You know the saying that you can wait ages for a bus, and then several come a long at once? Well, we’ve been hoping that also applies to flocks of Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos. We’ve travelled around Australia, searching our hearts out for nearly a year, hoping to photograph them. These are some of Australia’s most … Continue reading Major Mitchells and Me
Wildlife
The Deep Blue Beyond
There are places in Australia that are so weird and wonderful that they don’t feel real. Exmouth, the country’s furthest northwest town, is one of those places. Our experiences there were so surreal that we felt like we were in a movie the entire time! Actually, I'll qualify that – we felt like we were … Continue reading The Deep Blue Beyond
The Painted Skies of the Coral Coast
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
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
Wild Island
Just off South Australia’s south eastern shore, there’s a remote and windswept island that’s a haven for wildlife. Kangaroo Island (known by its initials, KI) has just a tiny fraction of the population and development of Tasmania, and attracts relatively few visitors each year, and yet it’s Australia’s third largest island. We’d been considering spending … Continue reading Wild Island
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
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
Tasmania’s Adorables
Newsflash: Tasmania has nearly all of Australia’s most adorable animals, concentrated in one small island state! What’s more, they’re cuddle-sized, non-poisonous, and they’re not out to kill you. That last bit might sound a bit extreme if you haven’t been travelling in the Aussie outback for the past six months. Believe me, a lot of Australian … Continue reading Tasmania’s Adorables
Bay of Fires
"Bay of Fires" Once upon a pristine beach Of dolphin swell and pearly sand, We splashed, barefoot, through crystal pools Of fossil-peppered, surf-hewn rocks, A tidal gift of ancient land. Bright waters - sapphire, turquoise, jade, Fade to aqua-mirrored sheen, Recede in arcs of glistening foam, And spiral shells, and fizzing stones. A rhythmic, iridescent … Continue reading Bay of Fires
Creature Comforts on the Farm
When you’ve given up your house, put nearly all your worldly possessions in storage, and you’re on the road for a year with just an old Land Rover and a tent to call home, you miss your creature comforts. And if you’re crazy enough to be travelling with your adored and spoiled dogs, you notice … Continue reading Creature Comforts on the Farm