Kangaroo Island Bushfires

Choking back tears, he told me “I looked out over the plain and howled. It’ll take a long time to recover, and it probably won’t be in my lifetime”.  

I was talking to David, a now-retired guide who had spent 15 years conducting eco-tours in Flinders Chase National Park and the adjoining Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island. He was telling me about his reaction to the horrific bushfires, started by lightning strikes, that burnt more than 46% of the island’s 440,500 hectares (1,700 square miles) over several weeks of the 2019/2020 Australian summer.  Two lives and 50 houses were lost in the blaze, numerous farms and businesses ruined and thousands of animals—both livestock and wildlife—perished.

I knew what he meant.  I had just seen the devastation he was describing for myself from the Bunker Hill observation point that looks out over the coastal plain. Over 72,000 hectares (278 square miles), or about 96% of the bushland in the park was destroyed by the fires, and it was a confronting sight.  

Kangaroo Island Today

Once covered in lush eucalypt woodlands and dense coastal scrub, the rolling hills and plains were open and bare where the understory and low vegetation had been burnt away. In many places, only scorched tree trunks remained, very different to the verdant forests I remembered from my only other visit to Kangaroo Island 15 years earlier.

The bushfires have had devastating environmental, economic and personal consequences for Kangaroo Island’s 4,500-strong population, and have forever separated its history into “before” and “after” the blaze.  Recovery on all fronts has been long, slow and hindered even further by COVID-19 restrictions. 

Despite the extensive fire damage, it’s easy to see why the national park still attracts many of Kangaroo Island’s 140,000 annual visitors. Nearly ten months on, the bushland’s regeneration is well under way.  A mantle of green is starting to cover the blackened ground and new growth sprouts from the burnt tree trunks.  

The island has become a land of dramatic contrasts. In the forest and farmland, the fire’s trail of destruction can end abruptly, leaving bare, burnt ground and untouched greenery side by side. Rocks, dunes and land formations are now strikingly bare where ground cover and the understory once hid them. In places, where the flames reached the sea, there is now an eerily beautiful juxtaposition of blackened vegetation against the island’s signature aquamarine waters.

Visiting the island now is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness its regeneration first hand, but  also to assist community recovery by providing much needed cash flow to affected businesses and tourism operators.

Kangaroo Island, or “KI” (pronounced “kay-eye”) as it is known to locals, is Australia’s third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. 

Travelling KI’s 155 kilometre (96 mi) length is a journey through a stunning wilderness landscape with 540 kilometres (335 mi) of rugged coastline. Explore untouched beaches and dune systems, rivers and lakes, lush forests and oddly-shaped rocky outcrops. Diverse animal and plant life, fresh regional produce and friendly locals all add to the relaxed island vibe.  Despite the devastation of the fires, the attractions are all still here. A day or two will not be enough to experience everything the island has to offer.

How to get here

The fastest way to reach KI is a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, capital of the state of South Australia, to KI’s Kingscote Airport. Alternatively, take the ferry for a 45-minute ride across Backstairs Passage to KI’s Penneshaw, 22 kilometres (13.6 mi) from the closest mainland ferry terminal at Cape Jervis. 

From Adelaide, it’s a 90-minute drive through the Fleurieu Peninsula to cover the 100 kilometres (62 mi) to Cape Jervis at its south-western tip. Driving from Adelaide gives the option of taking your own vehicle on the ferry, recommended for those who wish to explore the entire island. Caravans, camper trailers and campers can also be taken on the ferry, although tours are available for those without transportation.

My travelling companions and I decided to drive from Adelaide and first explore parts of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s western coastline en route to the Cape Jervis wharf. As we only had a few hours before our ferry departed, a full exploration of the peninsula’s stunning coastline and picturesque inland region wouldn’t be possible. 

Instead, we chose a cross-section of attractions, including Port Noarlunga’s long jetty and red rocky walls above the Onkaparinga River mouth; the rolling vales and dramatic cliffs sweeping down to the sands of Sellicks Beach; the memorial to Australia’s only saint, Mary McKillop, in the Yankalilla township; the clear blue waters of Normanville beach; and Second Valley’s unusual coastal rock formations.

Backstairs Passage, the strait between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, is known for its rough seas so choosing the best time to cross can be like picking a winning lottery ticket. According to ferry staff, our afternoon crossing was a rough one, but not as bad as the morning trip when most of a large school excursion group became violently sea-sick.  

A turbulent crossing isn’t always bad news though. For us birdwatchers, heavy seas can mean a greater chance of spotting ocean-going birds such as shearwaters, petrels and albatross, not usually seen this close to land.  The only trick is to stay upright on deck and hold the binoculars steady as the ferry heaves and rolls through the waves and cross-currents.

Kangaroo Island History

Discovery of stone tools, middens (ceremonial sites), campfire sites and cave shelters on KI are proof of Australian Indigenous occupation, thought to pre-date colonial settlement by up to 65,000 years. It is believed that a group of people remained on the island when rising waters separated it from the mainland 10,000 years ago during the last glacial period.  Evidence also indicates they left the island 2,000 – 4,000 years before European colonisation, although it is unclear how or why.

Indigenous people from the mainland knew the island as Karta Pintingga or “Island of the dead”. This is because during the Aboriginal Dreamtime, the period in which life was created, a Spirit Ancestor travelled to the island en route to the Milky Way and was followed here by spirits of the dead seeking the afterlife.

There is some doubt as to when colonial exploration of KI began. The generally accepted version starts in 1802 when Matthew Flinders landed here while on an expedition to map Australia’s southern coastline for the British Government aboard HMS Investigator.  He unimaginatively recorded it as “Kanguroo Island”, for its many kangaroos, a welcome source of fresh meat.

After leaving the island, the Investigator met French ship Le Geographe, captained by Nicolas Baudin. Although their countries were at war, the two captains exchanged information and later that year, Baudin mapped part of the KI coastline, giving many of its geographic features French names.

However, the discovery of an inscription on a tree in the Cygnet River locality dated 1800 and stating “The place for fat meat” indicates that the island was already known by then. To whom, and for how long is unknown.

Baudin’s crew later met some American sealers aboard the brig Union and passed on details of the island to them. The Americans had a quota of 12,000 seal skins, and so KI’s sealing industry began, closely followed by the arrival of whalers.

