Sooner or later, most travellers in Australia will reach the great cross-roads at the head of Spencer Gulf that is Port Augusta.

North is the Stuart Highway to the Northern Territory. West is the Eyre Highway across the Nullarbor to West OZ. East is the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill and New South Wales. And South is to Adelaide and beyond.

Many travellers stop overnight either going to or coming from their main destination.

But discerning visitors who stay an extra day (or two or three) will be rewarded by discovering some of the FAAAAABULOUS things to do in Port Augusta.

Like what? Like THESE! Here’s TEN of my favorites!

1 Time Tunnel Travel at Wadlata

Wadlata Outback Centre isn’t just about tourist information. There’s the excellent gift shop – try a Journey Jottings map or a piece of Indigenous artwork! There’s a cool cafe – try the quandong cheesecake or the quandong slice!

And then there’s the time tunnel!

Walk into the jaws of the giant ripper lizard and be transported into the prehistoric world of life before man on Gondwanaland. This ancient history lesson is never dull as it moves through aeons (via interactive displays, dreamtime stories and intriguing facts) from the beginning of time to the present day in Port Augusta NOW!

While THIS time travel won’t take millions of years, don’t underestimate the time you’ll need – it’s easy to spend several hours there, especially with breaks for lunch and/or morning and/or afternoon tea. Just watching ‘Back of Beyond’, a movie about Outback legend mailman Tom Kruse takes an hour!

The good news is if you run out of time on this visit, just pick up a pass-out from the Wadlata staff and come back to finish it off other time!

2 The Full 360º at the Water Tower Lookout

It’s a long way to the top if you want a shocking fall – and the see-through metal mesh staircase doesn’t help either.

Luckily for us acrophobics, the Water Tower Lookout’s horribly exposed four flights of stairs ends in a fully enclosed viewing platform complete with wire mesh criss-crossing the view in four directions.

Except for a thoughtfully placed hole in the middle just right for a camera lens.

A camera lens like MINE, that is. If size DOES matter; and you’ve brought a giant lens along for a big day out, you might be in trouble

But cameras aren’t required to enjoy the superb view of boats, bridges and birds on Spencer Gulf; the iconic silhouette of the power station; and the general landscape filled with parklands and houses that make up this town, named for Augusta Sophia Marryat, wife of South Australia’s first civilian Governor.

Is late afternoon leading up to sunset the best time to check it out? I haven’t been there at any other time, so I don’t know – but it sure worked for me!

3 Matthew Flinders Lookout and RED Cliff Walk

Even if you’re more immune to the promise of RED Cliffs, the Matthew Flinders Lookout – a short walk from the car park – is worth a visit for its staggering vista of Spencer Gulf against the magnificent backdrop of the Flinders Ranges.

A landscape so fine that even standing atop a high and crumbling cliff face to view it becomes a pleasure. Well … almost

But throw in a killer sunset and even a coward like me can forget the perils of standing on the edge!

For more than double the fun, take the 4.5 km RED Cliff Circuit Walk from the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens to the Matthew Flinders lookout via a bird hide, a bluebush plain and the railway bridge with fine views from the edge of Spencer Gulf over the RED Cliffs, claypans and mangroves! Follow the loop trail back through the gardens.

4 Arid Lands Botanic Gardens

If you’ve got lemons, make lemonade.

And if you’ve got a climate with extreme temperatures, lengthy periods of drought and low rainfall, showcase the plants that LOVE arid conditions in your garden!

That’s exactly what the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, established in 1993 as an initiative of the Port Augusta Council, has achieved with its arid zone plant habitats – like dunes, desert and saltbush plains – spread over 250 hectares.

But demonstrating water-wise gardening techniques isn’t the only attraction!

When you’re tired of the walks, bird hides (and over 100 bird species recorded), a nationally significant Eremophila garden, art works, lookouts and plant nursery outside, there’s the Bluebush Café and Gift Shop inside.

Entry to the gardens is free, and they’re open all year round (other than Christmas and New Years Day, and Good Friday).

5 Pichi Richi Railway

Take a trip on a small section of the old Great Northern Railway from Adelaide to Alice Springs, once dubbed the Afghan Express and now affectionately known as the Ghan, through the rocky Pichi Richi pass in fully restored heritage carriages.

The Ghan hasn’t passed this way since 1956, but from April to November, experience the magic of steam and take a return trip on the restored Afghan Express from Port Augusta to nearby Quorn (41 km to the north-east); or the Pichi Richi Explorer from Quorn through the pass to Woolshed Flat.

With railway memorabilia at both Port Augusta and Quorn, the railway is a great way to experience the magic of train travel.

6 Trainspotting

Railway enthusiasts need not fear having to adopt alternative pursuits like sightseeing, birding and wildflower watching when the Pichi Richi Railway isn’t operating.

