We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
We are on an expedition across Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and through Australia’s Red Centre, travelling some of the most spectacular country that our Sunburnt Country has to offer.
Communications is somewhat limited in these areas, which has its own unique appeal. But you can follow our progress thanks to the wonders of satellite technology combined with the resources of “ExplorOz”, an Australian Travel Website…
“Click” The Landy to see where we are andhere to read about the expedition.
ExplorOz is Australia’s favourite website for travellers with a sense of adventure. Whether you are a caravanner, camper, into four wheel driving, a motorbike tourer, or fisherman, it has everything you need with loads of trip planning information in articles, trek notes, places, camps and caravan park finder, and updated information on road conditions.
There are many inland waterholes and billabongs that abound with them in the Australian Outback. I photographed this pelican on the Cooper Creek at Innamincka…
A remarkable structure that stretches across Australia’s Southern Region is the Dingo Fence.
Built in the 1880s, the fence is designed to keep the dingo, Australia’s native dog, out of the south-eastern part of Australia, and protect sheep in Queensland.
Today you won’t find too many pure bred dingoes in Australia, but there are still plenty of wild dogs.
The fence is the longest in the world stretching a whopping 5,600 kilometres from the Darling Downs in Queensland to the Great Australian Bight in South Australia.
On our journey into the outback we have passed through the fence on a couple of occasions, and we have gate boy, TomO, to open and close the gate…
Click here to see where Baz, “The Landy” is today…
Travelling and photographing the Australian Outback is a great privilege that I never take for granted.
As a family we visit it often and we have a couple of spectacular desert trips planned this year, the first one coming up in a couple of months time.
Recently we upgraded our touring vehicle to a Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab that we have modified to cope with the harsh environment it will be asked to operate in. It is also capable of pulling our off-road camper Trailer, a Track TVAN.
Plenty of Storage
The Landy + TVAN
Through its paces
We’re off – to the outback
The TVAN is the go anywhere camper trailer with suspension built to military specifications.
Depending on conditions, the vehicle has a range of approximately 1,700-kilometres and all electrical equipment we require is powered by two 120-watt solar panels on the roof charging a 150-amp battery.
It is also equipped with a High Frequency radio for long-range communications. For those not familiar a HF Radio is capable of transmitting over large distances and with the right atmospheric conditions we can speak with someone thousands of kilometres away.
Now I’m not going to “rabbit” on too much here and I’ll let the photographs do the talking, but a little while back I asked for you to submit some designs for a mural to go on the vehicle and I’m pleased to showcase the final product that was inspired by a design suggested by Sassy, who writes a blog titled Sasieology…
Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab
The mural reflects the travel the vehicle will do, across the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Sydney Opera House and into the Australian Outback.
And I hear you ask what about the Crow?
Well Charlie, he travels with us everywhere!
We captured the photographs as we put the vehicle through its paces with the TVAN in tow in the Australian Bush last weekend.
It passed with flying colours, but I’m still trying to wrest the keys back from Janet who is a rev-head at heart, especially behind the big gutsy V8 engine!
I captured this picture of a Tawny Frog Mouth sitting in the backyard this morning. Standing tall and silent it kept a close eye on me as I clicked away.
Doesn’t it have such lovely textures that blend in so well with its environment?
There are some wonderful things to see when Out and About in the Australian Bush.
There are landscapes that stretch from horizon to horizon under a never-ending blue sky, some unique animals, and some things you need to go searching for, or you just happen to come across.
A couple of weeks ago I was bush-walking up in Yengo National Park and the lovely contrast in this little seedpod caught my eye…
We are not long back from the Australian Outback and planning is underway for a couple of trips next year, already!
We were travelling in “The Landy” our original Outback travelling machine, although we did take delivery of the new vehicle just before leaving for the big sky and red soil country…
Prior to leaving I was inviting you to send a design for a muralthat will go on the side of the canopy of the new vehicle and I was also asking you to suggest some names for the new vehicle.
Camp Fire by the Billabong – Outback Australia
I’m pleased to say that after a few beers and wines around the camp-fire we have a winner. In fact, the winner was a clear stand-out, and was produced by Sassy who has a wonderful blog called Sasieology…
In her bio, Sassy writes that she has made a promise to visit at least one new place and try at least one new activity every year…
I’m yet to see Australia turn up on her blog, but perhaps she’ll visit wearing her new Akubra hat one day!
Strewth, not sure how we’ll find her a good feed out in the “beef” country we frequently visit though as she is a self-confessed plant-based vegetarian.
And hey, don’t you go misreading me here, nothing wrong with that…if you’re a rabbit
But, do baked beans count? We love baked bean jaffles on our travels…
Whilst we have modified the original design that Sassy sketched, she fully captured the essence of what we were looking for, perfectly!
