the rocky condition of the land as well as poor physical condition.</span> <div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_reJAEsPI/AAAAAAAAAQk/I3FI1adZaTg/s1600/Trephina+Bluff+at+Dawn.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485361774205382898" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_reJAEsPI/AAAAAAAAAQk/I3FI1adZaTg/s400/Trephina+Bluff+at+Dawn.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Trephina Bluff from our campsite - Taken before the sun came up </span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_rdJL08hI/AAAAAAAAAQc/aO1wKb8b7wY/s1600/The+Blugg+at+First+Light.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485361757074813458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_rdJL08hI/AAAAAAAAAQc/aO1wKb8b7wY/s400/The+Blugg+at+First+Light.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Trephina Bluff from Triphina Creek in the early morning light. </span><br /><br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">That afternoon we went for a drive into John Hayes Rock pools which is a 4X4 wheel drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The track ran along the river bed in several places with one section being just boulders to drive over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Needless to say Coba was no real happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rock pools were nothing and I felt that I had wasted the effort to drive there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That night we tried out the generator as we had not used it to date on this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All went well and I had power to run my computer and charge batteries.<br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Monday morning it was up again before sunrise but this time I headed into the gorge for photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Trephina Gorge is the jewel in the crown of the East MacDonnell Ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took the opportunity of the soft light to photograph the gorge,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> r</span>eturning to the caravan for breakfast at 9.00 am. We then packed and hooked up the van to move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our first stop was Ross River Resort where Diesel was $2.30 / litre and petrol was $2.35 / litre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From there it was back to Corroboree Rock where I had hoped to find the Grey Fronted Honeyeater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were no Grey Fronted Honeyeaters but I did manage to find and photograph two Painted Finches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My main reason for going to Trephina was to look for these birds but I could not find any there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had all but given up on these finches so this had been a lucky break for me finding them here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then it was a short stop at Jessie Gap and into Alice Springs.</span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oO3BszgI/AAAAAAAAAQU/-P6q9us_ANg/s1600/Trephana+Gorge.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485358213147446786" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oO3BszgI/AAAAAAAAAQU/-P6q9us_ANg/s400/Trephana+Gorge.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Lookin down into Trephina Gorge from the Rim Walk </span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoteHv3uutO7Qoke8UGzH2RclbOfBx1O0RRnu9Qs9B1cqd0IdLONHwRAcDTpPzr4BpYtVPxnyjSQ9xI_Lm0Erwd0VCBqrsV8rqsJjgHCwKTAcIOo-uZKo4off6IZ3klKCEI0xYIGeEVc/s1600/River+Gums+-+Trephina+Creek.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485358210081944274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoteHv3uutO7Qoke8UGzH2RclbOfBx1O0RRnu9Qs9B1cqd0IdLONHwRAcDTpPzr4BpYtVPxnyjSQ9xI_Lm0Erwd0VCBqrsV8rqsJjgHCwKTAcIOo-uZKo4off6IZ3klKCEI0xYIGeEVc/s400/River+Gums+-+Trephina+Creek.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> River Gums in the soft light of dawn in Trephina Creek </span><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oOJrASGI/AAAAAAAAAQE/lgFNXzjzyX8/s1600/Morning+Sunlight+on+the+Trephina+Gorge+Cliffs.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485358200972658786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oOJrASGI/AAAAAAAAAQE/lgFNXzjzyX8/s400/Morning+Sunlight+on+the+Trephina+Gorge+Cliffs.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Morning sunlight on the red cliff in Trephina Gorge<br /></span><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oNmaqY3I/AAAAAAAAAP8/blgIHiTW7rE/s1600/Morning+Light+-+Trephina+Gorge.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485358191508874098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TB_oNmaqY3I/AAAAAAAAAP8/blgIHiTW7rE/s400/Morning+Light+-+Trephina+Gorge.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Early Morning Reflections in Trephina Gorge<br /></span></span><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Trephina Gorge is a beautiful place and we both could have stayed there longer but we had coved it and it was time to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tomorrow (Tuesday) we intend to move north and hope to find warmer nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The days are beautiful but the nights are cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-90695874098284648652010-06-14T01:24:00.000-07:002010-06-14T03:02:53.958-07:00The West MacDonnell Ranges<!--StartFragment--> <h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The West MacDonnell Ranges.</span></h1> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBX7oTz-jYI/AAAAAAAAAP0/QHZ2uKtHWPA/s1600/Rock+Formations+in+the+West+MacDonnells.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 104px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBX7oTz-jYI/AAAAAAAAAP0/QHZ2uKtHWPA/s400/Rock+Formations+in+the+West+MacDonnells.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482564791325068674" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Rock formations in the West MacDonnell Ranges</span></span></div><h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Tuesday Morning (9/6/2010) and we checked out of the G’Day Mate Caravan park in Alice Springs and headed into the West MacDonnell Ranges.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I was told by Michael Barrett from NT National Parks that Stanley Chasm was worth a stop and I should get some birds to photographs there.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Michael is a contact on Flickr so I sought to use his local knowledge to my benefit.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Our first stop was Simpsons Gap and our arrival there bought back the memories from six years earlier when we camped here while walking the Larapinta Trail. We had covered 25 kilometres that day carrying our heavy backpacks and, on arriving at Simpsons Gap, we abandoned the dusty gravelly camping area that had been set aside for campers for the clean comfort of the sandy river bed.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The gap was still as beautiful as that day and as I walked down to the waterhole it all came back to me.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">While we were here, I observed the cruelty of nature where two young Ringneck Parrots, which I suspect only left the nest that day were attacked by other birds.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">One was attacked by two butcherbirds and the second by Yellow Throated Miners.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The one attacked by the two butcher birds was near the end of its short life while the one attacked by the miners had made it into trees but it also was in trouble.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sad but this is the way of nature.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p><p></p></h1> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBX3dFtQX1I/AAAAAAAAAPk/avAjACGStyc/s1600/Simpsons+Gap.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBX3dFtQX1I/AAAAAAAAAPk/avAjACGStyc/s400/Simpsons+Gap.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482560200513707858" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Early morning at Simpson's Gap before the sun rises above the gap.</span></span></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">From Simpsons Gap it was on to Stanley Chasm to catch the Midday spectacle of the sun directly overhead the chasm.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This is something like an ancient sun ritual where mere mortals gather to witness the sun in a certain location when it lights up this narrow canyon slot.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was $8.00 / person to go see the chasm as it is on Aboriginal land but I asked if we could camp there the night and that was $4.00 / person with entry into the Chasm.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Can’t work this one out but took it and said thank you.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Later I walked back along the Larapinta trail towards Brinkley’s Bluff and managed to get photographs of four types of Honeyeater and a Pardalote.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">By the time I returned to the camp site, track walkers had walked in and again the memories were there.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I recalled the 17 kilometre section from Brinkley’s Bluff into Stanley Chasm.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As well as our heavy backpacks we had to carry water for two days on this section and the climb to Brinkley’s was a steep 600 metres high.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I remember carrying 8 litres of water up to our camp on the top of the Bluff.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">That day when we arrived at Stanley Chasm, Mike and myself put away two large hamburgers.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Graeme and Margaret managed one each.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQaYbiJsuU_lcdblyUKCxZPreHwFDB6Ix5MS1KL8fLtDKv428hB2viLOGOVfLInodwgx3Gng9ltqRWyzY9g95jbHktwbbd3M4hytvAY2KXHCavR60hil7DHE-PozwTS0yUpQPV090skA/s1600/Stanley+Chasm+at+Midday.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQaYbiJsuU_lcdblyUKCxZPreHwFDB6Ix5MS1KL8fLtDKv428hB2viLOGOVfLInodwgx3Gng9ltqRWyzY9g95jbHktwbbd3M4hytvAY2KXHCavR60hil7DHE-PozwTS0yUpQPV090skA/s400/Stanley+Chasm+at+Midday.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482558563990244050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Like ancient sun worshipers, People gather in Stanley Chasm for when the sun is directly overhead and lights up the chasm.</span></span></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Next morning we packed up and travelled to Ellery Creek Bighole, another memorable place from our Larapinta backpack.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ellery Creek was almost half way and we had arranged for a hot dinner to be bought out from Alice Springs as a feast and celebration for reaching the half way mark.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This was also the place where some of the group decided that they had done enough, pulling out and leaving four of the original team members going on with the challenge.