Australia by Red Nomad OZ
Yardie Creek Gorge, Cape Range National Park, via Exmouth, Western Australia

6 ALMOST Secret TOP Australian National Parks!

At LAST I’ve got the answer to that irritating question – Have you been to all the Australian National Parks? I’ll just get out my recently released 2nd edition of Explore Australia’s excellent Explore Australia’s National Parks! And point out that to visit ALL of Australia’s 500+ National Parks would be a life-long project. The question comes up because lots of visitors stop[…]

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The Pinnacle Lookout with Lake Bellfield below, Grampians National Park, Victoria

Walk the Pinnacle – Grampians National Park

WARNING: Do NOT attempt the Pinnacle walk if you don’t like A) heights; B) snakes; C) wildflowers; or D) looking uncool! Whether or not D) applies depends to a certain degree on physical fitness levels – and possibly hiking fashion sense! Although tragically that’s not a factor if you’re like me.  That red face, heaving chest and death-rattle puffing after[…]

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Geikie Gorge, via Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia

The Incredible “Icebergs” of Geikie Gorge!

‘Look out for the cat snakes on the rock ledges,’ our guide warned. ‘We saw one stalking a bird the other evening’. CAT Snakes? ‘But don’t take my word for it – I failed the snake identification exam!’ she laughed. Pilchard and I exchanged glances. The previous day a gaggle of grey nomads had shown us a photo of the[…]

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Cutta Cutta Caves, via Katherine, Northern Territory

The Ghoulish Guide of Cutta Cutta Caves!

I hadn’t suspected the otherworldly limestone Karst country we’d crossed en route from the Visitor Centre to the Cutta Cutta Caves entrance to be a portal to a parallel universe. But had we inadvertently stumbled into a casting call for a bad B-grade movie? For now, waiting for our guide at the stairs leading down to the locked entry gate[…]

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Victoria River Cruises Pontoon AND Scenic Loo! Via Timber Creek, Northern Territory

Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets #29 – Crocodile Cruise Conveniences!

Maybe the multiple crocodile sightings did it. Or the 70 km (~45 miles) cruise from the Timber Creek landing to the middle of nowhere. Or perhaps the sunset drinks and snacks, taken incongruously in the middle of the crocodile-infested Victoria River were responsible. Whatever it was, the public amenities on the purpose-built pontoon where we took a break from crocodile[…]

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Victoria River Escarpment, Northern Territory

The 5-Experiences-in-24-hours Victoria River Roadhouse Action Plan!

I don’t know what made us decide to stay overnight at the Victoria River Roadhouse as we pulled in for fuel, late on a Northern Territory July morning. Perhaps we took the Grey Nomad’s experimental driving technique involving an inexpertly executed U-turn directly in front of us without warning as a sign to stay off the roads that day.  […]

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Hikers at Joffre Gorge, Karijini National Park, Western Australia

Mind over Madness … Joffre Falls, Karijini National Park

The edge of the gorge was no place for a recovering acrophobic*. Despite its well-made viewing platform with solid handrails, the lookout overhung the sheer drop to the Joffre River far below, many more metres than I wanted to count**. I don’t think I’ll EVER get used to being on an overhang … But weirdly, the scare-factor just added to[…]

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Mt Sonder from Ormiston Gorge and Pound trail, West MacDonnell National Park, Central Australia

The Best Shots I Never Took … Ormiston Gorge, Central Australia

‘If it’s a choice between my camera and the family jewels, you know what to do,’ I instructed Pilchard as I plunged into the thigh-high frigid water flowing through Ormiston Gorge. Despite the hypothermia warnings on the Ormiston Gorge fact sheet, it was either that or return the seven km (~4.5 miles) we’d already come over a cross section of[…]

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Horseshoe Bay from the Nelly Bay to Arcadia Track, Magnetic Island, Queensland

Walk Nelly Bay to Arcadia! Magnetic Island via Townsville, Queensland

‘What goes up must come down,’ she twanged, immediately identifying a) her astonishing originality and b) her country of origin. Suitably dressed for a dusty, rocky climb through clinging vines, a charred mountainside and tropical humidity in a white ‘resort’ dress and gold sandals, this gem fell from her pinkly glossed lips and dropped like pearls of wisdom before swine.[…]

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Walk Mount Zero!

Hollow Mountain and Mt Stapylton from the Mt Zero Summit, Northern Grampians, Victoria Hauling myself up the rocky drop-off towering above my head, I desperately clung to the cold hand rail, slippery with drizzle, hoping like hell my arms wouldn’t give way. Vertigo kicked in as I scrabbled for a foothold. Looking neither to the right (dizzying drop off) or[…]

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