Australia by Red Nomad OZ

SkyWatch at Lake Pamamaroo OR 13 photos of the same thing … Menindee Lakes, NSW

Lake Pamamaroo Sunset #1 Ever wondered what happens when an amateur photographer points an automatic film camera directly at the sun and presses the shutter? Well, wonder no more! It might be amateurish, but I kinda like it … although I would, wouldn’t I?!  Yes, I’m the photographer, and this amazing sunset on the first night of my virgin visit[…]

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View from Cawnpore Lookout, via Middleton, Queensland

OZ Top Spot #10 – Cawnpore Lookout, Middleton, Queensland

Watching people do things you just KNOW they’re going to regret is one of life’s guilty pleasures. Even more so when there’s a cruel laugh to be had at their expense – without their knowing! So the staggering 360° view from the top level of western Queensland’s Cawnpore Lookout didn’t completely distract us from the horrifying sight of a pair of Grey[…]

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Random Adventure #2 – Herveys Range, Townsville, Queensland

Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms I never thought I’d be grateful for my unsophisticated palate until it saved me $50 and a mouthful of cat-poo … That publicity favours Townsville’s Paluma Range National Park over the much closer Herveys Range may be due to the unfortunate council boundary line placing Herveys Range on the wrong side of the Townsville regional[…]

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Excitement on and off the track - Bedourie Camel Races, 2011

Camels, Cowboys and Cockies Joy – Bedourie, Queensland

Cockroaches, cane toads and camels are generally considered physically and/or temperamentally unsuited to commercial racing. But here in OZ, the absence of animals traditionally raced, such as horses and dogs, is no hindrance to holding a race meet… Although all these races are held in Australia, I’ve yet to experience the pleasures of cane toad or cockroach racing. But …[…]

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Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets #16 – Richmond, Queensland

At first glance, the setting of these conveniences in western Queensland’s Richmond is far from exotic.  It’s nowhere near as scenic as Lord Howe Island’s #15 – my favourite to date!  Unlike Largs Bay’s #12, there’s no colourful loo-art adorning the amenities block either.  And it also lacks a quirky connection, like the poetry of Gunnedah’s #8! Fossicking fields – loo[…]

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Only in OZ #15 – Musical Fence, Winton, Queensland

The Musical Fence, Winton, Queensland  Here we are in sunny Winton.  Well … it was sunny on our previous visit in June 2009 – and it was sunny the day we first arrived earlier in June 2011, but a couple of days down the track and unseasonal rain has forced us indoors and off the roads, which are blocked in several directions.  Looks[…]

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Aussie Outdoor Art #1 – Blackall, Queensland

The Australian landscape has provided the inspiration behind many creative and artistic endeavours. Some, for example, use their powers for good, and write poetry, books or music. Others, on the other hand, produce blog posts about Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets. BUT … there are those who capture the essence of OZ by creating artistic installations that reflect and define the[…]

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Aussie ABC – E is for Emu!

Emus near Quilpie, Outback Queensland The Australian emu*(Dromaius novaehollandiae**) is arguably the most highly evolved bird on the planet.  Or perhaps even in the universe! But whether or not you agree may well depend on your gender … After mating, the female emu sticks around just long enough to lay the eggs, with the male in attendance night and day.  Then[…]

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Weird Stuff #6 – Little Topar, New South Wales

The 5 hour* drive between Broken Hill and Cobar in western New South Wales generally scores a pretty high ‘tedious’ rating.  Unrelieved except for the township of Wilcannia on the Darling river and a couple of roadhouses, the scenery is mainly dusty, dry and desolate, like this picture taken near Broken Hill about 13 years ago. Near Silverton, Broken Hill NSW[…]

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OZ Top Spot #8 Noccundra, Queensland

Thank god for Kerry Packer*! When his Consolidated Pastoral Company purchased nearby Nockatunga station in 1990, the Noccundra Hotel, part of the lease, was almost certainly saved from the oblivion often suffered by historic (aka ‘old’) buildings in areas without a critical voting mass. Outdistancing its surrounding very remote localities (Thargomindah to the east, Tibooburra to the south, Innamincka to[…]

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