A mural that depicts a vehicle that will cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge in full view of the Sydney Opera House and the magnificent Sydney Harbour most days, but equally, be at home in the red ochre deserts of the Australian Outback.
The Old Cobb & Co Stage Coach Route – Broken Hill to White Cliffs
That is the work this vehicle will be put to, much the same as “The Original Landy”.
Just a sec, Janet is asking have I sold “The Landy” in order to pay for the new one…
“Yes, working on it sweetie” 😉
Anyway, let’s not get bogged down in a small domestic issue here, so Sassy, we’ll be sending you…
An original Akubra Outback Club Hat,
A jar of our prized Australian vegemite,
Two packets of Tim Tams (you’ll love these!), and
A bottle of our famous Bundy Rum.
And that brings us to the determination of a winner for a name.
Despite receiving many suggestions, we could not agree on one, preferring to leave the new vehicle simply as “The Landy”.
We placed the name of all who participated into an Akubra Hat, yes mine, and pulled out a winner, Nancy, who has a blog titled My Year of Sweat.
I’m betting she’ll love those Tim Tams and with all the exercise she’s be doing, knocking off a couple of packets of our delicious Tim Tams won’t be a problem. And I’m betting the rum will go down well.
So please make direct contact so I can arrange to send you the following goodies…
A jar of our prized Australian vegemite,
Two packets of Tim Tams (you’ll love these!), and
A bottle of our famous Bundy Rum
And don’t tell Janet, but after a couple of beers around the fire I thought what is another Akubra Outback Club Hat between bank balances…
After all the cost of this vehicle makes the United States National Debt look healthy…
The “New” Landy
So not only will I be sending you some of our favourite Aussie tucker, we’ll get you to size up for a hat as well…
Hey, keep an eye out for those big sky country photos, we took heaps!
And by the way, thanks to everyone for having a go, because for sure, that is the Aussie Way…
Have you ever wondered what it is like to stay in an underground motel, a room dug into a side of a hill?
Tonight our accommodation is the Underground Motel at White Cliffs in far-western New South Wales.
TomO and I have been frequent visitors over the years, stopping off on our way to and from the Outback, but seemingly, Janet has never been on those trips, so tonight is a first for her.
And what a welcome sight the reception was, standing tall on Smith’s Hill, about the only hill in sight for a hundred or so miles, well not quite, but the landscape is very flat and barren.
We have spent the past three days in Mutawinji National Park undertaking a number of walks through the magnificent gorges set in the rugged and fiery red Byngnano Range. And the wildlife was beautiful…
Kangaroo – Mutawintji NP
Mutawintji is the tribal area of the Makyankapa and Pandjikali people.
Aboriginal people have lived and hunted in this area for thousands of years and during our stay in the park we spent time with an aboriginal elder who took us to view some rock art and engravings of great significance to his people.
Mutawintji Hand Painting
Mark shared the love of his land, his people, his culture with great passion and enthusiasm and we look forward to meeting up with him once again in the future, to share the experience of this great land together…
Janet, TomO and I will be heading out in “The Landy” in about a week’s time to visit Mutawinji National Park, which has a lot of aboriginal history, rock engravings and paintings.
And I look forward to sharing some more of the Australian Outback with you…
In fact, this will be the last trip “The Landy” will make for a while as the new vehicle, “The Landy – Mark 2” arrives later this week and will be customised for Outback Travel over the next couple of months.
Regular visitors to my much rambling blog will know that apart from trying to climb mountains, and run around the bush with a back-pack, that we frequently get “Out and About” in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
A Landrover Defender that co-incidentally goes by the name of “The Landy”. A vehicle that you’ve got to love, even if it is too slow to keep worms in a tin.
Janet is suggesting you go and grab yourself a cocktail to sip on, after all it is approaching the cocktail hour, and she knows too well I can be Harry-have-a-chat, you know, the sort of bloke that can talk under wet cement with a mouthful of marbles.
Um, I see you made yourself two, good, it is nice to have company.
Strewth, you’re going to drink them both?
Anyway, where were we?
Oh, yes, and don’t we love “The Landy” as it gets Janet, TomO, and me “Out and About” in the Australian Outback, soaking up the big blue sky country.
Mayne Range, Diamantina NP, Outback Australia
Recently, around the camp fire with “Bluey and the Boys”, the conversation got around to the money we spend on our toys.
A self-confessed newbie to off-road travelling and touring posed the question…
“What should I buy and how should I equip my vehicle”…
Crikey, these types of questions are welcomed around the camp-fire as it means at least another couple of beers while answers are given and debated, and besides there is no such thing as a silly question.
