Australia by Red Nomad OZ
The Bunkers, Wilkawillina Gorge

Walk Wild Wilkawillina!

A six hour drive north of Adelaide takes you deep into South Australia’s Outback zone AND into the Flinders Ranges National Park. It’s considered remote. By most people’s standards, anyway. Factor in its staggering scenery, wonderful wildlife, numerous hiking trails and awesome natural beauty, and you’ve got one of the best eco-tourism adventure destinations in the country! That makes it[…]

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Lone Gum at Stubbs Waterhole

Arkaroola Wilderness Adventureland!

For a place explored, surveyed and ravaged by pastoralism, mining and smelting; overrun by sheep, camels, donkeys, rabbits and dingoes; and more recently under threat from an avaricious government looking to sell off uranium mining rights, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is looking mighty fine! That’s due to the extraordinary Sprigg family* – visionaries, eco-tourism pioneers and explorers – who bought this[…]

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White Cliffs New South Wales

Aussie ABC: O is for Opal!

Australian Opal I didn’t understand all the fuss about SiO2.nH2O until 2004. That’s when I first visited Coober Pedy.  It’s slap bang in the middle of absolutely freakin’ nowhere in the South Australian Outback.  And it’s where I first found a piece of SiO2.nH2O I wanted to take home with me. You might know SiO2.nH2O better as Hydrous Silica. Or[…]

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Postcard from … Marree South Australia

Hi there! Tiny town Marree South Australia is the first major sign of civilisation in over 500 km (~310 miles) for travellers heading south down the iconic Oodnadatta or Birdsville tracks – both LOOOOONG stretches of dirt, rocks, gravel and bulldust. But we approached it over several days from the other direction – a straight run from Adelaide of nearly[…]

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Capture the Colours of OZ Country Towns!

The FAAAAAABULOUS colours of OZ make the life of a downunder blogging, photographing, writing traveller with a penchant for bakeries REALLY easy … Getting a good pic from right in front of a spectacularly AWESOME panorama, a weird and wacky BIG Thing or a KILLER sunset is what’s called, in the technical photographic terminology used by us amateurs, a SURE[…]

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Sunset at Dales Gorge, Karijini National Park, Western Australia

Walk Dales Gorge! Karijini National Park, Western Australia

The Evening Before … I gripped the railing and looked through the deep shadows down the deep RED gash of Dales Gorge. WAAAAAY down. Late afternoon at the lookout meant the sun was long gone from the gorge floor.  Even though it had lit up the eastern wall quite spectacularly. Ho Hum. Another day in the Pilbara, another killer landscape[…]

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Mt Nameless, Tom Price, Western Australia

Why Tom Price Western Australia is a TOP Aussie Town!

I had no idea that at 747 metres (2450 ft) above sea level Tom Price is the highest town in Western Australia. I also had no idea Tom Price is at the foot of the highest Western Australian mountain with a summit accessible by road. And I had no idea that the town was named for American geologist Thomas Moore[…]

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Coulthard Lookout View, Arkaroola Ridge-top Tour

Ride the Arkaroola Ridgetop Tour!

‘Now we’ll see some REAL scenery!’ Doug announced, herding us away from the spectacular outlook from Coulthard’s Lookout towards our convoy of two vehicles.  The Arkaroola Ridgetop tour was well underway. But I was sceptical. The ragged mountain ranges (yes, I’m channelling Aussie poet Dorothea Mackellar*) glistened and glowed in a glorious 360° panorama in the perfection of a clear Outback[…]

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The Bizarre Back-of-Beyond Bakery – Farina, South Australia

STOP PRESS!  2020 Farina Bakery Update:  Due to COVID-19 the Farina Bakery South Australia will NOT be operating in 2020.  However, the Farina historic township and Farina campground will be open and can be visited in line with South Australian state government border closures and travel restrictions.  The sign shimmered through the haze of dust and heat like a mirage.[…]

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Horseshoe Range from Carrieton, South Australia

Life on the Edge … Carrieton South Australia

Live on the edge from just ten bucks a night. That’s all it cost us for a powered site at Carrieton’s Horseshoe View Caravan Park with the Stay-2-nights-Get-2-nights-FREE deal. While the special deal isn’t available now, the real cost is still a small price to pay for a chance to explore Carrieton South Australia. It’s perched on the edge of[…]

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