SO … if your preferred lullaby is the soothing sounds of shunting, then find somewhere to stay within sight and sound of the railway because all passenger and freight trains heading north, south, east and west pass through Port Augusta.

Even Railway ambivalents may find a multi-coloured goods train tracking north along the eastern side of the gulf with the Flinders Ranges a resplendent backdrop an awesome sight.

I know I did!

7 Quorn and the Quandong Café

Even without the enticement of a Pichi Richi train ride, the short drive to Quorn is well worth it. And top of MY list of Quorn must-do’s is a visit (or two) to the Quandong Café.

Actually, it’s not the cafe. It’s the scones. AWESOME scones. They even beat my own faithfully copied secret recipe pumpkin scones AND give the discerning epicure the opportunity to experience the delights of the Quandong, Australia’s own arid land fruit at its best when turned into a marvellously piquant jam, the perfect accompaniment to THOSE SCONES!

When you’re done with that, explore the town’s Galleries, historic buildings, cafés, pubs, an Agricultural Museum and the Powell Gardens botanic garden.

If the Quorn scenery looks familiar, it MAY be because scenes from a number of films were shot in the area. Most recently, the region AND the Pichi Richi steam train featured in The Water Diviner with Russell Crowe! Other notable films include Wolf Creek 1 and 2 (2005 and 2013), Tracks (2013), The Shiralee (1986) and Gallipoli (also featuring the Pichi Richi in 1981).

I’m not sure if the Quandong Café featured in any of the films – but it should have!

8 The Flinders Ranges

If you want to explore the folds and peaks of the ragged range that makes such an awesome town backdrop, Port Augusta is an easy day trip from some of the Flinders Ranges hot spots.

Near Quorn there’s the Dutchmans Stern, Devils Peak and Warren Gorge. A little further north there’s Kanyaka Historic Site, Death Rock and the Jeff Morgan Gallery at Hawker, 107 km north-east. 67 km south is Melrose, gateway to the Mount Remarkable National Park.

Exploring the Flinders Ranges will take a LOT longer than a weekend – but a Port Augusta day trip makes a good teaser!

9 Wildflower Wonderland

Just in case you didn’t quite catch the beauty of the arid land vegetation, here’s a little taste of what you’re missing!

10 Blanche Harbour

Past the Port Augusta city limits heading south along the western side of Spencer Gulf, the sparsely vegetated dry hills of the outback to the right contrast nicely with the brilliant blue of the sea on the left, and the intriguing skyline of the Flinders Ranges beyond.

With a landscape like this, it’s no wonder the gulf is lined with holiday shacks.

23 km later, the gulf widens as the outback sweeps down to the sea at Blanche Harbour in a magnificent sweep of coastline. Atop a low hill above the car park, there’s a marvellous vantage point inside a picnic shelter that tells the story of this place while showing off its natural attractions.

But it didn’t always look this good. The ‘before’ photos show what the area looked like 15 years ago, when a group of concerned ‘shackies’ banded together to reverse the ravages of rubbish dumping and off-road vehicle driving.

Now, with revegetation well under way and stunning scenery, Blanche Harbour is a place of beauty and peace.

So take a look at my TOP TEN – and start planning YOUR stop-over – or weekend getaway – now! And if you can fit all TEN of my favourite things to do in Port Augusta into just ONE weekend, you’re doing well!

Want MORE?

• Port Augusta
• MORE Photos of Port Augusta on FLICKR!

PS  Did I mention the Scenic Public Loos??  Here’s a triple-toilet-teaser – see if you can find them all when YOU go to Port Augusta!

The post 10 TOP Things to Do in Port Augusta appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Visit Innes National Park on a fine day and if you don’t end up with a photo that looks close to the one above, you’re just not trying!

But joining the ‘Entrance to Innes National Park’ photo club isn’t the only reason to visit this smallish 9400+ hectare National Park.  It’s around 300 km from Adelaide on the toe of the ‘ill shaped leg’ (take the link to see it on the map) that is South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.

Although I’d been here several times over the last few years, we had never actually stayed there until now. We left the camper trailer at home and stayed in the restored Engineers cottage in historic Inneston for a few days, right inside the park with entry fees included in the tariff.

If only I could say that this meant getting up early for sunrise shots, but alas …

However, being on site made our exploration MUCH more leisurely!

So let me give you my updated insider’s TOP 7 things to do – a true traveller’s teaser taste of all that’s GREAT about this FAAAABULOUS spot!

1.  The Wildlife

Thanks to a close encounter at Inneston, I know EXACTLY what to do if attacked by an emu! Just raise your hands above your head, and walk backwards until you get to a place where you can run like hell!!

You might have to forget the photo …

Getting a little too close to an emu with chicks during spring hatching season isn’t recommended. In a civilised gender role reversal rarely seen elsewhere in the animal kingdom, it’s the male who sits on the eggs and cares for the young – the female is long gone by then!