Around the fire – Trilby Station, Outback Australia
Janet is hovering a bit and has just suggested silly questions are highly probable if it involves, four-wheel drive vehicles, beer and boy’s around a camp-fire.
But this question got me thinking that perhaps it is asked the wrong way around.
I thought, how much better our bank balance would be money one could save if the question was turned around to read…
“What equipment shouldn’t I buy?”
An often held view is that today’s modern four-wheel drive vehicle needs to be optioned up and fitted with all kinds of after-market gadgetry.
In reality, late model examples of the most the popular brands, including Toyota Land Cruisers, Nissan Patrols, and heaven forbid, Landrovers , yes I have two Defenders, are quite adequate straight out of the box, right off the showroom floor.
Red Rover, The other Defender
The vehicle after-market parts industry would have us believe that a five-inch lift, winch, diff-locks, a bull bar big enough to push over a small building, and an over-haul of the suspension system is required…
And that is just to get you down the front-driveway to the gate of your house!
The Landy and T-Van heading down the driveway (On another adventure)
But strewth, the reality is quite different, and a slightly different approach could have you banking cash to spend whilst on a trip, or something to put away for the next.
Whoops, Janet is still looking over my shoulder…
Yes I’m hearing you sweetie… or that new dress!
Mind you, after that big event you went in whilst in London recently, you remember shop till you drop, will mean “The Landy” won’t be getting any new gadgets for at least another week a long, long time.
Crikey, when it comes to vehicle modifications I reckon you’d be best to just go out and enjoy the country and “suck it and see” on any short-falls you might find.
So I tossed this little list of “things you can do without” into the discussion around the fire…
Bull bars, nice to have, but adds a lot of weight to the front-end almost guaranteeing you’ll need a suspension upgrade.
And yes, I know your uncle lives out at whoop, whoop and he hits a “kangaroo-a-week” and no doubting he needs one.
But I have never hit one in years of travelling the outback.
Kangaroos, Trilby Station, Outback Australia
A Winch… no Bluey, I said winch, so watch your tongue and go and grab yourself another beer…
Well if you get a bull bar, a winch is a great accessory to adorn it.
But really, unless you actually “intend” to go into areas where it is almost guaranteed to be required, than save your money.
Many want to add it for insurance, just in case, and it usually dies from under-use.
A suspension upgrade – crikey, this can be a tricky one, if you have wasted spent money on the first two then you’ll probably need to chuck some money at this as well. Besides, your Toyota Prado will look great in traffic driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, head and shoulders above everything else.
Crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge in Red Rover (Head and Shoulders above everything)
But if you can drive with caution and approach obstacles carefully, and not like you’re in the Paris to Dakar rally, you might get away with the stock standard system that was fitted to the vehicle when you drove it out of the show room.
Riversleigh World Heritage Site, Outback Australia (Would test any Paris to Dakar Rally Car)
Communication radios – okay, if you like colourful language and you’re as lonely as a country dunny, it might be a useful addition to an already cluttered dashboard.
Otherwise, if your wife blushes at the thought of a four-letter word, or you have got three kids strapped in the back, then save your money, you can do without it.
If you keep a look out the front windscreen you’ll probably avoid most vehicles coming the other way, after all seeing is believing, or so they say!
Although, come to think of it, if you have got three kids in the back, it might make a change from the “are we there yet” whine.
“The Landy”, Outback Australia (with antennas for the communication radios fully visible)
Power and Engine upgrades – strewth, isn’t that the beauty of modern motor vehicle engines that use computer technology.
You can just plug a few leads in and spend lots of your hard earned cash tweaking something the vehicle manufacturer and its engineers’ spent tens of millions of dollars on ensuring was the best combination when they made it.
Sure, if you want to tow a caravan half-the-size of a Hollywood Mansion behind you, or you have a need to cover the breadth of Australia in record time, then I can see you might need it…
But hey, don’t get me wrong, there are people out there doing chip-upgrades and they need a retirement fund, so live in the knowledge you’ll be making it a more comfortable retirement for them.
A Fridge – hell, this is heading into dangerous territory, after all how do you keep Janet’s wineTomO’s milk refrigerated without it?
The Landy – Outback Australia (that looks like a fridge to me!)
Back in a ‘sec, Janet has just suggested that it would be best if I went to the fridge and get her a top up from that lovely bottle of Hunter Valley Chardonnay she has almost knocked off bought the other day.
Janet – Cheeky as ever
Dual Battery System – well, if you need a fridge to keep things refrigerated then you’ll need a second battery to run it, and perhaps a couple of beers to get you over the bill when it comes in from the auto-electrician.
