Images

GAS (In the Australian Outback)

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Great Victoria DesertIt may be appropriate that the words “GAS” appear on the surface of the tail-plane of this Cessna 310 as it was a fuel issue that led to a forced landing in a remote area of Australia in 1993.

 The plane, which is situated a short-distance from the Anne Beadell Highway in the Great Victoria Desert, made a forced landing after the pilot ran out of height, and time, to trouble-shoot an engine failure whilst en-route to the goldfields area of West Australia.

According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau Report, a contributing factor to the accident was a lack of knowledge and understanding of the aircraft’s fuel system by the pilot.

And GAS? Goldfields Air Services…

Whilst the occupants were injured, no fatalities were suffered and these days the aircraft is a curiosity to many travelling this remote desert route.

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Living Art – In an Ancient Land

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wild flowers

 Living Art framed in an ancient and ever changing landscape…

Colours of the Australian Outback.

Photo: Janet (Planet)

The Sun Sets – On an Ancient Land

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Sunset in AustraliaOutback Australia…

Crikey, you’ve got to love it…

Photo: Baz – The Landy

 

Along the Creek Bed (Outback Australia)

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Along the Creek Bed (Outback Australia)

A foggy early morning walk along the creek, Silverton, Outback Australia

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Rooms, Functions, Beer

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Rooms, Functions, Beer (In the Australian Bush)

The Barmedman Hotel, quenching your thirst in the Australian Bush…

And strewth, how good is that verandah on the pub? You could blame your “wobbly boot” on its crooked shape! 😉

Photo: Baz – The Landy

An Outhouse (With a view)

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An Outhouse (With a view)

How is this one at Pioneer Hut high up on Fox Glacier, New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

Almost an expedition to get to the little Red House from the hut and the drop off is quite dramatic, but hey, you’ve got to love the view!

 

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Outback Australia (Paroo River)

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Outback Australia (Paroo River)

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Standing back from the edge is safe (But the view is never as good)

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Baz - The Landy, Southern Alps, New Zealand
Baz – The Landy, Southern Alps, New Zealand

After a reasonably steep multi-pitch climb I crossed this snow covered Arête on the way to the summit of Auroa Peak in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

What a great playground, hey?

Baz – The Landy

Pelicans (In the Outback)

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Pelicans (In the Outback)

Pelicans, you’ve got to love this majestic bird!

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…

Photo: Baz – The Landy

 

 

 

Remote (In Outback Australia)

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Remote (In Outback Australia)

The Bethesda Lutheran Mission Ruins, Lake Killalpaninna, Outback Australia

Photo: The Landy

Time takes its toll (Outback Australia)

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Time takes its toll (Outback Australia)

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Milang Well (Outback Australia)

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Milang Well (Outback Australia)

Windmills, pumping life giving water into Outback Australia…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Abandoned (In Outback Australia)

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Abandoned (In Outback Australia)

Cadelga Outstation Ruins, Outback Australia

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Old Railway Buildings (You’ve got to love them!)

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Indian Pacific TrainMannahill, South Australia…

 

Photo: Baz, The Landy

 

An Ancient Landscape (The Flinders Ranges)

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Last evening we witnessed a lunar eclipse of the full moon as it was rising over an ancient landscape, the Flinders Range.

 And the colours that the setting sun cast over the hills was breathtaking.

 Click here to see where Baz, “The Landy” is today…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

A Walking Hat ( in the Australian Outback)

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The Walking Hat, Cadelga Ruins, Outback Australia
TomO the Walking Hat, Cadelga Ruins, Outback Australia

Strewth, a walking hat! (and crikey, where did time go?)…

We’ll pass by this spot in a couple of week’s time, I’ll update the shot, same TomO, different hat!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Toorale Homestead (In the Australian Outback)

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Toorale Homestead

A once magnificent homestead, that one day will hopefully be restored to its former glory…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Sunset in the Outback (Over Cullyamurra Water Hole)

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Cullyamurra Sunset

Innamincka, Outback Australia

Crikey, despite being colour-blind  I’m always blown away by the amazing sunsets in the Australian Outback…

Strewth, you wouldn’t be dead for quids, hey…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Colours (Of the Australian Outback)

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Colours (Of the Australian Outback)

Mutawinji National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Do not be fooled by simplicity (In training and life)

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The Shed
The Shed

“Do not be fooled by simplicity, both in training and life.”

 When you let this sink in you begin to realise how easy it is to over complicate life and training.

It is easy to get away from the basics.

It is easy to conclude more is better, or flashier is better.

Truth be told, the simple path is often the tried and true path.

 Photo: Baz – The Landy

Windmill in the distance (Outback Australia)

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Windmill in the distance (Out Australia)

Outback Australia, sometimes a real place, other times just a state of mind, but just as real…

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Quenching your thirst (In the Australian Outback)

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Quenching your thirst (In the Australian Outback)

Welcome!