But hard core twitchers* come here for the rare Western Whipbird – the reason for the park’s proclamation in 1970, it’s virtually the whipbird’s southernmost limit and one of the few habitats preventing it from being a Western Australian endemic. It’s also a known nesting area for Malleefowl with regular sightings in and around Inneston.

And if you don’t see a kangaroo somewhere in the park, don’t bother buying a lottery ticket … you’re obviously the world’s most unlucky person!

2.  The Scenery

If magnificent (and nearly empty) beaches, rugged rocky cliffs, towering sand dunes, coastal vegetation, jewel like islands, lakes and wild coastlines leave you cold, then Innes National Park probably isn’t for you.

But while you’re gazing out over the Great Southern Ocean at a cliff top lookout, bear in mind that if not for the sea spray, waves and curvature of the earth, you’d be able to see clear to Antarctica!

3.  The History

The four clans of the Aboriginal Narungga nation maintain strong cultural links to the Yorke Peninsula area, and the historic campsites and shell middens found in the park.

Charted by Matthew Flinders over 200 years ago, the remains of civilisation from the area’s early 1900’s settlement are scattered throughout the park, including the not-quite-ghost-town of Inneston, unsurprisingly established by William Innes. In its heyday, Inneston’s Gypsum mining, with a port at nearby Stenhouse Bay supported a peak population of around 200.

Interpretive signage along the Investigator Strait Shipwreck trail tells tales of the treacherous rocks, reefs and unpredictable weather that sank many ships. Down on Ethel beach, the ever-diminishing remains of the Ethel, wrecked in 1904, show how dangerous these waters can be.

4.  The Lighthouses

And that’s where the lighthouses come in! There’s good reason why the lighthouses at Cape Spencer (see photo above) and West Cape – both accessible by short walking trails – are still operational, with Cape Spencer lighting up the night sky a short distance from our accommodation at Inneston.

But the unusual designs of all-metal West Cape and rectangular Cape Spencer lighthouses AND the amazing vistas from Cape Spencer over the cliffs and out to the Althorpe group of islands (where the Althorpe Island lighthouse overlooks 6 shipwrecks) and the panorama from West Cape across Pondalowie Bay (see photo below) make them worth re-visiting at any time of day!!

Which is the best?? It’s a near thing – but its scenic public toilet to die for (Yes! It’s in MY BOOK!) gives West Cape the edge!

5.  The Wildflowers

It’s worth visiting the park in a good season just for the bright RED Cocky’s Tongue lining the roads. And the RED Correa.

But believe it or not, there are also a few NOT RED wildflowers in Spring (Sept-Nov down here!) and half the fun of a walk in the park is finding them.

Heavily perfumed and delicately coloured Freesias are everywhere – especially in what were once the settled areas,

their beauty a compelling argument against getting rid of non-natives!

If you’re lucky enough to visit in spring, be warned! Wandering the tracks around Inneston can put you in quite serious danger of wildflower overload!

6.  The Beaches

Just how many miles of empty, unspoiled beach stretching off into the middle distance can you take? While access to some of the beaches may take a little effort with steep and treacherous tracks, who wouldn’t want to try to make it down to Browns Beach?  Where yes, there ARE two other people …

Or to explore the Ethel Wreck (see photo above)??

But I’ll leave it to you to decide if a bad weather day makes the West Cape beach more or less of an attraction!!

7.  The Walks

Exploring Innes National Park on foot is one of the best ways to experience everything.

Wander the 11 km round trip Gym Beach walk or the 4km return Royston Head hike for wildflowers, amazing coastal scenery and beaches. Do the 1 km loop West Cape Headland hike right past the lighthouse and that awesome view. Walk through Inneston and along the Thomson-Pfitzner Plaster trail for a taste of history, wildflowers and wildlife, and the short South Cape lighthouse walk for scenery.

And do the Stenhouse Bay Lookout walk for ALL of the above.

Yes, it’s SO sounding like you’re going to need to spend more than a day here, right? And given my total lack of photo manipulation skills, this really IS what it looks like. So if it seems as if the jewel-like Innes National Park with its bountiful natural attractions is just a little too good to be true, then my work is done.

But I don’t think I could prove electronic photo theft of my first shot given the omnipresence of ‘Entrance to Innes National Park’ shots on the web!

* Twitcher = Birdwatcher! Go figure!!

Want MORE?

• Walks of Innes National Park
• Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
• Inneston Heritage Accomodation, Innes National Park
• Yorke Peninsula in 7 Days – my Rocky Travel guest post
• More photos of Innes National Park and Yorke Peninsula on Flickr

The post The Jewel in the Toe – Innes National Park, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

In spring, the distinctive landscapes of Victoria’s Grampians National Park – where vista after staggering vista stretches out in an almost endless 360° scenic panorama – become an irritating distraction from its main attraction!