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ellery creek today has changed since we used it as a camp site six years ago.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It now has modern toilets with solar powered lighting and gas burners and hotplates for people to use.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We dug a hole in the bush for a toilet and cooked on our camping gas stoves.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The shelter we used for our celebration dinner is still there. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1wSZR7txsoryWUNilLmRZLfxb5cIj0Dkz6C0NtJmwYTgvw2akgYUgfqYXi4tkxD8CKa0KWZvCvUre0Sj8YG2VzoWE3mMgfOYSTNZ2mOLmexBUSXxgRNBFjXp5Zp5zdndscgOGbCw_Z8/s1600/Ellery+Creek+Bighole.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1wSZR7txsoryWUNilLmRZLfxb5cIj0Dkz6C0NtJmwYTgvw2akgYUgfqYXi4tkxD8CKa0KWZvCvUre0Sj8YG2VzoWE3mMgfOYSTNZ2mOLmexBUSXxgRNBFjXp5Zp5zdndscgOGbCw_Z8/s400/Ellery+Creek+Bighole.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482553569575767762" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Ellery Creek Big Hole.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was then on to Glen Helen and the gorge where the Fink River flows through the range on its way to Lake Eyre.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This is a beautiful place and I have always loved this spot.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have been here several times and it is always great to visit again.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Glen Helen was our camp site for Day three of our Larapinta Backpack.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We celebrated Margaret Smiths 60 birthday here with a barbeque where the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“resourt” supplied the meat and the salads.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">By now you may be thinking, boy this was some backpack, always eating out.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well the backpack took the four of us who finished the walk 17 days and we utilised catering services on three occasions.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">These are the three that I have mentioned.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The rest of the time we carried our three meals a day and cooked our own.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We did have three food drops carrying supplies for up to six days at a time along with everything else that we needed.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was hard but it was a challenge and the experience was great. </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Also the beauty of the area can only be seen by walking in the areas where the vehicles cannot go.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Most of our campsites were nowhere near a road and there was no vehicle access.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXvbwd5FMI/AAAAAAAAAPM/haPCIZPZAI8/s1600/The+Finke+River+flows+through+Glen+Helen+Gorge.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXvbwd5FMI/AAAAAAAAAPM/haPCIZPZAI8/s400/The+Finke+River+flows+through+Glen+Helen+Gorge.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482551381539230914" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Finke River flows through an opening in the red range at Glen Helen.</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXvbawniAI/AAAAAAAAAPE/SDS6asizr24/s1600/Red+Cliffs+abve+the+Finke+River+at+Glen+Helen.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXvbawniAI/AAAAAAAAAPE/SDS6asizr24/s400/Red+Cliffs+abve+the+Finke+River+at+Glen+Helen.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482551375712192514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The red cliffs tower above the Finke River at Glen Helen.</span></span></div><!--StartFragment--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Redbank Gorge was the end of the road for us this trip.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The dirt road into the place had not improved.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The camping area was still a red dirt surface.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We had intended to camp here but I must be getting soft as on seeing the place again I made the decision to return to Ormiston Gorge to camp that night.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As we walked down to the river bed into Redbank Gorge, we saw the six tents of people doing the Larapinta trail and I assumed that they had left them set up while they climbed Mt Sonder.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A recent flood had come down the river and through the gorge and the build up of floating materials was still in the trees.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We walked the rocky track to the gorge which had changed since our last visit.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A build up of sand now covered the rock shelf at the entrance of the gorge.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Redbank Gorge is where we started our walk to do the Larapinta Trail in August 2004.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Three of us also climbed Mt Sonder making it to the top. </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The track to the top of the mountain from Red Bank Gorge is 8.5 kilometres so double this for the round trip.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mt Sonder is 1,300 metres high.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We started after lunch and were back before dark.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Not a bad feat for 60 year olds. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Seeing Mt Sonder really hit me and bought a tear to my eye.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mt Sonder is a blue mountain ringed by the red ranges and of the West MacDonnell’s.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It has always impressed me from the first time I saw it.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is a beautiful mountain that stands out like a sapphire on a red velvet cloth.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Seeing the mountain again my thoughts turned from the things that happened on the track to the people who I did this walk with, especially the three close friends that I shared the full experience with.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This was only one of many walks that we had done together and we had built up a respect and friendship that only lucky people ever know.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We challenged each other but also helped each other.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sadly bad knees and other ailments have stopped two of us from doing these things together and although we sometimes talk on the phone, I really miss their company and the great times and challenges we shared as true friends.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXraZ0Z9LI/AAAAAAAAAO8/uc1gw7pn8bE/s1600/_DSC2844+Mount+Sonder.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXraZ0Z9LI/AAAAAAAAAO8/uc1gw7pn8bE/s400/_DSC2844+Mount+Sonder.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482546960233264306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">An early morning shot of Mt Sonder. The further away you view it from the bluer it gets.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There is still a place where the wild Dingo calls and that is Ormiston Gorge.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You can hear it howl either at dusk or early morning.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Back in the days when I was still backpacking we would often hear them close to the camp but there is no fear of being attacked by them.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There is a Dingo here at Ormiston Gorge who still goes through the camp every night and fishes in the river during the day.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Yes that is correct it fishes in the waterholes and does catch fish.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It runs the fish up into the shallow end of the pool where it can then catch them.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is not tame in any way and will not allow anyone to approach it.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We spent two nights here as there are hot showers and flush toilets in the National Park Camping area.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Also there were a variety of birds here that I wanted to photograph.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A flock of over a dozen Spinifex pigeons would wander through the camping area on a daily basis looking for seeds.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">These are the most colourful of all the Australian pigeons. Grey Headed Honeyeaters claimed the territory at the top of the camping area attacking any other small bird that came within their range.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Grey Crowned Babblers also frequented the campsite while White Plumed honeyeaters and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Brown honeyeaters played chase me through the trees.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A Western bowerbird claimed the scraps from the barbeque that the crows had missed.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ormiston Gorge is a beautiful place with walks along the ridges and through the gorge.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">At present the water level is still up and it is not possible to keep dry feet when walking in the gorge section.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Also the tracks in the riverbed are very rocky due to the recent flooding in the area.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ormiston Gorge is a camp site for the Larapinta trail walkers.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The track section from Glen Helen is short enough to allow walkers to arrive at Ormiston early enough to set up their camp and explore the gorge.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ormiston Gorge was our first food pickup point when we walked the Larapinta. </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We also had the afternoon exploring the gorge.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXpSUFjiII/AAAAAAAAAO0/Ce-XigqpF4A/s1600/Swimming+Hole+-+Ormiston+Gorge+(2).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXpSUFjiII/AAAAAAAAAO0/Ce-XigqpF4A/s400/Swimming+Hole+-+Ormiston+Gorge+(2).jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482544622232373378" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The swimming hole at the entrance to Ormiston Gorge is a five minute walk from the camp grounds</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXpRwrEu9I/AAAAAAAAAOs/I7AXIyvkHbg/s1600/Old+Cattle+Yards+-+Ormiston+Turnoff.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBXpRwrEu9I/AAAAAAAAAOs/I7AXIyvkHbg/s400/Old+Cattle+Yards+-+Ormiston+Turnoff.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482544612726062034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The lush conditions following recent rains show at old cattle yards beside the road to Ormiston Gorge</span></span></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The road into Serpentine Gorge now stops 1.3 kilometres from the gorge and it is a walk from this point.