Thargomindah is conveniently located between Eulo and Noccundra – two other Outback Queensland localities you’ve probably never heard of.  At over 1000 km (620 miles) west of Brisbane, it’s not a place you come across by chance. But there are plenty of things to do in Thargomindah. As part of the Adventure Way, a self-drive trail from Brisbane to Innamincka just over the South Australian border, it’s worth stopping over to see what this remote Outback area has to offer.

The Bulloo in Flood

The Bulloo River was in flood when we arrived.  And getting into Thargo, as the locals call it, meant crossing the river at the town’s eastern entrance.

That gave us a rare opportunity to test our camper trailer’s ability to withstand over 30 cm (12 inches) of flood waters over the causeway by driving through it.

Thargomindah’s hydro-electric scheme

When the bore was first drilled, water was first found at a 795 metre (2608 feet) depth.  With around 1300 cubic metres of water at 84 degrees C produced per day, the pressure was used to generate the town’s electricity supply, Australia’s first hydro-electric scheme.  The bore is part of Australia’s Great Artesian Basin, a network of underground aquifers covering 1.7 million square kilometres that makes living in many outback areas viable.

We did get to experience sunset at the bore though, when the steam rising from the hot water against a setting sun made wonderful photo opportunities. 

The importance of water in the Outback

When I first saw Frederick White’s sculpture ‘Drawing Water’ from a distance, I thought it was an unfinished public amenities block.  That’s how much I know about art.

But the sculpture is actually a clever reminder of Thargomindah’s reliance on bore water.  Its 52 poles symbolise the 4,700 bores that deliver a reliable source of water to Outback Australia, without which the area would be uninhabitable for much of the year.  The outback bore’s average depth of 500 metres (1640 feet) is represented by reflective discs in the centre. Ironically, these were covered in dust, with no sign of the floods that had isolated the town for several months earlier that year.

The manager of the Explorers Caravan Park where we stayed says rain often bypasses the town and falls further north in the catchment area, causing the river to flood. The amount of water lying in the street made us think it must rain quite often – but the street water came from sprinklers and hoses running 24/7 to ensure a ready supply of hot water from the bore.  Modifications completed since our visit ensures this no longer needs to happen.  But having a reliable water supply means that the townsfolk can have green lawns and gardens in the middle of the outback all year round.

Thargomindah Town Attractions

Start your search for things to do in Thargomindah at the Visitor Information Centre.  It’s located in the old Thargomindah hospital complex, also an historic museum.  Made from mud bricks, the building started life as a hospital in 1888.  Later it accommodated a visiting service from the Flying Doctor base in Charleville, and an outpatient clinic.  Mud brick buildings were common in the early days, but the old hospital is one of the few remaining buildings of this type.

Leahy House is also made from mud brick and now houses a museum. The house was once owned by Sir Sidney Kidman, the well known cattle baron.  Its permanent displays and exhibitions offer another insight into the history of the region, as does the Old Jail.

An old Cobb & Co crossing below the Bulloo River bridge is the start of the River Walk, and also part of the town heritage walk.  This dodgy and rocky river crossing was once the main access to town, meaning no access when the river was in flood.  In the 1890’s, Thargo was the centre for Cobb & Co coaches servicing the surrounding area, once the only way of moving between towns.

For a good introduction to the things to do in Thargomindah, take one – or all – of its three town walks.  The scenic Bulloo River Walk follows the river from the Cobb & Co Crossing to the Pelican Point Picnic area. The Heritage Walk winds through the town past buildings and sites of interest.  The Hydro Walk starts in town, passes the new bore and continues to the Hydro Power Plant display.

Lake Bindegolly National Park

Nearby Lake Bindegolly was completely dry on our first visit, making birdwatching a bit pointless.  The number of birds spotted as we trudged the 9.5 km (5.9 mile) circuit track around this dusty wasteland was easy to count. Zero.

Easily visible from the road, thousands of Great Crested Grebe were nesting.  We watched as they cavorted on the water around us, swimming, hunting, fighting, building nests, hatching eggs, playing dead when they spotted us. 

Back at the car was another problem.  Unable to manage parking in one of the many empty spots in this spacious car park, the only other tourist for miles had parked directly behind us. Whether she or he intended to box us in is unknown as we didn’t exchange words.  But it’s definitely possible she or he didn’t figure on Pilchard’s ability to execute a 17 point turn to extricate us, a masterclass in precision driving.

Thargomindah Fast Facts

• Where:  1000 km west of Brisbane, 200 km west of Cunnamulla
• How to get there:  Self-drive the Adventure Way, Thargomindah is on the Bulloo Developmental Road
• Facilities:  Supermarket (with hardware), Roadhouse (with meals), Pub, Post Office, Community Centre with internet access, Library, Swimming Pool, public park with Barbecues
• Where to Stay: Two motels and a caravan park in town, and a station stay 90 km south.

Want MORE?

• Lake Bindegolly National Park
• The Thargo Thunderbox – Thargo’s own scenic loo
• Nearby localities Noccundra, Eulo, Quilpie and Toompine
• More about the Bulloo Region

The post Things to do in Thargomindah, Outback Queensland appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Are you ready to return to that magical land of mountains awash with rocks and rainforest; steep passes, plunging waterfalls and patch-worked plains; green and glowing with magnificent sunsets?

What land is this?

It’s Australia’s amazing Scenic Rim Region that I introduced in Part One HERE! Don’t recall? Check it out NOW! I’ll wait …

… OK! You’re back!

So I don’t have to tell you again that the semi-circular Scenic Rim runs along the rugged ranges of the border between Queensland and New South Wales about an hour west of Australia’s far better known east coast hotspots like Byron Bay, the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise. It’s not that far from Brisbane, either.

And I certainly wouldn’t dream of repeating myself to say it’s quite different to ANY of these – and most other places in Australia as well! SO … if you haven’t already put the Scenic Rim on your ‘MUST SEE’ list, do it NOW!

I’ll wait …

… Oh! You want MORE random adventures?

OK! Read ON!

The Lady of the Lake

Don’t hate me!

I’d spent SO much time using Lake Moogerah as a mere backdrop to (all modesty aside) stunning sunrise (see Part One), lovely landscape (see Flickr) and superb sunset (see below) photos, I hadn’t seen it as an attraction in its own right.

Despite its 8.27 km² surface area!