1.  Boroka Lookout:

2.  Heatherlie Quarry:

3.  Silverband Falls:

Weirdly, no matter how wonderful the waterfall, my photo of it will almost certainly look like a white line on a dark backdrop.

My shots of Silverband Falls – a recovering natural disaster zone after the twin ravages of fierce bushfire followed by catasrophic flood – are sadly no exception!

So I’ve gone for an arty water shot instead …

… and you’ll just have to trust me that this is, indeed, Silverband Falls!!

4.  Victoria Valley:

Running between the Serra Range to the east and the Victoria Range to the west, the wild and remote country around the Glenelg River with the jagged mountain range (at left) silhouetted against the sky is softened by spring wildflowers.

Don’t miss it if you want to see a carpet of flowers, a knife edge of rocky mountains and a scattering of wildlife!

5.  Mount Abrupt:

• Wildflowers of the Grampians, Victoria
• Grampians National Park
• RED in the Grampians: my other Grampians Adventures!

The post 5 Grampians Wildflower HOT Spots! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I had no idea that at 747 metres (2450 ft) above sea level Tom Price is the highest town in Western Australia. I also had no idea Tom Price is at the foot of the highest Western Australian mountain with a summit accessible by road. And I had no idea that the town was named for American geologist Thomas Moore Price, instrumental in founding the area’s mining industry.

Who tragically died only two hours after being told that a rich ore deposit had been discovered in the area. But that’s a story for another day …

I didn’t know any of this before driving into Tom Price Western Australia after camping in nearby Karijini National Park for a few days.

And I didn’t care.

All I cared about after driving through the endless RED Pilbara dust was finding a washing machine.

Preferably one with a built in RED DUST removal filter.

But finding the unlikely oasis of Tom Price in the red – actually, make that BEYOND red – heart of the Pilbara region in the Western Australian Outback was a bonus.

And even though we spent less than 24 hours in this top little town we found at least 6 reasons to come back for more one day!

1 Mount Nameless

No, I haven’t forgotten the name of the impressive peak that looms 1128 metres (3700 ft) above the town and manages to find its way into virtually every photo …

… It really IS called Mount Nameless. By non-Indigenous people, anyway. The local Indigenous people know it as Jardrunmunhna, or ‘place of rock wallabies’.

It’s a 30 minute 4WD drive to the top on gravel roads OR a 3 hour return walk for views of the ranges, the Tom Price mine site and the town of Tom Price Western Australia. Or so they tell me … visiting the summit is something that is SO on the list for next time!

2 Tom Price Tourist Park

After spending our first few hours in Tom Price removing red dust from all exposed surfaces of the car and camper trailer; much of our clothing; and ourselves, we had time to admire the stupendous setting of this excellent Caravan park.

A short walk from the back of the camping area ascends to a viewing area just perfect for both sunset AND sunrise.

Mt Nameless on the one hand; the extraordinary Hamersley ranges that dominate the Pilbara on the other.

All under a sky so archetypally outback it immediately turns one’s photos into cliché shots …

3 The Wildflowers:

I don’t know what they’re all called. And I don’t care! But these are just a few of the remarkable array of flowers growing in the iron-rich soil of the Pilbara within cooee of the caravan park.

4 Tom Price Attractions

<p”>All that red dust removal and jaw-dropping scenery admiration can work up a healthy appetite. And during our August 2012 visit, the Moon Palace Chinese restaurant delivered the goods with one of the best meals of our trip!

At the back of the town, we got all excited about the outdoor cinema – until we discovered to our horror that it looked to be tragically destined to become a caravan parking area with a dump point for travellers passing through. Why? WHY????

Above the town, the lookout gives an interesting perspective. And just down the road amidst all the RED, Lake Knox provides an unexpectedly cool, green picnic area. But no swimming – the pond is part of the sewage filtration network …

5 Karijini National Park

Gateway to Karijini, Tom Price Western Australia makes a fine base from which to explore what is arguably Australia’s most dramatic National Park with the closest entry point only 50 km (31 miles) east.

And Karijini is well worth visiting with some of the most spectacular scenery, gob-smacking gorges, RED rocks and magnificent mountains in the country.

Like THIS:

But … Tom Price makes an even finer staging post for the RED and filthy campers who emerge from a few days at Karijini looking for a pleasant spot to clean up, hole up, rest up and eat up! (See #2 above … the Tom Price Tourist Park!!)

6 But Wait!  There’s MORE …

Tom Price Western Australia has more to offer those who, unlike us, are able to extend their stay. So here’s what we’ll be doing next time!

A drive (or walk!) to the Mt Nameless summit is a must, and what adventurer could pass up the opportunity to take a Tom Price mine tour to one of the biggest mine sites in the world? Out of town is the Kings Lake recreation area and Mt Sheila Lookout. And a number of tour operators offering Karijini and Aboriginal Cultural tours are based in the town.

