08/29/04

Sydney Harbour bridge. The Iconic start point to many a trip to Australia. I actually climbed to the very top, from where you get great views of the city, including the opera house. Sadly they don't let you take cameras and things - just in case you drop it onto the passing traffic below!

Whilst in Sydney, I took a short bus ride out to the Blue Mountains. Beautiful scenery - if a little touristy. Seen here are the Three Sisters.

Next stop Tasmania. I flew over to Hobart and rented the world's crappiest car - a 25 year old Corolla. Without the Hertz rent-a-car label, the Tasmanians treat you as one of their own on the roads - everyone waves at you as they drive past. Pictured here is the famous Tasman Arch.

While I was on Tassie, I took a ferry out to Maria Island. There are some nice secluded walks to be had, including the interesting Painted Cliffs. The swirling mixture of colours is derived from the pigmentation in the layers of sandstone.

Some of the oldest European settlements are on Tasmania. An example of this is the penal colony at Port Arthur. The tranquillity of the place in modern times doesn't seem to fit with the dire conditions which prevailed there when it was a functioning prison.

It wouldn't be an Australia trip without a picture of a Kangaroo.

Bluff pictured from the top of cradle mountain.

I climbed to the top of Cradle Mountain in the national park of the same name. The weather was amazing while I was there - the park ranger said I was 'one very lucky Pom' to get such a great weather window.

Then on to Victoria. I stayed with Neil while I was in Melbourne. We met in New Zealand a few weeks before. The man's a legend what more can I say! It was great to be able to return the favour when he came to England. Pictured above is Flinders street station in Melbourne. Note the Christmas decorations on the front - as a northern hemisphere dweller it was odd to have Christmas in summer!

Neil drove me all the way up the Great Ocean Road - something most travellers have to pay a lot of money for (I said he was a legend). The weather wasn't great, but this actually made it better because the sea was so spectacular. Pictured here are the Twelve Apostles.

Then on to Western Australia. From Perth airport I dumped my bag at the hostel and dashed straight to the WACA (Western Australian Cricket Association), where Australia were entertaining New Zealand in a Test match. A local derby if ever I saw one - the Aussie/Kiwi banter was hilarious. Here we see the local hero, Adam Gilchrist sweeping for four.

I took a ferry out to Rottnest Island, where these little fellas live. He's a Quokka - a small wallaby relative once believed to be found over much of the mainland. They are very unhurried animals, and you can get very close - presumably why they are now found only on Rottnest.

This is when it stared getting really hot! I was travelling up the deserted West coast of WA. This is the Pinnacles Desert in the Nambung national park, there are thousands of these stone pillars sticking out of the sand - apparently dues to unusual bedrock combined with erosion.

The author and a pinnacle for size reference!!

There are plenty of places to stop for a dip. This is a beach on the Batavia coast. It can only be described as sublime - beautiful clear water, not a sole about and great weather.

At Monkey Mia. The traveller and a pelican - sizing each other up. The Pelican won.

Whilst on a lunch break in Port Denison, I took what is probably the best wildlife photograph I've ever taken. This is an Osprey returning to it's perch with a fish caught from the harbour. The talons are easily seen in this image - the last thing many local fish see. A very brave seagull waits for any scraps.

I couldn't resist putting him in again - what a great bird.

From one bird to another. This time I was in the Northern Territory - Australia's tropical 'Top End'. This is a Darter , a cormorant relative.

This is an Aboriginal rock painting in Kakadu. It's an example of what happens to the Chief's wife if she gets pregnant by another man. She is speared and fed to the crocodiles. Aboriginal law still rules in vast areas of the Northern Territory - spearing is still apparently in use.

The traveller in Kakadu national park.

The sunset over Darwin Harbour, and on my trip.