So on our last day in the Scenic Rim Region, we hired a boat – the same one shamelessly used as a sunset shot prop – from the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park and spent four fun-filled hours exploring the lake.

Reversing the usual vista of the lake from the shore was a master-stroke of staggering genius for both the birdo (Pilchard) and wannabe-photographer (Red) AND a cheap half-day out at only $60! If possible, the landscape – perfect but for the pall of smoke from yet another controlled burn-off – was even MORE sensational than from the shore.

Signs on the shoreline show the height reached by the dam during the rain events and flooding of January, 2011 which also flooded Brisbane. Cruising past the mass concrete double curvature arch dam wall with an ungated spillway that would have been several metres below us during those floods made what we’d seen on TV more real.

As we cruised Lake Moogerah’s long and varied shoreline, the four hours we’d hired the tinnie for disappeared in a flash!  Imagine how much MORE time we’d have needed if we’d actually gone fishing instead of indulging in a birding/photographic frenzy?!?

That’s why this lady sees a lot more of THAT lake in her future …

Mt Barney’s Lower Portals

Warnings about unmarked tracks, rockfalls and fitness requirements deterred us from scaling Mt Barney’s 1300+ metre high twin summits. Even the ‘safer’ walks around Mt Barney’s base were still riddled with hazards.

That’s if we could even get there without a 4WD!

But the imposing magnificence of the Mt Barney Peaks dominating the landscape en route from NSW town Woodenbong to Queensland town Rathdowney had cast their spell. And who knew when – or whether – we’d pass this way again?

So although a burn-off on one of the mountain’s flanks was scheduled on the day of our Mt Barney hike, the forecast suggested the prevailing winds would blow the smoke away. And heavy hiking boots would make short work of the washaways and moderate to steep gradients of the 7.4 km return Lower Portals trail.

We weren’t in any hurry!

A couple of kilometres, some magnificent forest and a kookaburra later, the wind changed direction and the valleys filled with a blue, smoky haze. Not just ‘smoky’, but ACTUAL SMOKE! I could see a long session at the Lake Moogerah campground laundry in my future – but in the meantime, it enhanced my photos superbly!

The campground at the track’s junction with Mt Barney Creek was the first I’d ever been to accessible only by foot, but its location beside the rocky gorges of the Lower Portals almost made me wish I’d carried my body weight in camping gear in so I could stay there.

ALMOST!

The most hazardous part of the hike, however, wasn’t the road in; thickening smoke; rocks in the creek; or challenging track conditions – but passing a group of what seemed like dozens of teenage boys addressing each other in the incomprehensible teen-speak of youth, pungent from the sweat and smoke of a 3-day camping trek around Mt Barney’s highlights as they headed back to the trailhead with the mindless dedication of a mass lemming migration.

Where’s the hazard, you ask?

Well … YOU try maintaining a steady pace – NO puffing or panting! – while climbing an astonishingly steep staircase as you respond (in a normal voice) to the polite greetings of the group and their minders! ALL with a smile on your non-red face!

I dare YOU to try it!

The Condamine River Valley

Our first visit to the Scenic Rim and we didn’t even know the Condamine River Valley existed.

A week later we’d seen this part of Australia’s longest river system twice!

From the New South Wales side, we drove the Lindesay Road, arguably Australia’s worst, from Woodenbong to Queen Mary Falls, then up the range to Carr’s lookout, and (arguably) one of Australia’s finest views across the Condamine Valley.

On that trip, we didn’t take the Head Road down into the valley.

But from Lake Moogerah, it’s a stunning drive through the valley then up an impossibly steep road to the scenic splendour of Carrs Lookout. There’s nowhere to hide on this narrow, steep and winding road, so hope like hell everyone else has seen the ‘not suitable for caravans’ warning signs!!

Tragically, the limitations of our vehicle meant we didn’t experience the 4WD-only Condamine River Road’s 14 creek crossings on the Cambanoora Gorge Circuit. So we took a superb morning tea at the Spring Creek Mountain Café just below Carrs Lookout as partial compensation for our disappointment.

It worked!

Cracking the Rocks at Mt French

At 468 metres above sea level, Mt French isn’t very high by either Australian OR Scenic Rim standards – and it’s SO off the radar by world standards! It’s the lowest of the four peaks that make up the Moogerah Peaks National Park. And it’s only a short drive to the top from Central Scenic Rim town Boonah!

But Mt French’s Logan’s Lookout is one of the highest points in the Fassifern Valley, thus giving great view over the much higher ranges to the south-west on the NSW/Queensland border. But the REAL attraction is the vertical fissuring which apparently makes this an internationally renowned ‘crack climbing crag’ – or so I am reliably informed.

On our late afternoon visit, there weren’t any climbers visible on Frog Buttress, the rocky outcrop at Mt French’s northern end where the crack rock climbers congregate. I guess once you’ve cracked the rock stacks, there’s nothing for it but to retreat to the Frog Buttress Campground.

And with a name like that AND a dose of cool Scenic Public Toilet, who wouldn’t want to stay there? Along with the crack-rock-climber-campers communing with nature via the enticing blend of electro-hip-hop-funky-c-rap spewing at a million decibels (give or take) from their appalling car sound system??

Perhaps crack-rock-climbing wasn’t the only ‘crack’ on offer!

Dang! Where DID I put those ear plugs??!!

Lake Moogerah Sunset

Amongst the detritus of the camera-battery-flattening array of Lake Moogerah shots my snap-happy shutter button finger (and I) took hour after punishing hour, there are a few sunset shots worth keeping.

Weirdly, all the good ones have props!

Taking a sunset stroll along Lake Moogerah’s shoreline became a habit on the nights with no rain, with one added bonus over the sunrise strolls – no one saw me in my pyjamas*!

Want MORE?

• Where is the Scenic Rim?
• Scenic Rim Region Activities and Attractions
• Lake Moogerah
• Mount Barney National Park
• Carrs Lookout and Condamine River Valley
• Mount French and Moogerah Peaks National Park
• Random Adventures in the Scenic Rim Part ONE
• MORE photos on Flickr HERE!

* See Lake Moogerah Sunrise in Part One

Previous Post: Adelaide, Autumn, and the Mt Lofty Botanic Garden 

NEXT Post: Tour the Yorke Peninsula via its BEST Scenic Loos! 