But I’ll just be happy for the chance to prove I’ll never get tired of admiring Mt Nameless and the extraordinary Hamersley Ranges!

Want MORE??

• Tom Price, Western Australia
• Karijini National Park, Western Australia
• The Pilbara Region, Western Australia
• Red Nomad OZ in Karijini National Park

The post Why Tom Price Western Australia is a TOP Aussie Town! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Watch your coincidences, the writers manual said. Spread them out, with no more than three or you’ll lose readers. So just WHAT was I supposed to do about all the Carnamah coincidences?

We arrived in Carnamah on Mum’s birthday. Coincidence #1.

A distant relative I’d never met before was staying in the caravan park. Coincidence #2.

The Carnamah Historical Society president knew more about my background and family history than I did. Coincidence #3!

Then there was … but wait! I’m getting ahead of myself.

Being in Carnamah at all was no coincidence.

But although it was a) the heart of the fabled Western Australian wildflower country ;b) a convenient distance from our previous camp site on the coast; and c) where my mother was raised, we approached it with some trepidation.

The last town we’d gone through wasn’t particularly inviting (nothing will induce me to divulge its identity!), and there wasn’t much about Carnamah in the tourist directories.

The new location ‘lucky dip’ worked both ways. Sometimes it was great. Sometimes it was OK. And sometimes it was crap.

‘We don’t have to stay here, you know,’ said Pilchard as we turned into the main street.

But my curiosity about this small town, the buckle in the Western Australian wheat belt where my mother spent her formative years, had increased the closer we got.

We had to stay one night because THIS was where she’d walked three miles to school every day (whose parents didn’t?). Where she lived on the family farm. Where she got her first job.

And where the wondrous wildflowers of the West of which I’d heard such glowing reports all my life actually were.

Nothing, but NOTHING comes close to the Western Australian wildflowers, I’d heard many times. Actually, EVERY time we saw any other wildflowers. Anywhere. Ever.

My nasty-girl side SO wanted to disprove that theory, I’d been almost disappointed to see what looked like ‘Wildflower World’ unfolding before me on the side of the road as we neared our destination.

But then we were driving down the main street and into the Carnamah Caravan Park. For a small town – hell, for ANYWHERE – this was a keeper. Neat layout, level sites (some drive-through), off the main road, new amenities, FREE WASHING MACHINE! Score!

Then to the Visitor Information Centre – and Score! The friendly helpful volunteer told us exactly where to find Mum’s favourite – the Wreath Leschenaultia. AND the Carnamah Bell (Darwinia carnamah), exclusive to Carnamah! Score!!

Out on the street, Black Cockatoos circled over the pub, singing their sad, sweet song. But these sounded different. They WERE different! Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo only found in Western Australia and a lifer for twitcher* Pilchard! Score!!

It almost made up for not finding a bakery.

And as we walked this TOP Aussie town’s botanic garden trail in successful search of the not-so-elusive Carnamah Bell, we agreed we’d lucked out. A family connection and a clutch of coincidences weren’t the only reasons to explore this area.

Mum spent her early years out of town on a farm. During the Depression of the 1930’s, local farmers, including my grandfather, had petitioned the government for a school, then donated time and materials to construct a suitable building. My mother and her siblings were among the Billeroo school’s first pupils, and my mother its last teacher.

I had to at least try to find it. Or what, if anything, was left of it.

The Carnamah Historical Society’s excellent website and databases gave a lot of detail about the area and its people – including my grandfather and the farm. Supplementing the actual museum, the website included a virtual museum and blog – a mini-masterclass in historical data management (Score!).

And their blog had a post about wildflowers in the area. Yes, they looked mighty fine.

So why not spend an extra day here, and see the sights?

Back at the caravan park, the neighbouring van turned out to contain my grandmother’s nephew, and therefore my 2^nd cousin once removed. He’d dropped in to Carnamah on his way home to see if anyone knew what had happened to my grandmother’s family. He’d apparently asked at the Visitor Centre about 10 minutes after I’d been there, and coincidence blessed with the magic of small town connections had done the rest!

But so far, I was drawing a blank on the school location.

Pilchard and I had always planned to return home via Carnamah, but arriving on Mum’s birthday was also a coincidence. When I rang later that night and told her where I was, she didn’t believe it at first. That changed when I asked for directions to the school. But unfamiliar with the relatively new caravan park, she could only give me a rough idea.

But no matter. Already elated by the cousin coincidence and Carnaby’s Cockatoo and Carnamah Bell sightings, I was beginning to feel my connection to Carnamah. Almost.