Roof Rack – have you ever lifted one of those things, they’re usually pretty heavy if you want a good one and another reason you’ll probably need a chip-upgrade and better suspension.
But if you can leave a few items at home, like three-quarters of the things that Janet tries to stuff in “The Landy” you think you’ll need, then you may be able to say no thanks to your local four-wheel drive warehouse, I’ll not be needing one.
The Landy – packed full of Janet’s stuff toys
Spot Lights – the bigger the better, after all if you’re going to spend money on those shiny things that go up front, you might as well get a pair that would spot a Spinifex Hoping Mouseat three miles.
But many of the people I see with them on the front of the vehicle are tucked up in bed at one-minute-past-sunset, which sort of makes them a bit redundant…
Um, the spotlights that is.
But hey, what better way to let someone into your wallet again.
Anyway, I hope you’re still around and not rolling around on the floor somewhere as I can see you finished off those two cocktails…
See, reading a long rambling post does have its merits.
So what makes me an expert anyway?
Yes, I heard you whispering!
A four-wheel drive named “The Landy” that is full of gadgets, and an empty bank account to go with it…
Hey, and good luck out there, wherever there is!
Come on, you can relate to this can’t you?
After all you don’t need a four-wheel drive to whip out that “Fantastic Plastic” and do some damage with that “Weapon of Mass Destruction”…
Ever had a next door neighbour that you wish would just go away? You’ll know the ones I’m talking about, loud, unruly, parties until all hours, beer bottles chiming to the sounds of cheers!
Mind you, it almost sounds fun when it put is that way, but it does wear thin after a while.
And then there are the silent ones, no noise, no parties, pretty much keep to themselves, but shikes, they sure can give you the creeps.
Strewth, we’ve had our fair share of them over the years, but we are lucky to have great neighbours all around us these days!
But I’ll share a yarn about one neighbour that we had a while back, in the outback.
We were out touring in Far North-Queensland, FNQ (pronounced ef-fen-Q), up in the Gulf Savannah Country where Janet has her roots. Mott’s are still grazing sheep and cattle in that region to this day, and for me this region was my backyard as I grew up in Townsville…
Over the past few years we have made the 7,000 kilometre round-trip to one of our most favourite spots in the Australian bush, Lawn Hill Gorge.
Now let me tell you, this is one heck of a beautiful spot that we first visited back in the 1990s. It was literally a flying visit in an aircraft we owned, a Piper Arrow, call sign Foxtrot-Tango-Hotel.
This was before the little tacka, TomO, came along, and we flew it extensively over the Australian outback before selling it some years back.
These days we enjoy the drive north through the outback in The Landyjust as much as we did flying over it.
The Aussie Outback, it’s a great place to just stand still and take it all in, a place where the barren land and ochre red soil meets the deep blue of the never-ending sky…
Anyway…
When we were last up there we had no problem securing a great spot beside the creek, which surprised us as there were a few others around at Adel’s Grove, a small tourist resort that caters for travellers just nearby to the main gorge.
It turns out our neighbour was a magnificent Olive Python measuring about 5 metres in length.
A beautiful specimen and apparently they are only known to eat small children…
Just kiddin’…
It had taken up residence just on the bank where we had set up camp. Despite their size they are not an aggressive snake and they are not venomous. And we have our fair share of those venomous ones.
Crikey, we’ve got a bagful of the world’s most deadly snakes, and none of those “rattling” things that they have elsewhere, just hard-core mean and downright dangerous ones!
Okay, fair’s fair, the North American rattle snake does make it into the top ten…
Most passing by our camp were totally oblivious to it being there, many who saw it thought they were about to be eaten alive, others were curious at a seemingly chance encounter with something so wonderful.
Late in the day, as the sun drifted low into the western horizon and shadows started to cast long, it would move on, returning first thing the next morning to take up its position once again.
Yep, neighbours, they come in all shapes and sizes, some you love to bits, others you’d be happy to see the back of, but for sure, we’d be happy to have this bloke as our neighbour anytime – best “guard dog” we’ve ever had…
Ps. For those who might be wondering, Janet was the photographer and loved it. Um, I must’ve been busy with something… 😉
Blue Winged Kookaburra, Bowthorne Station, Gulf Savannah Land
There is a lot to like about our island continent, Australia.
Our unique wildlife, kangaroos bounding across wide open plains, koalas sleeping in a lonely gum tree, and even a crocodile here and there…
Beaches that are counted among the best in the world, the brilliant red colour of the Outback set against a rich blue sky.
Mayne Ranges – North of Diamantina NP
But don’t worry, I’m not writing an advertorial for our local tourism authority, besides, I think Australia does a good job of selling itself…
No, what I am writing about is the world’s best alarm clock.