The post Random Adventures in the Scenic Rim Part TWO appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

There’s a magical, mystical land where ancient, dense rainforests cloak majestic mountains, their serrated silhouettes marching across a dramatically sensational skyline. Where vertically columned cliffs fall into fertile valleys patch-worked with produce and criss-crossed by rocky streams.

Picturesque hamlets dot the landscape providing shelter, food and a base from which to explore their impossibly scenic surroundings. Numerous National parks showcase amazing natural attractions, wilderness and World Heritage forests which soften the harsh edges of the ring of ranges – once volcanoes – that define the Scenic Rim.

It’s a land where every journey is an adventure; every spot has a new surprise; and round every corner is an intriguing vista inviting the traveller to explore.

Water, mist and cloud; green and verdant jungle; high mountains and cold nights – is this REALLY Australia?

I succumbed to its splendour on arrival; I left a little piece of my heart behind when I left. But that means my return to the Scenic Rim is one day assured.

Only an hour south-west of Brisbane or west of the Gold Coast in Queensland’s south east, ‘Scenic Rim’ describes ranges rising sharply above the valleys to form a semi-circle. It’s a wonderfully diverse region that’s WAY too big for just one visit.

And it’s WAY too big for just one post! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the first instalment of random Scenic Rim adventures – then take the link to Part Two HERE!

The Governor’s Chair

For a quiet Sunday morning at the end of a rough and rugged transport trail, once the main trade route across the ranges to Brisbane, the Spicers Gap carpark was jumping.

We squeezed into a spot between a massive 4WD vehicle and a rustic wooden fence. 300 metres down a narrow foot trail, it was standing room only at the Governor’s Chair Lookout. A large mixed-age group had commandeered the rocky ledges overlooking the valley below and it sounded like someone was giving a speech.

Crap. Maybe taking in the reportedly spectacular view from #7 on our Scenic Rim Lookout list wasn’t going to be as easy as we’d thought.

But there was no way we’d driven this challenging road to miss out on seeing The Governor’s Chair. The lookout was a public place. Perhaps it was time for my two good elbows to get a workout.

As we drew closer, I could hear what the speaker was saying.

Double Crap. Pushing my way to the vantage point at the edge for a look-see while ancestral ashes were being scattered during a memorial service was out of the question, even for me.

The Spicers Gap road, hand-built and maintained from rock and wood in extremely challenging terrain and weather conditions, was an amazing feat of engineering for its time Walking a stretch of the road – now preserved as a conservation park – made me realise how soft we’ve become since we stopped being pioneers.

Despite the dull day, back at the lookout (now thankfully family-free) I could see why George Bowen – Queensland’s first governor – referred to it as an ‘incomparable panorama’.

And why it makes a perfect last resting spot.

MORE about the Governor’s Chair and Spicers Gap

Cunninghams Gap

Tempting though it was to climb either Mt Mitchell (1162 m) or Mt Cordeaux (1144 m) towering above either side of Cunningham’s Gap, most memorable of our Scenic Rim range crossings, the warnings of sheer cliffs edges, serious injury and/or death were off-putting.

The level of fitness required for such hikes, did NOT of course, have ANYTHING to do with it

So we chose the more benign Rainforest and Palm Grove Circuits.

Tragically however, the sign at the Palm Grove trailhead also warned of steep cliffs – but apart from one scary drop-off into oblivion where I closed my eyes and scuttled across, hugging the side of the mountain worked for me.

Having the foresight to pick up a bakery lunch also worked for me.

And sitting in the picnic ground with that lunch got me a rare sighting of the Liz Taylor of the bird world – Satin Bowerbird with its incredible violet eyes!

MORE about Cunningham’s Gap and Main Range National Park

BIG 3 at the Bakery, Kalbar

In the unlikely event the Kalbar Bakery hasn’t got what you want, it’s a pretty safe bet that just a few kilometres away, outlet #2 at Aratula WILL. Impossible to pick a favourite, we gave both bakeries a workout – sometimes both on the same day – during a week in the Scenic Rim region.

Usually, a Bakery BIG 3 consists of a pie, a sweet and a drink – for me, the more exotic the better.

But very, Very, VERY occasionally, it’s not all about the food.

And on this sunny downunder winter day, we emerged from the Kalbar Bakery to find a very different BIG 3!

Can you guess which car is ours?

MORE about Kalbar Bakery

The Other Side … Koreelah National Park

With more National Parks within cooee than you can poke a stick at (if you’ll excuse my descent into the depths of Aussie slang), you’d think there’d be enough natural attractions on the Queensland side of the Scenic Rim to keep us busy.

But drive south along Carney’s Creek road, then up the range and across the Queensland border into New South Wales for a masterclass in natural attractions.

Beware – this intriguing blend of Gondwana Rainforest, Scenic Rim silhouettes and bizarrely shaped mountains is so spectacular you may find yourself considering a tree-change (aka mid-life crisis) move to the Rim.

Despite roads described by those more charitable than I as ‘pretty ordinary’ and ‘dirt’.

From the border crossing on top of the range, the road plunged down into the Koreelah Creek valley, skirting the park’s eastern boundary. Reports of the shady, spacious – and empty – campground’s attractions included a waterfall, rocky gorge and benign wildlife such as koala, wallaby and platypus.

But what I DON’T get is why the listed attractions DIDN’T include the bushland scenic public loo – OR the snake?

MORE about Koreelah National Park

Lake Moogerah Morning

I’m SO not a morning person. But for a Lake Moogerah morning with the sun rising through a layer of frosty mist over the water against the magnificently mountainous backdrop of the Scenic Rim, I’ll make an exception any time.

After escaping the freezing night temperatures between polar flannel sheets in our cozy camper-trailer set up in the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park, you’d think the last thing on earth I’d want to do was face the frigid dawn.

And you’d be right, except for one thing. The call of nature, right on cue around sunrise.

Once I was up, daybreak cast its spell and I wandered the foreshore as the sun touched the magical mountain tops, photographing the ever-changing landscape ’til my fingers went numb with cold.

I wonder could anyone tell I was still in my pyjamas?!

MORE about Lake Moogerah and Lake Moogerah Caravan Park 

Want MORE?

• Where is the Scenic Rim?
• Scenic Rim Region
• Random Adventures in the Scenic Rim PART TWO!
• Adventures across the Border in Woodenbong
• MORE photos on Flickr HERE!

Like it?  SHARE it!  Buttons below!!