The next day, our hunt for the wild wreath leschenaultias took us the back way to Perenjori. Whatever you’re thinking is the correct pronunciation probably isn’t, but after channelling the vibe, I could rattle off ‘P’renjsh’ree’ like a local. AND put it firmly on the ‘Wildflower World’ map!

After being in Carnamah 24 hours, I’d already had several independent referrals to the president of the Historical Society, who apparently knew everything there was to know about the area. But I hadn’t visited him at the historical museum. For a start, it wasn’t going to be open during our visit. And I’m not particularly nostalgic, sentimental or family oriented, so did it really matter if I found the school or not?

Anyway, what would a total stranger know – or care – about my long-ago connection to Carnamah?

After a hard day on the wildflower trail, the sky darkened into a sign – of sorts. And another caravanner – who turned out to be no relation whatsoever – suggested that as she’d lived here, my mother would appreciate photos of the Tathra National Park wildflowers. Coincidence?

Actually, more like Score! After booking in for a 3^rd night, we discovered the national park’s unspoiled, rain-enhanced beauty was a photographer’s fantasy. Who knew wildflowers could look like this? And as another back road tour took us to Carnamah via Three Springs, another town I’d heard Mum mention, the canola fields glowed in the sunlight.

But, the Billeroo school location still eluded us. No one at the Visitor Centre knew where it was. But in an almost miraculous coincidence, the Historical Society Museum was open. And when I finally met president George Fowler, ‘Coincidence’ and ‘Score’ for once combined as I found my family’s next farm neighbour; my uncle’s best friend; and a motherlode of information about the area all rolled into one.

And THAT coincidence made my Carnamah connection complete.

We came to Carnamah for several reasons. But now we’ve got several reasons to return!

Want MORE?

• Carnamah Historical Society Blog AND My guest post about my experience in Carnamah and with the Carnamah Historical Society
• Carnamah Historical Society Website
• Western Australian Wildflowers
• More Carnamah Photos on Flickr
• More about Carnamah

* Twitcher = Bird watcher. Don’t ask me why …

The post The Carnamah Connection, Western Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

WARNING: Do NOT attempt the Pinnacle walk if you don’t like A) heights; B) snakes; C) wildflowers; or D) looking uncool!

Whether or not D) applies depends to a certain degree on physical fitness levels – and possibly hiking fashion sense! Although tragically that’s not a factor if you’re like me.  That red face, heaving chest and death-rattle puffing after ascending the 470 metre elevation (~1560 feet) of the Pinnacle hike are guaranteed to immediately counteract the effects of even the most fashionable hiking gear!

Sadly, the general store in Grampians town Halls Gap sells everything – except badges that state ‘Don’t Panic! I’m NOT having a heart attack!’

So wielding a camera as if you know what you’re doing is a far better antidote to D).  That’s because it’s possible to surreptitiously catch your breath under the guise of admiring and photographing the view.

Starting the Pinnacle hike

Thankfully, there are a lot of views to admire on the 3.6 km (2.23 mile) trek up the escarpment.  Leave from the trail-head behind the Halls Gap Caravan Park which will take you to the Pinnacle, one of the most popular vantage points in the Grampians National Park.

But admiring the staggering view from the truly impressive vantage point of the Pinnacle doesn’t come easily.

The jagged rocky outcrops forming the distinctive Halls Gap skyline appear impossibly high up and far away (see above). But the sharply pointed spur of rock with fuzzy edges – the safety rail – jutting out from the clifftop along the line of peaks above the town IS attainable!

Of course a ‘Hard’ grade hike requires preparation. So before you climb, take a trip to the Halls Gap Bakery, full of ready made sandwiches, rolls and apple shortbreads (me) and vanilla slices (Pilchard). Although these are readily interchangeable with the Lumberjack cake (me) and Hedgehog slice (Pilchard).

The first leg to Mackeys Peak

Stop at the grave of baby Agnes Ffoulkes, tragic victim of the hardships faced by pioneers in this once-remote spot.  The track immediately ascends to the first of many staircases that make the first leg to Mackeys Peak a pretty stiff climb. Stop to admire and photograph (yes, that’s a euphemism!) the fine views of Chatauqua Peak and across the valley to Boronia Peak.  They’re both fine walks for another day. At this point, you’ll be looking up at them.

BUT … you’ll soon be higher than both!

If you keep going, that is. There’s no shame in returning to Halls Gap at this point.  But why forgo the excitement of an uncountable number of steps; steep drop-offs and cliffs; wildflowers; and possibly even snakes?

Keep Climbing!

And if you’re already a victim of D), you’ve got nothing to lose by carrying on …

Finally the stairs even out and the heavily wooded track winds almost horizontally through a scattering of impressive rocky outcrops.  Some of them have scary looking rock-climbing paraphernalia attached at crazy heights (see below). Don’t underestimate (or under-utilise) the many opportunities available in this section to further reduce the impact of D) by stopping to photograph the numerous wildflowers along the trail.

