Australia: The Magnificent Emptiness

Last Updated on January 26, 2015 by Red Nomad OZ

Daly Head, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Daly Head, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

So many days at sea before a wondrous land loomed broad and high

Trephina Gorge, Central Australia
Trephina Gorge, via Alice Springs, Central Australia

Its lush and glittering shores so far from home

And no one there!

Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Flinders Ranges, South Australia

So its emptiness, its bountiful emptiness

They claimed for a faraway queen.

White Cliffs, New South Wales
White Cliffs, New South Wales

But the proud and ancient race who roamed these vast and trackless plains

Mt Warning, North New South Wales
Wollumbin (Mt Warning), North New South Wales

And in their comprehending wisdom left the land untamed

Were here. For aeons

Cawnpore Lookout, Outback Queensland
Cawnpore Lookout, via Winton, Outback Queensland

At one with the emptiness, the all-embracing emptiness

To which their song breathed life.

Lake Lascelles, Hopetoun, Victoria
Lake Lascelles, Hopetoun, Victoria

One distant day from beyond the stars, with alien ways

and need for space

Dawn in Shepparton, Victoria
Dawn in Shepparton, Victoria

They’ll find this broad and open land, so wild, unfilled, untamed –

West of Windorah, Outback Queensland
West of Windorah, Outback Queensland

Sublimely red!

And see the emptiness, the magnificent emptiness

Stockyard Plain, via Waikerie, South Australia
Stockyard Plain, via Waikerie, South Australia

To which its straggling settlements have returned.

Troubridge Island off Sultana Point, South Australia
Troubridge Island off Sultana Point, South Australia

Thank you for reading my 200th post!   I’ve enjoyed your company!!  Hope it’s been as much fun for you as it has for me …

Like it? SHARE it!

44 comments

  1. Congratulations on the 200 milestone — (better late than never)…having been on our own roadtrip, I’m very behind on my blogreading (not to mention writing)……

    We were in the Four Corners area of the US and the vastness you show so beautifully here reminds me quite a lot of parts of where we were —only yours is even emptier.

  2. @PDP – Thank you! Sadly, I now have some even better ’empty’ photos – but it’s too late! I’ll have to save them for #300!!!

  3. Spectacular 200th post Red, what a beautiful and wondrous sight it is, outback Australia in all it’s glory. Couldn’t have been shown better.

  4. @Wendy – I couldn’t believe my luck that it turned out so well!
    @Friko – Virtual travelling is the next best thing, isn’t it?!?!
    @SFlaGuy – The well never runs dry! I’m so grateful you continue to follow this humble downunder blog – I look forward to the day my photos reach your calibre!
    @darlin – I’m glad to hear part of you is still here because that means you will return!
    @diane b – Thank you for your kind words, my friend! Somehow, I don’t think all that emptiness is under TOO much threat from a few boatloads …
    @Go Camping – Haha! Just pin them instead … Seriously, thank you so much for taking the time to comment – I really appreciate it!
    @Christopher Allen – OMIGOD! I guess that really means the aliens are on their way … Only kidding, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!!

  5. @Johanna – Thanx for taking the time to drop by, and for your very kind words!! Look forward to catching up more often!
    @Kusum – Thank you! There’s plenty more to come …
    @Mina fotostunder – Thank you!! I appreciate you dropping by!
    @Cathy – Thank you for your support and kind words. I’ll consider myself a REAL success when you actually visit!!!
    @Mary – I am always amazed that with your busy life and plethora of followers, you continue to visit! I live in fear of the day you get tired of my Aussie Adventures!!
    @nattsyranphoto – I hope you can too!!
    @NFP – It’s my pleasure to show my beautiful country – so glad you enjoyed it!!

  6. @Dianne – Thankfully it’s not yet on the real tourist trail … but that’s just being selfish, yes?!
    @Andrew – Thank you, and thanx also for being there almost from the start!! It’s been wonderful to get your fabulously witty comments!
    @MJWC – I SO appreciate your support! It’s wonderful that we can connect despite having not a great deal in common!!! Glad you’ve stuck around!!
    @Jayne – ‘We’? Is that the royal plural?!?!?! Seriously, it’s you that deserves the praise – thank you for following and commenting for all this time – it’s really helped keep me going!
    @Kath – Haha! Never thought of my 200 in cricketing terms before!!Glad I can keep good old SA in the world eye – and give you something to look forward to … I’m humbled that a writer like you takes the time to read and comment on my blog. Thank you!!
    @Gemma – Thanx for your kind and eloquent (as usual) words! They’re very much appreciated!
    @River – It’s a kind of fantasy world, isn’t it? Thank you so much for your support and wonderful comments on most of my 200 posts!

