Australia by Red Nomad OZ

Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets #8 – Gunnedah, New South Wales

At first glance, this public toilet in Gunnedah, Central NSW seems unremarkable, right? Especially when compared to the wonders and delights of the Australian public toilets already on display in these pages … BUT … Gunnedah’s offering can hold its head high in the public toilet pantheon, because it offers a complete poetry-themed amenities experience! At the end of Gunnedah’s ‘Poets Drive’ featuring[…]

Read more
Sunset over the Richmond River, 10 Budget Travel Tips

7 Days in … Ballina, NSW

Thank goddess for Byron Bay! The Byron tourist magnet sucks a conglomerate of backpackers, yuppies, new age-ists, surfers, whale watchers and regular local and overseas tourists into its vortex, leaving the fabulous, diverse and bakery-filled Ballina region relatively uncrowded. This is good. This 7 day teaser is only an introduction – complete with ‘bakery alerts’ – as a week isn’t[…]

Read more

Only in OZ #6 – The Flying Combi, Lightning Ridge, NSW

The combi van is generally accepted as a symbol of surfie/hippie culture, but a decorative, airborne one with the label ‘surfing art’ in the middle of the outback town of Lightning Ridge in north central New South Wales far, far from the ocean SURELY deserves its own classification! I just don’t know what that is. I DO know that Lightning Ridge, world[…]

Read more

Only in OZ #5 – The Musical Ship, Cooktown, Cape York, Queensland

While it’s not quite a replica of Captain Cook’s vessel when he explored the north coast and disembarked where Cooktown (geddit?!) now stands, the musical ship is completely landlocked in the linear park along the mouth of the Endeavour river.  Perhaps the kindest way to describe the array of noise making apparatus (apparati??) lining the interior would be ‘found percussion instruments’, however the[…]

Read more

OZ Top Spot #3 Gundabooka NP, Bourke, New South Wales

Two wrongs don’t make a right – but maybe three do? If the Bourke visitor information centre staff had been less busy; AND our tour of Bourke more comprehensive; AND our allocated campsite spacious and attractive, we’d have spent more time in Bourke itself! That would have been a tragedy because we wouldn’t have got to see Gundabooka National Park! On[…]

Read more

Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets #7 – Cairns Botanic Gardens, Queensland

It’s amazing how the public toilets in the superb Cairns Botanic Gardens are a match for its visual delights! Set on a rolling green lawn, surrounded by lushly growing tropical plants and flowers, it’s a delight to do business there!! In addition to the setting, the amenities have a superb view over the expansive and relaxing lawns, dotted with chairs,[…]

Read more

Don’t Miss This!! Daintree River Dawn Cruise, Far North Queensland

The third-hardest part of a Daintree River dawn cruise is selecting one. The second-hardest part is rising well before dawn to get there. But the hardest part of all is getting off the boat when it ends over 2 hours later! Yes, it really is that good!  Although now you’re thinking the pictures look a bit dull, right?  Well …[…]

Read more

Signs #4 – Loud and Proud!

You gotta love a town that puts its money where its mouth is!  This sign, at the Barcoo River crossing into Isisford, Central Western Queensland, leaves visitors in no doubt as to the town’s allegiances. Regular readers will already know Isisford as not only the historic site where Isisfordia Duncanii was discovered, but also a massive embarassment for me – read about[…]

Read more