Photo: Baz – The Landy

The Jungles of Papua New Guinea (The Kokoda Track)

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Isurava Village, situated along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

I am making plans to head back into the Papuan New Guinean jungle in April next year to walk the Black Cat Track.

I tried to get there a couple of years ago, but civil unrest in the area prevented it. So plans have been made once again, and will provide a great lead in for some climbing in Nepal later in the year!

 This area has some of the most pristine jungle in the world…

 Photo: Baz, The Landy

Sheep Skin Hut (In the Australian Bush)

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Australian Bush Huts

I captured this photo while Out and About exploring the Hunter Range, just to the north of Sydney last weekend…

Crikey, old huts, you’ve got to love them!

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Soaring like a bird (Over the ocean)

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newcastle, australia

Newcastle, East Coast Australia.

Crikey, that looks like FUN…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Adventure and Youth (How good is this)

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Adventure and Youth (TomO the Trailblazer)

Adventure and youth, what a great mix!

TomO lead the way today heading off for his first scuba dive which he did at Clifton Gardens, on beautiful Sydney Harbour…

scuba diving

 Despite Janet and I quite comfortably diving out of airplanes and loving water sports, we’ve never harboured the desire to scuba dive! So TomO has set a first for our family!

Crikey, adventure hey, good on you mate.

Bravo TomO!

Photos: Janet Planet

Contemplation (Aussie Beach Culture)

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Contemplation (Aussie Beach Culture)

Merewether Beach, Newcastle, Australia…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Early morning fun (Australian beach culture)

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surf skiAnother glorious start to the day on Australia’s eastern seaboard.

A 10,000 metre row on the C2 rowing machine in the pre-dawn darkness before heading to the beach for some fun with TomO, followed a breakfast of hot chips and tomato sauce; all before 8:00am…

Whoops sorry Janet, meant to say healthy muesli and yoghurt 😉

Photo: TomO

A Superb Fairy Wren (In the Australian Bush)

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A Superb Fairy Wren (In the Australian Bush)

A couple of days ago we were “Out and About” in the Australian Bush at Gloucester Tops and what a glorious day it was.

Ham left over from Christmas lunch on freshly baked sour dough bread, a swim in a mountain stream, and company of family and friends.

Crikey, it doesn’t get any better than that, hey!

Anyway, while we where there I managed to snap a picture of this beautiful Blue Wren…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

A Tawny Frog Mouth (Australian Wildlife)

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Night-jar, owls
Tawny Frog Mouth, Australia

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?

Australia hey, strewth you just have to love it.

And by the way, Merry Christmas!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Nobby’s Beach (Newcastle, East Coast Australia)

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beach pavilion
Nobby’s Beach, Newcastle, Australia

How good is this, a bike ride to the beach and some lap swimming in the ocean pool just as the sun pierced the eastern horizon…

And boy, do I need to get some exercise and fitness back into me, after all there are mountains to climb, eventually!

But for now, two weeks of cycling, swimming and kayaking, strewth, it’s a tough life, but us Aussies’ are used to this tough life 😉

Photo: Baz, The Landy

A Seedpod (In the Australian Bush)

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A Seedpod (In the Australian Bush)

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…

How good is it!

Crikey, you wouldn’t be dead for quids, hey?

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Watching, always watching (In the Australian Bush)

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Watching, always watching (In the Australian Bush)

You’ve got to love the sound of the Australian Bush, but crikey, put a few of these blokes together and the sound is deafening…

Yeah, we’ve got a few creepy crawlies, but these little blokes are nothing to worry about…

Hey, what are you doing on my hat!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Sunday Morning (In the Australian Bush)

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Hill End, Australia
Hill End, Australia

 

Sunday morning at Hill End, a historic gold mining town about 3-hours drive from Sydney…

And how cool is this, my new truck is finished, well almost, I just need to have the mural put on the side this week, but here is a little peek at it.

Macquarie River, Australia
Baz  The Landy, crossing the Macquarie River, Australia

 

Janet took this great shot as I was crossing the Macquarie River earlier today…strewth, how good is the Australian Bush hey!

Photos by Baz – the Landy and Janet Planet…

Berry Saltbush (Bush Tucker)

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Saltbush Berries (Bush Tucker)

Whilst we are Out and About in this great country of ours we love to try and use bush tucker as an additive to our foods whenever we can.

And something that is often in abundance is Saltbush Berries, which have a salty sweetness about them…and the leaves of some of the saltbush family can be boiled as a vegetable!

If you have the patience and had enough berries you could make a jam out of them, otherwise you can just stand there and eat them off the bush!

Crikey, you just got to love this place we call Australia, hey!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Rounding up the sheep (Is easy)

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Rounding up the sheep (Is easier)

Try rounding up a teenager to do the dishes, and homework, and, heaven forbid, tidy up the bedroom…

Anyone with a teenager in the house will get the picture! 😉

But hey, we wouldn’t change that for the world, but where are those shears, his hair is getting a little bit long!