In 1836, the first free (non-convict) European settlement in Australia was established on KI by the British based South Australian Company.  Faced with many difficulties, most of the colony relocated to the mainland four years later, leaving behind a few settlers whose tenacity and ingenuity in surviving harsh conditions are characteristics still evident in the present-day KI community.  

Nowadays, KI produce is renowned for its quality and exported around the world. A variety of industries includes honey from the purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world; boutique wineries, breweries and a distillery; aquaculture and seafood; eucalyptus oil, lavender and olive products; oats and other cereal crops; along with livestock, sea salt, free range eggs and beauty products, all available from local outlets and shopfronts.

Penneshaw and the Dudley Peninsula

The ferry docks at the small town of Penneshaw, located at the island’s eastern end, a good base for exploring the Dudley Peninsula. Untouched by the fires, the peninsula’s natural attractions are a good introduction to life on KI. 

We spent a day exploring the three conservation parks along the Dudley Peninsula’s south-eastern coastline. From mid-May to late October, southern right whales and the occasional humpback whale can be seen from the cliff tops along this section of the coast. Blue whales, the world’s largest animal, can also be seen from the shores, although they are more likely to be found feeding in upwelling zones further offshore, where nutrient-rich cold water rises from the ocean depths.

Baudin Conservation Park, with its coastal hiking trails and historic sites, is only two kilometres (1.24 mi) south-east of Penneshaw, not to be confused with Baudin Beach to the south-west.

Lashmar Conservation Park, halfway between Penneshaw and Cape Willoughby, is noted for its fishing, swimming, birdwatching and canoeing.  There’s a popular camping area where the Chapman River, which flows through the park, enters the ocean at Antechamber Bay, with its beautiful sandy beach.

At KI’s easternmost point is the isolated Cape Willoughby lighthouse outpost, where South Australia’s first lighthouse was built in 1852. The lighthouse, attached museum and walking trails around the cape are now part of the Cape Willoughby conservation park.

Back in Penneshaw, watch the sunset over Christmas Cove.  Then take an evening tour to see little penguins (Eudyptula minor) coming ashore on the beaches and cliffs after a day feeding out at sea.

Hog Bay Road follows a string of beaches, including Baudin Beach, south-west from Penneshaw to Prospect Hill, right on the peninsula’s narrow neck where it adjoins the central and western parts of the island. Follow in Matthew Flinders’ footsteps and climb the large sand dune, KI’s highest point, for 360 degree views north across Pelican Lagoon to American River and south to Pennington Bay. These days, a 350-step staircase makes the steep climb easier while protecting the fragile dunes beneath.

American River

From Prospect Hill it’s a 10 kilometre (6 mi) drive north to the small settlement of American River.  After staying in Penneshaw overnight, we moved here for the remainder of our stay as it offers easier access to the rest of KI’s attractions.

The locality was named in true Aussie style for a group of American sealers who camped on the shores of Pelican Lagoon, an ocean inlet which they mistakenly thought was a river. Sunrise over the inlet can be spectacular, with black swans (Cygnus atratus) and other water birds plentiful.  

“Every morning I’d be given a koala to nurse for the day,” Kylie, an accommodation host based in American River, told me. “The next morning I’d be told that the koala I’d been looking after had died during the night. It was heartbreaking.”  She and her husband had only lived on the island a short time before the fires, and even though the American River community wasn’t directly under threat, the smoke was so thick they thought they’d have to leave. They and their neighbours spent some tense nights watching the glow in the sky and hearing horror stories about what was happening at the other end of the island.

Once the fires raged out of control and all visitors had returned to the mainland, Kylie volunteered to help out at the wildlife rescue centre, set up to care for the influx of injured animals rescued by locals and firefighters.

While exact pre- and post-bushfire numbers are unknown, it is believed that 80% of the estimated 50,000 koalas on KI perished.  About 40% of those treated in the centre were rehabilitated to be released back into the wild, thanks to the tireless work of volunteers and donations from around the world.

The Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge where I was a guest, is located right across the road from the American River inlet.  With comfortable and well-appointed rooms, an excellent restaurant and friendly, helpful staff, it’s also a good base from which to explore other parts of the island. Don’t miss sunrise over the inlet—the colours, reflections and waterbird silhouettes can be stunning.  Afterwards, treat yourself to the wonderful breakfast buffet in the restaurant.

Famous for its seafood, American River’s most well known (and possibly most visited) attraction is the Oyster Farm Shop. It offers a daily selection of fresh seafood including local oysters, abalini (baby abalone), marron (freshwater crayfish), King George whiting and calamari. 

Just outside town a hiking trail leads to the remains of the town’s historic fish cannery, established around 1890, but abandoned two years later as there was no way to store and keep excess fish. A short drive north-west of town is Redbanks, where multi-coloured cliffs tower above the beach.

KI is home to an endemic subspecies of the critically endangered glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), and the American River flock can often be seen around the town and nearby bushland. 

Kingscote and North Coast

Kingscote, located 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-west of American River, is KI’s largest town and commercial centre. The first free Australian settlement was set up at nearby Reeves Point, now a reserve with walking trails and historic sites listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. The Nepean Bay jetty is a well known fishing spot, and great for sunrise or sunset shots. Look for sea lions and dolphins in the waters, and if you are lucky, you may see a koala wandering Kingscote’s main street.

Explore the north coast’s secluded beaches from here, including the white sands of Emu Bay; the rocky portal leading to Stokes Bay; and the superb swimming and fishing at Snelling Beach. Parts of this region were hit hard by the bushfires, but much of the north-coast, especially the eastern end, is now accessible.

Snellings View, where I was a guest, makes an excellent base from which to discover the delights of the North Coast’s stunning coastal scenery—or just hide away and relax. With magnificent views over Snellings beach and the surrounding farmland from the deck, the open-plan lounge/dining area and both double bedrooms, this luxurious getaway is fully self-contained. Photos from a book produced by the owners show that the bushfires burned right up to the deck.

“I was wearing my mother’s engagement ring and a ring belonging to my late sister that day.  My other jewellery and belongings were obliterated in the fire,” Priscilla, a north-coast local told me, describing the devastating losses the day that she and her partner lost their home.  

“A year later, I’m still discovering things I didn’t realise were gone, and I feel the loss all over again. Luckily I had uploaded a lot of photos to Facebook because my hard drive and backup were destroyed.” The displacement of living in temporary accommodation without a permanent home to which they can return isn’t easy either.