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This gorge has wonderful swirl patterns in the rocks and the climb to the top is spectacular.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When we walked the Larapinta we arrived here for Margaret’s 60</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Birthday and we celebrated with two small bottles of scotch that I had secretly carried in.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This campsite had also been on the red dirt and some of us traded this site for a sandy section of the river bed.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Coba and I arrived back in Alice Springs on the Friday Afternoon as the town was setting up for the Fink Desert Race.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">All accommodation was full but we had booked into a caravan park before we left for the West MacDonnell’s so we were guaranteed a spot.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We were well into cleaning out the fridge and freezer getting ready to leave the van and fly back home on the Sunday.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This gave us an excuse to dine out so we took the opportunity to spoil ourselves on the Friday and Saturday evenings with restaurant meals.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sadly for us the Finke Desert Race started on Sunday and so was our flight back to Sydney so we were not able to witness this event.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-50097685442586133122010-06-13T17:06:00.000-07:002010-06-13T17:41:31.543-07:00Alice Springs - The Centre of Australia<div align="center"><h1 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 24pt 0cm 0pt" align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:78%;color:#365f91;">Alice Springs - The Centre of Australia</span></h1><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Leaving Rainbow Valley just after 10.00AM we were in Alice Springs by lunch time and booked into the G’Day Mate Caravan Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After lunch it was into the visitors centre and then to Coles for supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Sunday morning found us driving the road into the East MacDonnell Ranges but we only visited Emily and Jessie gaps and Corroboree Rock before turning around and returning to the caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That afternoon we went to the Botanic Gardens in Alice Springs where I observed a Western Bowerbird trying to encourage his lady friend into his bower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lesson I learnt from this is that it is a female trait in all females be it man, beast or bird but there was no way that that female bower bird was going to be temped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was not going to enter that bower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was tempting her with all his trinkets but nothing worked.</span></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBV1lmyYnxI/AAAAAAAAANs/QbkRHhF3cXo/s1600/DSC_1024+Western+Bowerbird+-+Alice+Springs+Botanical+Gardens+-+Copy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482417410320932626" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TBV1lmyYnxI/AAAAAAAAANs/QbkRHhF3cXo/s400/DSC_1024+Western+Bowerbird+-+Alice+Springs+Botanical+Gardens+-+Copy.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> The Western Bowerbird. Bowerbirds are the engineers of the bird world. Not only do they build a nest to lay their eggs and raise their young, The male bird also builds a a stick structure called a bower which is a love shack where he encourages the female into this bower and they mate.</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Monday was a visit to the Desert Park which kept me amused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was really impressed with the birds of prey display where the handlers work with hawks, falcons, owls and even a magpie.</span></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-16978185962325534612010-06-05T05:59:00.000-07:002010-06-05T06:33:42.355-07:00Port Augusta to Alice Springs<div align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;"></span><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:180%;">Port Augusta to Alice Springs</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">It was Tuesday Morning 1/6/2010 and we packed ready to leave Port Augusta for the run north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rain had stopped and the sun was out although there were still clouds that looked threatening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I talked Coba into allowing me to go into the Arid Lands Botanical Gardens again for one last attempt to get a close up shot of the White Winged Fairy Wren but sadly they were all too shy and I was not able to improve on what I had taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My only trophy for that morning was a couple of more shots of Redthroats. (Small bird that lives in the grass and small bushes.)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Our first stop was a six kilometre detour off the highway into Woomera, The home of the Australian and UK rocket testing as well as nuclear bomb testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This town is owned and operated by the Australian Government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tourists are welcome and there are displays of rockets, military aircraft and artillery displays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-D1g8Z-cNVZGSxLR2bxRXPzNJsZTIrFQtYdslOoE0wo03Ruo_O2MrcosFs3xKkfeZ8pWxQZ3BInayPFt1agyy2EwClIqtbnUtw8RWskK07B-VgpFf1eEaCmTQQptrBz3P97hz39P-zLg/s1600/Woomera.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479280104839620530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-D1g8Z-cNVZGSxLR2bxRXPzNJsZTIrFQtYdslOoE0wo03Ruo_O2MrcosFs3xKkfeZ8pWxQZ3BInayPFt1agyy2EwClIqtbnUtw8RWskK07B-VgpFf1eEaCmTQQptrBz3P97hz39P-zLg/s400/Woomera.jpg" /></a> One of the display parks in the town - Woomera<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4Fe7oyvJoOfQJcHUd2_arihiJkRNh9csRgbbGNTrMMBjk-wAzS_XU-ZFAQkhs2yMCOcS0qRCzNR0YeSlMsUP9aicQH6c_jkTfBlHQ1lUy6Xs4TX60WESu8R1U6ayZ5BsDF_BczM8A5A/s1600/_Woomera+-+Missile.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479280095723940242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4Fe7oyvJoOfQJcHUd2_arihiJkRNh9csRgbbGNTrMMBjk-wAzS_XU-ZFAQkhs2yMCOcS0qRCzNR0YeSlMsUP9aicQH6c_jkTfBlHQ1lUy6Xs4TX60WESu8R1U6ayZ5BsDF_BczM8A5A/s400/_Woomera+-+Missile.jpg" /></a> Misile in Woomera<br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Down the road the threatening clouds soon turned into rain and the day was spent driving through continual showers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At Glendambo there was water everywhere from the heavy rain that had hit the settlement before we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We continued on up the road and spent that night camped at Bon Bon rest area along with a dozen other vans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This rest area had a toilet, which made it a suitable stop for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That evening the weather cleared and we were to learn that we had seen the last of the rain for a while.</span></span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria', 'serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: minor-bidifont-family:'Times New Roman';" >At lunch time the next day we drove into Coober Pedy and booked into one of the caravan Parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It had 160 sites and that night the park was full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were three other caravan parks in Coober Pedy so this tells how many vans were on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After lunch we did our own town tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Coober Pedy is a typical small operators mining town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Opal mines start 45 kilometres south of the town and extend to 30 kilometres north of the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The town is one large junk pile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The view from the lookout tells it all. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYPGDvICC2JGx3a3b1D9FMYAJQgDqrn_QlkMSsRP5E7xMN1WIqxeECsEH2BbtfITqeBzLoF3IYZ4H-3p1tvF4HIvyEc2A5hi8GC1zesRSHyGSRLYKJyeuwiCzjZWYdI7XaDSh2RczzUY/s1600/Coober+Pedy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479279196246079538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYPGDvICC2JGx3a3b1D9FMYAJQgDqrn_QlkMSsRP5E7xMN1WIqxeECsEH2BbtfITqeBzLoF3IYZ4H-3p1tvF4HIvyEc2A5hi8GC1zesRSHyGSRLYKJyeuwiCzjZWYdI7XaDSh2RczzUY/s400/Coober+Pedy.jpg" /></a> Typical of the junk in the yards at Coober Pedy</p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">From town we went out to the Breakaway Range which is a spectacular line of eroded hills with many colours making the landscape unbelievable when it comes to the colour of the area. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>This area is also part of the local Aboriginal heritage and there is a permit fee required to enter the area.<o:p></o:p></span></span> </p></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOLHNCzQI/AAAAAAAAANM/4uSKs_acmmI/s1600/The+Castle+-+The+Breakaways+Reserve+-+Coonbr+Peady.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479277849468914946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOLHNCzQI/AAAAAAAAANM/4uSKs_acmmI/s400/The+Castle+-+The+Breakaways+Reserve+-+Coonbr+Peady.jpg" /></a> The Castle in the Breakaways<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOKlKStII/AAAAAAAAANE/FdQahIRf-4s/s1600/The+Breakaway+Range+-+Coober+Pedy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479277840330568834" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOKlKStII/AAAAAAAAANE/FdQahIRf-4s/s400/The+Breakaway+Range+-+Coober+Pedy.jpg" /></a> The Breakaway Range<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOKKqt9PI/AAAAAAAAAM8/6Q5CmjOGKsE/s1600/Panaroma+Hlls+in+The+Breakaways+Reserve+-+Coober+Pedy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479277833218815218" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApOKKqt9PI/AAAAAAAAAM8/6Q5CmjOGKsE/s400/Panaroma+Hlls+in+The+Breakaways+Reserve+-+Coober+Pedy.jpg" /></a> From the Lookout - Section of the Breakaway Range<br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Next morning we continued north with the intention of going into the Painted Desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sadly for us the road was closed and we were not able to enter the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is the second time that I have missed out on seeing the Painted Desert but we were told that it is similar to the Breakaway Range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We continued north stopping to check out bird sites and that night (Thursday 3/6/2010) we bush camped down a dirt track off the Stuart Highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This turned out to be a great spot for birds so I left Coba in the van while I went chasing birds to photograph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I managed to get Chats, Wood swallows, Zebra Finch and the rare Bourke’s Parrot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I ended up seeing eight of these parrots in total while I was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>For anyone wanting to go there the GPS co-ordinates are 26 Degrees 11’ 52” South and 113 Degrees 11’ 17” East.