Click go the shears boys, click, click, click….

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Dawn breaks over Australia’s Outback (In a brilliance of colour)

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Dawn break over Australia’s Outback (In a brilliance of colour)

Dawn and the hour or so before the sun pierces the eastern horizon is a favourite time of day for me.

And when travelling in the Australian Outback I am often rewarded with a view like this one, captured at Welford National Park…

Crikey, tickle me pink, how good is this sunrise over in the Outback.

Photo by: Baz, The Landy (how can I tell? Janet and TomO aren’t early risers!)

Sand Dune Country (In the Australian Outback)

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National Parks in Australia

I love the colours in this photo they take me to the Outback, no matter where I am…

What do you reckon?

Photo by: Baz, The Landy

Watching, always watching (In the Australian Outback)

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Watching, always watching (In the Australian Outback)

The Australian Emu is prolific in the outback regions we have been travelling through, following a couple of good seasons of rain.

This one was captured on camera in Mutawintji National Park.

Photo: Baz, The Landy

An Ancient Land – An Ancient People (Peery Lake, Outback Australia)

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An Ancient Land – An Ancient People (Peery Lake, Outback Australia)

Peery Lake, in far Western New South Wales, is a fascinating place to visit and like many places in the region we can trace evidence of Australia’s original inhabitants for tens of thousands of years.

In fact, it would be hard to walk more than 10 – metres without finding some evidence of an ancient culture, an ancient people.

We were fortunate to be shown the area, which is located nearby to the opal mining town of White Cliffs, with Anne, a wonderful person of aboriginal heritage who took us under her wing enhanced our knowledge and understanding of Australia’s Indigenous People…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Dawn breaks at the Billabong (Outback Australia)

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Dawn breaks at the Billabong (Outback Australia)

Crikey, how would you love to this wake up to this view each day?

Outback Australia, you just got to love it, hey!

We are currently travelling in the Outback, exploring a lot of aboriginal rock art, engravings, and paintings…

And in between, enjoying a yarn, and a couple of ale’s around the camp-fire…

Strewth, roll me over and tickle me pink, I don’t reckon it gets any better than this…

Photo: Baz, The Landy

The “New Landy” (With a red bow?)

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How cool is the “New Landy” 

We picked it up today and it will be fully customised to our requirements for outback travel over the next six weeks.

But strewth, you can’t put a red bow on the bonnet of a V8 Super Truck – surely not.

Seemingly it is a tradition for the car dealership where we purchased it…

Oh well, just don’t tell Bluey and the Boys, I’ll never live it done at the footy club…

For the petrol heads amongst us – it is a Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab 4.5 litre V8 (Diesel mind you…)

And by the way, we head off in a few days for the Outback. Although, we are going in the original “Landy” our Landrover 130 Twin Cab Defender…

Hey Janet, give me back the keys to my Super Truck, Janet, Janet…Janet…

The Australian Outback (Big Sky Country)

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The Australian Outback - Big Sky Country

This is big sky country…and how good is it!

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.

Photo: Baz – The Landy

Western Plains (Outback Australia)

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Grasslands of the Western Plains (Outback Australia)

Strewth, you wouldn’t be dead for quids…

I could get lost out here for ever!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Simpson Desert – Outback Australia (Which Way?)

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Simpson Desert, Outback Australia

Five days, seven-hundred kilometres and almost a thousand sand dunes to go…(and loving it)

photo: Baz – The Landy

Click go the shear’s boys (click, click, click)

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Click go the shear's boys (click, click, click)

Currawinya Woolshead, Outback Australia…

Photo: Baz- The Landy

Stone House, Coward Springs (Outback Australia)

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Stone House, Coward Springs (Outback Australia)

Along the dusty Oodnadatta Track, Coward Springs, an oasis in a harsh, barren land…

photo: Baz – The Landy

Double-Trouble in the Australian Outback (Strewth)

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Landrover Defender

Is this the male equivalent of finding yourself in the same dress at that special event?

Captured in the middle of no-where, between a thousand sand dunes in the Australian Outback…

photo: Baz – The Landy

Reflections (In the Australian Outback)

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Reflections (In the Australian Outback)

Gumhole Waterhole, Diamantina National Park, Outback Australia

Nothing better than sitting by a billabong, looking at reflections…just reflecting, as the world passes by!

Photo: Baz, The Landy

Man-made objects (In the Outback)

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Merty Merty and Bollard's Lagoon

The “Yellow Bus”

A popular landmark situated between Bollard’s Lagoon Station and Merty Merty, sand-dune country on the edge of the Strzelecki Desert, Outback Australia…

It was used as a stockmans’ camp.

Photo: Baz, The Landy