Priscilla and her partner are now rebuilding, but the process is hampered by the logistics of living on an island. Returning to normal life is still a long way off but the support of the KI community, all of whom have been affected in some way by the fires, has been invaluable.

The South Coast

The South Coast road is known for its nature- and adventure-based attractions.  Although the fire reached the sea here, the stunning colours, white sandy beaches and rock pools of Vivonne Bay make it easy to see why this beach was declared  best in the world in 2003, and is arguably KI’s best beach location.  Spend a day swimming, surfing, snorkelling, fishing, hiking or canoeing the Harriet River which meets the sea at the bay.

Nearby is Little Sahara, a coastal dune system popular for sandboarding and tobogganing. Sand buggies, quad bikes or fat bikes are also on offer by tour companies, with guided walking tours and kayaking also available.

Further east, the Seal Bay Conservation Park’s Australian sea lion colony can be observed from the Visitor Centre viewing platforms. Take a self-guided boardwalk tour, or get even closer on a guided tour.

Flinders Chase National Park

From American River, we took the 105 kilometre (66 mi) drive south-west to the Flinders Chase National Park entrance, taking about 75 minutes. En route, the fire damage became progressively worse until we reached the Bunker Hill lookout mentioned above, where the worst effects of the fire can be seen.

In the far south-west at Cape du Couedic, the low coastal vegetation is intact, a stark contrast with other coastal sections of the park now blackened and burnt.  The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a five day trek passing through here, was badly damaged by the fires, but a modified version is now open. It is a rare opportunity to see bushland regeneration firsthand and view open landscapes not previously visible when covered by dense vegetation. Guided bushfire tours are also available.

Seals and other Wildlife

From the cape, a boardwalk descends into the cavernous Admirals Arch, a haven for the 7,000-strong long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) colony living and breeding on the cape and Casuarina islets.  By the 1880s, fur seals had been hunted almost to extinction for their thick, water repellent pelts.  From 1900, various levels of protection have applied to the islets, and now the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Parks protect the waters these seals call home.

Wildlife is returning to the bushfire zone, although much of the habitat they relied on for food and shelter was destroyed. Rosenberg’s goanna (Varanus rosenbergi), a large monitor lizard, and the KI subspecies of short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus) are able to bury themselves underground during bushfires in order to survive.

Weirs Cove

KI’s treacherous coastline and unpredictable waters have been responsible for over 80 shipwrecks. After lighthouses were built at Cape Willoughby and Cape Borda, the Cape du Couedic lighthouse was completed in 1909 after five ships and 79 lives were lost in the surrounding waters. Before road access to the cape, all lighthouse supplies—and visitors—were hoisted from the nearby Weirs Cove landing up a 92 metre (300 ft) high sheer cliff face to the settlement via a primitive “flying fox” winching system made of pulleys and ropes.

Remarkable Rocks

Ironically, no vegetation obscures the park’s most well known feature—the Remarkable Rocks—thanks to the bushfires. The tumbling pile of fractured granite blocks, weathered over millennia, sits on a large dome of exposed granite above a sheer cliff, clearly visible from Weirs Cove and the coast-hugging road. A coating of bright orange lichen renders some of the rocks even more bizarre. 

Featuring in films such as “Napoleon” (1995), and “The December Boys” (2007), the rocks have also starred in countless home movies and social media posts. Many visitors have their photo taken under the “Turtle Beak”, a piece of hollowed-out rock shaped like a hooked finger dangling above the rocky base.  Exploring the odd shapes and textures of the rocks can take a while if you’ve got a camera, and watching other people exploring the rocks can take even longer.

Although these were the only park attractions open to the public during our stay, I wasn’t disappointed.  Seeing the park’s recovery firsthand replaced the despair I had felt when watching the horrifying blaze on the news night after night.  I’m already looking forward to returning once more attractions have reopened.

Come to Kangaroo Island

Indisputably, the close-knit KI community is known for its resilience and courage, and for working together to preserve and protect the island they love.  After seeing the beauty that remains and regeneration in the bushfire zone, it is even more apparent that this island is a special place. 

While full recovery may take many more years, don’t leave it too long to experience its wonders.  Kangaroo Island’s attractions await!

Want MORE?

• More about Kangaroo Island HERE
• More about the Fleurieu Peninsula HERE
• The original version of this article first appeared in GlobeRovers Magazine July 2021. For more interesting travel stories check out GlobeRovers HERE.

Pin it for Later!

The post Beauty and Bushfires: Exploring Kangaroo Island, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

‘There it is,’ shouted Pilchard, pointing towards the bank. I looked, but there was only an old tyre on the edge of the water nestled in the grass. Typical bloke. All excited about nothing. The boat moved closer to the river banks.

‘Where?’ I whined as cameras clicked all around me. Damn! If everyone else could see a monster crocodile, why couldn’t I? The boat edged even closer, heading right for the tyre on the grass.

‘There! There!’ Pilchard stabbed the air in a pointing frenzy. ‘If you can’t see it now, I can’t help you,’ he eventually shrugged, lifting his binoculars.

‘All I can see is that old tyre,’ I said, readying my camera anyway.

‘Look again! That’s NOT a tyre,’ Pilchard laughed as it finally clicked. And so did my camera. Better late than never, huh?

Half an hour later I’d seen more crocodiles than in the rest of my whole life AND Pilchards put together.

A lot of the bigger ones had names. Lord Lizard. Whitey. Old Broken Jaw.

Weirdly, there weren’t any called Freakin’ Scary.

There should have been.

As six scary metres (nearly 20 feet) of leather-coated muscle, razor sharp teeth and pre-historic cunning slid silently into the current swirling around our cruise boat on the Victoria River we waited for those cold yellow eyes to appear in the brownish water downstream.

They didn’t.

If he (yes, I’ve assumed this macho melange of features to be male) surfaced directly under us, it SO wouldn’t be a good time to find out the purpose-built M.V Fleetwing wasn’t croc-proof! But that was just one of the hazards of taking a tour into the wilderness along the Northern Territory’s Victoria River – arguably Australia’s wildest.

The high crocodile count so far wasn’t doing anything to disprove it.

And neither was the scenery. As we raced 35 km (~22 miles) down the river towards our date with a Northern Territory sunset, the late afternoon glow was already lighting up the cliffs and escarpments of the wild and remote Yambarrin Ranges above the rivers broad, brown expanse.