The post Random Adventures in the Scenic Rim: Part One appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Australia aggressively markets itself as all sunshine, surf and sand; red rocks, red dust and reefs.  But a visit to the Border Ranges National Park will show another side.

Ancient sub-tropical rainforests of Gondwana clothe the sheer cliffs formed by the eroded caldera of what’s left of a massive shield volcano. They’re so unlike anything else you’ll see downunder they’ve been World Heritage listed.

On my first and only other visit to the Border Ranges National Park I could hardly walk thanks to a strenuous 9 km return hike the day before up Mt Warning – the volcanic plug in the middle of the Tweed Volcano, and first place to see the sun on mainland Australia.

Other than a relentless climb, the walk was straightforward – until I got to the last 400m or so straight up the almost bare rock of the volcanic plug that forms the 1157 metre high summit!

Although the real leg damage was done coming back down.

That’s where I developed my revolutionary mountain-descent technique.  It’s a cunning combination of a death-grip on the chains that marked the track, and sliding down on the seat of my pants.

I dare you to try it sometime!

But it meant that the next day in the Border Ranges National Park, I only saw those attractions within easy walking distance from the car park areas.

Now, nearly 20 years later, and with no major hikes under my belt from the day before, it was finally time to explore the park a little more thoroughly.

We’d already entered a more remote section of the park and walked the Border Loop trail (see below) on one of Australia’s quirkiest road trips – the Lions Road – that cuts through the range to Queensland. But today, we were headed for the the main section of the Border Ranges National Park.

On our first trip, we’d taken the Murwillumbah-Kyogle road from Murwillumbah for about 38 km to the southern entrance. This time, we were staying at Kyogle so we approached the southern entrance from the other direction.  We planned to drive through the park, exit via the western entrance, and return to Kyogle the back way.

We’d woken up to a killer frost in Kyogle that morning.  But the fine winter’s day meant the dirt roads throughout the park were easily navigable and the walking tracks weren’t muddy! And yes, that IS noteworthy in case you’re wondering.

Can you guess why it’s called RAINforest?

While the park isn’t far from either Kyogle or Murwillumbah, it’s too far to backtrack for lunch. Stocking up with enough provisions to affect our fuel economy is easy when the awesome Kyogle bakery is near the Kyogle Caravan Park!

It’s amazing how much bakery food you can eat in just one day, isn’t it? Or is that just us?!?!?!

A few kilometres from the park entrance was the Bar Mountain picnic area and our first walk of the day. The Falcorostrum Loop – named for a rainforest orchid variety – winds through a large stand of Antarctic Beeches.

But who cares about an old tree (or two) when there’s the shy Alberts Lyrebird watching from behind the ferns? Not Pilchard!!

The staggering scenery from the three lookouts on the edge of the escarpment are pretty impressive.  That’s if the 1000m drop down to the Tweed Valley below doesn’t scare you rigid. I didn’t need any signs warning me not to stray off the paths. Even if I wasn’t the world’s biggest coward there’s NO WAY I’d go near the edge without a railing between me and the drop off!

The Pinnacle Lookout is the centrepiece of the staggering scenery with a dramatic and far ranging view down to Mount Warning and the Tweed Valley.

I chose to see the blue haze caused by smoke from a controlled burn in the distance as ‘atmospheric’ rather than ‘annoying’.

It did give my photos a certain ambience, don’t you think?!

After the lookouts, a one-way road loop descends into the Brindle Creek Valley. In the valley is the Helmholtsia Loop walk, named for a stream lily endemic to the region.  Just hope like hell that everyone else on the road a) reads the signs and b) follows them!

This is World Heritage rainforest at its best.  Even if it’s dark and damp under the canopy in a way that sunny South Australia with its wide open spaces isn’t.

We didn’t get to see the view from the Tweed Valley Lookout at the end of the road loop. There was no warning on the narrow road and only a one-car parking bay that we didn’t see until we’d gone past.

And yes, although it’s a narrow, winding, one-way dirt road, we could have just backed up.  But that would’ve been WRONG! Never mind … the view from the road was pretty stunning.

Although it was only mid-afternoon, the shadows were already long and the valleys dark.  The Sheepstation Creek camping area at the park’s western entrance was filling up.

The Palm Forest Walk winds down the – yes, you guessed right – Sheepstation Creek gully.  The trail winds amidst – yes, you guessed right – Palm Trees!  It leads to Brushbox Falls following an old logging road with names and dates from people and times long past carved into the rocky walls.

At what point does graffiti become historic art, anyway?!?!

Once we’d returned to the campground, the smoke from the just-lit campfires was giving pyromaniac Pilchard a little buzz.  But sadly, it was time to leave via the park’s western entrance. As we drove through more spectacular scenery outside the park boundary along the Lynches Creek Road to Wiangaree, then back to Kyogle the sun was setting behind the mountains.

The evening winter cold was setting in too – it would be another frosty night.

Driving to and from the park, sightseeing, hiking several of the shorter loop trails and vantage points AND eating the massive stash of Kyogle bakery provisions was a full day job. To hike any of the longer trails – ranging from 3.5 to 10.5 km – staying at either Sheepstation Creek or Forest Tops campground would have been a better option.

But I’ll save that for my third visit!

Want MORE?

• Border Ranges National Park

• Mount Warning (Wollumbin) National Park
• The Lions Road
• Kyogle, New South Wales
• More Border Ranges National Park Photos on Flickr

The post A Day in the Border Ranges National Park appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

It’s the bird du jour around almost any given sub-tropical picnic area and car park, so it should have been easy to get a good shot.  However, my shots of Australian Brush-turkey in the dark depths of Natural Bridge*, part of Springbrook National Park’s lushly magnificent rainforest, all had something missing.

Clarity.

Although it was mid-afternoon this warm and sunny July day, the sun had already well and truly set at the bottom of the valley.

We’d descended the 1 km circuit trail, and a dank chill was rising from the rushing stream below.

Natural Bridge was formed by erosion and weathering by the full force of the creek flowing into the valley. It is actually a hole in the rock where water rushes into a grotto below.

As we left the park, the otherworldly gloom of this abundant and spectacular rainforest reserve fell behind us.  We emerged onto the New South Wales road – aglow with bright, late-afternoon sunlight.

• Natural Bridge
• Australian Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami)
• Springbrook National Park

* Natural Bridge is also known as ‘Natural Arch’

The post Beauty at Natural Bridge! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

‘I would NOT like to fall down there,’ the backpacker remarked to his mates with that peculiarly British mixture of overconfident understatement and blinding obvious as he stared down into the depths of the crater.

