I am fascinated by old fence posts and unusual fences. It is not unusual for me to shout stop quick, which with a van on the back isn’t always easy. Poor Woody has to wait patiently while I gallop back up the road camera in hand. Here are just a few that have caught my eye and isn’t the one made from bed springs quite something? Continue reading Fencing
Port Douglas in Far North Queensland has a fascinating, beautiful and well kept cemetery. When walking past the cemetery one tombstone stands out from the rest. That is the one of William Thomson “who went to his death by cruel and treacherous murder”. The farmer William Thomson was murdered by his wife Ellen and her lover John Harrison in 1886. They were both hanged. Ellen was the only woman to be hanged in Queensland. Continue reading Death in Paradise
It is late June and there are so many RV’s heading north on the Stuart Highway that it could be described as a stream. We’re heading south because I’ve broken my ankle and Woody keeps complaining that he’s sick of waving and wants a plastic hand on the dash board. In fact southbound we’ve only passed an old bloke collecting aluminium cans, a backpacker whiz bang and a fellow an idiot on a bicycle. I text my old boss to wish him a Happy Birthday and he tells me that his Dad is camped at the Marbles. We drive in and … Continue reading A Bloke Called Mahoney
In an area founded on gold then settled on the wealth of golden grain, Smeaton is one of a number of hamlets dotted across these western plains of Victoria. Built in 1861 Anderson’s Mill at Smeaton served the community until 1959. Now preserved by Parks Victoria the mill, its huge metal water wheel, the office, the Anderson house and all of the outbuildings are in excellent condition. There is an old wooden bridge spanning Birch Creek, a rather grand bluestone bridge and a picnic perfect park of shady oak trees nearby. It doesn’t take much to imagine what life was … Continue reading Anderson’s Mill
There is a wonderful wall in the town of Esperance, WA that is a storyboard of the town’s history. It is beautifully written and one can almost hear the voice telling the tale. “Another war, eleven of our men went. It was Vietnam this time.” Continue reading History Most Profound
On the outskirts of Derby in Western Australia you’ll find Myall’s bore. It feeds the Southern Hemisphere’s longest water trough. At 120 metres in length, 500 cattle could drink from this trough at the same time. One can just imagine the sight, smell and sound. In the droving days cattle were rested here overnight. The next day they would be moved a few kilometres closer to town to the Dinner Tree, a large boab, where they would be rested in the midday sun before being herded across the endless mudflats to the waiting ship at Derby wharf. Continue reading Myall’s Bore
We slip out of Broken Hill to the Living Desert Park, which is 12kms away, to see the sculpture park at sunset. The sculptures are made from Wilcannia sandstone and almost glow in the light of the setting sun. The views of both the desert and back towards Broken Hill are sublime and it is wonderful to see the changing colours of the desert as the sun sets across the landscape. People have brought wine and there is a hush. They are sitting on rocky outcrops quietly toasting the end of the day and the sheer majesty of it all. Continue reading The Living Desert Sculpture Park
Croc lines, sheep lines, cattle lines, cyclone lines, footy lines, even imaginary beer lines. Australia is an immense country spanning many climate zones and differing tastes. As we sail blissfully along miles of straight highways from north to south, we often notice that grazing land suddenly turns from beef cattle to sheep then much further south back to cattle but this time dairying in green pastures. While planning trips to tropical north Queensland I’ve found maps of where crocodiles are found. This is important as a southerner must be croc aware in northern climes. Those pre historic creatures didn’t survive … Continue reading Croc Lines
The drive from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek is colourful, we rise up the Ngumban Cliffs and get a view south that stretches for miles. There are lots of mesas and jump ups, red soil, cream grasses and small spindly white trunked gums. There are distant purple ranges and not a town in sight. Apart from the caravans there is a feeling of remoteness out here and now there are more vans heading south than there are heading north, Broome having been the destination of choice for so many. We’ve chosen the less popular clockwise route to WA, but more … Continue reading Flight Paths over the Kimberley
The main street of Bundaberg is the oddly named Bourbong Street. It is a treat to the eye with grand historic buildings, wide footpaths and manicured gardens of tropical plants, palms, water features and even a sculpture representing cane cutting knives in the centre verge. We joined a tour of the Bundy (the locals call everything in Bundaberg, Bundy) Distillery. The famous Bundaberg Rum Distillery is beside the giant belching sugar mill and as we get out of the car the air is thick with the smell of sugar, you could get fat just breathing around here. Before commencing the … Continue reading Bundy
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