When winter sets in, residents of Margaret River head north to the warm, peaceful bays of the Coral Coast. The landscape changes suddenly and dramatically: dense forests peter out, the grass becomes sparse, and the earth becomes a vibrant palette of ochre, salmon and rust. The giant, roaring surf of the southwest morphs into a … Continue reading The Painted Skies of the Coral Coast
Beaches
Dunes of the Turquoise Coast
We bought a new toy when we were in Perth - a Mavic Pro drone. I've been trying to tear it out of Al's hands ever since so I can have a go! It's a little bit addictive. In the short video below, you can see Al's first attempts at creating drone footage for our Four Corners … Continue reading Dunes of the Turquoise Coast
Enchanted Land
There’s a flag flying from a street lamp as you enter the busy town of Margaret River. It reads: “the grass is greener (here).” It’s true - it was so green that it reminded me of parts of northern Europe. Other characteristics made the area feel European, too: it was thickly forested, the mornings were cool, damp and misty, and we were as likely … Continue reading Enchanted Land
The Bright Side of the Nullarbor
It’s 2am, and deep in the dunes at the eastern end of the Nullarbor, a lone tent is being battered by howling winds and drifting sand. It’s been pitched to face a dramatic view of the Great Australian Bight, a vast stretch of sand dunes and limestone cliffs that link South and Western Australia. But what looked … Continue reading The Bright Side of the Nullarbor
Dune Surfing & Cliff Diving on Yorke and Eyre
Al and I probably don’t look like we're into extreme sports. Other than skiing (and the odd bit of bungee jumping and shark diving in my youth), it’s been yoga and pilates all the way for me. As for Al, well, I guess dog-walking and mowing have been his activities of choice since he quit horse riding … Continue reading Dune Surfing & Cliff Diving on Yorke and Eyre
The Scorching Skies Above Us
Have you seen the Australian horror movie, ‘Wolf Creek’? I haven’t. I’ve avoided it, not just because horror movies aren’t my thing, but because of a conversation I had with a friend when Al and I were planning our Australian adventure. Me: We’ve decided to take a year off to travel around Australia. We’re so excited! Her: Where exactly … Continue reading The Scorching Skies Above Us
Milky Way over the Woolshed
This image is composed of a mosaic of 21 sub-images, taken at a chilly 5am on the 24th February while we were staying at The Woolshed at Pike River (a tiny rural settlement near Lyrup in the Riverlands region of South Australia). We mounted Tanya’s super-duper camera onto the back of the telescope so that … Continue reading Milky Way over the Woolshed
Fairy Tale of Wimmera
Just beyond the shadows of the Grampian mountains, among the dusty plains of the Wimmera, there’s a little wooden shack that has a heart and a soul. It was built by a local farmer, Graham, from timbers that he rescued from old tumbledown farm buildings, and furnished and decorated by his wife Buffy, and their … Continue reading Fairy Tale of Wimmera
Quirky, Funky, Arty Tassie
When it comes to finding places to stay on our travels, there’s only one thing that beats showing up to find the place we’ve booked is a beautifully feathered nest. It’s turning up to discover that our host is a famous artist. That’s what happened when we arrived in the village of Franklin in Southern … Continue reading Quirky, Funky, Arty Tassie
Third Corner
The Third Corner of our Australian adventure didn’t quite work out the way we planned. Our original idea was to take a Wilderness Tour involving a plane ride into the heart of Tasmania’s South West National Park, where very few people venture. It’s considered one of the best ways to see the true Tasmanian wilderness, well … Continue reading Third Corner
Four Corners Australia 