Yes, brown. Just perfect for a crocodile to disappear in …

But the Victoria River Sunset Cruise isn’t just about crocodiles. Or sunset. From the Croc Stock Shop, owned and run by locals Meredith and Neville Fogarty, the 1971 bus took a roundabout route to the jetty at Big Horse Creek via some of the historic points of interest in and around Timber Creek.

So if the Suicide Tree, Timber Creek Musuem, Gregory’s Tree, Policeman’s Point, Live Croc feeding at the caravan park and the Bradshaw Field Training Area’s Bridge to Nowhere – with its vast array of signs warning of the horrible things that could, and WOULD happen to trespassers – sound intriguing to you, you’ll know why we stayed an extra day to explore. And if you stay tuned to this blog, you’ll eventually find out all about them AND get to read about our nightmare camper from hell story!

But I digress …

The Victoria River doesn’t discriminate between Australia’s two crocodile species, and neither do I. They’re BOTH scary – although the

smaller freshwater croc isn’t known for its murderous tendencies towards humans. So despite the distractions of the superb Top End dry season scenery, I kept my eyes on the water.

As we passed the gravel islands and sandbanks mid-river, the massive saltwater crocodiles we’d seen earlier gave way to the smaller freshies.

Was it a coincidence that the bird life increased, with Jabiru (actual name Black-necked Stork), White-bellied Sea Eagles, Whistling Kites – and the strange sight of an Australasian Bustard in full flight?

The croc sightings of any variety dropped off altogether as we drew level with the mid-river pontoon – another purpose-built structure surrounded by a cage of the extra-strength wire mesh that (we hoped) made it croc-proof. But this, and the superb array of hot and cold nibbles and drinks weren’t the only things to make this sunset memorable.

What do you do when nature calls and you’re in the middle of the wildest – and probably most crocodile-infested – river in Australia?

You visit the pontoon loo – scenic enough to deserve its own post AND one of the coveted spots in my book – of course!

As we drank in our drinks, inhaled the superb array of hot and cold snacks and drank in the awesome scenery, the sun set in a blaze of gold against the clear sky, it’s final rays silhouetting the dramatic escarpment reflected in the river below. A houseboat floated over by the river banks and wallabies grazed on the grassy river flats downstream.

Magical. Memorable. Magnificent.

‘Wouldn’t it be great if a crocodile took one of those wallabies?’ a fellow passenger, drink in hand, stage-whispered to her husband, breaking the hushed silence.

Silly me.

Of COURSE that’s just what a panorama like the one above needed to bring it alive! Seeing a defenceless animal massacred by a crocodile right in front of us against that awesome backdrop of setting sun, ragged mountains and broad river would be the perfect way to round out the most sensational sunset experience ever. Wouldn’t it?!?!

NOT!

I guess I just don’t have that bloodthirsty gene.

Anyway, everyone knows the Victoria River crocs are too well fed! Taking the cattle from the local stations as they graze the river banks is a cinch. And stealing barramundi straight off the line if the fisherfolk are too slow to bring them in is too easy.

Who needs a wallaby-hors-d’oeuvre anyway?

All too soon our time was up and we reluctantly finished up the snacks, left the loo behind and the wallabies intact and jetted back down the river with the sun’s last rays at our backs as the moon rose ahead.

If I hadn’t been too busy taking photos of the incredible scenery, I may have seen another crocodile – or two or three.

But by then I didn’t care.

Want your own croc experience but don’t have any transport?  Start here with the best flights!

Fast Facts:

What: The Victoria River Cruise 3½ hour, 70 km round trip Sunset Wilderness Cruise

Where: Timber Creek, 285 km SW from Katherine along the Victoria Highway, Northern Territory

When: Daily from April to September (see website for exact dates)

Cost: $95 per adult, $50 per child (as at 13/2/15)

How to get there: Self-drive to Timber Creek from Darwin or Katherine from the east; Kununurra from the west. Or get up north REAL quick by checking out these cheap flights!

Want MORE?

• Victoria River Cruise via Timber Creek, Northern Territory
• Victoria River Roadhouse, Northern Territory
• RedzAustralia Crocodile Hot Spots
• MORE Victoria River Region Photos on Flickr

Like this post? Use the Share Buttons below!

And register to receive RedzAustralia Updates via email HERE!

Next Post: Aussie ABC – S is for Slang      Previous Post: The Ten Commandants

Disclosure: Pilchard and I booked and paid full price for our Victoria River Sunset cruise and did not ask for or receive any discounts or concessions.

The post Cruising with Crocodiles on Australia’s WILDEST River appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

… I saw and did for the first time in 2014!

It’s possible my definition of ‘cool’ isn’t the same as yours. I think it’s quite easy to find something cool downunder – anything new, intriguing, scenic or exclusive to OZ (or the world) does it for me.

So if you’re wondering about some of the inclusions in this selection of 12 cool things I saw for the first time in my travels through five Aussie states in 2014, that’s why they’re there!

If you don’t agree, why not tell me ALL about it in the comments

1. Bruny Island

This little island off the eastern coast of Tasmania is about the same size as Singapore. But whereas Singapore has a population of 6,000,000+, Bruny Island is a LOT less crowded with only around 600! Stunning scenery, including the 2^nd highest cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere and one of Australia’s most scenic public loos; wonderful wildlife – think seals and Tasmanian endemic birds – AND fabulous food means a day trip isn’t nearly long enough to see everything.

And I’ve never been on a waterway with a name as cool as the D’Entrecasteaux Channel!

MORE about Bruny Island

2. Cradle Mountain

We got to see Tasmania’s most famous mountain on a ‘normal’ day. And that meant cloud, fog, mist, drizzle, rain, wind and the coldest temperatures we’d experienced in Tasmania to date! Apparently, those typical images of Cradle Mountain’s classic shape reflected beautifully in Dove Lake below (click HERE to see what I mean!) only happen on one or two days in every ten!

SO … I guess we were lucky. Because MY shots show the real thing in all its non-clichéd glory! Right??

MORE about Cradle Mountain

3. Tasmanian Wombat

I’ve seen wombats before. I’ve even been bitten by a wombat!! But 2014 was the year I first saw Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis, which the informed will instantly recognise as the Tasmanian Wombat – a sub-species of the common wombat. The lesser informed might think it a visitor from another planet with its odd shape, shambling gait and its legendary ability to burrow underground in the most inhospitable places.

Most Australian women know a ‘wombat’ – the name’s often given to a bloke who, like the wombat, eats roots and leaves. I don’t know if the Tasmanian wombat shares these habits with its mainland counterparts. But … I’ll bet a few Tassie blokes do!