They nodded wisely, unsure whether or not they’d heard something profound, but deciding to play it safe.

Banal though his utterance was, however, he was right. 58 metres (193 feet) WAS a long way down to the green water-weed infested pool at the bottom of the crater. And I didn’t want to fall down there either.

Acrophobics* like me clung to the heavy duty railing to peer over the edge. Mt Hypipamee’s famous crater was giving me the heebie-jeebies. I wondered how long it would take a falling object – say, a human sacrifice – to hit the green depths far below the crater rim.

I didn’t have to wonder for too long.

The backpacker’s girlfriend picked up a stick and casually twirled it like a baton as she glanced at me sideways. Come to think of it, they were ALL glancing at me sideways as they hogged the railing, showing none of the usual tourist hot-spot etiquette whereby each gets an equal turn at the best photo vantage point.

It was pretty obvious I was the only one not of their kind with my tan, thongs and 20+ year head start.  What were they looking at? My hair-dye job wasn’t THAT bad, was it?

After shooting around them without using my elbows for their god-given purpose as they continued to take up most of the viewing space at the railing, I’d taken as many photos as I could. Their glances were really starting to creep me out.

What were they waiting for? A human sacrifice??

Approximately 5.918 seconds later the stick hit the water, trailing greenly through the native waterweed on its surface.

Judging by the number of similar trails in the water, I guessed she wasn’t alone in ‘testing’ the depth of the water.

What we couldn’t see, however, was the depth of the pool beneath the protective waterweed layer. Estimated at around 82 metres (273 feet) deep, the pool lay still and silent, or would have but for the stick-and-stone-throwing tourists.

Managers of the stunning Millaa Millaa caravan park where we’d based ourselves in July 2011 on the Tablelands above Cairns in Far North Queensland had given us a list of local attractions. One of several was Mt Hypipamee National Park on the southern Evelyn Tableland and within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

Although due to a little flirtation with the facts its technically incorrect colloquial name – ‘The Crater’ – is pure Aussie overstatement. More accurately known as a diatreme or volcanic pipe, it’s thought to have been formed by gas from an underground explosion that expanded to form this deep, cylindrical hole.**

The fact sheet suggested the we look out for platypi*** in the pool and I’d assumed them to be the cause of the waterweed trails. But now I knew the REAL explanation, I wondered if it were possible for platypi – or indeed any creature that couldn’t escape the pool’s closed ecosystem – to survive.

Where was a Platypus Whisperer when you needed one?

On a previous trip to the area, we’d discovered Pilchard’s remarkable talent for spotting platypi, as like the Pied Piper of Yungaburra, he’d seen them at every turn along a river walk. After a while, I and the delighted Swiss family trailing in his wake gave up looking for them ourselves, and just waited for him to point them out.

But Pilchard, the only Platypus Whisperer I know, was busy at the forest edge (aka ‘carpark’) with a couple of other twitchers**** spotting North Queensland endemic Golden Bowerbird (Prionodura newtoniana) high in the trees above.

Later we would go to a TOP SECRET location through leech-dripping rainforest to see the Bowerbird’s bower – with only one use, the avian equivalent of a teenage boy’s chick-magnet hot-rod (I’ve included a mediocre picture of it to satisfy your prurient curiousity) (oh, and you’re now one of not very many people in the world who’ve seen a Golden Bowerbird’s bower)(albeit virtually).

But a more than passing knowledge of the mating habits of bowerbirds wasn’t going to help me with the platypi question. And neither were the backpackers who, having confirmed the depth of the diatreme wasn’t an illusion with their scientific stick, left in a gaggle, speaking loudly of their impending pub-crawl.

And now, gazing into the green waterweed down the green, green vegetation clinging to the granite wall 70 metres (233 feet) away on the other side was making my eyes go funny. If there WERE platypi, they hadn’t made an appearance yet.

I peered more closely into the depths. Was there a movement?

Forget the platypi.  Could there be a Ness-like monster lurking in the depths, trapped by time and a prehistoric explosion?

I wondered whether the Mt Hypipamee Crater had ever claimed a victim. A little introspection goes a long way in a place like this Or maybe I just needed to get back to normality.

That is, if a group of twitchers intent on hunting down a (feathered) bird’s love nest was normal. But it says a lot for the Mt Hypipamee Heebie-Jeebies that as I emerged from the rainforest into the relative sanity of the car park, it was!!

* Acrophobia = fear of heights

** According to the Tablelands Parks and Forests brochure produced by Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service

*** Platypi = more than one platypus

**** twitcher = birdwatcher

Want MORE?

• Mt Hypipamee National Park (The Crater)
• Millaa Millaa Tourist Park
• Atherton Tablelands, Far North QueenslandC

The post The Hypipamee Heebie-jeebies … appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Crocodiles are a weird combination of Aussie ‘Big Thing’ and perilous prehistoric predator. Maybe our fascination with crocodiles in Australia is what makes this my most viewed post of all time*.

Or maybe it’s because of the awesome photos and superlative writing … read on, and decide for yourself

But before you do, PLEASE NOTE this WARNING:

Crocodiles are VERY dangerous and can be found almost anywhere in the Top End – not just in the places I mention below, and certainly NOT just where there are warning sgns.  Large crocodiles have been found a LONG way from the sea, and in many smaller rivers and streams. SO … you MUST be crocodile aware WHEREVER you go – don’t assume it’s safe just because there’s no sign, or no one has warned you.  Assume they are EVERYWHERE in the Top End – even if you can’t see them.

Of course, the World’s Biggest Crocodile replica in Normanton, Queensland isn’t a ‘Big Thing’ ie several times larger than the real deal. It’s actually a life-size replica of the biggest crocodile ever ‘taken’ (read:  ‘shot’) by croc hunter turned croc supporter Krystina Pawloski in 1957.Now known as ‘Krys’, the 8.63 metre long (28′ 4″) monster croc is bigger than JAWS, and it’s the biggest known specimen in the world.

The golden age blood sport of hunting crocodiles in Australia ended when crocodiles became protected in the early 1970’s. But crocodile hunting still takes place downunder – as long as your weapon of choice is a camera!

Although that won’t make any difference to the cunning saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus – or ‘Saltie’) who can wait for days to ensnare its prey, and once its victim is in the ‘death roll’, there’s little chance of escape.

