AUSTRALIA
2000
Back in 2000 I spent a year travelling around Australia. It really was the best year of my life with all sorts of amazing experiences. So much so, I decided to write a non-fiction book about it called Shooting Stars. You can read more about the progress with that project by clicking on this link. Although I initially wanted to include photos from the trip in the book, I decided it was better to share them online here instead. I've displayed them in correct date order as I worked my way around the country.
(All the images below have been scanned from slide film.)
Millaa Millaa Falls in the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland.
The 'crowd' at the Tolga Park races on Australia Day, Atherton Tablelands.
The Great Barrier Reef seen through the window on a scenic flight.
Turtle swimming through the water, seen from a semi-submerged boat.
Maingon Bay, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania.
Tasmanian Devil, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Tasmania.
Echidna, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Hazards, Honeymoon Bay in Freycinet National Park.
Richardson Beach, Freycinet National Park.
Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park.
The stone bridge in Ross that was built by convicts, which was completed in 1836.
Federation Peak in the Southwest National Park, which is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Early morning at Lake Burbury.
Cradle Mountain above Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
The Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road, Victoria.
Me abseiling down the Soweto wall in the Grampians National Park.
The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.
View from the undercliff of the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.
Leura Cascades in the Blue Mountains.
Sunset at Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia.
Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) National Park.
The Bungle Bungle Range within Purnululu National Park, seen from a helicopter.
A Frill-necked Lizard seen in the picnic area at Edith Falls, Northern Territory.
The Warrior.
Edith Falls.
Mindil Beach sunset, Darwin.
Ubirr Rock Art, Kakadu National Park.
Twin Falls, Kakadu National Park.
Lying down on the rocks at the top of Twin Falls, I gingerly peered over the edge to take this photo of the beach below.
The Pinnacles, Nambung National Park, Western Australia.
Dolphins riding a wave near Kalbarri, Western Australia.
This was one of my top most memorable wildlife encounters I had during my whole year.
Bottlenose Dolphin at Monkey Mia.
Me standing on Shell Beach within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.
Weano Gorge, Karijini National Park.
Spider walking through the narrow gorge in Karijini National Park.
Red rocks within Karijini National Park.
The Winderjinnie Rocks.
These ancient rocks found in the Murchison Region of Western Australia are estimated to be 3.5 billion years old!
It's a fairly rare sight seeing water cascading down the spillway of Wellington Dam.
Point D’Entrecasteaux National Park in the southwest of Western Australia.
Green Pool, William Bay National Park.
Remote mailboxes on the side of the road. There were no homes in sight. They can be some distance off the beaten track in certain remote parts of Australia.
View on the Rim Walk, which overlooks King's Canyon, Watarrka National Park, Northern Territories.
A small pool or water along the creek walk at the base of King's Canyon, Watarrka National Park.
Uluru (Ayer's Rock), at sunset - the heart of the Red Centre.
Sunrise near Uluru.
This was a very special moment for me during my year in Australia.
Aerial view of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).
Uluru in a different light.
The Dog Fence, Outback Australia.
This 9,600km-long fence runs from Surfer's Paradise in Queensland, to the Bight, near Western Australia. It protects the sheep in the south from the dingoes in the north.
People walking in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, South Australia. It's one of the largest salt lakes in the world and Australia's largest lake, when it's filled with water. However, this seldom occurs!
Australia Sea Lion having a scratch, Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
Me sandboarding at Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island.
Koala hanging onto the end of a thin branch at the Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Kangaroo Island.
Koala reaching out. I was watching this one sitting on top of the four-wheel-drive vehicle that our tour was travelling in. It was a very special moment being so close to this iconic species.
Goanna seen making a hole in the ground along the Ravine des Cesoars hike, Kangaroo Island.
The remote beach at the end of the Ravine des Cesoars hike.
The dramatic coastline at Ravine des Cesoars.
Craig's Hut on Mt Stirling in Victoria's High Country. This is a famous landmark known as a set for the film The Man From Snowy River. This was one of my favourite films growing up, and one of my earliest inspirations for wanting to travel to Australia.
The view from the top of Mt Buffalo at dawn.
I took the Threadbo ski lift to begin the hike up to Mt Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
Having spent the year travelling around the whole of Australia, it seemed very fitting to end my adventure by hiking up to the top of Mt Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia.
What an amazing year I had!