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApNSZ3Tu8I/AAAAAAAAAM0/WwQSUg1Rj4Y/s1600/0425+Bourke%27s+Parrot+-+SA-NT+Border+on+Stuart+Highway.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479276875225480130" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApNSZ3Tu8I/AAAAAAAAAM0/WwQSUg1Rj4Y/s400/0425+Bourke%27s+Parrot+-+SA-NT+Border+on+Stuart+Highway.jpg" /></a> Bourkes Parrot<br /><div align="center"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Next morning I again saw the Bourke’s Parrots but only managed a distant photo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The finches were there but the chats and wood swallows had gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Breaking camp and moving on we made it to Rainbow Valley at around 2.00 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was our campsite for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I managed to get a good shot of a mature Brown Falcon here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Zebra finches were in plague proportions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApMov2UBGI/AAAAAAAAAMs/nmpQst4YcE8/s1600/0199_8877+Brown+Falcon+-+Rainbow+Valley+NT.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 333px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479276159572378722" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApMov2UBGI/AAAAAAAAAMs/nmpQst4YcE8/s400/0199_8877+Brown+Falcon+-+Rainbow+Valley+NT.jpg" /></a> Brown Falcon - Rainbow Valley<br /><div align="center"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria', 'serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: minor-bidifont-family:'Times New Roman';" >I had been here before but had hoped for water in front of the coloured hill but again we were out of luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We watch the hill change colour as the sun set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The red reflection on the hill and cliff of the valley changed to red in this light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApK3Sl3qKI/AAAAAAAAAMk/MZ0slO84bNA/s1600/Sunset+at+Rainbow+Valley.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479274210393565346" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApK3Sl3qKI/AAAAAAAAAMk/MZ0slO84bNA/s400/Sunset+at+Rainbow+Valley.jpg" /></a> Rainbow Valley - Sunset Photo<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApK2wkUCsI/AAAAAAAAAMc/VmxLz3OfFTA/s1600/Rainbow+Valley+-+Afternoon+Photo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479274201260231362" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TApK2wkUCsI/AAAAAAAAAMc/VmxLz3OfFTA/s400/Rainbow+Valley+-+Afternoon+Photo.jpg" /></a> Rainbow Valley - Daytime Photo<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">Darkness came in fast as there was no moon until late into the night. As a result the stars were spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has been many years since I have seen a night sky like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Milky Way stretched right across the night sky and the Southern Cross was lost in the millions of stars that shone like diamonds on black velvet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Saturday morning and I was up before the sun and out photographing the hill of Rainbow Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The chill in the air froze my fingers and it was back to the caravan for a hot cup of coffee.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Cambria;">From Rainbow valley it was in to Alice Springs where we managed the last caravan site in the caravan Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will now spend three days here before heading out into the gorges.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-90686718355450621512010-05-30T02:50:00.000-07:002010-05-30T02:55:33.961-07:00Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAI1gqqaWqI/AAAAAAAAAMU/Uy35UzUtzXQ/s1600/DSC_7990+Spiny+Cheekede+Honeyeater+-+Arid+Lands+Gardens+-+Port+Augusta.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476998932160207522" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAI1gqqaWqI/AAAAAAAAAMU/Uy35UzUtzXQ/s400/DSC_7990+Spiny+Cheekede+Honeyeater+-+Arid+Lands+Gardens+-+Port+Augusta.jpg" /></a> The above photo of the Spiny Cheeked H0neyeater was taken at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens at Port Augusta. It is a great place to view and photograph birds. For this shot the bird was only visible through an opening in the foliage. This is how it turned ot.Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-43713376300905711982010-05-29T04:11:00.000-07:002010-05-29T04:22:04.235-07:00Return to Port Augusta and the Pichi Richi Railway.<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAD3O48yg1I/AAAAAAAAAMM/g8z4cE5QufQ/s1600/Pichi+Richi%27s+original+Ghan+steam+Locomotive+-+NM25+at+Quorn+Station.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476648982060106578" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAD3O48yg1I/AAAAAAAAAMM/g8z4cE5QufQ/s400/Pichi+Richi%27s+original+Ghan+steam+Locomotive+-+NM25+at+Quorn+Station.jpg" /></a>The engine driver checks the piston steam engine and linkages that will drive the wheels on the old steam Locomotive.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAD3OYtJ1zI/AAAAAAAAAME/cGJ_MzOs8tY/s1600/Pichi+Richi+Railways+restored+Old+Ghan+rolling+stock.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 177px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476648973404591922" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/TAD3OYtJ1zI/AAAAAAAAAME/cGJ_MzOs8tY/s400/Pichi+Richi+Railways+restored+Old+Ghan+rolling+stock.jpg" /></a> The Pichi Richi Railway's restored old Ghan steam locomotive - NM25 and its 1930's wooden carraiges at Quorn railway station ready for the return trip to Port Augusta.<br /><h2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 10pt 0cm 0pt" align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;color:#4f81bd;">Return to Port Augusta and the Pichi Richi Railway</span><br /></h2><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">This morning the sun shone through at Leigh Creek but there were still storm clouds on the horizon and the wind was just as strong as it had been yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only difference was that yesterday, the wind came from the north and today it came from the south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still had concerns about travelling on to Arkaroola so the decision was made to return south into the Flinders Ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I planned to cut through from Parachilna on to the back road and down to Wilpena Pound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After eleven kilometres on this dirt track, we turned around and return to the main tar sealed road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This put the second plan for today out the window so it was now continue on to Port Augusta for tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The car and caravan were covered in thick mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Soon after we encountered a creek crossings on the main road where gravel and large rocks had been washed over the road and we had to negotiate a track through this build up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>A little further on it was creeks flooding across the road from the overnight rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The road had been clear when we went through yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We took the opportunity to stop at one of these creeks and wash the thick build up of mud off the front of the caravan.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We made it to Quorn at 2.05 pm and it was raining fairly heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had hoped to photograph the Pichi Richi steam engine which was due to pull out of Quorn station at 2.30pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wrapped my camera in a towel and went out on to the railway line to try and get some shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You would not believe it, within five minutes it had stopped raining and the sun was out enabling me to get my photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ten minutes later it was raining again so it was back to the car and caravan and we pulled out for the forty kilometre trip to Port Augusta, our planned stop for tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Pichi Richi Railway operates on the old Ghan line that runs over the Pichi Richi Pass between Port Augusta and Quorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is run by a voluntary group of steam enthusiast between the two towns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At present the steam train runs on Saturday and Sunday and the return Adult fare is $44.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The original Ghan steam Locomotive – NM25, and 1930 wooden carriages have been restored from the original Ghan rolling stock and the steam engine looks as good today as the day it was first put into service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is kept clean and spotless and is the pride of the collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is also an original 1927 Barwell Bull Rail Car that is also used on this rail track by the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Note. While listening to the news tonight we heard that they were getting the car ferry out of mothballs where it had been for the last 25 years and putting it back into service on one of the rivers near Marree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was expected that some properties in this area could be cut off by road for six months due to the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To think that we had to plan our trip into this area to coincide with this weather pattern.</span></p><br /></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-5803771835790214492010-05-28T06:36:00.001-07:002010-05-28T06:51:30.428-07:00Port Augusta to Leigh Creek<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S__HNkMf9RI/AAAAAAAAAL8/mZqkQ4viNvY/s1600/The+walking+Gear+on+a+1951+BE+Dradline.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476314707774141714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S__HNkMf9RI/AAAAAAAAAL8/mZqkQ4viNvY/s400/The+walking+Gear+on+a+1951+BE+Dradline.jpg" /></a> The walking gear on a 1951 BE Dragline at Leigh Creek. A bit different from todays designs.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3s2wQ3jlLS_c338O6rairwf_lzjZ1zTVCnSM88rOJiS0P5c_79U4tNuOmiTSXkPl6gvI5Pd7mS64yp0ylH9V1p0SjQs87YMa9JMHDxjoYaPUq7-yUiTlKgBYI41GNfzJT0ooY0J5XEo/s1600/Inside+the+BE+Dragline+House+at+Leigh+Creek.