And just to make things more confusing, it doesn’t always hang out in salt water, either!

While less aggressive, Australia’s only other crocodile species, the Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnsoni – or ‘Freshie’) has been known to attack, although not fatally.

But hey! Who wants to be the first?!

So where’s the best places to hunt for those elusive ‘live’ Crocodiles in Australia photos? Try my 7 Aussie Top End Crocodile Hot Spots for ALMOST guaranteed sightings!!

1. Marlgu Billabong, via Wyndham,Western Australia:

But what’s that lurking beneath its benign surface?

The video at the top of the post shows why it’s not a good idea to stray from the boardwalk.

But it’s an even worse idea to venture onto the banks of this worrisome wetland when this little beauty is sunning himself!!

Croc Hunter Tip:

Check the billabong banks on the far side regularly – crocs can appear without warning!

2. Daintree River, Daintree, Far North Queensland

A known crocodile hotspot, crocodile hunter wannabees can choose an assisted croc sighting via any number of river cruises. Daintree River Wild Watch was our choice for its birdwatching credentials, but we also got to see a saltwater crocodile close up whilst on the cruise.

Our first unassisted sighting came after the cruise as we drove up the road and spotted a large saltie sunning himself on a sandbank. He wasn’t there when we passed that same sandbank on our cruise about 30 minutes before!

The Daintree River doesn’t discriminate between salties and freshies – they’re both here in abundance!

Croc Hunter Tip:

So many Daintree River crocodile cruises can’t be wrong! Sightings are virtually guaranteed on a river cruise, and are not uncommon elsewhere.

3. Adelaide River via Darwin, Northern Territory:

The jury’s out on whether a sighting of a Performing Crocodile (ie a croc jumping for its supper) actually counts as crocodile hunting.

It’s the saurian equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel BUT if you can’t see them any other way, then knock yourself out!!

Choose one of the many available ‘Jumping Croc’ cruises – and hope like hell the boat doesn’t tip over as all the tourists rush to the same side whenever a crocodile appears …

Croc Hunter Tip:

This doesn’t really count as ‘hunting’ – but you WILL see crocodiles!!

4. Lake Argyle, via Kununurra, Western Australia:

The spectacular and otherworldly landscape of Australia’s largest lake will keep budding photographers busy for hours. One of the most magnificent spots in the country, the watery landscape is so panoramic, the wildlife takes second place.

Below the dam wall, these cold-blooded (in more ways than one) freshwater crocodiles recover from the cool night temperatures by taking in some sun. And while the morning cruise isn’t specifically about crocodile hunting, there are plenty around the banks and in the water.

Which could make the annual 10- and 20 km swimming races in the lake rather interesting …

Croc Hunter Tip:

Check the far bank below the dam wall. And take that 2 hour cruise – even if you don’t see a crocodile, it’s worth it just for the scenery!!

For more entertainment than is good for you, observe the anglers trying to land a big barramundi at this crocodile infested tidal river crossing into Arnhem Land. It’s also fun watching vehicles crossing the causeway as the tide comes in.

And it’s not called the East Alligator River for nothing!

Watching someone actually being taken by a crocodile would give me nightmares for a long, long time.

So watching a tinnie** full of drunken fisherman, one precariously perched on the nose of the craft as it drifted ever closer to a large crocodile they hadn’t seen, completely oblivious to the warning shouts from observers on the river bank, was a mesmerizing moment I hope never to experience again.

Luckily for them, the croc slid into the water and disappeared – they never even saw it.

As the tide came in, more crocodiles appeared downstream – not that the anglers knee-deep in water seemed to care …

But if you want your croc viewings with a bit less drama, try a Kakadu Yellow Water Cruise!!

Croc Hunter Tip:

Crocodiles abound in Kakadu National Park. See them at Cahill’s Crossing or on a cruise – but don’t make out like crocodile bait!

6. Windjana Gorge, via Gibb River Road, Western Australia:

 

No, those aren’t logs in the water … Windjana Gorge, WA

Frustrated crocodile hunters who’ve dipped out*** on crocs at other hot spots will not be disappointed here, unless they’re on a lifelong losing streak. If that’s the case (and even if it isn’t), think twice about heading for Windjana unless you’re keen on experiencing clouds of red dust, brain-hammering corrugated roads, tyre-shredding rocks and other generally adverse driving conditions en route to this remote spot.

Once there, if you can tear your eyes away from the gob-smackingly awesome scenery, you’ll be reaching for the crocodile repellent – yes, there really are that many!

All freshies, of course!! But happily, that makes getting a tad closer for those souvenir photos just that little bit easier!

Back down the road in Derby, crocs are regularly seen around the mangroves, although I have no photographic evidence of the large crocodile we spotted swimming in King Sound near the jetty …

Croc Hunter Tip:

Take the track into the gorge and keep your eyes on the water and sandbanks. Some would go so far as to dub this a ‘sure thing’ sighting spot!

7. Timber Creek, Northern Territory:

In the creek behind the Circle F Caravan Park campground, there’s a daily feeding session attracting any or all of the 12 freshwater crocodiles living in the creek.

They’re not always interested, but the enticement of a free snack costing virtually no energy is generally too much of a temptation to resist!

Careful observers may notice crocodiles resting on the banks of the creek – while they’re *only* freshies, my tip for the day is to let sleeping crocs lie.

But the nearby Victoria River’s self-nomination as Australia’s last great wild river may well be true, if the number of crocodile sightings is anything to go by.

The best way to see them is in a croc-proof purpose built river cruiser with a context-setting tour of Timber Creek at one end and sunset drinks and snacks on a float in the middle of the river at the other!

A Victoria River Cruise delivers on multiple crocodile sightings as well, with local Neville Fogarty identifying the ‘local’ crocs by name and reputation!

As we passed the white croc, old ‘Broken-jaw’ and the 5+ metre long Lord Lizard who disappeared without a trace into the water beneath the cruiser, Neville told us the cattle station we were passing lost 200+ cattle to crocodiles each year.

Somehow, I don’t think they’d mind a change in diet if anyone was foolish enough to stray  too close to the water …

Croc Hunter Tip:

So many sightings of both Saltwater and Freshwater crocodiles, you won’t know where to look first. But be warned – these ones are BIG!!

Disclaimer: Wild crocodiles are unpredictable, so of course I can’t guarantee you’ll see crocodiles in Australia where I have! But stay ‘croc-alert’ and you may see them where you’re least expecting it.

