Aussie ABC – H is for Holiday

Last Updated on June 20, 2017 by Red Nomad OZ

Looking towards the coast from the Eungella Plateau, Queensland
View to the coast from the Eungella Plateau, Queensland

‘Now you’ve ‘done’ Australia, are you going overseas?’ If Pilchard and I had a dollar for every time we’ve been asked that question, it’d pay for a round-the-world ticket! BUT … the answer would still be the same …

 

Uniting Church, Deniliquin, New South Wales
Uniting Church, Deniliquin, New South Wales

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against the concept of ‘overseas’ – after all, I was born, and have travelled, lived and worked out of Australia.

And we’ll travel overseas again too – just as soon as we’re done with exploring OZ!!

 

BUT … that’s not about to happen any time soon. In ~21 years, Pilchard and I have seen more of Australia than many fellow Aussies.
And we look forward to many future holidays exploring the bits we HAVEN’T seen yet!!

 

So here’s an all-new photographic retrospective of our first 21 years of Aussie holidays.
Why not sit back, make a cup of tea and drool over our not-yet-seen before – on this blog, anyway – best picks!
Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Flinders Ranges, South Australia
WARNING: these pictures of OZ will make you jealous as hell … so find the cheapest flights, then get yourself downunder to see it all first hand!! Who knows? Maybe we’ll see you on the road …
Golden Guitar, Tamworth NSW
Golden Guitar, Tamworth NSW
The top photo, taken in 1998, shows the AMAAAAAAZING view to the coast from a hang-gliding platform on the Eungella Plateau, inland from Mackay, Queensland!
The amazing architecture of the country New South Wales church at Deniliquin against the spectacular blue sky in the 2nd photo just begged for a shot!  Sadly, we missed the Deniliquin ‘Ute Muster’ …
And the Flinders Ranges, always a favourite, put on its best face for us in this mid-90’s shot.
Our quest for new ‘Big Things’ means we get to see a lot of weird stuff!  This big Golden Guitar is, of course, in Australia’s Country Music capital, Tamworth where a world-reknowned country music festival is held each January.
Bedourie Township, Outback Queensland
Bedourie Township, Outback Queensland
We haven’t seen all the ‘Big Things’ yet by any means.  My mate Sandra has seen WAAAAY more than me – check out her ‘Big Things’ photo collection on her Google+ site HERE!
Mt Sonder, via Alice Springs, Central Australia, Northern Territory
Mt Sonder, via Alice Springs, Central Australia, Northern Territory

 

Lake Tinaroo, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
Lake Tinaroo, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland

Remote western Queensland outback town, Bedourie had been cut off by floods for some months prior to our visit.  Isolated, and one of the few towns we encountered with no mobile phone network coverage, it hosts the Bedourie Camel races – a fascinating experience and well worth the trip.  Life in the outback isn’t all dust and dehydration – the township is in a beautiful setting!

I didn’t include any photos of our visits to Central Australia’s more well known attractions – Uluru and Kings Canyon – because all you need to do is google …  Mt Sonder makes one of the Northern Territory’s most scenic landscapes in this mid-2000’s photo!  One day we’ll return to climb it!

Lake Tinaroo, on the Atherton Tablelands behind Cairns has been a favourite spot for many years!  This view from our campsite in one of the Lake’s several campgrounds was taken just before Pilchard caught a massive sleepy cod from the jetty below.  He threw it back – after the photographic evidence had been recorded, of course!

Pilchard and I at Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Pilchard and I at Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

 

 

South Australia’s Kangaroo Island is the 3rd largest Island in Australia.  Trust me – the Remarkable Rocks really ARE!  And the island boasts some of the most beautiful scenery EVER!

Copperlode Dam, Cairns, Far North Queensland
Copperlode Dam, Cairns, Far North Queensland

Cairns is better known for almost anything other than this magnificent dam high up in the mountains behind.  The drive through some of the most beautiful rainforest offers breathtaking views over the city!

Amethystine Python, Lake Eacham, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
Amethystine Python, Lake Eacham, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland

Taken from the car window, this python at Lake Eacham had just crossed the road – and luckily, was headed away from us.  It’s several metres long and while I KNEW it wasn’t going to attack, I couldn’t suppress a shudder …

Sunset at the Mindil Beach markets, Darwin, Northern Territory
Sunset at the Mindil Beach markets, Darwin, Northern Territory

 

 

Our 2008 trip to Darwin was memorable in many ways.  The relaxed tropical lifestyle is unparalleled, with almost the entire population gathering to watch the sunset at the famous Mindil Beach markets.  Many bring picnic tables & chairs to dine in what must be the best outdoor setting in the land!