There is no need to set it, it comes in a range of colours and is mostly uniform in shape and size…
No snooze button on this model though…
It doesn’t make the usual mind-numbing BEEP…BEEP…BEEP, or gently awaken you to the sound of your favourite music.
But it will awaken you to the sounds of jovial laughter, perhaps leaving you to wonder whether you are still in that bar you were going to leave before the stroke of midnight…
The Shed
As the first sign of light began to show in the eastern sky, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and headed for the shed, my predawn exercise workout beckoning.
And that alarm was still laughing, mocking me, seemingly taking pleasure that it had dislodged another from the dreamworld that we all try to hold onto for those extra few minutes.
Yep, natures alarm clock, Australia’s own Kookaburra – you’ve gotta love ‘em…
(The one pictured is a Blue-Winged Kookaburra photographed by Janet, my partner, on Bowthorne Station in the Gulf Savannah of Northern Australia.)
It is affectionately known as the Ta-Ta Lizard due to its peculiar habit of waving its front leg before running away, oddly enough almost in an upright position. The waving is possibly due to standing on hot surfaces, as they do reside in the northern and hotter parts of Australia.
Its actual name is the Gilbert’s Dragon, Amphibolurus Gilbert.
But that’s a bit like calling Baz – The Landy, Barry Thomas O’Malley, so let’s just stick with Ta-Ta Lizard…
And checkout the size of its tail and back feet!
We took this photograph whilst Out and About in one of our favourite outback places, Lawn Hill Gorge, a spectacular oasis in a barren land…
And okay, I get it, not everyone likes reptiles, and we’ve got plenty of them over here, many that are best avoided, but crikey, he is cute, don’t you think so?
Australia is a country of diverse landscapes, from golden beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, to mountains that touch the ocean, and outback plains where the red soil kisses a deep blue sky…
We have been fortunate to travel extensively around our country, at times piloting an aircraft over this wondrous land, and other times in one of our four-wheel drive vehicles.
The other day we were reminiscing some of the trips we have had, especially to the Outback, our favourite place to visit.
And where is the Outback, I hear you ask…
Well, you know, outback; back of yonder!
Those who have never visited, come on down and explore our country, to marvel at our beautiful fauna and flora…you won’t be disappointed, and those who have come and gone, return soon, we miss you.
Enjoy the photos of our travels, mostly taken by Janet and TomO…
And am I just a little bit biased about this great country, our island continent, The Great Southern Land?
Last night I headed to “The Shed” for a weight training session to round-off the rowing I did at silly o’clock that morning.
And I look forward to any training session in the early evening, when I can crank up the iPod and lose myself for a while.
However, the session took a 180 degree turn-about just as I was putting the key in “The Shed” door, literally. Janet, my wonderful partner, took a call from a close girlfriend who lives nearby.
“Janet, Macci is stuck under the house and he can’t get out; the children are distressed, Macci’s distressed, I’m distressed – help!”
Our friend, we’ll just call her Kimbalee, was wondering whether to call the fire-brigade to come and do a rescue, but thought to ring for advice first and to see if I could help…
I was happy to help, after all Macci knew me, and, well, I could pretend I was a fiery as I sped towards her house in my fire-engine red Landrover Defender, aptly named, “Red Rover”.
Red Rover
After all, firemen regularly do this sort of stuff, right?
It was a win-win situation…this was gunna be fun!
Strewth, he was stuck all right.
I spent some time working out how I would navigate my way through and over the air-conditioning ducts and through the small openings in the brick work.
I mean, if Macci was having trouble how in hell would I get through, I thought…
There it was in my mind’s eye, a vision of the fierys’ turning up to rescue a Lagotto Romagnolo named Macci, and some yobbo pretending to be a fiery with a pretend fire truck parked out front…
The embarrassment of it all…
Crikey, Bluey and the boys down at the Rugby Club would have a field day with it.
I could just see it, everytime a fire-engine went past with sirens sounding they’d be joking it was on its way to “pick Baz up”.
Nah, there was no doubting, I couldn’t mess this rescue up, far too much at stake.
And then, of course, there was Macci to consider!
After crawling the length of the building, through small openings, over the house’s heating system, with little room to spare between the dusty ground and the floor above, I eventually found him.
Hallelujah, I wouldn’t be a laughing stock down at the club after all Macci was safe!
My new found euphoria didn’t last long!
He just sits there and looks at me, just out of arm’s reach.
His demeanor suggested he was concerned I’d also been caught out playing in this underground labyrinth, an underground cesspit that might end up being our final resting place; our tomb.
For crying out loud, didn’t the bloody drongo realise I was his salvation?