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476314702101528018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3s2wQ3jlLS_c338O6rairwf_lzjZ1zTVCnSM88rOJiS0P5c_79U4tNuOmiTSXkPl6gvI5Pd7mS64yp0ylH9V1p0SjQs87YMa9JMHDxjoYaPUq7-yUiTlKgBYI41GNfzJT0ooY0J5XEo/s400/Inside+the+BE+Dragline+House+at+Leigh+Creek.jpg" /></a> Inside the hoisting and engine house on a 1951 BE Dragline at Leigh Creek. Very small to the unit on site at Ulan.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S__HMnThQoI/AAAAAAAAALs/PyVN7lJBAjA/s1600/DSC_7893+Yellow+Footed+Rock+Wallaby+-+Warren+Gourge+-+Quorn.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476314691429024386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S__HMnThQoI/AAAAAAAAALs/PyVN7lJBAjA/s400/DSC_7893+Yellow+Footed+Rock+Wallaby+-+Warren+Gourge+-+Quorn.jpg" /></a> An endangered Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby at Warren Gorge near Quorn</div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:180%;color:#365f91;">Port Augusta and Leigh Creek</span> <p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I had been told that the Arid Lands Botanical Gardens at Port Augusta was the place for birds so it was up early on Thursday morning and down to Port Augusta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were there by 8.00am and drove in to the Matthew Flinders lookout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The first birds were all ready there so it was out with the camera and start shooting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From here it was on to the Information Centre which turned out to be a cafe in a large expensive building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Again the birds were here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was out with the camera and on the hunt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some of the birds that I photographed were:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">White Browed babblers</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Southern Whiteface</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Singing Honeyeater</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbolfont-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore"><span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Nankeen Kestrel</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbolfont-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore"><span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Yellow Throated Miners</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Chirruping Wedgebill</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">White winged Fairy Wren (Female only)</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Sadly the overcast sky did nothing to enhance the photos but I did manage to get some good shots. We loaded up with supplies and fuel in Port Augusta before returning to Quorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Around 4.30pm we headed out to Warren Gorge looking for the endangered Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were lucky and saw a total of 7 including a baby that was just out of the mothers pouch although I think it was still using the pouch when it wanted to.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">That evening we made the decision to go to Arkaroola the next morning, known for its aridness and dry conditions, so we set off early to cover the 340 kilometres trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sadly someone forgot to tell the God of Storms and Rain that this piece of dirt was out of his domain and he gave it heaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He even sent the wind to try and blow us away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the time we got to Leigh Creek we got the message and booked into the local caravan park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our fuel consumption for the trip from Quorn to Leigh Creek was the worst for the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I could not get the reading below 20 l/100kl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At 3.00pm we got a break in the weather and jumped in the car and headed for the coal mine at Leigh Creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We managed to see the old dragline and a view of the old Open Cut before the weather turned nasty again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Back at the caravan the wind continued to blow and the rain came down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tomorrow we will return to Port Augusta or Quorn and I think the Flinders ranges will be missed out for this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will not try to drive north again while these strong winds prevail.</span></p></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-72534100657332739602010-05-26T03:43:00.000-07:002010-05-26T04:00:40.660-07:00Gluepot to Quorn.<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8jnyGQMI/AAAAAAAAALk/prN4U4EHdBw/s1600/Car+and+Caravan+at+Gluepot.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475528935880409282" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8jnyGQMI/AAAAAAAAALk/prN4U4EHdBw/s400/Car+and+Caravan+at+Gluepot.jpg" /></a> Our car and Caravan at our camp site at Gluepot.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8jeCCvGI/AAAAAAAAALc/nwne2mKZAp0/s1600/The+road+from+Gluepot.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475528933262933090" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8jeCCvGI/AAAAAAAAALc/nwne2mKZAp0/s400/The+road+from+Gluepot.jpg" /></a> Water covers the road from Gluepot. Dark storm clouds are the signs that there is still more rain to come.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8i_bfAVI/AAAAAAAAALU/xOyvSz3J2GA/s1600/Jacoba+and+myself+-+Mt+Bryant.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475528925048144210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_z8i_bfAVI/AAAAAAAAALU/xOyvSz3J2GA/s400/Jacoba+and+myself+-+Mt+Bryant.jpg" /></a> The old crane winch at Mt Bryant that was used to unload rail freight in the days when the original Ghan ran through this settlement.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc9AiZrURr3kovZ3hlg3Ls_KWWvtE7HmiltMMCi1-6aTJf1uHD3BIli98K1YKgAk5uqqQYTJqK2ZCHcSlap7jdrrEUkLFScsn3oWK-MP0n8UpwPg8LCN4gFA3LpCgMi32tpJZbFyp1TQ/s1600/Ruins+of+an+old+hotel+near+Orroroo+-+SA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475528914627504098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAc9AiZrURr3kovZ3hlg3Ls_KWWvtE7HmiltMMCi1-6aTJf1uHD3BIli98K1YKgAk5uqqQYTJqK2ZCHcSlap7jdrrEUkLFScsn3oWK-MP0n8UpwPg8LCN4gFA3LpCgMi32tpJZbFyp1TQ/s400/Ruins+of+an+old+hotel+near+Orroroo+-+SA.jpg" /></a> The ruins of an old hotel stands on it own as a sentinal of the past when the Old Ghan Rail Line passed this way.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1en8YlW6h7KiTID-PDPsu4aP_xeRMzFXKWelkKe-QgFJ4tVKJEdF39iW5j_lm4Cgso5jrhbchynF1NJbHM6saon-tgGw-ox_FHAQYC3ysW5AMgvycx2hEtbeWaYQQNkndg-iGYJP-aKg/s1600/Cloud+Formations+near+Orroroo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475528910674220194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1en8YlW6h7KiTID-PDPsu4aP_xeRMzFXKWelkKe-QgFJ4tVKJEdF39iW5j_lm4Cgso5jrhbchynF1NJbHM6saon-tgGw-ox_FHAQYC3ysW5AMgvycx2hEtbeWaYQQNkndg-iGYJP-aKg/s400/Cloud+Formations+near+Orroroo.jpg" /></a>A layer of cloud reminded me of a section of floating ice shelf in Antarctica. </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:180%;color:#365f91;">Gluepot to Quorn.</span> <p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The electrical storm from the previous night had proved to be the start of the bad weather that was about to hit South Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tuesday morning was dark and overcast and the rain from the previous night had left pools of water covering much of the camping area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We decided to set up at the nearest bird hide to see if any birds turned up for the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sadly for us the abundance of fresh water had removed the need for birds to go to the water points to drink and no birds arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rain continued occasionally allowing the sun to glow through the cloud cover for a few minutes at a time between the showers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Back at the camp site we heard birds at a pool of water beside the caravan and a family of Chestnut Crowned Babblers were bathing and drinking at the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I managed a few photos and these were the only bird shots that I would get for this trip into Gluepot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not having any communications with the outside world, we were unable to get a forecast for the weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We debated whether to stay or go and by lunch time we had made the decision to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Driving out the 50 kilometres of unsealed road, we had to continually drive through long pools of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lucky for us, the road was sand based so we were not in any danger of getting bogged, even with the caravan behind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We noticed the tyre tracks of at least four other vehicles on the track in front of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Back on the sealed tar road we headed for the old Murray River port town of Morgan and then to Burra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Burra was one of the towns on the Old Ghan railway line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our route from here was to take the road that followed sections of the old line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Night was closing in fast with the bad weather, so we made camp 16 kilometres further down the road from Burra at a Mt Bryant, another station stop on the Old Ghan line.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Light rain continued through the night and the morning sky still maintained the angry storm clouds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Driving north we started to see clear sky and then a strange cloud form that looked like a section of the ice shelf in Antarctica floating in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The edge of the cloud was like a vertical white wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Also along the road, the ruins from old buildings and homes were scatted through the paddocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The new eyesore on the horizon was dozens of large wind generators along the ridgeline between Burra and Jamestown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A new set of transmission towers carry this supply over to the gulf.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Our arrival in Quorn before lunch was the end of our trip for today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We booked into the Quorn Caravan Park where I had stayed before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The storm clouds and conditions had caught up with us again and the afternoon was spent exploring the small town and relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Conditions were very poor for photography.