Like the time we watched in horrified disbelief as two crocodiles fought over a dead cow floating downstream past our campsite on the Northern Territory’s Mary River – but that’s another story!!

Want MORE?

 

• World’s Biggest Crocodile
• Australian Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus)
• Australian Freshwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus johnsoni)
• Cruising with Crocodiles on Australia’s WILDEST River!

* OK, since you asked nicely, the 2nd most viewed post of all time is 7 Days between Adelaide and Darwin

** tinnie = small aluminium fishing boat  There’s no accounting for taste!

***  ‘Dipped Out’ = Aussie expression meaning failed, or not done, or didn’t happen

The post 7 Crocodile Hot Spots in Australia’s Top End appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

1925 D17 Class Steam Locomotive ‘Capella’ in Tumoulin, Queensland

Crossing the trestle bridge, Tumoulin to Ravenshoe



Tumoulin Railway Station sign

Creatures en route to Tumoulin

Spot Paris!

No 268 – Capella

No, not a bushfire!  It’s a Steam train!





Emergency!

Centenary re-enactment – cutting the ribbon





Ravenshoe Station, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland



Harry’s Dunny … no, not a real person inside!!

• More photos on Flickr!
• Where is it?
• Ravenshoe Steam Railway
• Ravenshoe Railway Company
• Atherton Tablelands

The post Random Adventure #7 – Taking the Train to Tumoulin appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Cairns is one of the best Australian travel destinations – and I’ve got the photos to prove it! This laid back city 2000 km north of Brisbane between World Heritage Listed Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, has come a long way from its sugar-cane farming roots to become Far North Queensland’s tourist hub.

Cairns has just as much to offer travellers seeking cheap holidays as it does to those looking for luxury! In fact, the only problem will be limiting your visit to a week!!

Luckily, I’ve been travelling to Cairns for 20+ years – the time period over which these photos were taken – and Pilchard even longer!  So use our 7 Day Cairns sampler itinerary guide to get you started …

Day 1: Cairns Botanic Gardens

The pint-sized bag-snatcher at the Cairns Botanic Gardens Cafe was probably a one-off. No, really!! The toddler who picked up my handbag didn’t take kindly to Pilchard’s attempts to remove it from her grubby grasp.

Attracted by the shrieks, her rampaging mother berated Pilchard for making her darling cry, gave the child my bag to play with and turned back to her glass of wine table. With a) child clutching b) the handbag.

Now you tell me. Was it so unreasonable for Pilchard to insist on its return?

Sadly, this whole stultifying display of disturbed parenting could have been avoided if only I’d taken my handbag with me to the ladies room …

Happily, in addition to the Scenic Public Toilet, the large Cairns Botanic Gardens complex is full of distractions, with wonderful displays of tropical plants; several interpretive trails, magnificent butterflies and brightly coloured birds!

Although ‘wild boar’ sounds so much more exotic than ‘feral pig’, they’re both equally destructive when crashing through the undergrowth on the mangrove boardwalk through to the Centenary Lakes picnic area. Although I’d rather meet a wild pig than an unsupervised homo-sapiens (juv) allowed to run amok by overindulgent parents …

Spending the whole day in the gardens is easy – the 6.6 km Mt Whitfield trail loop gives splendid views over the busy international airport and Cairns itself. But I’m not sure if the group of school kids led by two young and ever so perky teachers we dodged on the track were a fair replacement for the cassowaries once common in the area.

Day 2: North to Port Douglas

The block of land for sale a few metres below the Port Douglas Lookout platform has the same staggering view. But would that be enough to counteract the 24/7 comings and goings above? Maybe the local residents were on to something when they tried to get the lookout closed …

The Lady Douglas probably isn’t the ritziest craft to cruise Dixon Inlet – but I’ll bet she’s the classiest! And if you want to take a look behind the scenes of what once was a small fishing village but is now amongst Australia’s most expensive real estate, the inlet is awash with wildlife – including crocodiles!

Time it right and attend – or miss, depending on your point of view – the Port Douglas markets, but whatever you do, DON’T miss Mocka’s Pies! This FAAAAABULOUS Bakery (come back for the cheese pasty, potato & pea pie, apple, lemon meringue – hell, come back for ANYTHING) has the well-deserved distinction of being our ALL TIME favourite!!!!

Day 3: Northern Beaches

Although the artificial lagoon, sandy beach and infinity pool are a good substitute for lack of foreshore beach, nothing beats the real thing! And heading north, the real thing is abundant starting about 20 km from the CBD.

Spend a day exploring all the beaches; or stay on one beach all day; or take an extra day and do both!! From the unspoiled excellence of Wangetti Beach (below the hang glider launch spot I’ll always be too gutless to try) to the ritz of Palm Cove; Ellis Beach between the highway and sea to the fabulous curve of Trinity Beach; Yorkeys Knob cliff and marina to the vast sand flats and rock wall at Machans – eateries, picnic and BBQ areas, walks, birdlife … there’s something for everyone!

Take your pick – and if you got it wrong, try again tomorrow!!

Day 4: Esplanade … and Cairns itself

Want a perfect day on the Cairns Esplanade?

WELL … my guest post on 52 Perfect Days will tell all!!

But because I’m a tease nice person, here’s a glimpse!!

Of course Cairns is much more than its foreshore! There’s shopping and eating precincts – yes, a bakery or two – the Visitor Information Centre, galleries, restaurants, museums … do I need to spell it out??

Day 5: Outdoors in the Rainforest …

Snakes, goannas, birds, butterflies, hungover backpackers – I’ve yet to visit Crystal Cascades without finding something interesting to watch!

This popular series of swimming holes on – you guessed it – Crystal Creek buried deep in the rainforest is a water supply access point but walkers can take the track for 1.2 km to the barrier for a taste of REAL rainforest and wildlife. Near the start of the trail, a track – classified as ‘strenuous’ and ‘rough’ – heads almost vertically upwards to Copperlode Dam in the ranges far above …

… and as if to prove it’s not all sunshine and serenity in the tropics, the temperature dropped 8ºC in the 25 km drive from Cairns CBD up the ranges to Copperlode Dam aka Lake Morris, 365 metres above sea level. And the hot soup that sounded so ridiculous in the balmy, high 20’s temperature on the coast was more than welcome in our efforts to counteract the chill wind!