That’s if you’ve been smart enough to take the hike in spring!

The Grampians wildflower season lasts for several months, and there are many species to see along the way. And snakes, so watch your step!

You’ll be grateful you took those D)-preventative photographic precautions as the track emerges from the forest and into the open. Now you’re right amongst the distinctive weathered granite peaks and crags that epitomise the jagged mountain ranges of Grampians.

Keep Climbing

The track winds steadily up along rocky spurs, through narrow ravines and along ridgetops towards the Pinnacle. A red face and shortness of breath just can’t be helped here – unless you’re one of those frightening fitness-fetishists largely responsible for the high rates of low self-esteem amongst the less young and agile.

But the scenic splendour now unfolding all around more than makes up for any residual effects of a life-long love affair with country bakeries. Staggering views across the valley emerge with Halls Gap nestled WAAAAAY below.  Lake Bellfield is also glinting in the sunlight – although neither lake waters nor sunlight are guaranteed!

The Summit of the Pinnacle

Tempting though it is to keep your finger on the shutter button as the panorama unfolds, take my advice and save yourself for the 360° vista from the Pinnacle.  That’s if your nerves are strong enough to negotiate the safety-fenced narrow neck of rock sticking out over– well – nothing!

Unless you count the Fyans valley just under half a kilometre below.

If there are any left, combine the bakery goods with a breather that’ll return your complexion to normal hues before taking the proof-I-made-it-to-the-top shots. But keep a wary eye on the marauding Australian Raven, inevitably at the summit.

The grab rail safety fence is sturdy enough to lean on for the obligatory photos.  However, the view from this vantage point is just WAAAAAY too big to effectively capture in one shot.

Although it’s virtually guaranteed you’ll have time to spare while you wait your turn on the Pinnacle.  Tedious ‘Titanic’ type photo shoots are becoming de rigueur!!!

The Descent

Descend the way you came, or make it a round trip by going down through a series of natural rock formations known as ‘Wonderland’.

Unless you’ve got the stamina for a further 9.5 km hike to Lake Bellfield, and another few kilometres back to Halls Gap, the shortest return option is to retrace your steps.

See the whole thing from the well known Boroka lookout high on the range behind Halls Gap. A shortish drive and a 50m stroll and this magnificent panorama will give you all the context you need for your Pinnacle assault!

But not the same sense of satisfaction!

Keep a close eye on those killer knee-wrecking stairs as you descend to prevent them becoming killer neck-breaking stairs!

And make way for the show-offs idiots really fit people who JOG down!!

If it seems a long way down, console yourself with the thought that you’ve SO earned more Bakery opportunities at the end of it.

And that D) will no longer be a problem …

Want MORE?

• Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria
• Grampians National Park
• Red Nomad OZ Australian Walks
• Australian Lookouts

The post Walk the Pinnacle – Grampians National Park appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

My mother was born and bred in Western Australia, right in the heart of the fabled wildflower zone. If I had a dollar for every time I heard how wonderful the Western Australian wildflowers were compared to anywhere else in Australia – if not the world – I could have travelled round the world to find out for myself!

But despite several trips to the West, I’d never been there in spring to see the wildflowers in the wild.

Until now.

We didn’t have to wait for spring for the North-western wildflowers – the warmer climate all year round means winter wildflowers! AND a wonderful escape from the cold down south!! Bonus!!!

But I digress …

Travelling down the vast bulk of Western Australia from Kununurra to Kalbarri via Karajini and further south into the wildflower we’ve seen a wondrous array of Western Australian wildflowers – and now they’re at their peak!

So, for your viewing pleasure and visual delectation, here’s a small, colour-coded taste of what I’ve seen so far.

Mum was right. They ARE magnificent!! And marvellous though they are (right?!), these photos of mostly individual blooms don’t convey the utter fabulousness of seeing them all together. A field of yellow wattles interspersed with grey-white smoke-bush and … um … purple flowers accented with spectacularly brilliant pinks, reds and yes, greens is impossible to describe and too vast to photograph.

SO … what’s the best way to display this floral bonanza?

Call me unscientific (actually, I’d take that as a compliment) but as you can already see, I’ve used the magic of colour!!

Without rudimentary knowledge of taxonomics or floral naming conventions I can’t use species classification groups. I don’t even know the scientific, let alone the common names of many of them – around 12,000 species in all – so alphabetic order isn’t possible! And as flowers seem to be unaware of shire boundaries, a regional display is also out of the question.

And yes, I MAY have gone a little overboard with the collages, but this is me. Deal with it.

And Mum, for all those times I’ve secretly suspected that maybe, just maybe the Western Australian
wildflowers aren’t quite as stupendous as you’ve described, you can now say ‘I told you so’!!

If YOU’RE loving the Western Australian wildflowers too, why not check them out for yourself?  It’s never too late to start planning YOUR trip to Western Australia!