MORE about Wombats

4. Balls Pyramid

It’s not that easy to see the world’s highest volcanic rock stack up close. First, get to Sydney. Then take a ~600 km flight to Lord Howe Island which, depending on the crosswinds on the airstrip bisecting the island, may or may not be able to land. Then wait for suitable weather conditions for the 23 km boat trip across the open ocean to the Pyramid – there’s a 50% cancellation rate. 66.66% if you’re as unlucky as we were with a FAIL on our first two attempts!

But finally the planets aligned and we gazed in awe at Balls Pyramid’s distinctive twin spires towering 551 metres above us.

And in an uncharacteristically speechless moment, I ran out of superlatives!

MORE about Balls Pyramid

5. Lord Howe Island Phasmid

After rats invaded Lord Howe Island following a shipwreck back in the dim, distant past, the endemic Lord Howe Island Phasmid – a large stick insect – was thought to be extinct. But many years later, it was re-discovered on the inhospitable and rugged Balls Pyramid (see above!) by a scientific expedition.

Luckily, we didn’t have to climb or camp on Balls Pyramid to see this rare creature for ourselves – there are a couple in the Lord Howe Island Visitor Information Centre.

And call me shallow, but seeing something that’s been brought back from extinction AND that not many others have ever seen gives me a BIG thrill!

MORE about Lord Howe Island

6. My TV Interview

Seeing my name on my first book – Aussie Loos with Views! – was one thing. But seeing myself on TV was quite another! My first (and possibly ONLY) TV appearance to promote my book on Weekend Sunrise may or may not fit YOUR definition of ‘cool’.

I’ll leave you to judge it for yourself!

To watch the video: Hover the cursor over the bottom of the picture. Click on the Forward Arrow symbol that will appear in the bottom left hand corner. There’s about 15 seconds of ‘sponsor messages’ before the interview starts.

*IF you received this post by email, click on the link to the blog post at the top of the email – you won’t be able to watch the video from the email.

MORE about Aussie Loos with Views!

7. Sunrise over Lake Moogerah

I’m SO not a morning person that it wouldn’t be far wrong to say that seeing ANY sunrise ANYWHERE was a first for me. But the sunsets were so spectacular near our campsite on our first visit to Lake Moogerah that I braved the cold and dark to see what I’d normally be missing.

And found out.

So what’s a few bleary eyes and frozen fingers when sunrises in the superb Scenic Rim region look like THIS?

MORE about the Scenic Rim

8. Carrs Lookout

We took a day trip from Woodenbong along the notorious Mt Lindesay Road (arguably Australia’s worst) to Queen Mary Falls in the Main Range National Park. From there, the road winds upwards for 7 km to a vantage point 1005 metres above sea level overlooking the spectacular scenery of Condamine Gorge.

Who even knew there WAS a Condamine Gorge? An embarrassing admission given it’s strategic importance as the headwaters of the Murray/Darling river system that reaches the sea in my home state, South Australia.

We decided to forego the pleasures of the 4WD Gorge track and its 14 river crossings in favour of morning tea at the Spring Creek Mountain Cafe. All in the interests of seeing more of that stunning view, of course!

9. The Roxy Theatre and Café

A fully restored – and fully functioning – Art Deco cinema complete with café and a musuem dedicated to its Greek heritage was an unexpected bonus in small-ish New South Wales country town Bingara. And when we decided to stay for a few days and explore the area, we lucked out.

Dinner at the Café, a look through the museum and an excellent show from Song and Dance Man Mike McClellan showcased the Roxy’s awesome attributes superbly.

But next time I’ll take a tripod for some blur-free interior shots!

MORE about the Roxy Theatre, Bingara

10. Birdlife Australia Gluepot Reserve

The 50 km drive over a bone-jarring, dusty, rocky station track heading due north from tiny Riverland settlement Taylorville to Gluepot Reserve took over an hour and a half. But deep in the South Australian mallee surrounded by sand dunes and spinifex, we entered a world of walks, wildflowers and wildlife.

Who cared that we didn’t see any of the 5 ‘lifers’ that birdo Pilchard hoped to find on this once- pastoral property, when a walk in the early morning light showed the beauty of this harsh, arid landscape? And it didn’t matter that our camp shower malfunctioned in the middle of our stay when the flowering eremophilas were so abundantly spectacular. Even the thought of facing that long, rugged drive on the way home wasn’t enough to faze us. Why would it?

This is Outback Australia at its BEST!

MORE about Birdlife Australia Gluepot Reserve

11. Point Danger Gannet Colony

A whole lot of large white birds resting on a rocky knoll a few kilometres from Victorian coastal town Portland was interesting – but you’re probably thinking it’s not THAT exciting. Every now and then a few of them would take off, swooping, soaring and generally showing off against a bright blue sky in a completely non-photo-friendly way.

But this cacophony (or whatever the correct collective noun is) of Cape Gannets on Point Danger (cool name, huh?!) is the only mainland Gannet colony in Australia – a spillover from the rugged Lawrence Rocks colony, just two kilometres offshore.

It’s rare to see so many gannets up this close without being out at sea. And the stretches of staggering scenery along this part of the coast are an added bonus – especially if you’re a non-birdo!!

MORE about Point Danger Gannet Colony

12. The Granites

You can’t see the wild and rugged scenery of the Coorong – Australia’s longest beach – from many places on the long drive along the Princes Highway that parallels the coastline en route to Adelaide. The 194 km (120+ miles) of sand, unbroken except for a collection of three random boulders 15 km north of of Kingston South East. So as we returned home from another Australian exclusive – a sighting of the first Long-billed Dowitcher ever recorded downunder – we took the short detour to see them.

Apart from sand dunes and waves stretching out to the horizon and a 4WD that just WOULD NOT GET OUT OF MY PHOTO, there’s nothing much else along this vast and empty beach on the edge of the Great Southern Ocean.

Except for the view. AND these three random granite boulders.

Now … see if you can guess why they called this area ‘The Granites’!!!!

MORE about the Coorong

So that’s 12 of the cool new Aussie things I saw and experienced in 2014.  2015 has already been exciting with a week in a retirement village, a narrow escape from a bushfire and the threat of floods!

Watch this space!

SO … what cool things did YOU see and do in 2014??