Siding Springs Observatory, Warrumbungle Mountains, Coonabarabran, New South Wales
Siding Springs Observatory, Warrumbungle Mountains, Coonabarabran, New South Wales

Siding Springs Observatory in its magnificently scenic mountain setting looks up onto some of the clearest skies in the world!  Our visit to the observatory, many years ago, was followed by a trip to the fine Coonabarabran Bakery!!

Silverton, Outback New South Wales
Silverton, Outback New South Wales

Remote Silverton, near the more well known mining town of Outback New South Wales’ Broken Hill, is an artists retreat.  A visit to the Silverton Hotel is a foray into movie trivia, displaying photographs and memorabilia from the several well known movies shot in and around the area.

The view over the nearby Mundi Mundi Plains is an incredible insight into the Outback’s simultaneous desolation and beauty.

 

 

It’s hard to believe that north of beautiful Currumbin Creek (the photo faces south) is the most extensively developed area of Australia – the Gold Coast!  As you can see from this early 2000’s photo, the Gold Coast isn’t all highrises and tourists!

Currumbin Creek, Gold Coast, Queensland
Currumbin Creek, Gold Coast, Queensland

Say ‘waterfall’ and what do you picture?  I bet it’s something like Millaa Millaa falls – one of the most scenic waterfalls in Australia.  If not the world!!

Millaa Millaa Falls, Atherton Tableland, Far North Queensland
Millaa Millaa Falls, Atherton Tableland, Far North Queensland

The outback opal mining town of White Cliffs is full of surprises – including this amazing early morning scene en route to huge inland Lake Peery!

Stock Watering point, en route to Lake Peery, via White Cliffs, New South Wales
Stock Watering point, en route to Lake Peery, via White Cliffs, New South Wales

 

 

Of all our holidays in Australia, we’ve most frequently been to the Grampians, Victoria.  A diverse wonderland, this region is WAY too big to capture with just one photo … so I chose a macro!

Wildflowers at Mt William, Grampians, Victoria
Wildflowers at Mt William, Grampians, Victoria

Griffith’s Lake Wyangan at dusk was a marvellous moment in this hidden gem of a region!

Lake Wyangan, Griffith, New South Wales
Lake Wyangan, Griffith, New South Wales

A day trip around Shute Harbour, gateway to the Whitsundays gave us our first boom netting experience.

Daydream Island, Whitsundays, Queensland
Daydream Island, Whitsundays, Queensland

But when we got to Daydream Island, we could have stayed forever!!

 

It’s hard to believe I’ve climbed Mt Warning twice when I see it from this angle.  But I’m not telling how long ago the last time was …  Mt Warning, while not Australia’s easternmost spot, is the first point the sun’s rays reach in the morning!

Mt Warning, Northern New South Wales
Mt Warning, Northern New South Wales

Lord Howe Island is the ultimate holiday destination.  Our first aftenoon on the island – and this is where we ended up!!

Pilchard and I on Lord Howe Island, New South Wales
Pilchard and I on Lord Howe Island, New South Wales

Below, pyromaniac Pilchard lights up a morning fire at Poddy Creek Free Camp, west of Queensland’s Winton.  This scenic spot epitomises the beauty of the western Queensland Outback.

Poddy Creek Free camp, Western Queensland Outback
Poddy Creek Free camp, Western Queensland Outback

OK, was I right? Are you jealous as hell?? Get onto those cheapest flights right now! You won’t regret it …

For TRIPLE the fun, I’ve linked this post to:

Check them out for blog posts on these themes from all around the world!!  Enjoy!!

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52 comments

  1. Wow! There are a lot of places on here I never heard of and now I want to check them out. I love the look of the church in Deniliquin however it does remind me of churches in Germany with its facade. And of course, take me to Whitsunday Islands, its right near the top of my bucket list of Australia. 🙂

  2. @foottrackerluvya – Haha! Anytime you need some Aussie escapism, just come on down!! I promise not too many more snake shots!!

  3. Ok, I am not jealous of that snake in the photo x_X

    But! I like everything else I see because it is foggy and cold down where I am right now >.<

  4. @Explore Aus – Welcome and thanx! I’m all inspired for my next trip now!
    @Sallie – Yeah, good point! I guess I just want to encourage people to get out and explore! So many tell us they wish they were travelling too – but there’s always something to stop them!! Thanx for your thought-provoking comment!!
    @Rohit Sareen – Welcome, and thanx! I’m sure I’ll continue to hook up to your meme – it’s great!
    @Cheryl – Thanx! I hope to see some pix of where you’ve been too!!