It’s best to be sober when attempting this steep, twisting track with several one-way sections, and breathtaking (aka ‘hyperventilating’) dropaways, often being repaired after heavy rain at which time they become ‘washaways’ … But the stupendous views on each side of the range show just how much unexplored rainforest remains.

Ambitious walkers undaunted by the steep gradient can attempt further exploration on the 3km track dropping straight down from the dam to Crystal Cascades below …

Day 6: Islands

‘Tropical paradise’ is such a cliché – there’s only so much blue sky/clear water/white sand/palm trees you can take, right?

Perhaps. But a trip to the Frankland Islands or Green Island will leave you begging for more, cliché or no!

Trust me.

Day 7: Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway

Despite the jaw-dropping views above the unspoiled World Heritage listed rainforest canopy to the spectacular Cairns coastline, acrophobics* may find the 7.5 km Skyrail cable-car journey from Cairns to Kuranda (or vice versa) ‘challenging’.

But luckily, a couple of stops for the rainforest interpretive centre and Barron Falls lookout break the journey and allow equilibrium to be regained before another 6 person gondola – and the next leg!

But is going up the Kuranda Range by Skyrail any worse for acrophobics than dropping nearly 300 metres through 15 tunnels and across 40 rickety bridges crossing drop-away chasms down the super-steep Barron Gorge if returning via the 34 km Kuranda Scenic Railway?

As a recovering acrophobic I unreservedly recommend both trips – just breathe normally into that paper bag while taking photos all the way. And don’t look down …

Well, how quickly 7 Days can pass!

And I haven’t even started on heading south to the other side of Trinity Inlet, the Goldsborough Valley, and Gordonvale’s Cane Toad World!

Or west to the Atherton Tablelands …

That’s another 7 Days all by itself!!

I developed this 7 day guide based on visits to Cairns totalling MANY weeks over 20+ years!  Photos all taken 2009-2011, except the Kuranda train (1998) as that pic was better than the ones I have from later trips.

*Acrophobia= fear of heights

Want MORE?

• Not quite enough photos here, right? There’s plenty more on Flickr !!
• Cairns and Tropical North Queensland
• Cairns and Tropical North Visitor Information Centre
• What I’ve done in and around Cairns
• My other 7 Days in … Guides

The post 7 Days in … Cairns! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’ve yet to meet a Calcareous Concretion I didn’t like.

Although there’s some confusion about exactly where that magical Moon Rock meeting is likely to be. My first sighting in Outback Queensland’s Richmond was supposed to be ‘unique to the Richmond Shire’ according to the town guide.

BUT … I’d clocked up several hundred Moon Rock sightings before heading a few hundred kilometres south-west, where a data sheet from Boulia’s Stone House Museum outlines the geological forces that formed – yes, you guessed it – the BOULIA Calcareous Concretions!

Richmond’s dubious claims of Moon Rock uniqueness are weakened further by calcareous concretion presence in the Gogo formation of the Kimberley, Western Australia. Happily, my razor-sharp mind immediately resolved this discrepancy!

Calcareous Concretions are a feature of the Toolebuc formation, left when Australia’s vast inland sea dried up after covering much of what is now Outback Queensland – including both Richmond and Boulia!! QED …

Of course the most common form of calcareous concretion is the pearl – I therefore stand by my opening sentence – but other than formation method, the pearl and the Moon Rock are completely dissimilar …

However, although Moon Rocks can be seen in Boulia and the Kimberley, the fossil fossicking grounds of the Richmond shire, where FOSSILHUNTER once roamed (and shall roam again!), is their heartland.

Ranging in size from tiny to immoveable, you can’t throw a fossil-bearing rock without hitting some evidence of Richmond’s widespread exploitation of the Moon Rock’s decorative qualities.

The commemorative cairn, a grim or happy reminder (depending on your politics and point of view) of ex-Queensland premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen who opened the Flinders Highway that bisects the town, is made of various smaller sized Moon Rocks.

But there’s no evidence that they in any way resemble the pumpkin scones made famous by Sir Joh’s wife, Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen …*

A scattering of larger Moon Rocks lurk in the gardens below the Lakeview Caravan Park around the wonderful Fred Tritton Lake (above), a feature of Richmond’s ingenuity and an understandably popular local gathering spot.

But if you want to see Moon Rocks in their natural habitat, drive out to Cambridge Crossing on the Stawell River, 40 km from Richmond.

The riverbed, mostly dry on our June, 2011 visit gave no clue to the forces that pushed these Moon Rocks up against the crossing bed when the river flowed.

Luckily, the temptation to crack open a Moon Rock’s hard casing and cut through the limestone layer to discover the fossil or crytal that formed its nuclei was thwarted by the absence of a rock pick. Well, actually a jackhammer …

So here’s one someone prepared earlier!

A pile of Moon Rocks cleared from the riverbed and crossing didn’t look THAT big – until I stood next to them!

And remember I’m not a small person … although I’m still wondering how Pilchard’s photo of me and the Moon Rocks (below) was mysteriously photo-shopped to make me look fat …

While I salivate at the memory of top notch Bakery goods from the mysteriously named Moon Rock café at world class dinosaur fossil museum Kronosaurus Korner … they’ve really got nothing to do with the rest of this post  Just put it down to Moon Rocks in my head …

Richmond residents clearly come by THEIR Moon-Rocks-on-the-brain obsession honestly because it’s here, during the biennial Richmond Fossil Festival that the World Champion Moon Rock-throwing competition is held!

SO … if you’ve got the $AUD5.00 entry fee, and can throw a 23 kg (50 lb) Moon Rock more than 5.04 metres, you just MIGHT topple 2011 World Champ David Ievers in May 2012 and grab yourself a world championship title!!

Me, I think I’ll take my chances with the pearls …

Want more information?

• FOSSILHUNTER
• Moon Rocks
• World Champion Moon Rock-throwing Competition, 2018
• Kronosaurus Korner and Richmond

* Forgive me the indulgence of this gratuitous history lesson – Although Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen and his wife, Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen were Queensland’s first couple 1968-87, these controversial and colourful figures were well known throughout Australia. He for his policies that allowed controversial development unsullied by such considerations as standard approval processes, and allegations of corruption; she for the fabulous pumpkin scones for which she will always be remembered despite later becoming a senator in her own right.

The post Only in OZ #19 – Moon Rock-Throwing World Championships, Richmond, Queensland appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.