</span></p><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-39343458671558484162010-05-25T20:10:00.000-07:002010-05-25T20:23:40.659-07:00Mannum - Barossa Valley - Gluepot<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySR_YTCTI/AAAAAAAAAK8/jGNY_opvI0Y/s1600/Autumn+colours+in+the+grape+vines+at+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475412084744456498" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySR_YTCTI/AAAAAAAAAK8/jGNY_opvI0Y/s400/Autumn+colours+in+the+grape+vines+at+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg" /></a> Autumn colours with fog in the background.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySReLD0zI/AAAAAAAAAK0/9SJ2sew5SZc/s1600/Autumn+Colours+in+the+Vinyards+-+Yulumba.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475412075830563634" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySReLD0zI/AAAAAAAAAK0/9SJ2sew5SZc/s400/Autumn+Colours+in+the+Vinyards+-+Yulumba.jpg" /></a> Autumn in the vinyards of the Barossa Valley<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySRFJ88vI/AAAAAAAAAKs/EoVDgr3fp5o/s1600/Yulumbna+Winery+in+the+Barossa+Valley.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475412069115032306" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_ySRFJ88vI/AAAAAAAAAKs/EoVDgr3fp5o/s400/Yulumbna+Winery+in+the+Barossa+Valley.jpg" /></a> The Chateau at Yalumba<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijimUld6G8lQbCdy8rPnF9Q8B-IuHENg3zlJl1SMdwMWVx9AU1v9aGhR52sti2KvjDGKABSRm2bZUsWgJ0z31UYAQW-IAVzIpIUcicg38ZUAoJncEhgcz9u5Lf4nzyI_HMMUvbsCFuiI/s1600/Autumn+Leaves+at+Yulumba.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475411497230374370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijimUld6G8lQbCdy8rPnF9Q8B-IuHENg3zlJl1SMdwMWVx9AU1v9aGhR52sti2KvjDGKABSRm2bZUsWgJ0z31UYAQW-IAVzIpIUcicg38ZUAoJncEhgcz9u5Lf4nzyI_HMMUvbsCFuiI/s400/Autumn+Leaves+at+Yulumba.jpg" /></a> Autumn colour in the Barossa Valley<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_yRvhssSbI/AAAAAAAAAKc/8xdmAumLEtw/s1600/Coba+-+Garden+setting+in+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475411492661381554" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_yRvhssSbI/AAAAAAAAAKc/8xdmAumLEtw/s400/Coba+-+Garden+setting+in+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg" /></a> Coba on one of the garden paths at Yalumba<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_yRvNDjNHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/stJs22l-Wl8/s1600/Fallen+Autumn+Leaves+at+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475411487120110706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_yRvNDjNHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/stJs22l-Wl8/s400/Fallen+Autumn+Leaves+at+Yulumba+-+Barossa+Valley.jpg" /></a> Fallen leaves at Yalumba. These covered the ground in parts of the Estate<br /><br /><h2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 10pt 0cm 0pt" align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;color:#4f81bd;">Mannum - Barossa Valley – Gluepot.</span></h2><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Monday the 24<sup>th</sup> May and it is time to leave the Murray Princess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Breakfast is served at 7.30am and this is the opportunity to say farewell to new found friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We docked at 9.00am and soon after we had picked up our car and were on the way to the Barossa Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The first place that we arrived in was Mt. Pleasant, a place to take more photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The weather was again bad for photography and to make things worse, fog had started to descend on the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was then on to Angaston, another place I had never heard of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just before reaching the town we came across Yalumba’s winery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a picture this place was, the autumn leaves were in their best colours and we could not believe the beauty of the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had not expected to get this type of a display considering Hahndorf’s trees had all lost their autumn leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After walking around and photographing almost from every angle, we drove into Angaston which was a pretty town. The fog was now rather thick and Visibility had dropped to around 100 Metres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From here it was on to Tanunda where we had lunch and visited the Chateau Tanunda Winery but what a disappointment after the Yalumba experience.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">From the Barossa Valley it was back to Blanch Town to pick up our caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We did stop on the way for supplies as we were again heading bush for a couple of days and there were no shops where we were heading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>With the caravan in tow, we went back to Waikerie and then on to Gluepot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I felt it was too good an opportunity while I was in the area not to give Gluepot another go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We arrived back in the Bird Reserve just on dark and set up the caravan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An hour later we had a severe electrical storm which dropped around 15mm of rain and left large puddles everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope that this does not play havoc with the birding in the morning.</span></p><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-47258607912681556252010-05-23T06:30:00.000-07:002010-05-23T06:44:35.112-07:00Murry Princess Cruise days Two & Three<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVtuTrJI/AAAAAAAAAKM/lrrINjSHN98/s1600/Paddle+Boat+Murray+Princess+-+Walker+Flat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474458872143129746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVtuTrJI/AAAAAAAAAKM/lrrINjSHN98/s400/Paddle+Boat+Murray+Princess+-+Walker+Flat.jpg" /></a> The Murray Princess under power at Walker Flat.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVYpS1LI/AAAAAAAAAKE/ra8fQQGFX9s/s1600/Cliffs+along+the+Murray+River.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474458866484958386" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVYpS1LI/AAAAAAAAAKE/ra8fQQGFX9s/s400/Cliffs+along+the+Murray+River.jpg" /></a>Some of the Cliffs that the Murray River flows past.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVIuzBZI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/J1_CvsAuASI/s1600/Murray+Princess+at+Craignook+early+morning.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474458862213072274" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvVIuzBZI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/J1_CvsAuASI/s400/Murray+Princess+at+Craignook+early+morning.jpg" /></a> The Murray Princess at Craigmoor<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvU0E8FYI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/2zeZipk6LEY/s1600/Murray+Princess+at+Craignook+early+morning+light.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474458856668796290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_kvU0E8FYI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/2zeZipk6LEY/s400/Murray+Princess+at+Craignook+early+morning+light.jpg" /></a> The Murry Princess in the early morning light at Craigmoor<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTfLCiyfVzxe9e5mLzXlYn_IXjIxxl2YyWzJfImI1CtL0l4fzAZhcXp9G-durlzbtHwtyre5xgNyjgev3y3PasOgnzVsaI-yuEH0a91UmMD8Lm9u2J9w1ZcTH7205qtY-_8XeszoeOe4/s1600/The+Captain.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474458848157952082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTfLCiyfVzxe9e5mLzXlYn_IXjIxxl2YyWzJfImI1CtL0l4fzAZhcXp9G-durlzbtHwtyre5xgNyjgev3y3PasOgnzVsaI-yuEH0a91UmMD8Lm9u2J9w1ZcTH7205qtY-_8XeszoeOe4/s400/The+Captain.jpg" /></a> The captain dressed up for the cold, stears the boat from the docking station in the fog</div><div align="center"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:130%;">Murray Princess – Days Two and Three.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">With the clocks back half an hour on NSW time, I was no surprise that I was up at 4.45am and ready to start taking photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A heavy fog had enclosed the boat and visibility was restricted to less that 50 metres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I dressed and went ashore, the only silly person on board except for the night watchman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I set up the camera and took a series of photographs of the Murray Princess as daylight tried to penetrate the fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had to be back on board by 7.15am ready for a 7.30am departure.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">We left on time but visibility had decreased even further and to steer the boat. It was controlled from outside the bridge or wheelhouse using the docking controls <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>This way we were able to see the river bank but very little else. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>The captain was totally rugged up and it could have been a terrorist at the wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By 9.00am we had reached the Port or Town of Murray Bridge and tied up on the north side of the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The princess was too high to clear below the bridge.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Murray Bridge was known as Edwards Crossing up to the time the bridge was built in 1879.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was the first bridge built to cross the Murray River in South Australia and the place became known as Murray Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>After tying up, we went ashore for a short bus tour of the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Leaving the bus at the shopping centre, we walked back to the boat via the main street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before dropping down to the river we visited the Round House, built in 1876 as a residence for the manager in charge of building the bridge and at the approach of the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From there we walked on to the bridge to get photographs of the Murray Princess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were back on board by 11.30am and well underway by the time lunch had been served.