  7. @FruitCake – YES! Unless you’re in a caravan park full of backpackers in Wicked vans on a Saturday night … I SO appreciate your wonderful comments and I’m honoured that a writer of your calibre follows my blog.
    @TMWH – Thank you to my favourite (ONLY) parenting blogger!!! Like FruitCake (above) it’s an honour to have a wonderful writer like you follow my humble blog!!
    @John – Thank you!! It’s just as well that it’s almost impossible to take bad photos of some of this scenery!!
    @magsx2 – Thank you, my friend. I hope to continue to find new places just as wonderful, and I’m so grateful you’re along for the ride!
    @Mrs Tuna – Hahahaha!!! Now you know my secret … don’t tell ANYONE!!!!!!
    @Fun60 – I tried, and thank you for telling me I didn’t fail!
    @Windsmoke – Thank you! That means so much from an accomplished wordsmith like you – your praise is MUCH appreciated, as always!@

  8. @Saucy Kod – Well, I HOPE you’re hungering for more!!! Thank you for joining my journey – it’s been such a pleasure having you along for the ride!
    @Liz – Thank you so much! And don’t just think about visiting them – DO IT!!!!
    @Rubye Jack – We have them here too! People are often threatened by the emptiness – but I find it exhilerating!
    @Dina – Thank you! I think the empty bits outnumber the NOT-empty bits! Thank you for your kind comments – I much appreciate them!
    @Beach Bum – And to me. Thank you for so regularly visiting my humble blog – it’s been a pleasure to make you jealous as hell of my backyard!!!
    @Diane – I’m SO glad! Stick around – there’s WAAAAAAAY more to come …
    @Christina Williams – Thank you! But it’s even better visiting them for real!!!

  9. Congratulations on your 200th post! A magnificent poetic tribute. There is so much fullness in emptiness. So much potential.

  10. Wow, wow and wow… Red you’ve really outdone yourself. Your photos and word choices are phenomenal. My heart yearns to return to your beautiful country, I left a wee piece of it there so I’d have to come back to reclaim it one day.

    Congratulations on your 200th post, I hope you post another 200 and then some! I love seeing Australia through your lens!

    Cheers.

  11. Congrats on 200th post and what wonderful posts they are depicting our beautiful land and scenic dunnies. These photos and words are magical and do portray the emptyness but with 11 boats of illegals in eleven days it may not stay too empty.

  12. 200th post is quite the milestone and it looks like you past plenty to get all these photos. I never would have known so much nothing would be so beautiful if you had not collected so many photos like this. Looking forward to the next 200.

  13. I wish I had enough lifetime left to explore this magnificent continent. You have greatly honoured it with this post.

  14. Wow! Well done on your double century, that is an achievement. Loved the photos you chose for this post, and also the very atmospheric words.

  15. 200!!!What is amazing is that all of your posts have been interesting and really do justice to your country. I have enjoyed each of my visits here and will be back for at least 22 more. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary

  16. Magnificent is certainly the right word to describe Australia, Oz. 200 posts is quite an accomplishment and I look forward to 200 more. I would love to visit someday.

  17. I love our wide open (empty) spaces. I’m particularly in love with that first photo; I’ve always wanted to live in a place that has long steps and walks down to the beach.
    Congratulations on 200 posts.

  18. Australia the Magnificent so beautifully represented in this amazing post. Here are the many facets of a diamond, Nature’s soul.

  19. What a spectacular 200th post. That vast overwhelming emptyness is beyond words but you managed to aptly find some. Congratulations.

  20. Congrats on the double century, Red Nomad – the first three photos of my beloved home state had me gasping!

  21. Congratulations and felicitations on your 200th post, Red, it was as magnificent as every other one of the 199 that came before 🙂

    Like Andrew, we vote that Hopetourn photo is superb.

  22. Whoooo Hooooo Congratulations on post number 200!!!

    Beautiful pictures and so empty.. you are right about that.

  23. WOW!! What a brilliant post full of wonderful images of our beautiful country. Stunning scenes of places I’d love to visit.

  24. 200 posts Wow! Congratulations. As soon as I saw the thumbnails of the top pic I knew you were in beautiful Yorke Peninsula … Miles and miles of blue seas and golden sand.

  25. You’ve out done yourself this time with Bonza photos of our Land Down Under and a poem to match, well done :-).

  26. George and Windora look a lot like Arizona. Are you sure you’re not sneaking here to take a few shots?

  27. Hi,
    Congrats on your 200th post, and what a post, magnificent photos of our wonderful country, they do show how vast and open this country is, just fantastic.

  28. 200th post! Congrats to my most very favorite travel writer!

    It is something, to look off into the distance in any direction and find yourself alone in the vastness. It certainly makes a person humble, that is for sure.

  29. You make me feel as if I’d been there! The pictures. The smells. The heat. The cold. The restrooms. The bakeries! Love travelling with you!

  30. Daly Head, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

    Now that is pure heaven to me.

    Congrats on the 200th post!

  31. It’s hard to believe that beautiful beach is empty but so refreshing to know it is so.
    I love the idea of emptiness and vast lands.
    You should see this walking twig on my window screen – he belongs in one of these places. He’s so weird with a feeler longer than any of his legs.

  32. Congratulations Red on your 200th post. Who ever would have thought that 200 posts later, you have us hunger for more.
    I enjoyed this “poem” very much and went back to read it again. I love the photos, for I can tell you picked each one individually to fit into the poem.
    I do so much enjoy hearing from “My RED” in Aussie Land and I do hope you keep writing and sharing your gift with us for a very long time. Take care my friend.
    Luv from Atlantic Canada 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.