The post 12 Cool Aussie Things … appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I slowly climbed the hill through the knee high dry grass, each step raising a cloud of dust. Every stick looked like a snake. But that was better than the other way around.

The heavy breathing behind me increased. The horse that owned the paddock was getting tetchy. I wondered what he’d do when he found out the camera bag over my shoulder didn’t contain carrots. Praise be for horse-proof gate latches!

There were other ways of getting to our favourite photography birding spot, but getting there was half the fun. The other half was having the lake to ourselves.

And that’s SO not going to change …

Yes, there’s a deep irony in the first of my series about our TOP Aussie Birding Spots being in a secret location.

But it’s not because we’re miserable beggars (I hope you admire my restraint!) who enjoy knowing something that not many others know, or even in taking a childish delight when enjoying a cruel laugh at their expense (although if I’m being perfectly honest …).

No, I can do WAY better than that.

• The lake’s on private property.
• It’s only accessible on the weekend.
• We’ve got permission from the owner.
• And the birds are skittish enough as it is.

So given that you’ll never know exactly where this birding hotspot is from me, the least I can do is taunt you with show you its delights. And one day, when our fantasy comes true and the owners allow us to build a weekender/bird hide there, we just might share it more openly!

Although other spots may have greater numbers, more species and rarer birds, this little lake somewhere in the Adelaide Hills is what photography birding is all about.

It’s an Australian White Ibis rookery.

It’s got the requisite dead trees, branches skewed artistically and photographically against the blue South Australian summer sky.

The trees reflected on it’s sometimes wind-dappled, sometimes mirror-like surface are a photographers fantasy.

And the reeds at the other end make a fine photographic challenge.

Although maybe not to a REAL photographer …

Oops!  There I go again, talking about photography instead of birding …  I mean, of course, that the variety of habitats means there’s always an interesting bird or two to spot!!

The Mount Lofty Ranges, although a relatively low range rising from the surrounding plain (Mt Lofty at only 727 metres above sea level (2385 ft) is the highest), are still high enough for a milder climate and higher rainfall.

In a ‘good’ year, it’s even been known to snow on Mt Lofty! However, in a ‘bad’ year – like February 1983’s Ash Wednesday – the (locally known) Adelaide Hills can be strafed by bushfires. But, even during the traditionally hot and dry South Australian summer, the hills are a stretch of sweeping views to the ocean, picturesque towns, gourmet food and wine, orchards and gardens.

The natural attractions and unspoiled habitats like ‘our’ lake are a bonus in this region known for its scenic beauty.

And an even bigger bonus are the birds, of course!

I first used my new digital camera here in January 2012, so each visit records my photographic journey and changes in style.

Oh! AND also a record of the ever-changing bird life on the lake!!

Each of us secretly hopes like hell something different is sitting there waiting for us to spot and/or photograph.

And on this thankfully snake-free day in early January, we were in luck! Pink-eared Duck made its first appearance here – as recorded by us, anyway.

Flocks of Ibis adults and young circled high above and a pair of Little Pied Cormorant shared nesting duties a few metres above the water.

Galahs gazed down from the ever-so-photographically-perfect bare tree branches against that marvellous blue sky, and Australasian Grebe swam across the lake with several young ones trailing in its wake.

A flock of Black-tailed Native Hen ducked in and out of the undergrowth edging the lake, tails bobbing just like Black-fronted Dotterel on a nearby sandy shore.  Reed Warbler, flitting in and out of the reeds were drowned out by the panic of a few Purple Swamphen, startled into raucous flight.

If you get the impression you’re being watched, you probably are. But not just by the birds. Often the last remaining secluded source of water in this part of the Adelaide Hills during summer, other birds and animals often drop in.

But on this early January 2014 day, so much was happening we barely noticed the absence of Rufous Night Heron, Rainbow Bee-eater and Spotted Crake, seen here on other visits. Or the passage of time … just when you think it’s all over, something else worth photographing staying for a bit longer to watch happens. Like the cormorant nesting changeover. Or the ibis feeding its young. Or a kangaroo coming down for a drink.

Or just the interplay of light, shade, reflections, colours and wind on the water. Yes, a photographer’s fantasy all right – especially when that (amateur) photographer is in ‘I’ve-got-a-new-camera’ mode!!

If I’d worn my watch, I’d have known exactly how much time we spent there – although maybe taking photos isn’t the only reason to bring the camera … if only I’d thought of that at the time!

And the time passed remarkably quickly given our ‘quick walk before breakfast’ plans!

But who needs breakfast on a glorious photographic birding adventure in a place like this?

Besides, incorporating chocolate into a meal is much more socially acceptable at brunch, anyway!

Finally, hunger and fatigue drove us back through the paddock towards home.

Tricking the horse into staying on the other side of the gate was easy – this time – but I suspect he’ll have his revenge if we turn up again without a couple of carrots.

But I don’t care. As long as the snakes keep their distance!

The post TOP Aussie Birding Spot #1 – Somewhere in the Adelaide Hills … appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’ve got Pilchard to thank for some of our more obscure travel destinations.

If not for him, I wouldn’t be out birding.

And if not for birding, I wouldn’t have been in this marvellously scenic spot near Werribee on the outskirts of Melbourne’s west!

As I photographed the sunlight glinting across the waters of Port Philip Bay to Portarlington, and the panoramic vista stretching way past Avalon airport over the plain to the You Yangs, I wondered why no one else was around.

Doesn’t EVERY visitor to Melbourne want to visit the sewage ponds??

Weirdly, it’s unlikely you’ll find the Western Treatment Plant facility on any ‘Top 10 Melbourne Attractions’ lists, despite its environmentally friendly waste treatment credentials. And while its 11,000+ hectares of filtration ponds and lakes give good photo opportunity, they’re not used to define Melbourne in the same way as, say, the Yarra. Or the Queen Vic Markets. Or even the Boathouses of nearby Campbells Cove***!

I guess the opportunity to be where 52% of Melbourne’s sewage is being processed just isn’t that enticing.

Unless you’re a twitcher*.

If so, you’ll know EXACTLY what a nice sewage pond is doing in a place like this, and call it ‘Werribee’ – the ‘in’ name for birders worldwide. Because among the levees and lakes that make up the extraordinary patchwork of poo-ponds that is the Western Treatment Plant, the 284 species of birds recorded at Werribee from all over the world draw serious twitchers like flies to … well, you know.