Then let me know what I’ve missed!!

The post The Wonderful World of Western Australian Wildflowers! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Halls Gap, Lake Bellfield and surrounds from Boroka Lookout

What do you call a town set amidst a 360ºpanorama of staggering beauty? A town with not only a clutch of Australia’s most scenic public toilets in and around it, but (arguably) the most spectacular caravan park and bakery settings in OZ?? Not just ANY old bakery, but (arguably) the best in Victoria – and only a few steps from our caravan park site???



Halls Gap Bakery in front of Boronia Peak

Halls Gap Caravan Park

Echidna

Main Street – ‘The Pinnacle’ circled in red, more detail in inset

Agnes Foulkes Grave

Heatherlie Quarry Ruin

Heatherlie Quarry Wildflowers

Mt Stapylton and Hollow Mountain from Mt Zero Summit



Mt Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt, Dunkeld

View from Mt William, Grampians

Red against Halls Gap panorama!

• Halls Gap
• Grampians National Park
• Location Guide
• Grampians Floods – YouTube footage of Stony Creek in flood, January 13 2011
• Grampians Road Closures – Vic Roads updates
• Flood Recovery Updates – Northern Grampians Shire

The post Favourite Place #7 – Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

It’s a mystery to me why Innes National Park (INP) isn’t on any Top 10 Australian National Parks lists. At the south-western tip of Yorke Peninsula’s ‘toe’ (you’ll see what I mean on the map) its wild and remote beauty is unique.

BUT … perhaps the unparalleled coastal scenery, historic buildings, walking trails, shipwreck sites, deserted beaches, fishing, lighthouses, wildlife and stunning wildflowers in season in the park just don’t stack up against the nations’ finest. Maybe I’ve got it wrong.

So is this place REALLY awesome? Or is it just me?? Take my tour of the highlights, and decide for yourself!

Above is  the old gypsum mine loading facility at the Stenhouse Bay jetty. And here’s the jetty itself. Can you imagine a better spot for a day’s fishing? There’s a walk to the lookout at the top of the hill if you want an even more panoramic vista.

And here’s the view towards Chinaman’s Hat Island and Cable Bay camp ground as you head into the park towards the Cape Spencer lighthouse. The short walk to the lighthouse gives magnificent views on either side of the ridge top, and ahead to the islands.

But don’t just take my word for it … the picture at the end of the post shows it all clearly!

The Inneston ruins and lake are where the gypsum mine operated in the early 1900’s. The Thomson-Pfitzner walking track follows the old wooden railway line used to transport gypsum to Stenhouse bay and the jetty. It’s 4km each way – but luckily you can have lunch at the Rhino’s Head tavern at the half way mark!

Here’s Inneston, and the INP birdwatcher’s trifecta – Emu, Mallee Fowl and Western Whipbird – MAY be spotted on the walking track. Although Western Whipbird is the reason for INP’s proclamation, it remains elusive. BUT … we’ve sighted Australian Shelduck with young on the lake, and Southern Scrub Robin on the track. It’s not all ruins – people live here, and some of the cottages are available for rent if you’re looking for a place to stay.

Below is the Ethel wreck, one of several in the area. Depending on tidal, storm and/or sand activity you may see more or less than this! Get right down to the beach for a closer look.

The recently renovated rest area (how’s that for alliteration?!?!) at West Cape Lighthouse has arguably one of the most spectacular coastal views in INP, even more so from the short walk to the lighthouse. But be warned!

The winds can be fierce – luckily there’s a sign in case you hadn’t noticed …

The north western section of the park includes beaches to rival the tropics. Don’t believe me?

Here’s Brown’s Beach (left) – popular for fishing, surfing and hiking, this area of the park has several camp grounds and some serious walking tracks.

Try the 11 km return trip through to Gym Beach at the northernmost limit of the park.

And if you can get down to the Cape Spencer Beach below the lighthouse, that’s pretty amazing too!

And I haven’t even mentioned the spring wildflowers! My personal favourite, Templetonia retusa – more imaginatively known as ‘Cockies tongue’ – almost overshadows the orchids, wattles, eucalypts and pea flowers.

If any other selling points are needed, it’s not that far from another favourite place – Troubridge Island and Lighthouse!

SO … did I get it wrong, or are these delights enough to make the Top 10?

OK, left is another scenic coastline shot to help you decide!!

And below is the lighthouse shot I referred to above!

Later edit:  I’ve visited Innes National Park many times since these photos were taken and this post written!  If you’d like a more up to date perspective, then have a look at these more recent posts:

• The Jewel in the Toe
• 7 Wonderful Walks in Innes National Park
• Explore South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula in 7 Days (guest post on Rocky Travel)
• 7 Days on the Southern Yorke Peninsula

The post Favourite Place #5 – Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, SA appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.