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The afternoon was spent leisurely cruising back upstream past Mannum to our overnight stop at Craignook where we arrived under flood lights from the paddle boat at 7.30pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The river gums looked spectacular under the flood lights with the dark night background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Sunday morning sleep-in allowed me to stay in bed a bit longer this morning but I still managed to beat the sun up and take shots of the boat at its mooring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was also a colourful sunrise but not as good as some we have had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Today there was no fog but the weather was still cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>After breakfast we started on a bush walk buy Coba turned around about 200 metres after leaving the boat saying it was too cold to be out walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I continued on but the photography subjects were poor and lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I returned to the boat as they were about to bring in the gangway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It was a couple of hours run up to Walker Flat where we turned around and started back towards Mannum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Around 3.00pm we arrived at our camping spot for the night and were meet by the “Dragonfly” a small boat that takes 20 people for a nature trip of about 20 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then it was back to the Princess for nibbles and drinks before dinner which was served at 7.00pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tomorrow morning it is back to Mannum where we will disembark at around 9.00am and all go our own way.</span></p><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-11214181806986424582010-05-21T18:38:00.001-07:002010-05-21T18:48:40.279-07:00Return to South Australia<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2dsvSnTI/AAAAAAAAAJk/Z5FWkORQaFg/s1600/Reflection+-++Black+Duck+-+Murray+Bridge+Wetlands.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473903755945745714" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2dsvSnTI/AAAAAAAAAJk/Z5FWkORQaFg/s400/Reflection+-++Black+Duck+-+Murray+Bridge+Wetlands.jpg" /></a> Reflections - A Black Duck at MurrayBridge Wetlands<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKZChCPxiuFmBwBxJgg16FJXWNfFbRcMkQVd9WAP0HatCs6OOIJXmbZuyxLMv3p-NV3jjVSVXkocM8WsxZTCobJStrVt2oylyi6qm9rBIGFQs1Sx8CpuZwQRGyCWsBQylnHtgjvD8ymM/s1600/The+Bridge+at+Murray+Bridge.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473903747537772674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKZChCPxiuFmBwBxJgg16FJXWNfFbRcMkQVd9WAP0HatCs6OOIJXmbZuyxLMv3p-NV3jjVSVXkocM8WsxZTCobJStrVt2oylyi6qm9rBIGFQs1Sx8CpuZwQRGyCWsBQylnHtgjvD8ymM/s400/The+Bridge+at+Murray+Bridge.jpg" /></a> Murray Bridge - First Bridge across the Murray River in 1879<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2c-GOewI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ltbEcdLPiVw/s1600/The+Murray+Princess+at+Murray+Bridge.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473903743425477378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2c-GOewI/AAAAAAAAAJU/ltbEcdLPiVw/s400/The+Murray+Princess+at+Murray+Bridge.jpg" /></a> The Murray Princess at Murray Bridge<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2cQJ8dHI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Nm7HYzOEoAI/s1600/Paddle+Boat+Murray+Princess+under+lights+at+Mundurra.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473903731093042290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S_c2cQJ8dHI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Nm7HYzOEoAI/s400/Paddle+Boat+Murray+Princess+under+lights+at+Mundurra.jpg" /></a> The Murray Princess under lights tied up at Mundurra SA</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:180%;color:#365f91;">Return to South Australia</span> <p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It was 5.00am on Thursday morning the 20<sup>th</sup> May 2010 when the alarm went off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was time for a quick shower and to put the luggage in the car and head for Newcastle where we were leaving our vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From there it was a three hour train ride to Sydney airport where we caught our flight back to Adelaide arriving at 2.30pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had just spent six days at home so I could go to work for three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our lifestyle is to travel in our car and caravan and come home once a month to work for three days and then return to the car and caravan to continue our travels.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">After paying the car parking fees at Adelaide Airport, we set the GPS for Murray Bridge and drove around the southern edge of the city into the Adelaide Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We could not resist the opportunity to leave the expressway and detour through Hahndorf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was just over a week since we were here and the trees had almost lost all their autumn leaves and the autumn tones that had been there, were now dead leaves on the ground, the colour drained from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From there we followed the back road to Mt Barker where we rejoined the expressway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Arriving in Murray Bridge we booked into a motel for the night before a quick drive around the place and a visit to the Bunyip down beside the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dinner that evening was at the Riverview Hotel as the motel did not have a restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Next morning we had to repack our suitcase for the river boat trip before leaving the motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then it was back into town for some supplies and breakfast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Leaving town, we stopped at the Murray Bridge wetlands to check on the bird life and photograph a couple of the birds before heading north to Mannum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After lunching in Mannum, we spent some time walking down town and tracking back along the river to where we had left our car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This gave me some more opportunities for photographs.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">At 2.30 pm we boarded the Paddle Boat “Murray Princess” and were shown to our cabin before we did an exploratory tour of the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After drinks in the lounge, we left the wharf at 4.30 and, driven by the large paddle wheel, powered out into the Murray River heading downstream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The sunset was again spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dinner was served at 6.30pm in the main dining room and at the same time we pulled into the river bank for the night at a place called Mundurra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The crew lit a fire using Malley Roots and after the meal people were invited ashore to share the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Leaving Coba in the cabin with a book, I went ashore with my favourite toy, my camera, and captured the Murray Princess under lights at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She is a wonderful sight when she is lit up like a Christmas tree.</span></p><br /></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-56970157484243988212010-05-13T05:44:00.000-07:002010-05-13T05:53:24.089-07:00The Fleurieu Peninsula - Nothern Section<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxKvzsk3WHJaEUK26A8T_uzTLLGdk9OL_OQy6eLiX4bp81RXbEA111ZqWrjCJBx48CZmUD_Z7ggRt_x4810JnXRVuwpXHtMG82YLdFzn6ebdjWQAvfuEzxxOpC-BC9ISryemEtvbbQEM/s1600/The+Beachat+Horseshoe+Bay+at+Port+Elliot.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470735694642666898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxKvzsk3WHJaEUK26A8T_uzTLLGdk9OL_OQy6eLiX4bp81RXbEA111ZqWrjCJBx48CZmUD_Z7ggRt_x4810JnXRVuwpXHtMG82YLdFzn6ebdjWQAvfuEzxxOpC-BC9ISryemEtvbbQEM/s400/The+Beachat+Horseshoe+Bay+at+Port+Elliot.jpg" /></a> The beach at Horseshoe bay - Port Elliott.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wc078z5SGi8wGNnPgzesKQASfxPopnqFssgtfqN6KPPOj-8-NYPThLzhxhAIHl4p02GwzBBFSvPSXz1_rUH-YPbup1EA6xqQ7YjM7onzwz23ugv1u1avu4l3HDgy4q6S38GO7DZOXy4/s1600/Park+in+Goolwa.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470735689905456978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wc078z5SGi8wGNnPgzesKQASfxPopnqFssgtfqN6KPPOj-8-NYPThLzhxhAIHl4p02GwzBBFSvPSXz1_rUH-YPbup1EA6xqQ7YjM7onzwz23ugv1u1avu4l3HDgy4q6S38GO7DZOXy4/s400/Park+in+Goolwa.jpg" /></a> One of the parks in Goolwa in South Australia.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRXTZWenhlPdwZI-EaOHX19kVWeRkX3-cpFP66Fan6G4XeSZP-BlFce52nEi47GhQlsx8WNGGcADLrEC4v3bBZuaLnt3GkJ_I5tAtkraxHnOztRunl-3WSoR_UQDhBqzvt3qXLtVNqa8/s1600/Hindmarsh+Bridge+at+Goolwa.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470735685007655410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRXTZWenhlPdwZI-EaOHX19kVWeRkX3-cpFP66Fan6G4XeSZP-BlFce52nEi47GhQlsx8WNGGcADLrEC4v3bBZuaLnt3GkJ_I5tAtkraxHnOztRunl-3WSoR_UQDhBqzvt3qXLtVNqa8/s400/Hindmarsh+Bridge+at+Goolwa.jpg" /></a> The Hindmarsh Island Bridge at Goolwa.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-v1HO0D1AI/AAAAAAAAAIs/37TzqgUCpgE/s1600/Heidi+Ing+in+the+wine+cellar+at+the+Historic+Victory+Hotel+overlooking+Sellicks+Bay+in+SA.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470735676955939842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-v1HO0D1AI/AAAAAAAAAIs/37TzqgUCpgE/s400/Heidi+Ing+in+the+wine+cellar+at+the+Historic+Victory+Hotel+overlooking+Sellicks+Bay+in+SA.jpg" /></a> Heidi Ing in the underground wine cellar of the historic Victory Hotel.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:180%;color:#365f91;">Fleurieu Peninsula – Northern Section.</span> <p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Thursday the 13<sup>th</sup> May 2010 and our last full day at “The Links” resort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We took the opportunity to visit the northern section of the Fleurieu Peninsula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our first stop was McLaren Vale, an area very similar to the Branxton vineyard region of the Hunter Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After coffee at one of the Coffee Houses, it was on to Goolaw on the Southern shoreline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is the point where the Famous Hindmarsh Island Bridge has been constructed to access Hindmarsh Island at the mouth of the Murray River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was the bridge that was embroiled in controversy involving Secret Women’s Business with local aboriginal people.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">From Goolwa it was down to Port Elliot and Victor Harbour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We then crossed the Peninsula to Yankalilla just north of Normanville where we were staying.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">This evening we had arranged to meet with Heidi Ing for dinner at the Historic Victory Hotel which overlooks Aldinga Bay and the settlements of Sellicks Beach and Aldinga Beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This hotel has an underground cellar and when you purchase a bottle of red wine you go down into the cellar and select the bottle that you want. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Prices start with bottles for several hundred dollars and go down to twenty five dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>You then take it up to the bar, pay for it, and they open and decant it for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Heidi is doing the Janz family history for the family that arrived in Adelaide in the 1870’s and I am descended from the family line that set up their new home in Mackay in North Queensland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are comparing notes and trying to tie the two families together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We believe that there is a tie there but to date we have not been able to find it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The information has come down through the line of descendents verbally but we are hoping to find documentation to confirm it.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Tomorrow we fly back to Singleton for a few days before returning to Adelaide next week to pick up our car and caravan to continue our trip.</span></p><br /></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-18510327398836649302010-05-12T04:40:00.000-07:002010-05-12T05:02:33.294-07:00Victor Harbour - South Australia<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-qUxNJnMPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/lXOC3CWTsvM/s1600/The+One+Horsepower+Tram+at+Victor+Harbour.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470348270459367666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-qUxNJnMPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/lXOC3CWTsvM/s400/The+One+Horsepower+Tram+at+Victor+Harbour.jpg" /></a> The One Horsepower Tram with Clysdale Power at Victor Harbour.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGsOV72ybBuXFK0a-IkQrjQDAyk7nzT79Yo84xFRdypLkDBh6rfRYXKRLdRrrQ-MS8Bn2-Qc9_f1HOaZZ04pIaZ6CIpKonWbi6s3Aq3TIjD8lR9vNXE_R0_4WraRyw_22IlFGk597drc/s1600/The+Anchorage+in+Victor+Harbour.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470348258965109330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGsOV72ybBuXFK0a-IkQrjQDAyk7nzT79Yo84xFRdypLkDBh6rfRYXKRLdRrrQ-MS8Bn2-Qc9_f1HOaZZ04pIaZ6CIpKonWbi6s3Aq3TIjD8lR9vNXE_R0_4WraRyw_22IlFGk597drc/s400/The+Anchorage+in+Victor+Harbour.jpg" /></a> The Anchorage in Victor Harbour.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizErds6EdV9mTGD7WkcwoUyKaxBefHw5ksKIis9C38PgFNrZRFGaoy5WCfcHUbw22zWPKbHYTQxcMdB4JSAKdhZDfqKJY8WC_dJu8dsuMImvWUP-ynJalacAvBDIDGI-8vjtvYAvGQZWw/s1600/Hotel+Grosvenor+in+Victor+Harbour.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470348249645412690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizErds6EdV9mTGD7WkcwoUyKaxBefHw5ksKIis9C38PgFNrZRFGaoy5WCfcHUbw22zWPKbHYTQxcMdB4JSAKdhZDfqKJY8WC_dJu8dsuMImvWUP-ynJalacAvBDIDGI-8vjtvYAvGQZWw/s400/Hotel+Grosvenor+in+Victor+Harbour.jpg" /></a>The Grosvenor Hotel in Victor Harbour.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlCdWxj5AfbF7JfkGSf44llCnmmyDdPeT9XxpqY38tS-vDbocMnoJ1lN9yFE6YXdUhZWejNRnX6inSGHigldoGGFtuMgD065DojJgG4TLlzUBaho-_3XEJgGOdy3sdfSy-WkmaWzH4JM/s1600/The+Whale+Tail+Fountain+-+Victor+Harbour.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470348244922095954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlCdWxj5AfbF7JfkGSf44llCnmmyDdPeT9XxpqY38tS-vDbocMnoJ1lN9yFE6YXdUhZWejNRnX6inSGHigldoGGFtuMgD065DojJgG4TLlzUBaho-_3XEJgGOdy3sdfSy-WkmaWzH4JM/s400/The+Whale+Tail+Fountain+-+Victor+Harbour.jpg" /></a> The Whale Tail Fountain at Victor Harbour.<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-qUvB4OiHI/AAAAAAAAAIE/oc8mDffv2lc/s1600/Old+bridge+at+Glacier+Rock+near+Victor+Harbour.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470348233073920114" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-qUvB4OiHI/AAAAAAAAAIE/oc8mDffv2lc/s400/Old+bridge+at+Glacier+Rock+near+Victor+Harbour.jpg" /></a> An old disused bridge at Glacier Rock west of Victor Harbour </div><div align="center"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:130%;">Victor Harbour</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It can be said that in South Australia all roads lead to Adelaide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It can also be said that those roads that do not lead to Adelaide lead to Victor Harbour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Driving around the Fleurieu Peninsula all road intersections have Adelaide one way and Victor Harbour the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Victor Harbour is on the southern coastline and the shore line of The Great Southern Ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Rocky Islands help to protect the coast line in this area from the large waves that come up from Antarctica. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>It is a popular summer holiday destination for South Australians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is also the end of the rail line but I do not know if it is still in service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A tramline runs out along an old wooden jetty type bridge to Granite Island where there is a colony of Little Penguins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This tram is powered by a one horsepower Clydesdale, a truly reliable form of power for this tram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Southern Right Wales visit Encounter Bay which was named by Matthew Flinders in the “Investigator” after encountering French explorer Nicholas Baudin there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whales are a focal point of the town with a whale centre to teach people about these large mammals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is also a Whale Tail fountain in the park opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Leaving Victor Harbour we stopped at a place called Glacier Rock where there was an abundance of bird life.</span></p></div></div></div></div></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356804653822550756.post-68300539771314174002010-05-11T06:13:00.000-07:002010-05-11T06:28:17.290-07:00Hahndorf - South Australia<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZdk4DFvI/AAAAAAAAAH8/gYOCK1Sf-so/s1600/The+Road+into+Hahndof.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001587068016370" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZdk4DFvI/AAAAAAAAAH8/gYOCK1Sf-so/s400/The+Road+into+Hahndof.jpg" /></a> Elm and Plain Trees line the road through Hahndorf.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZdX2Y_eI/AAAAAAAAAH0/PWbGANSai1Q/s1600/Fallen+Leaves+-+Hahndorf.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001583571402210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZdX2Y_eI/AAAAAAAAAH0/PWbGANSai1Q/s400/Fallen+Leaves+-+Hahndorf.jpg" /></a> Falling Autumn leaves make a carpet of colour<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZc8dVJ6I/AAAAAAAAAHs/GDOF0dYplW8/s1600/Hahndorf+Garden+with+old+Buckboard.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001576218535842" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lZc8dVJ6I/AAAAAAAAAHs/GDOF0dYplW8/s400/Hahndorf+Garden+with+old+Buckboard.jpg" /></a> An old buckboard stands in the garden of a home in Hahndorf<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbmo5b8IOvFig688mFUDudT2hpUmeSzE_izBcxj8d-FrZDpWcutoru06Df-catsXWz4XteWFSF5U8-NLzopUhjWOGoFxjB64i9XFoEEme0sWh_FEbbMYNEfF4G294gLn3z8G4NCqJZyE/s1600/The+Old+Mill+in+Hahndorf.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001036774855458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbmo5b8IOvFig688mFUDudT2hpUmeSzE_izBcxj8d-FrZDpWcutoru06Df-catsXWz4XteWFSF5U8-NLzopUhjWOGoFxjB64i9XFoEEme0sWh_FEbbMYNEfF4G294gLn3z8G4NCqJZyE/s400/The+Old+Mill+in+Hahndorf.jpg" /></a> The Old Mill in Hahndorf, now the front for a Motel<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY9L2a8bI/AAAAAAAAAHc/FKBqXgjeqJA/s1600/The+German+Arms+Hotel+in+Hahndorf.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001030594490802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY9L2a8bI/AAAAAAAAAHc/FKBqXgjeqJA/s400/The+German+Arms+Hotel+in+Hahndorf.jpg" /></a>The German Arms Hotel in Hahndorf. </div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY882d9oI/AAAAAAAAAHU/LDZt72QPS9Y/s1600/Old+Building+now+a+Cafe+in+Hahndorf.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001026568156802" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY882d9oI/AAAAAAAAAHU/LDZt72QPS9Y/s400/Old+Building+now+a+Cafe+in+Hahndorf.jpg" /></a> An old home in the main Street of Hahndorf<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBduACPj3I3o0pa4OjNBIYUYi0I1GAHuybgoffLozzR-3iCM5-nkvZ6zEL5GlPB6wnJx6kaHCZEyhF-dgcWetGs1R4xJpYi-2g1vKeNAIPxpKlY5MmYzQDRC3Ut1h0Livq9t8euilepyo/s1600/The+Old+Buckboard+for+Hahndorf+Village+Markets.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001015626752930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBduACPj3I3o0pa4OjNBIYUYi0I1GAHuybgoffLozzR-3iCM5-nkvZ6zEL5GlPB6wnJx6kaHCZEyhF-dgcWetGs1R4xJpYi-2g1vKeNAIPxpKlY5MmYzQDRC3Ut1h0Livq9t8euilepyo/s400/The+Old+Buckboard+for+Hahndorf+Village+Markets.jpg" /></a> The Old Buckboard - Hahndorf.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY78GCeCI/AAAAAAAAAHE/YYi4yMNpjDw/s1600/Alwyn+in+the+Hahndorf+Chair.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470001009185159202" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPnDWmNmVkw/S-lY78GCeCI/AAAAAAAAAHE/YYi4yMNpjDw/s400/Alwyn+in+the+Hahndorf+Chair.jpg" /></a> Yours truly in an old german chair in Hahndorf <div><h2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 10pt 0cm 0pt" align="center"><span style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:130%;color:#4f81bd;">Hahndorf</span></h2><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I have always heard people talk highly about the old German town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Today was the day we were to check the place out and we were not disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hahndorf tourist area is basically one long street which was formally the Princess Highway before the new expressway went it bypassing this community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has not stopped the traffic from coming as it is one of the most popular tourist stops in South Australia as well as being a South Australian State Heritage Area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The 100 year old Elm and Plane trees lining the main street were dressed in their brilliant autumn colours for our visit and the falling leaves form a carpet of many shades where they had fallen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Light showers of misty rain which took turns with bright patches of sun to create the weather pattern for today, helped bring out the colours of autumn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Relics of the past were common site around the town which is proud of its German heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of the buildings are over 150 years old and are still in use today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We lunched on German food at one of the hotels that still cook and serve meals in the German tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the favourite sons of the town was Hans Heysen, a painter who made his name by painting bush scenery in South Australia, after whom the Heysen trail is named.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We also visited Mt Barker nine kilometres down the road but for us Hahndorf was the main attraction.</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Alwyn Simplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17168672217462862108noreply@blogger.com0