But … you don’t just ‘drop in’ to Werribee. Jumping through bureaucratic hoops to get a permit just for the privilege of visiting a massive set of poo-ponds may be incomprehensible to non-twitchers, but as Pilchard’s best chance to spot a few lifers**, he happily signed up, giving assurances we’d behave responsibly.

Yes, there IS a sewage pond etiquette protocol!

Dang! I guess that meant the spontaneous sewage swim I’d been looking forward to was out of the question …

If you’re looking for a comprehensive photographic catalogue of the birds we saw, then don’t buy a lottery ticket because today is not your lucky day. The ‘responsible behaviour’ expected from THIS passenger became an exhausting round of navigating through the complex maze of poo-ponds; opening and closing the locked gates that kept the riff-raff out (because EVERYONE wants to break into a sewage treatment plant, right?) and in my spare time, ‘helping’ spot the rarities Pilchard was convinced lay lurking behind every shrub eagerly awaiting his identification.

Who says birding isn’t an extreme sport?

Telling twitchers and non-twitchers apart is easy! Just apply this simple test when a twitcher tells you he didn’t spot an unusual bird seen by almost everyone else in the same spot: If you’re a twitcher, you’ll openly commiserate while secretly gloating because you’ve either trumped the other twitcher (ie the bird’s already on your list); or the other twitcher HASN’T trumped you!

If you’re NOT a twitcher, you won’t care.

In a perhaps unsurprising demonstration of the ‘camaraderie’ for which the birding world is sometimes known, an older couple (ie older than US), their necks hung about with several thousand dollars of optical equipment waved to us from across a pond. We drove around to muscle in pick their brains be sociable only to find they hadn’t been waving, they’d been waving us ON! We’d cramped their style by daring to slow down directly above a bird lurking in the grass below the levee bank!

Chastened, we slunk away before they could take us out with their giant lenses …

For a place surrounding one with 360° of sewage (albeit filtered and treated), there’s one surprising – and ironic – omission at Werribee.

Perhaps a Public Toilet in a sewage treatment plant is redundant?

So I didn’t think I’d be issued with a ‘responsible behaviour’ infringement notice just for doing a squat amongst the sewage ponds … I mean, how could you tell??

I’ll leave you to decide whether being surrounded by sewage counts as a public toilet; OR if Werribee is the BEST scenic spot NOT to have a loo!!

If this post leaves you suffering from Australian Scenic Public Toilet deprivation, the best antidote is to  see a LOT of them all in one place, right? RIGHT??

SO … put yourself out of your misery and check out the other loos I’ve featured right here on Australia by Red Nomad OZ HERE! And if that doesn’t do it for you, then check out my book – Aussie Loos with Views!

* Twitcher = Birdwatcher. Who knew?!

** Lifer = Bird never before seen by you.

***  Tourism Victoria: I guess you’ll be BEGGING to use my Werribee photos to help promote Melbourne now, right??

Want MORE?

• Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria
• Melbourne’s West
• My BOOK:  Aussie Loos With Views!

The post The Aussie Scenic Public Loo that WASN’T! 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.

The ubiquitous Kangaroo is such an integral part of the landscape downunder that its iconic silhouette universally symbolises Australia.

Yet to many of us Aussies they’re so commonplace we no longer marvel at the amazingly intricate biological system within this unique and oddly shaped animal.

AND we roll our eyes at the tourists who gleefully pose for kangaroo souvenir shots.

SO … as is also commonplace downunder, we let the unusual attributes of this wonder of nature pass us by!

How to best describe this highly complex Aussie creature? An animal with a strange, balletic grace when in full flight and at full speed, yet with an awkward, shambling walk. And yes, flight IS the right word to describe how a bounding kangaroo appears to float across the landscape, through the shimmering heat waves and off into the distance far more quickly than appears possible.

That’s why the flying kangaroo symbolises quintessential Australiana. And a study of the facts about this bizarre wild animal shows the truth IS far stranger than fabrication!

So lets stick to the facts! And some photos …

1. The kangaroo (along with another Aussie native, the emu) is featured on the Australian Coat of Arms …
2. … reportedly because neither can walk backwards!

3. AND … Australians are possibly the only nation in the world to eat both animals on its Coat of Arms! Not sure if that’s something to be proud of …

   

4. … although Kangaroo meat is very lean, with around 2% fat.

5. 

   With kangaroo numbers estimated at around 23 million (in 1996), they’re perhaps the only creature to have actually thrived since European settlement, with land clearing, cropping and pasture forming new habitats to which they have readily adapted

6. And that’s despite an estimated 20,000 annual vehicle collisions with kangaroos!

7. Hitting a kangaroo can cause LOTS of damage! As I found early one morning heading to work in the predawn mist when a kangaroo leapt out of nowhere in front of my car. Although I wasn’t travelling very fast, the impact killed the kangaroo, permanently dented the bullbar AND destroyed the radiator. Luckily I was less than 1km from home …

   

8. Car manufacturer Holden has a kangaroo crash test dummy – dubbed Robo Roo! This 59 kg composite helps study car collisions with kangaroos to improve safety features. Pity my crash was in a Subaru …
9. The largest recorded kangaroo was around 3 metres (9′ 7”) tall
10. The Red Kangaroo is the largest living marsupial at up to 2.7 metres high (9 ft); and the Eastern Grey is the heaviest with males up to 95 kg (~200 lb)
11. Kangaroos have been clocked at speeds of 40 – 70 kph (24-42 mph) …
12. … Can cover up to 12 metres (~42 ft) in one leap …
13. … AND can jump as high as 3.5 metres (10½ feet)!
14. Kangaroos belong to the Macropodidae family, and are part of Australia’s claim to having the most marsupials in the world – around 150 species.
15. An adult male kangaroo is colloquially known as a boomer, buck or Old Man;
16. An adult female is a flying doe, or flier;

17. A Joey is an immature kangaroo, usually in the pouch.

    

18. Mob is the collective noun for a group of kangaroos!
19. And most Aussies refer to them as ‘roos!
20. An adult female kangaroo is almost continually pregnant and lactating.
21. ‘An heir and a spare’ is a saying almost custom made for the kangaroo – while still feeding her joey, a second egg can be fertilized – but embryo development is placed ‘on hold’ until the current joey is almost ready to leave the pouch.

22. The next joey is born when the first leaves the pouch, but the mother continues to feed both simultaneously – with different milk for the older and younger joeys!

    

23. Skippy the Bush Kangaroo was one of Australia’s most successful TV show exports although it was banned in Sweden because it was considered the show would make children believe in the animals’ unnatural powers!