Okay, perhaps if I was a 15-kilogram something animal, being pursued by a 95-kilo something bigger animal, in a scene straight out of an Indiana Jones movie, I might also be just a little hesitant…
But strewth, I wasn’t in here chasing some rat that had long ago exited the building and was now feasting from the neighbour’s garbage bin.
I was the pretend fiery rescuer here to save him…
They say dogs have good hearing, so I suspect he heard what I called him even if it was under my breath!
After all, I was cautious to whisper the profanities that were spewing from my mouth as the children were following my progress standing on the floorboards just inches above my head…
Macci learnt some new words last night, but hey, I think we forged a new bond.
Well, that is what I thought anyway.
After much coaxing I got him through a small hole and pushed him in the direction he needed to go…
He sprinted out into the children’s anxious arms, reunited, safe, like the prodigal son coming home…
I spent another 10 minutes negotiating my way, torch fading, worrying how many funnel web spiders were within striking distance. We’re heading into their mating season and they’d be none-to-happy with this intrusion to their love-making…
“G’day Macci” I said as I extracted myself from under the house, my best army fatigues covered in dust and dirt.
Stone the bloody crows…the little mongrel affectionate family pet just looks at me with disinterest.
Kind a like… “You again, I thought you were stuck somewhere under the house like me”…
“Glad your safe Macci” I thought. At least Bluey and the boys won’t have anything to hang-on me…well not on account of this occassion anyway.
By the time I got home I was amped up for my training session, even if it was a couple of hours later than planned. And those Bose speakers rang out Black Sabbathlike there was no tomorrow!
“Macci”, you owe me a beer – big time. And by-the-way, no offence intended mate, it was all said in the heat of the moment!
Okay, so many of you will know that I am a self-confessed lover of the pre-dawn. At this time of the day I can usually be found up in the “shed” having a row to kick-start the day.
Or I might be doing a weight training session.
Crikey, I just love standing at the door of the shed between sets of weights, looking up and gazing at the stars. Yes, for sure I’m a bit of a dreamer, and what better way to dream than looking out at the universe.
And while I’m on the universe, have you ever wondered where the centre of it is?
Well, I got to thinking as I looked at all the stars, no matter where they appeared, I was at the centre, all points back to me – pretty cool hey?
But maybe that’s a little deep for this time of the day.
I’ll be back in a sec, another set of squats to do.
Baz – squatting
I’m back…
Sorry, that took a little longer as I needed to set-up for my next group of exercises, the bench press.
Baz – Bench Press
Geez, where was I?
Oh yeah, right, speaking about being a little deep for this time of the day. I was flicking through my iPod thinking what should I listen to this morning?
By the way, did I tell you someone stole my iPod from Red Rover the other day? Okay it was parked out on the front driveway of the house, and yes it was unlocked, but crikey, thieving mongrels! Vent over…
Red Rover
Anyway, back in a sec…
Pearl Jam, there it was, obvious, why not put on Pearl Jam’s “Ten”? One of my all-time favourites.
Don’t worry; I haven’t got it cranked up too loud. Well, just slightly louder than I should probably have it for this time of day. But, I think I’ll get away with it, after all, Theo, our good friend and next door neighbor is a touch deaf (I think), either that or he doesn’t mind the music I play, cause he never complains!
Another set to do, don’t go away…
As I was doing that set there was a clash of sounds happening. A guitar rift squealing out of my set of Bose speakers, a kookaburra heralding in the first rays of light on the eastern horizon, and the sound of half-a-dozen wines bottles being emptied into the garbage truck outside our house.
Today is rubbish bin day and they turn up at the crack of dawn. And by the way, I don’t drink wine (okay a glass here or there!) so hey, if Theo hates that sound on (every) a Thursday morning he can take it up with Janet, my lovely wife!
And speaking of the rubbish truck, and that Kookaburra (he’s still going), I couldn’t help but snicker smile at the thought of all those people rolling in their beds right now pulling that pillow over the head to drown out those sounds.
I have just tweaked up the sound on the iPod a smidgeon; after all at least there is a melody happening here…
Garbage truck, Kookaburra, Pearl Jam? Take your pick…
Best I move this yarn and training session along a touch here…
Strewth, a light has just come on in the house and there are signs of people stirring and it isn’t even 6am yet (unheard of in our place!).
Crikey, Janet is up, and looking just a tad unhappy. Mind you, she’s a pretty happy go lucky sort of person…usually!
Oops!
One of a couple of things happening here.
She’s been woken early by the sound of those wine bottles of hersPearl Jam’s Ten cranking out on the iPod, it can’t be the Kookaburra even if they have a habit of waking you up because she loves wildlife, especially birds, or she’s found that new pair of mountaineering boots I bought.
