Australia by Red Nomad OZ
Swimmers Beach, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

7 Days … on the Southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

South Australia’s Southern Yorke Peninsula (SYP) can get pretty tedious – day after ho-hum day of blue skies, mile after punishing mile of spectacular coastal scenery, more and yet more (almost) deserted beaches. Seal and dolphin watching, fishing, museums, shipwrecks, snorkelling, surfing, wildflowers, markets and country shows. A well preserved, documented – AND fascinating history. And it all comes with arguably[…]

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Aussie Icons #1 – Largs Pier Hotel, Largs Bay, South Australia

OK, so now you’re looking at the photo and thinking yep, Red Nomad OZ has finally lost it.  What’s so iconic about an ordinary (albeit attractive and well preserved) Aussie seaside pub?? Well, this isn’t just ANY Aussie seaside pub – this is the Largs Pier Hotel!  Yeah, so?  I hear you ask. The Largs Pier Hotel is the stuff[…]

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Don’t Miss This! The Plane in the Paddock, Longreach QLD

Well OK, it’s not actually a ‘paddock’ as such. And it’s certainly NOT just a plane! It’s a fully operational Qantas 747 Jumbo Jet (aka 747-200 VH-EBQ for those who care about such things!), the centrepiece of the Qantas Founders Museum – today celebrating 90 years of Qantas. It’s parked on a fenced off section of of the Longreach Airport grounds,[…]

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Traveller SHAME Files #4 – The Hills are Alive!!

I can’t wait to see the most recent addition to South Australia’s ‘anti-hoon’ laws enacted! For those unfamiliar with laws peculiar to this sometimes draconian state, legislation penalising certain automobile related behaviours – such as drag racing, laying rubber and doing burn-outs – can result in the offender’s vehicle being impounded or confiscated. That’s the simplified version, anyway. And while[…]

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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[…]

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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 …[…]

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Entrance to Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Favourite Place #5 – Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, SA

It’s a mystery to me why Innes National Park (INP) isn’t on any Top 10 Australian National Parks lists. At the south-western tip of Yorke Peninsula’s ‘toe’ (you’ll see what I mean on the map) its wild and remote beauty is unique. BUT … perhaps the unparalleled coastal scenery, historic buildings, walking trails, shipwreck sites, deserted beaches, fishing, lighthouses, wildlife[…]

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Troubridge Lighthouse, Troubridge Island, South Australia

Favourite Place #4 – Troubridge Island, SA

You’d think Troubridge Island and lighthouse would already be several years into a conservation program to preserve this unique South Australian heritage icon, but the SA State Government has different priorities.  The costly shrines to its self indulgence are in urban areas where the votes are, meaning this unique spot is at risk of being lost forever. Think I’m being a little melodramatic? The fine[…]

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Favourite Place #3 – Stuarts Well, NT

One of the most bizarre and amazing experiences of our travels occurred at Stuarts Well, 90 km south of Alice Springs.  I haven’t linked to a map because it’s idiot simple to find- just look for the straight line between Alice Springs and Adelaide on any map and you’ve found the highway!  Look for the eastern turnoff to Rainbow Valley, and just south of[…]

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