24. The clicking sound Skippy makes is based on an actual sound made by kangaroos to communicate with each other.
25. Although the grunts and groans of copulating kangaroos can sound almost human … as Pilchard and I found one day on a walk through the scrub. Pilchard bravely went into the bush to investigate the odd grunting sound we heard on the off chance someone was hurt. Wrong! We left them to it … don’t want to mess with – or interrupt – a big boomer!!
26. Especially as successful copulation can last up to 50 minutes!
27. Kangaroos are found almost everywhere except above the snow line.

28. The strangest place we ever saw them was on a beach near Western Australia’s Exmouth, where they were digging holes in the sand and resting therein.

    

29. It’s illegal to have a dead kangaroo in your possession without a permit.  NO WAY!!
30. The Big Kangaroo is off the beaten track at Border Village, on the SA/WA border!

31. Boxing with kangaroos was – and still is – a popular sport at country fairs, although there are moves afoot to have it banned.

    

32. ‘Kangaroo’ is derived from ‘gangurru’, an indigenous word from the Guugu Yimithirr language of Far North Queensland
33. A ‘kangaroo court’ describes a mock court where no consideration is given to legal principles.
34. ‘A few ‘roos loose in the top paddock’ is a colloquial Aussie term for someone who’s a little bit mad!

35. Although we once had one in our garden for awhile, the most kangaroos I’ve EVER seen in one place was in Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria!

The post Aussie ABC – K is for Kangaroo! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

‘Shark! Everyone out of the water!!’ he yelled, and I involuntarily jumped back from the guardrail high above Eagle Bluff, my movement triggered by that most primeval of Australian fears: Shark Attack!!

The amphitheatre of crumbling white rock plunging down into the green shallows of the bay below from the tourist brochure HAD to be trick photography, I’d thought upon seeing a photo of Eagle Bluff in Shark Bay. The sea around Denham, closest town 20km up the road from the bluff, was blue. And the distant dunes and cliffs were red!

But the view from the boardwalk was exactly like the pictures – except for the shark, cruising lazily across the glinting green waters of the gigantic lagoon below the bluff. The young man hadn’t been joking about that – but the chances of losing a limb to THIS shark were negligible. The boardwalk upon which we stood was WAAAAAY too far above sea level for anything but a non-existent wingless shark to negotiate.

The young traveller who’d sounded the alarm was grinning like an idiot at the consternation he’d created. At least I wasn’t the only one torn between two bluffs, looking like a fool.

Although I’m not so much of a fool as to take the snorkelling tour into those shark-infested waters …

It doesn’t require a great leap of imagination to figure out why the Shark Bay World Heritage area is known as Shark Bay!

Although the heritage listed graffiti carved on a rock that announced the 1858 arrival of Captain Henry M Denham, namesake for Shark Bay’s largest town, is no longer above Eagle Bluff. Threatened by erosion, it’s part of Pioneer Park in the Denham township.

The view goes further than the shallow green waters below the bluff. Past the line where the green gives way to the darker blue and deeper ocean, birds nest on the offshore Eagle Islands, once mined for guano. Also visible on a clear day are the mountains of salt awaiting export from Useless Loop, its name derived from Havre Inutile (Useless Harbour), the original name bestowed by French explorer de Freycinet.

Beyond Useless Loop, it’d be a lie to say I could see Steep Point – westernmost edge of mainland Australia – through the heat and salt haze. But it’s out there somewhere! And this is as close as I got – this time, anyway!

From the boardwalk running the length of Eagle Bluff, sea creatures like dugongs, rays, turtles and sharks are clearly visible in the waters far below, should they deign to appear. And appear they all did on two separate visits – although we actually spent more time observing the deeply fascinating human behaviours of visitors to this startlingly scenic spot.

Perhaps keeping up with social media IS more important than taking in the astonishing coastal panorama and nearly endless parade of wildlife swimming below. But if that’s the case, why bother coming?

And I didn’t think my Australian accent was so incomprehensible that ‘dugong’ could be mistaken for ‘shark’! But somewhere back in England, a young tourist is probably right now showing off his ‘shark’ photos, his audience none the wiser about the true identity of the dugong shaped blob in the water …

We’ll never understand why we were the only ones to take the rough, but clearly marked track from the car park to a vantage point with magnificent views up and down the coastline. Or why reading interpretive signs has become a lost art. And is getting a photo really worth stepping off the boardwalk onto the eroded and crumbling cliff edge, risking a plunge to the green, shark-laden depths below?

I see a stint as the tour guide from hell in my future … and although the Shark Attack Alert bluff at Eagle Bluff threw me for a (Useless) Loop, that won’t stop me from paying it forward next time I’m in Denham!!

Want more information?

• Shark Bay Attractions
• Shark Bay World Heritage Area
• Denham, Western Australia
• Useless Loop
• Steep Point (Mainland Australia’s westernmost point)

The post What to see at Eagle Bluff, Shark Bay, Western Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The superb double entendre of 70’s conservation poster slogan ‘Save the Poor Bustard’ gave my childish mind what I can now identify as a salacious thrill. It could actually be repeated without the speaker being accused of swearing!!

All the same, it shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise when, after testing the slogan out once or twice, I was strongly ‘discouraged’ from saying it again …

Perhaps that’s why Google insists that ‘bustard’ is a misspelling – which may or may not say something about the linguistic abilities of those who google ‘bastard’.  Whatever.  But whether the reason I couldn’t find the poster is because a) Google is too puritanical or b) it just doesn’t exist in cyberspace or c) I just imagined the whole thing is academic because the result is the same!

The stately and measured pace of bizarre Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis) as it moves across the grassy plains that its preferred habitat is deceptively slow!

And such a large bird with its oddly proportioned shape and clearly defined colour blocks, like an inept child’s drawing of an emu crossed with an alien should be easy to spot, right?

But despite it’s 1.2 metre height, and the open plains on which it travels, when threatened the bustard freezes into a cryptic posture pose or simply continues its slow and deliberate pace and disappears into the landscape.

As this Australian Bustard, spotted near Western Australia’s Quobba Blowholes did, leaving an unexpectedly almost-too-small photographic window for this amateur photographer!
Maybe there’s something to the alien connection after all …

Want MORE?

• More about Quobba
• MORE RedzAustralia Birding Adventures!

The post Save the Poor Bustard! 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.