Yes, another pair of mountaineering boots, but that story is best kept for another day ‘cause Janet usually reads my blog most days, and I don’t want to “dob” myself in yet, just in case it is just the sound of those wine…Pearl Jam that has woken her.
Okay, catch you lot later, I’ve gotta quickly finish this last set of weights, and go and jump in the hot tub make Janet a cup of tea, give her a kiss and tell her I love her…
But just quickly,
Wadda you reckon?
I’ve had a shot of caffeine, a dose of Pearl Jam’s Ten, and pumped a few ton of iron and it is only 6am in the morning.
It isn’t too often that you get to have one up on a crocodile and live to recount the experience, let’s face it, they are one of nature’s most efficient hunters.
And it will always be the one that you didn’t see that will get you…
A few years ago, Janet, my partner, and I lived in Papua New Guinea, an independent Nation just to the north of Australia. During our time there we tried to experience much that the country has to offer, and we travelled as much as we could.
Each day I paddled the coastline on my surf ski, a sit-on-top kayak measuring around 6 metres in length. At the time there were no other craft like mine in this area, if not the country, and it always caught the interest of the villagers’. It was sleek and glided effortlessly through the water…
There was much to explore and the local villages I passed were always friendly and welcoming.
The tropical waters of the Papuan Coast are full of marine life, large stingrays, and majestic turtles, some of the most colourful reef fish you will ever see and of course sharks of many varieties.
I’m pleased to be able to say that the most common sharks I encountered where the black tip reef sharks which are mostly harmless if left alone. And I was often told they are well fed… Just on what and how often seemingly was an unanswered question.
Of course, the tropical waters are also home to the more menacing and much larger tiger shark.
From a hill top vantage point near Port Moresby, the capital city, I once observed the largest tiger shark I have ever seen.
It was following a pod of dolphins heading towards Local Island, which is situated about 3-kilometres offshore from the local beach, Ela beach.
We lived within a stone’s throw of this beach and it was a paddle I did regularly and after this encounter I was left wondering how many times I may have been stalked as I crossed to the island.
Papua New Guinea is also home to the saltwater crocodile, or Puk-Puk as it is known in the local language. I was always alert for the possibility of one of these creatures being present in the waterways I paddled. Realistically, I’m not sure what I would have done if I encountered one, and it is unlikely there would ever have been any forewarning before encountering the “death roll”.
The sight of local villagers’ fishing in the water from the shore was always a comforting sign, as they are also alert for the Puk-Puk’s presence. And normally there are telltale signs they may be present.
Recently, a friend and I were discussing paddling in Papua New Guinea and an encounter I did have with one of these creatures.
It was in the mountains about 40 kilometres from Port Moresby at a place not to far from the start of the Kokoda Trail, a place immortalised in Australian Military history.
I had decided to take my kayak into the mountains for a paddle down one of the rivers just for a change to the coastal paddling I was more accustomed to. During a two-hour paddle I was rewarded with magnificent scenery and a couple of friendly villages along the way.
I had Janet drop me off and I was to meet her at the Kokoda Trail Motel, a small pub, after negotiating my way along the river. I was a little nervous at first and any bump underneath the kayak left me wondering if these were to be my final moments before the jaws of one of these pre-historic creatures crushed the kayak, or worse!
There was an element of excitement about it…
As I made my way with the flow of the river I was observing the muddy banks for any telltale signs of a slide. Places where a crocodile may have slipped into the water from its resting point.
Crikey, in an instant my heart skipped a beat…
There was no doubting what I saw heading my way.
Isn’t it funny how sometimes every thing around you can go into slow motion?
Strewth, this was a moment suspended in time.
Was it to be my one and only encounter with a crocodile?
The final scorecard reading, Puk-Puk, one; Baz, nil…
I’m pleased to say it wasn’t…
Upon sighting my arrival on the banks of the river beside the motel, Janet ordered me a Puk-Puk steak for lunch and it was heading my way, suitably seasoned, and on a plate…
And to this day, the sight of Janet always makes my heart skip a beat!
I had many more visits to the mountains where I enjoyed a paddle, a Puk-Puk steak, and a couple of ice-cold beers with Janet…
And if you have never tried Puk-Puk, do yourself a favour, it is delicious; just make sure it is on a plate…
Our visit to Blue Lagoon Caves on Yasawa Island, Fiji, was rewarded with an encounter with a large pod of dolphins.
It is hard not to marvel at these wonderful sea creatures.
We spent time just drifting, watching them frolic and dive around the front of the boat. One was even doing large jumps out of the water, spinning in the air, before diving back in to the water.
Crikey, you couldn’t pay enough money to see such a show.