  5. Love the post Oz — but if I were younger and more energetic I’d probably opt to see more of the US, because we’re a big country too and there are lots of mountains we’ll never climb and deserts we didn’t ever explore, back when we could. So not too jealous and I loved looking at your favorite places and it’s very cool that you’ve seen so many places and have so many more to explore right there in your big beautiful country.

    But then of course I am jealous of you getting to see that big guitar ;>)

  6. whoa…such a fantastic post…lovely shots and narration to go along. off these, i totally loved the first pic…the highway pic and the sunset shot.

    ur bang on that so many of us, incl me, tend to look at holidays abroad when we probably havent finished our our country!

    and thank you for dropping by and contributing to Saturday Sareenity. hope to see you these often.

    have a great week ahead,
    cheers!

  7. @NixBlog – Bummer!! Forgot to give Pilchard credit for your favourite shot – I guess it doesn’t count if it’s the type of shot I’d have taken if my camera hadn’t run out of film??!!
    @Tracey – I’ll be taking that advice, just as long as nothing unforeseen happens!!
    @Michael F @ Strux – Melbourne!!! I guess the good thing is there’s SO much more to see …
    @GayE – Even for me there’s so much more to see! Have fun RTW’ing!
    @Journey Jottings – I’ll drink to that!! As often as you’d like!!
    @Stewart M – See above response!! Maybe the three of us should get together and toast our luck at being in the lucky country??!!
    @Friko – Yeah, I guess!!! Maybe I’m just too scared to go anywhere else in case it sucks!!!

  8. @Dianne – Ah yes … I’ve spared you the stories – THIS time!!
    @SaucyKod – If you think I can carry you AND that you’ll fit in my backpack, then come on down!! Thanx for your kind words – always a great pleasure to hear from you!
    @Tanya – It’s the only way to see everything, isn’t it? Glad I’m not the only one to do that!!
    @Mary – Oh boy! I’m SO going to forward these comments to them … but I can’t quite imagine you green!!!
    @TMWH – Alas I am but a poor amateur when it comes to photography … any success is due to the staggering scenery rather than photographic skill!!

  9. @Tina’s Picstory – Thanx for visiting!! So great you could drop in!
    @Kath – HHHMMMmmm… – or should that be ‘MMMmmm… – don’t know whether to apologise or not!! Maybe just think of the pix as an insurance policy – you WILL return one day!!
    @Joan Elizabeth – Well done! But these aren’t even CLOSE to half the places I’ve been to!!! Wish I could have shown them all!!
    @chubskulit – I’ll be over just as soon as I can! Thanx for following – look forward to seeing you again!!
    @Betty – hey, that’s great! When my Aussie ABC gets up to ‘V’, I can do a whole ‘nother set of ‘Vacation’ pix!!!

  10. Hi there – I have just returned from the wild, woolly and less that wonderful world of wireless only internet – so now I’m catching up.

    Great set of pictures – I assume you have a secret contact with the Australian Tourism Authority! Not a bad place to live really is it?

    Cheers – Stewart M – Australia

  11. Love every single one of these photos 🙂
    We really do live in a stupendous country –
    Here’s to many more years on the road!

  12. I LOVE that church–it’s so beautiful! They don’t make those anymore, unfortunately.

    Have you ever entered any of your photos in contests? Because they are so gorgeous–you have a great eye.

  13. They should immediately hire you to head the Department of Tourism. Your photos, have indeed, mad me green with envy. Some day. Have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary

  14. Thanks Red, for the wonderful post and the only thing I can say is “Take me in your backpack”, “Climb that sun lit Mountain” lah, lah, lah, – still singing 🙂
    Love your Blog !

  15. i so need a vacation right now!

    i’m learning so much about this beautiful place and i’m loving it!!

    absolutely gorgeous landscape and pictures!
    can’t stop looking at them!

    wishing a great monday/week ahead!!

    big hugs!
    xx

  16. Now look here, RedNomadOz – firstly Plastic Mancunian’s blogs have made me cry this morning and now YOUR MAGNFICENT PHOTOS are yanking on my heart strings…..!

    And to top if off, here in French-Switzerland, they wouldn’t say H for holiday, it’d be ‘oliday!
    *sob*

  17. @FrankandMary – Hahaha! Then my work is done! Sent you an email – can’t seem to comment on your blog? Maybe the pop up comment window might work better?? Ha! What would I know though – I’m a technophobe!!
    @Filip – You’re a brave man! Most people (including me) would run a mile from that snake!!
    @Windsmoke – Haha! You should see the ones I left out! Meant to post this a couple of days ago, but couldn’t make a decision on what to leave in/leave out!!!