The Caves, the setting for the 1980’s movie, Blue Lagoon, were spectacular; we swam inside the outer cave, before diving underwater to access the inner cave. It was quite dark inside the second cave, but equally as spectacular.
And if you are ever going to be shipwrecked in the South Pacific, this is the place for it too happen.
Anyway, why don’t you just jump in the boat with me and take a short ride to check it out and watch the dolphins play…and check out that sunset!
Ever had a next door neighbour that you wish would just go away? You’ll know the ones I’m talking about, loud, unruly, parties until all hours, beer bottles chiming to the sounds of another cheers! Mind you, it almost sounds fun when put it that way, but it does wear thin after a while.
And then there are the silent ones, no noise, no parties, pretty much keep to themselves, but shikes, they sure can give you the creeps.
Strewth, we’ve had our fair share of them over the years, but we are lucky to have great neighbours all around us these days!
But I’ll share a yarn about one neighbour that we had not so long ago.
We were out touring in Far North-Queensland, FNQ (pronounced ef-fen-Q), up in the Gulf Savannah Country where Janet, my partner, has her roots. Mott’s are still grazing sheep and cattle in that region to this day, and for me, growing up in Townsville, this region was my backyard.
Over the past few years we have made the 7,000 kilometre round-trip to one of our most favourite spots in the Australian bush, Lawn Hill Gorge.
Now let me tell you, this is one heck of a beautiful spot that we first visited back in the 1990s. It was literally a flying visit in an aircraft we owned, a Piper Arrow, call sign Foxtrot-Tango-Hotel. This was before the little tacka, TomO came along, and we flew it extensively over the Australian outback before selling it some years back.
These days we enjoy the drive north through the outback in The Landyjust as much as we did flying over it.
The Aussie Outback, it’s a great place to just stand still and take it all in, a place where the barren land and ochre red soil meets the deep blue of the never-ending sky…
Anyway…
Last year when we were up there we had no problem securing a great spot beside the creek, which surprised us as there were a few others around at Adel’s Grove, a small tourist resort that caters for travellers just nearby to the main gorge.
It was our neighbour, a magnificent Olive Python that measured about 5 metres in length. A beautiful specimen it was. Apparently, only known to eat small children…
Just kiddin’…
It had taken up residence just on the bank where we had set up camp. These are not an aggressive snake, despite their size, and not venomous. And we have our fair share of those venomous ones.
Crikey, we’ve got a bagful of the world’s most deadly snakes, and none of those “rattling” things that they have elsewhere, just hard-core mean and downright dangerous ones!
Okay, fair’s fair, the North American rattle snake does make it into the top ten…I don’t want to turn this into a “mine’s bigger than your’s thing”…
Most passing by our camp were totally oblivious to it being there, many who saw it thought they were about to be eaten alive, others were curious at a seemingly chance encounter with something so wonderful.
Late in the day, as the sun drifted low into the western horizon and shadows started to cast long, it would move on, returning first thing the next morning to take up its position once again.
Yep, neighbours, they come in all shapes and sizes, some you love to bits, others you’d be happy to see the back of, but for sure, we’d be happy to have this bloke as our neighbour anytime – best “guard dog” we’ve ever had…
Ps. For those who might be wondering, Janet loved it, she was the photographer. Um, I must’ve been busy with something…
Blue Winged Kookaburra, Bowthorne Station, Gulf Savannah Land
There is a lot to like about our island continent, Australia.
Beaches that are counted among the best in the world, the brilliant red colour of the Outback set against a rich blue sky.
Our unique wildlife, kangaroos bounding across wide open plains, koalas sleeping in a lonely gum tree, and even a crocodile here and there…
But don’t worry, I’m not writing an advertorial for our local tourism authority, besides, I think Australia does a good job of selling itself…
No, what I am writing about is the world’s best alarm clock.
There is no need to set it, it comes in a range of colours, and is mostly uniform in shape and size…
No snooze button on this model though…
It does not make the usual mind-numbing BEEP…BEEP…BEEP, or gently awaken you to the sound of your favourite music.
But it will awaken you to the sounds of jovial laughter, perhaps leaving you to wonder whether you are still in that bar you were going to leave before the stroke of midnight…
The Shed
As the first sign of light began to show in the eastern sky, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and headed for the shed, my predawn exercise workout beckoning.
And that alarm was still laughing, mocking me, seemingly taking pleasure that it had dislodged another from the dreamworld that we all try to hold onto for those extra few minutes.
Yep, natures alarm clock, Australia’s own Kookaburra – you’ve gotta love ‘em…
(The one pictured is an example of a Blue-Winged Kookaburra photographed by Janet, my partner, on Bowthorne Station in the Gulf Savannah of Northern Australia.)
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