  18. @My Journey – Haha! Love it or hate it – the snake’s part of OZ! At least this one isn’t venemous!!
    @Dina – like I said, I’ve got nothing against overseas, but I’m still fascinated by all the bits of OZ I’m yet to see!!
    @Riet – that photo was taken about 15 years ago! One day soon I’ll take a comparison shot to see how it (and I) have changed!!
    @Rubye – Thanx for confirming that I succeeded in showing OZ’ great diversity!! And if you can’t really travel, virtual is the next best thing!!
    @PDP – That’s my all time fave OZ shot!! Although I could NEVER bring myself to jump off the hang-gliding ramp – WAAAAY too gutless! Now – if you could just tell OZ tourism how great I am …

  19. @FruitCake – We were just passing through and didn’t have time to look into the history of the church! Ah … next time!!
    @Eccentricess – Thanx! Just wait ’til I raid my archives again!
    @River – But not as much as I enjoy showing it to you, my friend!! I tried to find a wildflower not often shown – I think I succeeded!!
    @George – WELL … come on down! I was going to pick my top 10 pix – but this is what I ended up with!
    @Jane & Lance – Hope the map is ‘working’ (ie you can find stuff on it)!! What about one of those special ‘lie-down’ flights with a fold out bed? Not sure about the boat … but it might stop at other good spots along the way!!

  20. @Jayne – What a shame (for you!) there’s no prize for being first commenter!!
    @Andrew – I believe they are some variety of native pine – ‘callitris’?? Don’t know about you, but however much I’ve seen, there always seems to be WAAAAY more I haven’t!!
    @Carole – Haha! What’s a hard drive or two between friends?! Thanx for your kind comments!!
    @Magsx2 – It was VERY hard to narrow down the pix … even now there are several that didn’t quite make the cut that probably should have! Maybe I’ll do a follow up post?!?!

  21. All I can say is ‘Wow!’. I’m definitely going to have to make it to Australia. I can’t even pick out a favorite picture, they’re all so wonderful.

  22. Super pcitures, I will have to visit Australia once, would like to encounter the Python.

    Greetings,
    Filip

  23. the Deniliquin church looks fabulous; love taking photos of churches. The big rock/Kangaroo Island is special that’s for sure, and I love that waterfall setting; what a beauty. Taking your photo stepped back added to the ambience by seeing all it was enveloped by…how many hard-drives are you saving your pics on?!

  24. It seriously does take me a ‘cup of tea’ time to really absorb your posts Red. Yourself and Pilchard are such fantastic ‘ambassadors’ for the Australian outback experience, you can tell that you really love it! One day you will have to come over to WA you would love the gorges up north, Kalbarri and Karijini to name only two, many more also. The view in the first shot is spectacular and a worthy competitor for the best view anywhere!

  25. How can it be that I am just as content reading and viewing your blog as actually seeing Australia? I suppose I have indeed become an armchair traveler.

    These photos are all gorgeous, and it was fun looking back over the different places you have visited. Australia seems to have a bit of everything doesn’t it.

  26. Your feelings towards traveling reminds me of the stereotypical American’s feeling towards traveling. There’s a huge love for their own country and not much of a desire to see other places.

    Of course it’s just a stereotype. I think there are plenty of Americans who’d love to do more overseas traveling if they had the money and more holiday time.

    Your photos are fantastic!!

  27. Hello Red:
    Now we have our map[yippee!!] and now we have your list of top holiday destinations we really have no excuse left. Apart from the fact that we are almost hysterical after a two hour flight from Gatwick to Budapest, we cannot see what is holding us back.

    It all looks so very interesting and such remarkable variations in landscape. It is, as you remind us so eloquently, a most remarkable and beautiful country.

    How long would a boat take?

  28. Would love to travel back in time and meet the person who “saw” that church sitting on that spot in Deniliquin and said “we can do this”.

    It’s not a boring country, is it!

  29. Hi,
    What a spectacular rock formation on Kangaroo Island so very unusual, and I love the wild flowers on the rock face.
    Beautiful photos.

  30. The waterfall looks wonderful. Are they pine trees in Flinders Ranges valley? I am surprised how many places I have seen.

  31. Woohooo!
    I’m first, for a change!
    I love those photos, the scenery is just spectacular!
    I envy your travels, keep the posts coming! 🙂

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